Simon Tan Posted June 20, 2021 Share Posted June 20, 2021 He simply did what he was told to do by his phone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BansheeOne Posted June 20, 2021 Author Share Posted June 20, 2021 Quote France: Le Pen's far right seeks regional election boost 3h ago Far-right leader Marine Le Pen's party is expected to make gains as French voters pick their regional assemblies, less than a year before the presidential election. Voters in France headed to the polls Sunday in regional elections that will gauge the appeal of the country's far-right leader, Marine Le Pen. Her National Rally (RN) party has been repositioning itself as a more mainstream political force, less than a year before the country's presidential election. The elections are being held to pick assemblies for mainland France's 13 regions and 96 departments. The voting will be held over two consecutive Sundays. Unless parties win over 50% of the vote in the first round, a second runoff vote will be held on June 27. After a challenging year with lockdowns and restrictions, French President Emmanuel Macron is in a precarious situation. His party, the Republic on the Move (LREM), not projected to win any of the 13 regions. Far right's move to mainstream Le Pen's party is expected to win at least one region, propelling her into the national spotlight with her new, softened image. While she is not a candidate in these elections, she has campaigned as the face of the party. "She appears less extreme in the eyes of the French, less dangerous for democracy, than she did a decade ago," said Brice Teinturier, an analyst with pollster IPSOS, speaking with Reuters. Her party's best chance is in southern France, around Marseille and Nice, where one of her lieutenants, a former conservative minister, is tipped to win even if all parties rally against him. Le Pen is also expected to make gains around Calais in the north and Burgundy in the center, mostly due to low voter turnout. Uphill battle for Macron The deindustrialized north is expected to push another Macron rival to the forefront — conservative candidate Xavier Bertrand. A win would bolster his chances of becoming the conservatives' presidential candidate in 2022, and cut into the president's center-right voter base. But some analysts say that the results of regional elections are mostly driven by local dynamics combined with a high abstention rate, and cannot be seen as a measure for the larger political picture in France. However, the results will likely shape the narrative around Le Pen's RN and the hit taken by Macron's LREM. https://m.dw.com/en/france-le-pens-far-right-seeks-regional-election-boost/a-57970808 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyE Posted June 21, 2021 Share Posted June 21, 2021 Swedish government lost a vote of no confidence in parliament, possibilities of new elections (YEAH!!!!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BansheeOne Posted June 28, 2021 Author Share Posted June 28, 2021 Quote Far-right party wins no regions in second round of French regional elections results By Lauren Chadwick • Updated: 28/06/2021 - 07:51 The far-right National Rally party failed to secure a single region in the decisive second round of voting for France's regional elections, according to preliminary results. The second round had been seen as a key test for Marine Le Pen who had been hoping to win in one of the country's regions. Estimates on Sunday put turnout in the second round at 34.5%, according to Ifop-Fiducial estimations for several French media outlets. Turnout was at a record low 33% last week, down around 16 points from the first round in the 2015 regional elections. Many politicians and experts said it proved there was a "democratic crisis" in France's political culture, with concerns that voters do not see a point in heading to the polls. The traditional left and right-leaning parties, the Socialists and Republicans, held on to a number of France's regions, according to preliminary estimates. President Emmanuel Macron's La République en Marche party had an extremely poor turnout in last week first round, finishing first in no regions while Marine Le Pen's far-right had a poorer showing than expected, with a National Rally candidate finishing first in just one region. [...] https://www.euronews.com/2021/06/27/second-round-of-french-regional-elections-takes-place-after-record-low-turnout Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BansheeOne Posted July 13, 2021 Author Share Posted July 13, 2021 Quote Bulgaria: Center-right and populist parties neck-and-neck in elections 12.07.2021 The center-right GERB party and an anti-establishment rival led by TV-host-turned-politician Slavi Trifonov are neck-and-neck in exit polls after voting closed in the general election. The party of former Prime Minister Boyko