#THENETHERLANDS: New Populist Party Wins Big In Provincial Elections

[world politics news]

A new populist party riding anger among Dutch farmers and rural communities at government policies to rein in agricultural pollution emerged as the big winner in provincial elections Wednesday, according to early exit polls.

The elections for the Netherlands’ 12 provincial legislatures also indirectly decide the makeup of the country’s national senate — and the win for the Farmer Citizen Movement was seen as a powerful protest vote against Prime Minister Mark Rutte and his four-party center-right governing coalition.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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#UK: New Prime Minister Vows Stability And Unity For UK And His Party

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Rishi Sunak, who is the new UK prime minister, has issued a plea for unity in the face of a "profound economic challenge".

He won the Tory leadership contest after rival Penny Mordaunt failed to secure enough backing from MPs.

In his first speech, Sunak said bringing his party and the UK together would be his "utmost priority."

Sunak, 42, will be the UK's first British Asian prime minister and the youngest ,in more than 200 years.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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

#NIGERIA: Biafra Seperatist Movement Rejects Call For Violence In 2023 Election By Dissident

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The Indigenous People of Biafra movement (IPOB) said that it has no plan to disrupt the 2023 general elections in the southeastern part of the country.

IPOB spokesperson Emma Powerful made this known in a statement to journalists on Saturday in reaction to violent comments made by a breakaway member of IPOB, Simon Ekpa.

The Finland-based resident had threatened that the IPOB faction under his leadership would not allow any election to hold in the region.

But IPOB has distanced itself from Ekpa’s statement, saying violence was never part of its strategies as it continues to make its demand for secession. The IPOB movement was named a terrorist group in 2017 and banned by the Nigerian government.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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

#AUSTRALIA: New Anti-LockdownParty Hopes For Breakthrough In November Election

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A new party born out of frustration with COVID lockdowns and a dislike for Victorian state premier Daniel Andrews, is hoping to win as many as 10 seats in the upcoming state election, though political insiders have cast doubt on their chances.

The Victorians party was launched a year ahead of the November 26 state election, and has since received sustained media coverage, helping it to attract about 5,000 members.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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

#CANADA: Quebec MP Leaves Conservatives Over New Party Leader's "Leadership Style"

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Alain Rayes, the MP for the Quebec riding of Richmond–Arthabaska, said Tuesday he is leaving the Conservative Party to sit as an Independent. Rayes cited a clash of values with new conservative party leader Pierre Poilievre's leadership style. 

Rayes had backed Jean Charest in the leadership contest that ended last week. Charest came in a distant second in the contest.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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

#UKRAINE: Member Of Parliament Expelled From Ruling Party Over Bribery Scandal

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Oleksandr Trukhin, a lawmaker from the governing President Volodymyr Zelensky’s Servant of the People faction, was kicked out of the party after a journalistic investigation exposed his attempts to bribe police officers at a car crash site.

The party announced the decision to expel Trukhin on Feb. 2, a day after the Ukrainska Pravda’s investigation was published. Now the party will also consider expelling Trukhin from the party's parliament faction, that including 242 members of parliament. However, even if he is expelled, Trukhin won't lose his seat in parliament.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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

#CANADA: Patrick Brown Booted From Conservative Leadership Race

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Brampton, Ontario Mayor Patrick Brown, in a bizarre turn of events, has been disqualified from the Conservative Party leadership race.

The party’s Leadership Election Organizing Committee (LEOC) released a statement late Tuesday after a hastily called meeting, claiming grave violations of party rules and the Canada Elections Act by Brown’s campaign. They did not release any details on the allegations and said the party would not be commenting further.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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

#EU: European Parliament Introduces Election Reforms: Younger People Voting, At-Large Seats

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European lawmakers have backed a proposal to reform the way they are elected which they say would allow citizens to have a greater say in how the European Union is run.

The draft legislation plans for European voters to cast two votes, one to elect MEPs in national constituencies and another to elect 28 additional MEPs that would have the whole EU as their constituency.

They also want voters to be able to elect the European Commission president with each political group in the parliament putting forward a candidate during the election. The top job would then be given to the nominee from the group that secured the most seats.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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

#TURKEY: Parliamentary Threshold For Parties Lowered To 7%

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The Turkish parliament on March 31 approved amendments to the election law, lowering the election threshold for political parties to earn seats in Parliament from 10 to 7 percent.

