#THENETHERLANDS: Gov't Of PM Rutte Resigns Over Child Benefits Scandal

[world politics news] 

The Dutch government has resigned amid an escalating scandal over child benefits in which more than 20,000 families were wrongly accused of fraud by the tax authority.

The move came less than a month before parliament was due to break up ahead of general elections scheduled for March 17. Prime Minister Mark Rutte’s cabinet is to stay on in a caretaker capacity until a new coalition is formed after that vote. Rutte said "mistakes were made" in handling the scandal, and took full responsibility.

It remains to be seen whether opposition parties can take advantage of the scandal.

Polls suggest Rutte’s People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy will win a fourth term in the election, with public opinion still largely backing him. The center-right party is polling at just under 30% of the vote, more than twice that of the second-place party, Geert Wilders’ anti-Islam Freedom Party.

[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

[world politics news] 

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.

#CANADA: Four Federal Political Parties Apply For Federal Aid As Donations Dry Up

[world politics news]

Four of the main political parties in Canada have joined a growing list of organizations looking for federal support during the pandemic.

Spokespeople for the Liberal Party, the Conservative Party of Canada, the Green Party and the New Democratic Party told CBC News that they all have applied to the Canada emergency wage subsidy program to help them cover their employees' salaries as political donations dry up.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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

#IRELAND: Peter Casey - The Irish "Donald Trump" - Re-Joins Presidential Race; Calls Ireland A "Welfare State"

[world politics news]

Citing a "swell of support" from voters over the weekend, Peter Casey has re-joined the presidential race. He is now planning strategy with his team ahead of Friday's election. He had taken the week off after controversy erupted over his comments about the Traveler Community, which he had claimed were not a true "minority," but simply gypsy-like people who refused to work. He's backed away from those comments, but new ones, in which he called Ireland a "welfare state" in an open letter in a newspaper, were denounced by Social Protection Minister Regina Doherty. She accused the former television personality of "breathtaking ignorance."

Casey, 57, who has lived in the US (for 23 years) Australia (for 13 years) the UK and Ireland, was a "dragon" on the TV show "Dragon's Den," similar in format to the US show, "Shark Tank." The millionaire businessman is being compared to Donald Trump, because of his "politically incorrect" rhetoric and off-the-cuff speaking style, but he is on record saying he does not support Trump's policies.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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

#POLAND: Lower House Votes To Lower Retirement Ages

[world politics news]

Poland‘s lower house of parliament has voted to lower the age of retirement from 67 to 60 for women and 65 for men, placing Poland at odds with a broader trend to raise the bar in other European countries. The bill, a brainchild of President Andrzej Duda, is a boon to his former party, the Law and Justice Party, and its promise to improve social welfare. Joanna Augustynowska of the opposition Nowoczesna Party said a lower retirement age would place a heavy burden on caring for the elderly.

[FULL STORY HERE]

#AUSTRIA: Foreign Min. Backs UK PM #DavidCameron's Changes To EU Welfare Benefits

[world politics news]

Austrian Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz plans to back British Prime Minister David Cameron's proposed changes to child support benefits EU-wide and wants to go even further by implementing the suggestions immediately in Austria.

#CHINA: Family Planning Authority Warns: One-Baby Policy Hasn't Ended Yet

[world politics news]

China's top family planning authority is telling provincial authorities that the current one-child policy will be ended only after national legislators ratify it in March. After this, couples will be allowed to have two children, the first time since 1979. Some provinces believed the policy, an attempt to balance population development and offset the burden of an aging population, had ended when it was announced on Oct. 29.

#SWEDEN: Foreign Min. Says Nation "Faces Collapse" Over Migrant Influx

[world politics news]

The Swedish Foreign Minister has claimed her country is facing collapse due to the mass influx of 190,000 annual refugees as the migrant crisis deepens. Margot Wallstrom has said that Sweden cannot cope with taking in refugees at its current level, without it affecting services.

#DENMARK: Prompted By Wave Of Migrants, New Law Aims To Discourage Immigrants By Cutting Benefits

[world politics news]

As of Sept. 1, a new law cuts benefits to newly arrived immigrants by 45%, aimed at discouraging immigration into Denmark. The legislation, drafted by the new center-right minority Liberal government, was prompted by the popularity of the anti-immigration Danish People's Party.

#CANADA: #JustinTrudeau Donates Child Welfare Benefit To Charity

[world politics news]

Liberal Party Leader Justin Trudeau says the Conservative government’s newly enhanced universal child care benefit shouldn't go to wealthy families that don’t need help raising their kids. And to underscore that point, he's going to give his own family’s $3,400 windfall to charity.

#UK: Leadership Candidate Liz Kendall Backs Labour Leader In Supporting Tory Welfare Cuts

[world politics news]

Labour Party leadership candidate Liz Kendall is the only candidate to back temporary Labour Leader Harriet Harmon in her support of the Conservative government's plan to cut child tax credits from the budget. She said "we have to listen to have people have said to us, that they didn’t trust us, and we have to change as a party."

#DENMARK: Far-Right Parties Will Back UK's EU Reform Demands If They Win Election Thursday

[world politics news]

A four-party coalition of far-right parties will back UK PM David Cameron's demands for reforms of the European Union if they win Denmark's election Thursday. The traditionally pro-European Liberal Party surprised many by striking the agreement with the eurosceptic Danish People's Party. The coalition is tied in the polls with the ruling Social Democrats.

Pictured: Former PM Lars Løkke Rasmussen, leader of the Venstre Party

#JAPAN: Gov't Approves Funding Plan To Deal With Rapidly Aging Population

[world politics news]

Lawmakers have approved health care reforms to address the rising costs of elderly care, with increased cost-sharing by high-income workers and prefectures taking over the running of loss-making public insurance bodies from municipalities. Japan funds medical costs with a mix of disbursements from public health care plans, tax revenues and payments by patients.

#AUSTRALIA: PM #TonyAbbott Would Take Public Benefits From Anti-Vaccination Parents

[world politics news]

Parents who are "conscientious objectors" to childhood vaccination will have their childcare and family tax payments stopped after January as the federal government attempts to crack down on the anti-vaccination movement. Prime Minister Tony Abbott says a loophole would be closed to stop payments to parents worth up to $15,000 per child.

#UK: PM #DavidCameron Hails EU Court Ruling Allowing Nations to Ban Benefits for Illegals

[world politics news]

UK PM David Cameron hailed a ruling by the European Court of Justice that EU member nations may crack down on non-resident immigrants seeking benefits within nations to which they've traveled to seek work - called "benefits tourism."

#BRAZIL

Ahead of Oct. Elections, Pres. Rousseff Announces Hike in Welfare Payments [world politics news]

#GERMANY

Welfare Fraud Feared as EU Opens Doors to Eastern Immigrants [world politics news]

Seven years after joining, Bulgarians and Romanians can now immigrate and work anywhere in the EU, prompting German fears of a huge rise in welfare claims. Merkel's Christian Democrats are calling for tougher standards to prevent abuse.

#THENETHERLANDS

Parliament to Debate New Work Requirements For Welfare Recipients [world politics news]

#BRAZIL

Gov't Celebrates 10th Anniversary of "Family Grant" Direct Welfare Program [world politics news]

UK: Works and Pension Sec. Under Fire for "I Could Live on £53 a Week" Comment [world politics news]