Borissov picked up a narrow lead in Bulgaria's national election — the country's second in three months — partial official results showed Monday. The center-right GERB party was unlikely to emerge as the clear winner, however, after garnering 23.9% of the vote. The anti-establishment party There Is Such a People (ITN) of popular TV host and singer Slavi Trifonov is currently a close second, with 23.7% of the votes. About 95% of the votes have been counted so far. Final results are expected on Tuesday. The anti-graft groupings Democratic Bulgaria and Stand Up! Mafia Out! got 12.6% and 5% percent, respectively. The Socialists and the ethnic Turkish MRF party accounted for 13.6% and 10.6% of the vote, respectively. [...] GERB tainted by graft scandals GERB has been in power for most of the past decade, with Borissov at its forefront. The party had won the regular parliamentary election on April 4 with 26% but failed in a search for coalition partners. Other parties refused to form a ruling coalition to replace the interim administration — that was appointed after the inconclusive election in April — because of widespread anger at alleged endemic corruption and maladministration. The ITN party received 17.6% but did not want to form a minority government. Weeks of coalition talks, or even another election, are now possible, but political analysts say that even if official results confirm GERB as the largest party, its chances of creating a ruling coalition are slim. https://m.dw.com/en/bulgaria-center-right-and-populist-parties-neck-and-neck-in-elections/a-58232222 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BansheeOne Posted July 27, 2021 Author Share Posted July 27, 2021 One vote, one man! Quote Nicaragua: Another presidential contender arrested ahead of election 25.07.2021 Opposition leader Noel Vidaurre became the seventh potential candidate to be arrested by President Daniel Ortega's government ahead of Nicaragua's November 7 election. Police in Nicaragua placed another presidential contender under house arrest on Saturday, virtually clearing the way for President Daniel Ortega ahead of the November 7 elections. Opposition leader Noel Vidaurre was accused of "undermining the sovereignty" of Nicaragua. One of the potential presidential candidates of the Citizens for Liberty alliance, Vidaurre became the seventh potential rival to be arrested in a crackdown that began on June 2. Since then, Ortega's government has conducted a number of raids and overnight arrests to round up political rivals on charges of threatening the country’s "sovereignty." Nearly two dozen journalists and opposition activists have also been detained. Political commentator Jaime Arellano was also put under house arrest on Saturday in relation to a commentary he wrote criticizing a speech by Ortega. Potential rivals detained Ortega, 75, is seeking a fourth consecutive term in November elections. Months before the polls, a majority of his potential rivals have been detained by the government under vague allegations of crimes against the state. [...] https://www.dw.com/en/nicaragua-another-presidential-contender-arrested-ahead-of-election/a-58628994 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BansheeOne Posted July 29, 2021 Author Share Posted July 29, 2021 Quote Nicaragua opposition nominates odd pair as election tag team 5h ago A former guerrilla chief and Miss Nicaragua 2017 are representing the opposition in the next presidential election amid a crackdown on President Daniel Ortega's contenders. The main opposition alliance in Nicaragua named on Wednesday a former right-wing guerrilla fighter and a beauty queen as its candidates in November's general election. The move comes amid a crackdown on potential presidential candidates in Nicaragua, with security forces arresting dozens of people who had hoped to take on President Daniel Ortega. The Citizens Alliance for Liberty (CXL) nominated for president Oscar Sobalvarro, 68, and Berenice Quezada, 27, for vice president. Hundreds of supporters chanted "Yes you can," "Freedom" and "Freedom for political prisoners" as CXL made the announcement at a hotel in the capital Managua amid heavy security presence. Who is Oscar Sobalvarro? Sobalvarro is a former chief in the right-wing guerrilla groups Contras. Backed by the United States, the rebel groups fought against the Sandinista government led by Ortega in the 1980s. "That painful war, because it was a war between brothers, could have been avoided if Sandinismo had fulfilled its promise of democracy in 1979 and allowed free elections," Sobalvarro said on Twitter following his nomination. Sobalvarro said there was hope to remove Ortega from power, as happened in 1990 when "we went out to vote under a dictatorship in a militarized country, but the people, armed only with their vote, proved themselves invincible