#THEMALDIVES: Bill Would Restrict Media Coverage Of Elections

[world politics news]

The Maldives parliament has opened debate on an amendment to the country’s General Elections Act proposed in mid-February by a lawmaker with the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party, which would allow only journalists working for media outlets registered with the government and approved by the Election Commission to report from voting and vote-counting sites on election days, according to multiple news reports and Ahmed Naif, secretary-general of the Maldives Journalists Association.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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

#IRAQ: Top Court Bars Kurdish Presidential Candidate

[world politics news]

Iraq’s top court banned a veteran Kurdish politician from the country's presidency on Sunday, citing lingering corruption allegations.

Hoshyar Zebari, a former foreign minister and longtime Iraqi diplomat, had been a front-runner competing against the sitting president, Barham Salih. In Iraq's political system, parliament votes to pick the president who in turn appoints the prime minister.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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

#LIBYA: Elections Postponed Until January Amid Divided National Parliaments

[world politics news]

 

Libya's legislative elections have been postponed until January, the country's eastern-based parliament said on Tuesday, instead of being held on December 24 as planned.

"The election for members of the House of Representatives will take place 30 days after the presidential vote," still scheduled for December 24, parliamentary spokesman Abdullah Bliheg told a press conference.

Elections are supposed to help unify the country after years of conflict and division, but disputes over their legal and constitutional basis have laid bare the extent of the split between the country's east and west.

The House of Representatives, based in the eastern city of Tobruk, has been in disagreement over electoral laws with a rival body, the equivalent of Libya's senate, in the western city of Tripoli.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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

#HAITI: Elections Again Postponed

[world politics news]

General elections scheduled for November in Haiti have been postponed indefinitely after the country's prime minister dismissed all members of the body which organizes elections.

Prime Minister Ariel Henry said he would appoint a new electoral council, but has not said when he would do so.

It is the fourth time the election has been postponed.

Haiti has been torn apart by a fierce power struggle triggered by the killing of President Jovenel Moïse in July.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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

#THAILAND: Parliament Amends Electoral System

[world politics news]

 

Thailand’s parliament has approved a constitutional amendment bill to change the election system which analysts said could favor bigger parties including one backing Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha while proving advantageous to the opposition Pheu Thai Party as well. 

The joint session of the parliament voted for the bill 472 to 33, while 187 lawmakers abstained.

“The constitutional amendment bill which the parliament has passed will change the electoral system from a one-ballot system to a two-ballot system,” said Jurin Laksanawisit, deputy prime minister and leader of the Democrat Party. 

[FULL STORY HERE]

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

#SOMALIA: President, Parliament, Extend Terms Two Years; US, EU Condemns

[world politics news]

The United States and European Union have condemned the move by Somalia’s parliament to extend the terms of the president and members of parliament by two years amid concern it could deepen divides in the country.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he was “deeply disappointed” by the approval of the legislation

[FULL STORY HERE]

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

#KAZAKHSTAN: Over 400 Election Observers Approved For Jan. 10th Elections

[world politics news] 

The Central Election Commission of Kazakhstan has completed the accreditation of observers from international organizations and foreign states for the upcoming Parliamentary and local municipal body elections, slated to be held on January 10th.

In all, over 400 international observers from 31 countries and numerous international organizations well supervise elections for Parliament.

Anastasia Schegortsova, a member of the Central Election Commission, said on January 4, following an accreditation meeting of the CEC for local municipal and parliamentary legislative bodies.

The constitutional law on elections specifies that the Electoral commission must certify all international observers five days before an election.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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

#KYRGYZSTAN: Parliament Suspends December Election

[world politics news] 

Kyrgyzstan's parliament has voted to suspend laws that would force fresh elections, after a parliamentary vote held earlier this month was annulled and had been tentatively rescheduled for December.