The military government in the aftermath of the 1980 coup d’état had introduced the 10% election barrier, which is the highest in the European continent, in a bid to maintain political stability.

The alliance the opposition are part of already garners more than 7%.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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

#CANADA: New Democrats Enter Three-Year Accord With Liberals To Support It's Majority

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New Democratic Party has entered into a confidence-and-supply agreement with the ruling Liberal Party to support its legislation and vote "yes" in any no confidence votes for the next three years, in exchange for Liberals pushing through NDP legislation and programs.

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says he would be willing to pull out of the new deal if it doesn't work as planned, but he said that he is confident his party can secure the social programs and other policies Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has promised to implement in their accord.

“We’re not going to let the Liberal government off the hook,” Singh told reporters near Parliament Hill on Tuesday, shortly after details of the Liberal-NDP deal were published.

Despite campaigning in the past two elections with rhetoric that attacked Trudeau as untrustworthy and beholden to corporate interests, Singh said he has faith the Liberals will abide by the deal, which is now a public document that Singh described as a new tool for New Democrats to secure their policy priorities in Canada’s minority Parliament.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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

#UK: Conservative MP Defects To Labour Party

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Tory MP Christian Wakeford has defected to the Labour Party and called on Boris Johnson to quit as prime minister.

Wakeford took the Bury South seat from Labour at the 2019 general election by just 402 votes.

But he will now sit as a Labour MP, with his new party leader, Sir Keir Starmer, offering him a "warm welcome."

Some conservatives suggested he should have resigned, triggering a by-election, but others have "crossed the floor" in Parliament before, establishing precedent.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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

#CROATIA: Party Leader Faces Expulsion After "Flat-Earther" Insult Against The Unvaccinated

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The founder and president of the right leaning Croatian Sovereigntest Party, Hrvoje Zekanović, is facing expulsion from fellow members after ridiculing those who refuse to be vaccinated against coronavirus as anti-vaxxers and "flat earthers," in both speeches on the floor of Parliament and in media appearances.

The comments came after Zekanović, a member of Parliament since 2018, himself was vaccinated. He told media that he felt compelled to speak out after hearing so many of his colleagues speaking in parliament against vaccination.

MP Marijan Pavliček, who serves in Parliament with Zekanović, said his comments were unacceptable.

"We knew for months that he had a different opinion, we knew that he was vaccinated and it is up to each individual to decide for himself. We couldn’t forgive him for calling everyone who didn’t get vaccinated anti-vaxxers, responsible for people ending up on a respirator. 

"He exaggerated on one show, where he spun a globe and called people flat earthers. On a personal level, he insulted colleagues. This decision has nothing to do with his position on vaccination. He is neither the first nor the last to be vaccinated in the party. But ridiculing all colleagues is unacceptable."

[FULL STORY HERE]

 

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

#CANADA: O'Leary Cites Trudeau's Diverse Cabinet's Lack Of "Competence"

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Conservative leadership hopeful Kevin O’Leary says the prime minister has ended up with a mediocre cabinet because he was more concerned about diversity than competence.

The Shark Tank star, who sought the Conservative Party leader spot in 2017, said he believes diversity and gender parity is important in government, but if elected, he would balance that diversity with competence.

“He has built up a caucus and a cabinet full of incompetent and mediocre leaders because he only listened to the siren call of diversity without even looking at competence.”

In his first cabinet of 30 ministers, Trudeau said he appointed an equal number of men and women “because it’s 2015.”

[FULL STORY HERE]

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

#CANADA: NDP, Liberals in Talks To Avoid Confidence Votes For Three Years

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Senior Liberals and New Democrats are quietly kicking around the idea of reaching a deal that would allow the government to go three years without falling on a confidence vote.

Justin Trudeau and Jagmeet Singh have met secretly to discuss the parliamentary session ahead.

If the NDP, with 25 MPs, agrees to support the government, the Liberals, who have 159 MPs, they would together have 184 MPs, more than enough to avoid defeat in the Commons during a vote of "no confidence."

When such a vote is lost, a new, snap, election is called. Having just held an election in September, all parties are eager to avoid that situation.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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

#IVORYCOAST: Former Pres. Who Faced War Crimes Charges Forms New Party

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Former Ivory Coast President Laurent Gbagbo launched a new political party Saturday, formally breaking ties with those who ran his former party while he spent years facing war crimes charges at the International Criminal Court.