and we hope that history will repeat itself." The former commander of the Nicaraguan Resistance group said he would "take on the baton" from those detained, "which is neither easy nor free from risks." Who is Berenice Quezada? Quezada was Miss Nicaragua in 2017. She has no known history of a political career. According to La Prensa newspaper, Quezada joined the 2018 protests against Ortega and used her social media accounts to speak out against the government. Following Wednesday's announcement, a photograph of Quezada modeling for an outlet run by Ortega's daughter surfaced on social media platforms, the paper noted. The photograph left observers questioning Quezada's relationship with Camila Ortega. What is the political situation in Nicaragua? Authorities have arrested nearly 30 potential presidential contenders in the last two months. Ortega, who has governed with his wife Rosario Murillo as vice president since 2017, has not yet officially registered his candidacy. [...] https://m.dw.com/en/nicaragua-opposition-nominates-odd-pair-as-election-tag-team/a-58681421 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyE Posted July 29, 2021 Share Posted July 29, 2021 Ortega stays Ortega. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ssnake Posted July 29, 2021 Share Posted July 29, 2021 I vividly remember how he was, literally, a poster boy of the German Left in the 1980s, "fighting tyranny". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunday Posted July 29, 2021 Share Posted July 29, 2021 "Moderate" leftists find very difficult to like not a Communist dictator. Our local Socialists, for instance, feel closer to the Castro regime in Cuba than to Spanish centre-right politicians. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bojan Posted July 29, 2021 Share Posted July 29, 2021 Just remind them that Fidel was a buddy with Franco. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunday Posted July 30, 2021 Share Posted July 30, 2021 😄 Pity there is a lot of people of the "do not let reality get in the way of a good theory" ilk in that camp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BansheeOne Posted August 5, 2021 Author Share Posted August 5, 2021 Like clockwork! Quote Nicaragua charges ex-beauty queen running for election 1h ago Berenice Quezada has been disqualified from running as vice president in the upcoming vote. She is the eighth candidate to be arrested since May. Nicaraguan prosecutors charged former beauty queen and opposition candidate for the presidential vote Berenice Quezada with inciting terrorism, the attorney general said Wednesday. Quezada was placed under house arrest a day earlier amid a crackdown against President Daniel Ortega's opponents ahead of the November 7 election. The charges against Quezada relate to her participation in the 2018 anti-government protests, which Ortega's regime had deemed a coup attempt. She was released pending trial. Quezada out of the race Quezada's arrest came just one day after she officially registered herself as the right-wing Citizens for Freedom Alliance (CxL) candidate for vice president. The 27-year-old winner of the Miss Nicaragua 2017 beauty pageant was running alongside Oscar Sobalvarro, a former guerrilla leader who fought against Ortega's left-wing Sandinista party. CxL had officially registered the pair despite calls from some opposition parties to boycott the election instead of giving it a thin veil of legitimacy. [...] https://m.dw.com/en/nicaragua-charges-ex-beauty-queen-running-for-election/a-58763271 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ssnake Posted August 5, 2021 Share Posted August 5, 2021 47 minutes ago, BansheeOne said: CxL had officially registered the pair despite calls from some opposition parties to boycott the election instead of giving it a thin veil of legitimacy. So, I guess it's two for the price of one. Danny seems to be very afraid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyE Posted August 5, 2021 Share Posted August 5, 2021 He had to let go of his fiefdom once before, he will not let it happen again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BansheeOne Posted August 7, 2021 Author Share Posted August 7, 2021 No longer bothering with individual candidates, it seems. Quote Date 07.08.2021 Nicaragua: Main opposition party barred from presidential elections A court blocked the Citizens Alliance for Liberty Party from running in the presidential elections. The decision comes after the US announced visa restrictions on family members of government officials. Nicaragua's electoral council moved Friday to block the main opposition party, Citizens Alliance for Liberty, from running in the November 7 presidential election. The court resolution cited the fact that the president and legal representative of the party are dual US-Nicaraguan citizens "in clear violation of the law." The move comes after the US State Department announced visa restrictions on 50 relatives of lawmakers, prosecutors and judges connected to President Daniel Ortega and his wife, the country's vice-president, Rosario Murillo. Suffocating the opposition Luis Luna, the electoral council's secretary, read a text to pro-government media ordering the "annulment of the legal status" of the opposition Citizens Alliance for Liberty Party. The court alleged the opposition party's president, Kitty Monterrey, "used irregular procedures" and "has been behaving outside the conditions and legal technical regulations for this type of political organization." Monterrey's identity card was canceled. The decision also stated Citizens Alliance for Liberty was in violation of regulations for political parties, including carrying out "verbal acts that undermine independence, sovereignty and auto-determination." The right-wing Constitutional Liberal Party, the largest opposition party in parliament, had indicated a willingness to work with the government and called for Citizens Alliance for Liberty to be disqualified. On Twitter, Citizens Alliance for Liberty wrote, "These actions of the regime show how much they fear the civic electoral path." [...] https://www.dw.com/en/nicaragua-main-opposition-party-barred-from-presidential-elections/a-58788696 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ssnake Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 You can streamline elections soo much by eliminating needless choice. Why would anyone with a sane mind ever vote for second-best candidate? Clearly, as a man of the people he's doing the people a favor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BansheeOne Posted September 11, 2021 Author Share Posted September 11, 2021 Quote Date 10.09.2021 Morocco's king names Aziz Akhannouch as new PM Billionaire businessman and Agriculture Minister Aziz Akhannouch is set to lead a new Moroccan government after his liberal party soared to victory in parliamentary elections. Morocco's King Mohammed VI on Friday appointed Aziz Akhannouch as the country's new prime minister. A statement from the royal palace said the king tasked Akhannouch with forming a new government. The announcement came after Akhannouch's National Rally of Independents (RNI) party triumphed in Wednesday's parliamentary polls. The pro-business RNI managed to secure 102 out of the 395 seats in parliament, toppling the moderate Islamist Justice and Development Party (PJD), which won a paltry 13 seats. Who is Aziz Akhannouch? Akhannouch is one of the wealthiest people in Morocco, with an estimated fortune of around $2 billion (€1.7 billion). Since 2016, the businessman has been the leader of the RNI party, which is seen to have close ties to the royal household. Akhannouch is CEO of the Akwa Group, a Moroccan conglomerate operating mainly in the oil and gas sector. He has also served as agriculture minister since 2007. Shortly after the declaration of results, Akhannouch said he would "implement his majesty's vision." The businessman has called Wednesday's results "a victory for democracy." Akhannouch has promised to create 1 million jobs to boost the economy. The RNI has also pledged to expand health insurance and hike the salaries of the country's educators. Navigating the path ahead The task for the RNI is to build a coalition government with a majority of at least 198 seats. The liberal Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM) garnered 86 seats. Wednesday's results, however, have dealt a blow to the long-ruling PJD, which has been at the helm since 2011. PJD's leader Saad Dine El Otmani had served as prime minister since 2017. He claimed there had been violations in the polls, including vote buying. Otmani and other senior party figures have resigned from their party posts, and the PJD said it would go into opposition and not seek to join the next governing coalition. https://www.dw.com/en/moroccos-king-names-aziz-akhannouch-as-new-pm/a-59149295 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BansheeOne Posted September 11, 2021 Author Share Posted September 11, 2021 Quote Bulgaria set for third election this year in November 1h ago Protest party ITN edged out the conservative GERB in the latest vote, but was not able to form a government. Bulgarian President Rumen Radev will also be running for reelection. Bulgaria will hold its third parliamentary election since April on November 14, President Rumen Radev announced Saturday. Following months of deadlock, Bulgarians are set to once again choose a new parliament after neither of the three largest parties was able to secure a majority government after an election in July. On Saturday, Radev announced that presidential elections will be held on the same day to save money. He is hoping to secure