#UK: Shock Poll Shows Brexit Party In First Place For EU Parl. Elections

[world politics news]

After three years of failed attempts to get the UK out of the European Union, the newly launched Brexit Party is topping a recent poll with 27% of the vote, according to the UK polling firm YouGov.

Last week, in its first poll on next month's' EU Parliamentary elections, the firm saw Nigel Farage’s party storming into third place with 15% of the vote, before the Brexit Party had even formally launched.

Now, YouGov's second poll shows the Brexit Party leapfrogging into first place on 27% of the vote, ahead of both the Conservative and Labour Parties.

Farange says it is likely the party will contest British parliamentary elections in the future, as well, a prospect surely to send shockwaves through the Conservative Party establishment.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#CANADA: Jason Kenney's United Conservatives Defeat Notley's NDP In Alberta Election

[world politics news]

Alberta's Jason Kenney dreamed of uniting his province's two conservative parties in order to stop splitting the vote in provincial elections. His dream paid off as his United Conservative Party roared into power in yesterday's election, defeating the left-of-center New Democrats.

Kenney ran a campaign promising to scrap the carbon tax and usher in a new era of fiscal conservatism.

Kenney, 50, was first elected to the Alberta legislature when he won a byelection in Calgary-Lougheed in December. In 2017, he successfully campaigned to merge the Wildrose Party with the Progressive Conservative Party of Alberta, ending vote-splitting that was causing them to lose elections to the New Democrats. He was then elected the party's leader.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#EU: Populist Parties Form "European Alliance of Peoples and Nations" Group To Contest EU Elections

[world politics news]

Italy’s Matteo Salvini has formally launched his much-anticipated bid to unite European right-leaning populist parties ahead of EU elections in May. "We want to reform Europe," he declared during a press conference at a swanky hotel in central Milan. "For many people, the EU is a nightmare, not a dream," said the Italian interior minister and deputy prime minister.

Salvini's League Party in Italy has teamed up with Germany's populist Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, whose leader and currently the group’s only Member of the European Parliament, Jörg Meuthen was by his side. Also at the table were representatives from the Danish People's Party and the Finns Party of Finland, who are for now the only other confirmed members. The new group will be called European Alliance of Peoples and Nations (EAPN), Meuthen said, and is open to "anyone for whom conservatism and patriotism are important."

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#AUSTRIA: Interior Minister Warns Of "Massive New Migration Wave" If Action Isn't Taken By EU

[world politics news]

Austrian interior minister Herbert Kickl has written to the European Union, warning of a renewed migrant crisis and calling for immediate preventative measures to be taken. In the letter, published by the Krone newspaper, Kickl cited figures from European Union law enforcement agency Europol suggesting that a “large-scale movement of people from Turkey to Europe” is about to take place.

There are presently “tens of thousands” of migrants in these areas already, including about 5,000 each in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia, as well as about 60,000 asylum seekers in Greece, and about 5.6 million Syrian refugees in the Middle East, according to Kickl, who said there is "a clear potential for a massive new migration wave if action is not taken quickly."

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#CANADA: New Democrat Activist Slurs Calgary Day Before Tight Election

[world politics news]

The day before provincial elections in Alberta, a New Democratic Party insider has called Calgary a narrow-minded cow town."

Derek Leebosh, the Vice President of public affairs at Environics, tweeted his opinion on Calgary, calling Canada’s third largest city a “narrow minded cow town." He later deleted the tweet, but not before it caused an online backlash.

Leebosh said Calgary was becoming a “real city” that votes more “like Denver or Winnipeg,” also stating that Calgary was becoming less “narrow minded” in his view.

The ruling New Democrats are facing a tough challenge from Jason Kenney's United Conservatives.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#FINLAND: Populist Finns Party Wins Strong Second In Election

[world politics news]

The euroskeptic Finns Party won 39 seats in the 200-seat Finnish legislature in Sunday's election, one fewer than the center-left Social Democratic Party that received the most votes.

Finns Party chairman Jussi Halla-aho also received the most votes by far of any candidate who ran for the Eduskunta legislature. Finnish media are suggesting that could put him in the role of kingmaker in the next government.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#INDONESIA: Presidential Election Enters Final Days; Pres. Widodo Seeks Second Five-Year Term Wednesday

[world politics news]

Indonesian president Joko “Jokowi” Widodo touted his infrastructure achievements and “clean” human rights records as campaigning wrapped up on Saturday, ushering in a three-day cooling-off period ahead of Wednesday’s general election.

