#HONGKONG: Court Finds 14 Freedom Campaigners "Guilty of Subversion"

[world politics news]

Hong Kong has found 14 pro-democracy activists guilty of subversion in the largest use yet of a China-imposed National Security Law.

They included former lawmakers Leung Kwok-hung and Helena Wong, journalist-turned-campaigner Gwyneth Ho, and ordinary Hong Kongers who joined the mass protests of 2019 such as nurse Winnie Yu.

They were among the 47 activists charged with trying to "overthrow" the government by organising an unofficial primary in 2020 to pick candidates who can run for office.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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

#CROATIA: New Coalition Govt Formed With Rightist Party

[world politics news]

Croatia’s parliament on has approved a new coalition government allying the ruling conservatives with a right-wing nationalist party.

Prime Minister Andrej Plenković formed the new government with members of the nationalist anti-migrant Homeland Movement (DP) party following an inconclusive election last month.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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

#UK: Labour Party Shadow Chancellor Says No Tax Hikes If They Win Election

[world politics news] 

A representative of the UK's Left-leaning Labour Party has said there will be no hikes in income tax or National Insurance if it wins the general election, which is widely expected - but some spending cuts have not been ruled out, she said.

Shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves told the BBC's Laura Kuenssberg she did not want to make any spending cuts.

But she added she was "under no illusion about the scale of the challenge" and would face "difficult decisions," she said.

the UK's Labour Party has repeatedly criticized the incumbent Conservatives for not spending enough on Healthcare and other priorities, which will make Reeves' promise hard to swallow among Labour voters and hard to believe among Conservative ones.

If Labour needs other parties to form a coalition with them to form a government, it's unclear if Reeves would be able to keep her promise. 

[FULL STORY HERE]

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

#BURKINAFASO: Military Gov't Extends Power Five Years

[world politics news] 

Burkina Faso's military government has announced it will extend junta rule for another five years.

The west African country's ruler, Capt Ibrahim Traoré, will also be able to contest the next presidential election, the state-owned broadcaster says.

When he seized power in a coup nearly two years ago, Capt Traore pledged to restore the civilian government by July 1st of this year.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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

#EU: Far-Right Parties In Turmoil Ahead of EU Elections

[world politics news]

Infighting among some of Europe’s most prominent far-right parties has thrown pre-election campaigning into turmoil, threatening to tarnish a parliamentary vote that was supposed to see the ultra-conservative groups make major gains.

France's Marine Le Pen on Wednesday said her National Rally, or RN, would break ties with the Alternative for Germany after the AfD’s lead candidate, Maximilian Krah. said that not all members of the Nazi SS paramilitary organization were criminals.

In a further blow to the embattled German party, the Identity and Democracy alliance in the European Parliament, which includes RN, expelled the AfD after a vote among its members, ID said in a Thursday statement on the social media site X.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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

#UK: PM Sunak Calls July 4 Election

[world politics news]

British Prime Minister (PM) Rishi Sunak has announced a snap general election to be held in the United Kingdom on July 4, despite having until January next year to hold one. 

Sunak, who is leader of the Conservative Party, and leaders of other political parties began their election campaigns on Thursday.

The Conservative Party, which has been in power for 14 years, is widely expected to lose hold on Parliament and 10 Downing Street.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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

#ITALY: Meloni Party Leads In EU Polling

[world politics news]

European elections are right around the corner. 

In Italy, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's right-leaning Brothers of Italy Party looks set to win the most votes in the European Parliament elections between 8 and 9 June. 

That's according to a Euronews poll from the end of April. Meloni herself is seeking a seatnin the European Parliament. 

[FULL STORY HERE]

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

#IRAN: Repressive President's Death Triggers Widespread Celebrations

[world politics news] 

The helicopter crash which killed Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has triggered celebrations across the Shia nation. He was known to be close to Supreme Leader Khamenei, and Raisi was in line to succeed him.

Strict Islamic laws had triggered protests against the theocratic regime in 2022. But were ultimately unsuccessful. 

Raisi was a hardline cleric close to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. He previously served as the Chief Justice of Iran.He was part of the 'Death Committee' that executed thousands of prisoners.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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

#THENETHERLANDS: Wilders Ready For Coalition To Reawaken Netherlands

[world politics news]

Details are still emerging of the program of the new coalition government assembled by the leader of the Freedom Party, Geert Wilders, following his surprise victory in the elections last year. It's taken 6 months, but a right-leaning coalition has been agreed upon.

It's unclear who will be named prime minister,  but Wilders has signaled restrictions on immigration, a roll back of Net Zero policies, a renewal of nuclear power - to reduce dependence on Russian energy sources, and lower taxes. The current government's war on farmers will end, and support will be given to agriculture and food production.