his second term in November. Who is predicted to win? Protest party ITN, that emerged from mass demonstrations against corruption in 2020, won the July election but was not able to secure a majority in parliament. The latest polls indicate a similarly inconclusive race ahead of the November election. The pro-EU, centre-right party Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria (GERB) is now leading in a Politico poll by 23% with ITN on 20% support. In contrast, the leftwing alliance, led by the Socialist Party, is trailing the top two with 16% of the popular support, according to the poll. It achieved 13.2% of the vote at last July's parliamentary elections. The split sets the scene for more political instability amid the COVID-19 economic crisis and Bulgaria's desire to enter the eurozone in 2024. What of the presidential elections? President Radev is an independent who is widely considered one of the most popular politicians in Bulgaria. He is tipped to win a second term in office. [...] https://m.dw.com/en/bulgaria-set-for-third-election-this-year-in-november/a-59154114 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BansheeOne Posted September 14, 2021 Author Share Posted September 14, 2021 Quote Norway election: Conservative PM concedes after left-wing opposition victory 13h ago Norway's center-left opposition parties have won a majority of seats in parliament, with conservative PM Erna Solberg conceding defeat. Norway's center-left opposition looked set to win a majority of seats in the country's parliamentary election on Monday, with conservative Prime Minister Erna Solberg conceding defeat and the leader of the largest opposition party declaring victory after preliminary results were announced. "The Conservative government's work is finished for this time around," Solberg said in response to the results. She has served two terms as prime minister, starting in 2013. What is the latest? The left-wing Labor Party, along with two other center-left parties, could manage to reach a majority of 89 seats out of 169 in total. Labor is projected to win around 46 seats, just over half of what's required for a majority. Labor Party leader Jonas Gahr Stoere, who is projected to become the next prime minister, said he will seek partners for a coalition government. The 61-year-old millionaire, who comes from a wealthy family, has campaigned against social inequality. "Now we can finally say: we did it," Stoere said after the results pointed towards a left-wing win. "Norway has sent a clear signal: the election shows that the Norwegian people want a fairer society." Stoere said he will attempt to build a coalition with the Center Party and the Socialist Left Party as a "Plan A." He also said he is willing to meet with any other parties seeking a change in government. Stoere previously served as foreign minister from 2005-2013 under then-Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg, who is now NATO Secretary General. [...] https://m.dw.com/en/norway-election-conservative-pm-concedes-after-left-wing-opposition-victory/a-59164354 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bd1 Posted September 19, 2021 Share Posted September 19, 2021 there were elections in russia, but these , as usual, belong to the Because, Russia and/or Jokes/Weird News threads https://www.euronews.com/2021/09/08/poor-voters-three-lookalike-candidates-with-same-name-are-on-this-election-ballot-paper-in Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R011 Posted September 19, 2021 Share Posted September 19, 2021 Canada is having an election Monday. It may be close with both the Liberals and Conservatives having a good chance at a minority government. While sore loser Maxime Bernier's People's Party is not expected to get any seats, theory may siphon off enough votes from the Conservatives to cost them a seat or two. About a quarter of the votes will be by mail. They must arrive by Monday, but won't be counted until Tuesday, a process that may take a couple of days or so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DB Posted September 19, 2021 Share Posted September 19, 2021 One could search and replace "Russia" with some other former superpower here, along with the name of the party and president and it would all look weirdly familiar. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-58614227 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Tan Posted September 20, 2021 Share Posted September 20, 2021 It's always fraud when you don't get your way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R011 Posted September 21, 2021 Share Posted September 21, 2021 It looks like virtually no change in Canada as the Liberals win a minority government with the same number of seats for them and the Conservatives as they had going in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now