Some 200,000 Indonesians, mostly dressed in white, flocked to Jakarta’s main stadium to support Widodo and his vice-presidential running mate Ma’ruf Amin, in a show of force that brought the capital’s downtown area to a standstill since the early morning.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#MALDIVES: Former President's Party Wins Landslide, Promises China Debt Probe

[world politics news]

Maldives former president Mohamed Nasheed's party won a landslide in the archipelago’s parliamentary election. His Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) is set to secure 65 seats in the 87-member parliament, giving it a clear majority to push for reforms including imposing the country’s first income tax and instituting a minimum wage for the first time.

Pres. Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, who is also from the MDP and unseated pro-China leader Abdulla Yameen in September, had urged voters to back his call for an investigation the scale of debts to China, which the party fears could run as high as US$3 billion and risks sinking the economy.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#SCOTLAND: Scottish Parliament Rejects Green Party Proposal To Declare "Climate Emergency"

[world politics news]

A proposal by the Scottish Green Party to declare a "Climate Emergency" has been rejected in the Scottish Parliament. The proposal would have stopped the extraction of fossil fuels and banning fracking in the oil-rich region of the UK. The Scottish National Party, Labour Party, and the Scottish Conservatives all argued too many jobs and livelihoods depend on the oil and gas industry in Scotland.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#CANADA: China-Funded School Program Does Not Allow Criticism Of China

[world politics news]

Parents are accusing a public school program funded by the Chinese government of brainwashing their children. The New Brunswick provincial public school program uses Chinese teachers and curriculum to educate students about Chinese culture, but does not allow criticism of the communist regime.

While in existence since 2007, a recent change to the contract for the Confucius Institute does not allow the school district to cancel the program early.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#ISRAEL: Netanyahu Wins Fifth Term As PM With Allied Parties' Support

[world politics news]

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu clinched a clear victory early Wednesday morning in Israel’s general elections. In Tuesday’s contest, his Likud party was tied with Blue and White, both winning 35 seats in the Knesset. But his right-wing/ultra-Orthodox bloc held a decisive lead and Netanyahu was thus safely en route to forming a majority governing coalition with their support.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#IRELAND: €360,000 Military Recruitment Canpaign Attracts Just 3 New Personnel

[world politics news]

The number of Irish Defence Force personnel in 2017 increased by just three new recruits despite a “huge” year-long recruitment campaign that cost taxpayers €360,000, according to Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin.

The opposition leader accused the government of a “blind reliance” on recruitment over retention and said that between 40 and 50 members of all ranks were exiting the Defence Forces every month.

Ships were not able to go to sea last month because of the lack of personnel and the Air Corps operating at just 70 per cent capacity.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#FINLAND: Finns Party Rises To Third Place In New Poll

[world politics news]

The support of the Finns Party continues to rise. In the most recent polling, the party's support is 15%, and the party is now the third most popular. That's up nearly 2% since a February poll. The party took third place in National elections in 2011, winning 19% of the vote.

Support for the party, which is Nationalist, but leans center-Left in many of its policies, is coming from unaffiliated voters.

The most popular party is still with the SDP's 20.1 percent share. The second place is held by the Coalition Party at 15.8%.

Pictured: Finns Party Leader Jussi Halla-aho

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#ISRAEL: Netanyahu Pledges West Bank Settlement Annexation; Opponent Calls It "Election Stunt"

[world politics news]

A day before Tuesday's election, embattled prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has promised to Annex the West Bank settlements occupied by Jewish settlers, but his main opponent, Blue and White Party leader Benny Gantz, called the move an "election stunt" rather than a serious proposal.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#POLAND: Ruling Party Hints It May Not Fully Implement New EU Copyright Law; "Stifles" Freedom Of Speech

[world politics news]

The leader of Poland's ruling Law and Justice Party has hinted that the government will not fully implement the EU’s new copyright reform law, saying it stifles freedom of speech.

Speaking at a convention in the northern city of Gdańsk on Saturday, Jaroslaw Kacznski said his conservative ruling party would strive to defend the rights of internet users in Poland after the controversial new rules were voted through by the EU Parliament. Kacznski said the newly approved EU Copyright Directive would be brought into Polish law - by the Law and Justice Party of which he is head - "in such a way that the freedom of the internet is preserved."

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#SUDAN: Protesters Demand Departure Of President After 30 Years

[world politics news]

Thousands of protesters have marched in Sudan's capital, Khartoum, with many reaching the army headquarters for the first time since deadly demonstrations against Pres. Omar al-Bashir erupted last year, according to reports.