The new immigration restrictions in the likely anti- EU Wilders government is making EU officials nervous, which probably suits Wilders just fine, even if he isn't chosen for the top spot. But EU officials see a trend emerging. EU member nation Italy elected a right-leaning government in recent years,  and Germany may follow suit, as immigration is at record levels in Europe. 

[FULL STORY HERE]

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

#UGANDA: Oppo. Ldr. Bobi Wine Under House Arrest After Return

[world politics news]

 

Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine has said he was "grabbed" by "goons" and put under house arrest on his return from South Africa. He says he fears for his life and cannot leave his home to campaign.

The singer-turned-politician is the strongest challenger to Pres. Yoweri Museveni, who has held office for almost 40 years.

The 41-year-old has been arrested numerous times and has faced several charges, including treason.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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

#SLOVAKIA: PM Fico Survives Assassination Attempt

[world politics news]

Slovakia’s populist Prime Minister Robert Fico was shot multiple times and gravely wounded Wednesday, but his deputy prime minister said he believed Fico would survive.

The prime minister had been greeting supporters at an event when the attempted assassination took place, shocking the small country and reverberating across Europe weeks before an election.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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

#NORTHMACEDONIA: Conservative Opposition Wins Elections

[world politics news]

North Macedonia's conservative opposition party won a decisive victory in the country's dual parliamentary and presidential elections on May 8, according to preliminary results.

Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova, a law professor supported by the conservative VMRO-DPMNE party, won the presidency by a wide margin, ousting incumbent Social Democrat Stevo Pendarovski.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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

GERMANY: Right-Leaning Party Leader Found Guilty of Sedition After Citing Gov't Stats on Afghan Rapes

[world politics news]

 

The Verden regional court confirms a judgment against Rotenburg  district Alternative for Germany leader Marie-Thérèse Kaiser. She was found guilty of sedition because she is said to have stirred up hatred against Afghan local staff.

Although judge Heiko Halbfas did not accept the defense’s request to call Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser to the witness stand, it took almost seven hours on Monday until he announced the verdict: Rotenburg AfD district leader Marie-Thérèse Kaiser has was guilty of incitement when she linked Afghan local Bundeswehr staff to gang rape in a social media post almost three years ago.

“Anyone who attacks human dignity cannot invoke freedom of expression.” said Halbfas. 

Kaiser warned of “culturally alien masses”

In August 2021, a few weeks before the federal election, Kaiser wrote on a so-called tile on her social media accounts: “Afghanistan refugees; Hamburg SPD mayor for ‘unbureaucratic’ admission; Welcoming culture for gang rape?”

[FULL STORY HERE] (in German)

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

#FRANCE: Law Makes Condoning Hamas A Crime

[world politics news]

Government authorities are stepping in to draw the line as to where freedom ends and condoning terror begins, as pro-Hamas demonstrations sweep the globe. French co1urts have ruled that public speech condoning the Oct. 7 attack or legitimizing Hamas as a resistance movement amounts to condoning terrorism—a crime under French law, punishable by up to seven years in prison. 

French prosecutors are investigating politicians on the far-left, union officials and hundreds of other people for allegedly condoning terrorism and inciting antisemitism since October.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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

UK: Labour Party Wins Majority of England Local Council Elections

[world politics news]

Conservative representation has collapsed to its lowest level since 1998 in the areas that voted in Thursday’s local elections, according to a Guardian analysis.

The Tories now control 19% of seats in the 98 council areas that had announced results by 20:40 on 3 May – their lowest level since Labour’s Tony Blair swept to power in the late 1990s.

But while Labour made significant gains in key target areas such as Nuneaton on Friday, the party has fallen short of its previous performance in some areas, as independent candidates, many campaigning on the war in Gaza, pulled off shock victories in traditional heartlands such as Oldham.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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

#FRANCE: LePen Leads Macron By 12 Points In Latest Poll

[world politics news]

Emmanuel Macron has been dealt a major blow as Marine Le Pen’s National Rally soars ahead in the latest EU Parliament poll of polls.

National Rally, which is led in Brussels by Le Pen’s protege Jordan Bardella, registered 30 per cent support, up seven-points compared to the last election.

The election is slated for next month.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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

#UK: PM Sunak's Plan To Send Illegal Migrants To Rwanda Approved

[world politics news]

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's latest effort to send some migrants to Rwanda finally won approval from Parliament, hours after he pledged deportation flights would begin in July.

The parliamentary delay that had stalled the legislation for two months was finally broken last week when the unelected House of Lords “recognised the primacy” of the elected House of Commons and dropped the last of its proposed amendments, clearing the way for the bill to become law.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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