The Central Asian country has been embroiled in political crisis following the elections, which saw demonstrators free a populist politician who quickly became acting president.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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

#NEWZEALAND: PM Ardern Delays Election Amid Outbreak Fears

[world politics news]

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has decided to delay the election until October 17.

Announcing the decision this morning, Ardern said the re-emergence of Covid-19 in the community was a cause for concern during the election period.

And while the Electoral Commission said voting could safely happen under alert level 2, Ardern said she also had to factor in participation of voters, fairness and certainty.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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

#HONGKONG: China Pro-Democracy Candidates Disqualified From Running For Assembly

[world politics news]

Hong Kong authorities have disqualified 12 pro-democracy candidates from upcoming elections, deepening political tensions in the Chinese territory.

Opposition legislators had hoped to obtain a majority in the Legislative Council (LegCo) in September's poll after Beijing's imposition of a highly controversial National Security Law, which imposed restrictions on Free speech and free expression that are the same as Mainland Communist Chinese laws.

Among those barred are high-profile activists Joshua Wong and Lester Shum. Among reasons for disqualifying the candidates was their opposition to the National Security Law.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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

#HONGKONG: Pro-Democracy Activist Joshua Wong Disqualified As Political Candidate

[world politics news]

Pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong Chi-fung has accused Hong Kong authorities of making an “arbitrary” decision to ban him from being a candidate in the Nov. 24th district council elections, saying candidates with views that were similar to or even more critical than his were allowed to run.

Wong was the only candidate disqualified from the polls over his political allegiance.

Although he had made clear he did not support Hong Kong’s separation from mainland China or full independence as an option, acting returning officer Laura Liang Aron said Wong had tried to “mislead” the public in stating he had changed his stance.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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

#THAILAND: Politicians Decry Legislature's Delay Of Elections By 90 Days

[world politics news]

Politicians have slammed the National Legislative Assembly for passing a bill that effectively delays the general election by 90 days. The NLA approved the section of an election bill that sets the election's effective date 90 days after it is published in the Royal Gazette. The result is the general election can only be held 150 days after it takes effect, or by the end of February at the latest.

[FULL STORY HERE]

#IRELAND: Plans To Extend The Vote To Irish Living Abroad Fraught With Challenges

[world politics news]

Politicians and academics alike say that plans to consider extending the vote to those Irish living abroad - perhaps as early as 2025 - carry with them logistical, financial, and ethical challenges. No one really knows how many ex-pats live outside of Ireland, and how much it would cost to create a system to collect ballots from them. And a lack of knowledge of local issues could negate the votes of those living in-country, say experts. Some who carry Irish passports only engage with the country on St Patrick’s Day.

[FULL STORY HERE]

#SINGAPORE: Pres. Election Pushed Back A Month, New Rules Announced In Legislation

[world politics news]

This year's presidential election will be pushed back to September, to avoid the campaigning period coinciding with National Day celebrations in August, said Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Chan Chun Sing, who announced a new bill in parliament featuring several new election rules. In the past, Polling Day typically fell in the last week of August. Presidential hopefuls will get more time to submit their papers, and the committee which assesses whether they are eligible to run for election will also have more time to go through applications. President Tony Tan Keng Yam's term expires on Aug 31.

[FULL STORY HERE]

Pictured: Minister in the Prime Minister's Office, Chan Chun Sing

#SINGAPORE

Gov't: Empty Ballot Boxes Found in Schools "Not A Lapse of Procedure or Law" [world politics news]

ITALY: Monti Says German Chancellor Opposes Center-Left Party Victory [world politics news]

IRAN: Parliament to Strip President of Some Powers to Oversee Elections (Video) [World Politics News]

CZECH REPUBLIC: Tattooed Man Polling In Third Place in Presidential Race [world politics news]

EGYPT: Muslim Brotherhood-Written Constitution Passes [World Politics News]

SOUTH KOREA: Daughter of Former Dictatorial Leader Elected President [World Politics News]