The protests began in December as a movement reacting to spiralling prices and a failing economy but quickly escalated into demands for Bashir's departure after three decades in power.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#JAPAN: Cabinet Moves Forward To Ban Parents From Spanking Children After High-Profile Abuse Cases

[world politics news]

The Japanese cabinet has approved legislation banning parents from inflicting corporal punishment upon their own children, an effort intended to curb child abuse at home in light of recent high-profile cases where children were fatally mistreated in the name of discipline. If passed by the ongoing regular Diet session, the amendment would take effect next April.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#IRELAND: Fine Gael Election Platform Features Tax Credit Rebate For The Poor

[world politics news]

Lower income families could be repaid up to €2,400 in tax every year under plans being considered by Fine Gael as a key element of its general election campaign.

A new policy of allowing the Revenue Commissioners refund unused tax credits to individuals earning below €16,500, or couples earning €33,300 a year, is detailed in internal documents discussing Government and party policy.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#THEPHILIPPINES: Pres. Duterte Threatens "Suicide Missions" Against Chinese Troops Over Disputed Island

[world politics news]

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has told China to “lay off” an island occupied by his country in the disputed South China Sea and said he would deploy his soldiers there on a "suicide mission" if China touches it.

Duterte’s remarks, which he said was not a warning but rather a word of advice to a friend, follow a statement made by the foreign affairs ministry calling the presence of more than 200 Chinese boats near Thitu Island illegal.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#BRAZIL: Top Election Court Says Google Rigged Search For Leftist Pres. Candidate

[world politics news]

The Supreme Electoral Tribunal, Brazil’s top election court, fined Fernando Haddad, Pres. Jair Bolsonaro’s leftist opponent, for having a contract with Google to manipulate search results during the election.

Haddad paid Google to highlight negative content and manipulated searches to point to a website with negative coverage of Bolsonaro.

Google wasn’t fined because they said that as soon as they were notified by the court of the irregularities, they dishonored the contract.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#EU: Franco-German Assembly Holds First Meeting In Paris; Concerns It Will Erode National Sovereignty

[world politics news]

France's National Assembly was decorated with its finest adornments this past Monday, when hosting the first meeting of the Franco-German parliamentary agreement, meant to create a Franco-German Assembly. The Assembly, the brainchild of French Pres. Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, is meant to foster a much closer cooperation between the two anchor nations within the European Union.

Organizers stress that the Assembly will meet only twice a year and have limited powers. Right-leaning parties in both nations have criticized the Assembly as undermining the sovereignty of the two nation-states. Both Macron and Merkel have been dismissive of the modern nation-state within Europe, and speak often of an united EU Army.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#ALGERIA: President Forced To Resign After Street Demonstrations

[world politics news]

Algeria's President Abdelaziz Bouteflika has resigned after weeks of massive streets protests.

Bouteflika, who has been in power for 20 years, had already dropped plans to seek a fifth term as opposition to his rule grew. The powerful Algerian army had called for the 82-year-old to be declared incapable of carrying out his duties. He had it really been seen in public in the past six years.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#UKRAINE: Actor/Comedian Leads Field In Pres. Election; Advanced To Run-Off

[world politics news]

Volodymyr Zelenskiy, a comedian and actor who plays the nation's president on a TV show, has won the first round of an actual presidential election in Ukraine, and will advance to next month's runoff against the incumbent.

Zelenskiy got about 30%, with current president, Petro Poroshenko, taking 16%. The two have expressed largely pro-EU sentiments. Former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko Will not advance to the run-off, after garnering just 13% of the vote.

Zelenskiy is said to have had great appeal to the russian-speaking Eastern region, because he speaks both Ukrainian and Russian.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#BRUNEI: New Sharia Laws Allow Stoning Of Gays, Amputation For Thieves

[world politics news]

A new Sharia-based law in the sultanate of Brunei allows for the stoning to death of homosexuals and the amputation of limbs for thieves.

The small oil-rich Asian nation begin implementing Islamic Sharia law in 2014 and homosexuality is already punishable by 10 years in prison. But human rights groups warn that this new round of laws are "vicious" in nature.

The nation's 73-year-old leader, Hassanal Bolkaih, banned the public celebration of Christmas in 2015.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#EU: Critics Say New European Copyright Law Endangers Internet Freedom

[world politics news]

Amid widespread protests, online and off, the European Union approved a controversial new copyright directive on Tuesday. The legislation is intended to give copyright holders more control over their work, but critics say it could hand more power to tech giants, stifle the free flow of information, and even prevent memes from being shared online.

European Parliament passed the copyright directive in a vote with 348 votes in favor, 274 against, and 36 abstentions. The new guidelines are the EU’s first major update to its copyright laws since 2001.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.