NORWAY: Lawmakers Open Arctic Sea To Deep SeaMining

[world politics news]

The Norwegian parliament has voted in favor of commercial plans to open the Arctic Ocean to seabed mineral exploration, Mining.com has reported. The controversial vote, which was won 80 to 30, was opposed by Environmental groups, who argued it put sea life in danger. Thus makes Norway the first nation to endorse commercial deep sea mining.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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#FINLAND: Conservatives To Take Power After Parliamentary Elections

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Finland headed to the polls on Sunday and ousted once-popular Prime Minister Sanna Marin from office in the country's parliamentary elections, denying her a second term as the government.

Marin was looking to win re-election by keeping her liberal Social Democrats party in power. However, with 97.7% of the votes tallied, it was the conservative National Coalition party emerging victorious with 20.7%. In second place was the far-right, nationalist Finns party with 20.1 percent, with the Social Democrats garnering 19.9%.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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#FINLAND: NATO Application Approved By Turkish Parliament

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Turkey’s parliament has ratified Finland’s application to join NATO, lifting the last hurdle in the way of the Nordic country’s long-delayed accession into the Western military alliance.

All 276 lawmakers present voted unanimously in favour of Finland’s bid, days after Hungary’s parliament also endorsed Helsinki’s accession.  The bid was publically endorsed by Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan over one week ago. 

[FULL STORY HERE]

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

#FINLAND: Parliament Votes to Move Forward With NATO Application

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The Finnish parliament has voted overwhelmingly in favor of joining the NATO military alliance. The Nordic nation will need to wait for ratification from Turkey and Hungary but looks set to move ahead of neighbor Sweden.

The vote in Parliament was 184 to 7.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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

#NORWAY: PM Proposes $7.3 Billion Aid Package For Ukraine

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Norway's prime minister proposed on February 6 that his country should provide aid to Ukraine of some 75 billion Norwegian krone ($7.3 billion) over a five-year period. "We aim to secure a unified agreement on this in parliament," Labor Party Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere told a news conference after meeting Norwegian opposition leaders.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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#FINLAND: Parliament Delays Implementation Of ID Law For Playing Lottery Games

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From 1 January 2023, operators will be required to carry out mandatory ID checks for all consumers playing coupon-based games such as Lotto and Eurojackpot.

However, due to the short turnaround time for licensees to adjust their ID systems, which has been made more difficult by a shortage of components as a result of the pandemic and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, the government proposed a short transition period to allow operators time to ensure they are in compliance with the new rules.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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#DENMARK: Embattled PM Calls New Elections

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Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen called Wednesday for general elections in Denmark, an expected move from the leader of the Social Democratic Party only days ahead of a vote of no confidence against her, driven by a loss of political faith in Frederiksen from her main supporters, the Danish Social Liberal Party, over the government's handling of its mink scandal.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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#FINLAND: Country Will Apply For NATO Membership "Without Delay"

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Finland must apply to join NATO “without delay” in the wake of Russia’s attack on Ukraine, its president and prime minister have said, signalling a historic shift in the country’s security policy that drew a blunt warning of retaliation from the Kremlin.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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

#SWEDEN: PM Signals NATO Membership App Submitted "Within Weeks"

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Sweden has signalled it will apply for NATO membership as fears that Russia, emboldened by its invasion of Ukraine, might see to attack Sweden and neighboring Finland.

Sources told Sweden's SVD newspaper about the move on the same day that fellow neutral neighbour Finland started its debate on joining NATO after days of speculation it would do so. 

[FULL STORY HERE]

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

#FINLAND: Parliament To Debate NATO Membership

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Finnish MPs will debate how to handle a petition calling for a vote on NATO membership on Tuesday as a poll showed a historic change in attitude in the traditionally non-aligned country after Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Prime Minister Sanna Marin said in a Twitter post Monday evening that a planned debate in parliament the following day would cover the situation in Ukraine and was not intended as a "wider conversation on Finland's policy regarding military alignment or non-alignment".

But she added that since a citizen's petition requesting a parliament debate on a referendum had reached the necessary 50,000 signatories to trigger a debate in Parliament.

Russia has recently threatened both Finland and Sweden with consequences if it aligned itself with the West following the invasion. Such threats, ironically, have seemingly quickly moved public opinion towards a NATO alliance.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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#SWEDEN: Swedish Democrats Leader Calls For "Zero" Immigration

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The leader of the populist Sweden Democrats, the third most popular party in the country, argued that asylum immigration must be reduced to zero during a televised debate.

Sweden Democrat Party Leader Jimmie Åkesson was debating the Center Party’s migration policy spokesperson, Jonny Cato, who argued in favor of no immigration  limits because it would violate the right to asylum.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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#SWEDEN: Former Norway Minister Warns Of "Out Of Control" Sweden; Spike In Migrant Violence

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The previous migration minister of Norway has warned that the situation in Sweden is out of control after hundreds of car fires and bombings.