Gbagbo, 76, who returned home in June after his acquittal was upheld, announced a few months later that he would be setting up a new party to avoid legal battles with his former ally, Pascal Affi N’Guessan.

Gbagbo told FRANCE 24 that he hasn't ruled out running in the country's 2025 presidential elections

[Full story HERE]

#UK: Former Politician, Journalist Martin Dsubney Named Dep. Leader Of Reclaim Party

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Martin Daubney, 51, a former member of the European Parliament for the Brexit Party, and long time journalist, has become deputy leader of the UK's recently formed Reclaim Party.

The Anti-Lockdown Party Leader and founder Laurence Fox, a former actor, made the announcement online Monday.  

“I’m hugely honoured that @MartinDaubney has agreed to take the position of Deputy Leader of The Reclaim Party. I look forward to working with him and the rest of the team, to fight for your right to disagree. Freedom. Fairness. Common sense.” @LozzaFox 

This past spring, Fox ran for mayor of London under the party's banner. 

[FULL STORY HERE]

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

#EU: Hungary's PM Orban Pulls Party From Conservative Bloc In EU Parliament

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Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has pulled his Fidesz Party from the European People's Party (EPP) in the European Parliament after the conservative bloc approveed new internal rules this week.

Orban issued the ultimatum that he'd act on February 28 in a letter to Manfred Weber, the German politician who heads the conservative EPP bloc, the largest faction in the European Parliament, representing the center-right parties in Europe.

The EPP parliamentary group, which includes German Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives, has been squabbling with Fidesz for years.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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

#TURKEY: Pres. Erdogan's 2018 Rival Forms New Party

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President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's top rival in Turkey's 2018 election said on Monday he would quit the main opposition party and establish his own movement.

Muharrem Ince, a former Republican People's Party Member of Parliament, picked up 30.6 percent of the vote in the last election behind Erdogan with 52.6 percent.

Ince was a combative force during the campaign, building up solid support despite Erdogan and his ruling party's alliance partner, the Nationalist Movement Party, announcing the vote just months in advance.

Since then, Ince has stayed in the limelight and brandished his secular, nationalist credentials in a nationwide tour dubbed the "Motherland movement in 1,000 days" in 2020.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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

#CANADA: Controversial MP Expelled From Conservative Party After Taking Donation From White Nationalist

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Controversial MP Derek Sloan was kicked out of the Conservative caucus this week, a move party leader Erin O'Toole said was due to a “pattern of destructive behavior” that had become a distraction.

O'Toole's, who defeated Sloan for the party leader position last summer, said Sloan's dismissal was not solely over a $131 donation he'd taken from a white nationalist, and came after hours of heated debate within caucus that saw MPs castigate both Sloan for his record and O'Toole for how he'd handled the issue. The donation to Sloan was made during the leadership campaign, in which Sloan came in fourth place.

In a seven-part tweet, Sloan responded to his expulsion and attacked O'Toole.

"My ejection from caucus shows an absolute cowardice and failure to address real issues that animate much of our base?" he said. "This party does not belong to Erin O’Toole it belongs to the members."

Sloan's backers note that the donation went through the Conservative Party itself, which took a 10% cut, and that it was so small that his treasurer (who might have seen it, not Sloan himself) likely never saw it. 

Some have also suggested that the leak about the donation might have come from O'Toole himself.

The Ontario MP said he will now sit in the Federal Parliament as an Independent and will continue to fight for conservatives voices.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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

#THENETHERLANDS: Labour Party Leader Facing Calls To Resign Over Childcare Fraud Scandal

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Labour Party Leader Lodewijk Asscher is facing questions from within his own party over his suitability to lead the party into next year’s elections because of his role in the childcare benefits scandal. 

Asscher was minister of social affairs from 2012 to 2017, the period in which thousands of parents were wrongly treated as fraudsters and ordered to pay back thousands of euros in childcare benefit support. 

A parliamentary inquiry into the scandal published a damning report, saying an ‘unparalleled wrong’ had been done to the parents. 

The Labour Party Leader apologized, saying  he was ‘filled with shame’ at his failure to act.

[FULL STORY HERE] 

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