Displaying items by tag: Politics

In Lyon a brawl between rival groups, fighting with fists, rocks, and sticks, highlighted bitter divisions among the ‘yellow vests’, who have now led anti-government protests for 13 consecutive weekends. The fighting is evidence of widening splits in the movement, that began over fuel prices then widened into uprisings against a political class ‘out of touch with common people’. The protesters are united in their opposition to President Macron while making radically different demands. A ‘yellow vest’ in Paris had four fingers blown off as police protected the National Assembly, the lower house of the French parliament. The assembly’s Speaker said a culture of violence engulfs French politics. Pray for hope to replace scepticism and concord to engulf those believing themselves to be failed by government.

We hear doomsday predictions for what life after Brexit could look like. Pray for God to replace fear and confusion with appropriate preparations for the March deadline. Currently people must show their passports when crossing into or out of the UK, but commercial goods do not need to be checked if they are going to or coming from the EU. Britain needs to secure a free trade agreement with Brussels so that there is no need to harden and slow down the current border set-up, particularly between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Pray for Arlene Foster, whose ten MPs prop up Theresa May's minority government. Ask God to help negotiators to replace the current backstop with a workable solution. May the Brexit brains in the Government have imaginative and flexible thinking to work out a unique solution. See also Europe article 1.

Rev Mathew Sukada, from Jos, has cautioned Nigerians, ‘Do not kill yourselves over politicians; they do not even know you and will reconcile with each other long after you are gone’. He said some politicians were more concerned about their personal interests, and cautioned youths against being used as thugs to kill and destroy. ‘Politicians seeking to use you for selfish reasons will offer you peanuts to fight and kill for them. When you get killed, they won’t remember you. When you get injured, they won’t have time for you. When you are caught, they will deny you. You must learn to be wise and protect yourselves against destruction. As Christians, you have a duty to serve only God, your Creator.’ An army commander told troops, ‘Let me warn and remind you of the need to remain apolitical in the performance of your duties during the election period. Defaulters will be severely dealt with. You must be professional, patriotic and respectful of the rights of citizens.’ See

Juan Guaidó and Nicolás Maduro both claim to be president. While resolving their standoff over leadership is critical, finding prosperous and stable paths forward requires taming criminal non-state groups controlling local territory and illicit industries across Venezuela, often operating with overlapping allegiances and activities. Well-armed neighbourhood criminal gangs called colectivos have been co-opted by the regime to suppress dissent in the capital and work with other quasi-official repression squads that it has created as an insurance against fickle loyalties of rank and file soldiers and police. There are also regional criminal syndicates controlling illegal mining and drug trafficking industries, which operate alongside local or national officials and transnational crime networks. If a resolution is achieved between Guaidó and Maduro, these groups will want to expand their positions and exploit any local power vacuums created. Pope Francis has expressed an openness to mediate in Venezuela’s political situation if both sides are willing. See

With their country in turmoil, both Nicolás Maduro and Juan Guaidó claim to be president, and neither has any incentive to back down. Guaidó has huge popular support, and is backed by many western powers (including the EU), but has little control over the levers of power. Although Maduro is still backed by allies such as Russia, Turkey, and Cuba, he is under unprecedented international pressure. Military top brass still support him, but there have been defections by junior officers. If he is to survive, he will need to keep the army loyal, which means finding a way to keep the ordinary soldiers paid. Another solution - but not one that would benefit ordinary people - is a military coup, but that might well mean a return to kleptocracy, mismanagement and authoritarianism. In any case, a change at the top would not placate the opposition, now emboldened and set on restoring democracy. Maduro has nothing to gain and everything to lose from stepping down, as he would probably be called to account for his authoritarian rule. Guaidó has promised an amnesty for any members of the armed forces who ‘contribute to the reestablishment of democratic order’. Another possibility, even if very unlikely, would appear to be outright conflict with the USA. Donald Trump, who publicly supports Guaidó, has just imposed sanctions on the country’s state-owned oil company.

From 20 January, Churches Together in Britain and Ireland (CTBI) joined in a week of prayer for Christian unity and dedicated prayer for the political situation in the UK. CTBI said, ‘This is a time in which many feel anger and anxiety over the future, and we need to pray that those who have the heavy burden of political leadership in our country may find a unity that brings our communities together in the task of serving the common good.’ Archbishop John Sentamu has encouraged everyone to pray three times a day, at 6am, 12 noon, and 6pm. He has written a special prayer to use: see

Nigel Farage could become leader of a new pro-Brexit party if Britain’s departure from the EU is delayed beyond 29 March. The former UKIP leader said he had offered his enthusiastic support to the Brexit party after being sounded out as its potential leader. Catherine Blaiklock, formerly a spokeswoman for UKIP, confirmed that on 11 January she had applied to register the party with the Electoral Commission. It would be ready to fight any snap general election, or the local elections across England in May. She said, ‘I think people feel treason has been committed. It’s democracy. It wouldn’t matter whether Leave had won by a single vote - it’s a first-past-the-post system.’ The party would aim to attract the 17.4 million people who voted to leave in 2016, and to win over defectors from the Conservatives, Labour, and UKIP.

Approximately 84,000 protested for the tenth successive weekend, despite President Macron spending hours in rural town halls debating with disgruntled mayors in a counter-offensive. The ‘yellow vests’ didn’t demobilise. In Paris, several thousand marched in freezing temperatures, many waving placards calling for Macron to resign or condemning police violence. The Paris rally and several others ended with police, tear gas and water cannon dispersing hooded protesters throwing paving stones and bottles. Macron, who had not previously held public office, was elected at the head of a grassroots movement going door-to-door asking people what kind of changes were needed. But once in office he has adopted a top-down approach more in keeping with post-war president Charles de Gaulle. He has defended his reforms vigorously in debates, while promising to be open to making adjustments. A protester, echoing the yellow vests' top demands, said, ‘What I want is citizen-sponsored referendums so that citizens can repeal laws, oversee spending, and recall senior officials or even the president.’

The partial federal government shutdown is in its fourth week. When a Baptist pastor in Memphis, Donald Johnson, realised that people in his congregation would be affected by what the president was doing, he stepped in to help them weather an uncertain period of missed paychecks. Having found eight people on the church's database who were federal workers, he collected an offering and had the church's financial board match what was collected. He was able to raise $8,000, enough for $1,000 each.

‘Father, help us to resist the destructive ploys of the enemy to divide our nation. Give Your strength and peace to our politicians. Give fresh anointing to our government as they carry the mantle for running the country and banish confusion and fear from parliament, replacing it with wisdom from heaven as decisions are made on behalf of the people. Establish your purpose and direction for our nations in the coming weeks. Amen’. On 17 January our newspapers led with news of the Brexit deadlock. While all agree there is political chaos, they disagree about who is to blame: is it Theresa May, Jeremy Corbyn or MPs in general? The Guardian said that despite surviving a dramatic no-confidence vote, Mrs May was left scrambling to strike a Brexit compromise, and Tory MPs remain deeply divided about how she should adapt her deal.