Sylvi Listhaug talks about the problems in Sweden, while warning that trying to avoid talking about it will not do any good.

Statistics show that young Somalians in the capital Oslo have 419 indictments per 1 000 inhabitants for violence and assault.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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#FINLAND: Women Dominate Politics With Coalition Of Four Women-Led Parties

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In December, 34-year-old Social Democrat Sanna Marin was sworn in as prime minister, heading a coalition and a national cabinet dominated by women.

She is the youngest serving premier in the world, mother to a toddler, and heads a coalition of four other parties that are all led by women. Three of them, like her, are under 40.

Marin is expected to be elected Leader of the Social Democratic Party in June.

The woman-dominated cabinet is unprecedented, even in a Nordic nation that prides itself on gender equality, and goes further than even Canada's prime minister, Justin Trudeau, who ensured a 50/50 gender balance in his cabinet since he became that nation's leader in 2015.

Pictured, left to right: Li Andersson (Leader of the Left Alliance,) Katri Kulmuni (Leader of the Centre Party,) Sanna Marin and Maria Ohisalo (Leader of the Green League) (L-to-R)

[FULL STORY HERE]

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#NORWAY: New Health Minister Says Gov't Shouldn't Tell Citizens Not To Smoke, Drink Alcohol, Eat Red Meat

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Norway's new cabinet minister for Public Health, Sylvi Listhaug, is causing controversy for saying that there's nothing wrong with eating red meat, smoking and drinking alcohol. At least her office won't be lecturing citizens to avoid such things.

An admitted "occasional" smoker herself, Listhaug hails from the Norwegian Progress Party, which is focused on civil liberties, individualism, and limited government. Which makes her "hands off" approach unsurprising.

In an interview, Listhaug said: "I think many smokers feel repressed. They almost feel they have to hide away, and I think that’s stupid. Although smoking is not good and it is harmful, adults have to decide for themselves what they do. The only thing we as governments are to do is to provide information."

[FULL STORY HERE]

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

#NORWAY: Justice Minister Resigns After His Partner Firebombs Their Own Car To Fake Attack

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Norway’s Justice Minister Tor Mikkel Wara has resigned after his partner was formally suspected of staging attacks against the couple – including the firebombing of their car – to give the impression they were being threatened. Wara, 53, had taken temporary leave from his position after it emerged that the Norwegian security service PST was investigating his partner, Laila Anita Bertheussen.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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

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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]

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#SWEDEN: New Culture Minister's Instagram Post Praising Alleged Anti-Semite Draws Criticism

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Sweden's newly appointed Minister for Culture, Amanda Lind, has already stirred controversy in an Instagram post praising former Housing Minister Mehmet Kaplan, calling him a “pioneer” and “hero."

Kaplan was forced to resign after it was revealed he had connections to fascist and Islamist organisations. He has compared Israel's treatment of Palestinians to the Nazis, drawing condemnation from Israel.

Lind, derided by her opponents as a "hippie lunatic" and "extremist," later apologized and said she did not approve of all his statements, but was only listing him in the post as among other Green Party leaders of the past who paved the way for her.

[FULL STORY HERE AND HERE]

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

#DENMARK: New Citizens To Be Required To Shake Hands With Female Mayors (Including Muslim Citizens)

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New rules require people who have been awarded Danish citizenship to shake hands when they tak part in citizenship ceremonies. The rule, supported by the Conservative and Danish People's Party, as well as Social Democrats, is said to be squarely aimed at Muslims, many of whom don't shake hands, especially with women. Participants are also required to sign a document promising to respect Danish values.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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

#SWEDEN: Prime Minister Stefan Löfven Gets A Second Chance; Social Democrats Must Form New Gov't By Oct 29

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Prime Minister and Social Democratic Party leader Stefan Löfven is getting another lease on political life. He's been given the chance to try to form a new government, following a failed attempt by the conservative Moderates Party earlier this month. The election in September resulted in a one-seat difference between the Social Democrats and Moderates, as the anti-migration Sweden Democrats made hefty gains. Now the chance to form a government has reverted to the Social Democrats, who have until October 29 to scrounge up the votes to create a government.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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

#NORWAY: Center-Right Party Supporting Conservative Gov't Could Switch Support To Left-Leaning Party

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The leader of a party propping up the government of Prime Minister Erna Solberg's conservative-leaning government says he wants to steer his party Leftward. After supporting her minority Conservative coalition for the past five years, Christian Democratic Party leader Knut Arild Hareide, 45, says it may be time to cooperate with the Labour Party instead. That means Solberg’s government could fall later this Fall.

Hareide's idea would move his party from its traditional position at center-right to join a socialist coalition positioned towards the center-left. Some Christian Democrats aren't yet on board, and are calling for Hareide’s resignation or expulsion from the party. Others are said to be intrigued by the idea, and think it might attract new voters. There are some important issues to iron out if they align with Labour, however. Christian Democrats almost always support Israel, for example, while Labour sympathizes with the Palestinians.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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