Displaying items by tag: Politics

Northern Ireland's first minister Michelle O’Neill is confident there is no threat to the region’s power-sharing structure following the resignation of Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson. Donaldson, who has been an MP since 1997, stepped down amid charges over alleged historical sexual offences, which he intends to 'strenuously contest’. This unexpected upheaval follows the power-sharing deal earlier this year, which was crucially dependent on Donaldson’s support. In response to the situation, O’Neill has proactively reached out to other party leaders (including Gavin Robinson, the interim DUP leader) and members of the ministerial executive, to ensure stability. Her priority is to keep the power-sharing government effective, focusing on day-to-day matters of public concern.Donaldson, who has led the DUP since 2021, is scheduled to appear in court on 24 April. Despite his suspension from the party, he reportedly retains his MP position.

In December 2022, Slovakia’s former prime minister Robert Fico was facing numerous criminal charges which, if proven, would have seen the populist firebrand put behind bars. However, the charges were dropped, and in an election which observers say was fuelled by hate speech and pro-Kremlin conspiracy theories, he was returned to power last September. His government’s aggressive stance towards the LGBTQ+ community and other minorities has made many of those groups fearful of what the future holds. For this and other reasons, there is a considerable ‘brain drain’, especially of young people, to the Czech Republic. Also, over the border, Ukrainians are conscious of his promise to block EU sanctions against Russia and veto its package of military support for Kyiv.

Senegal's president Macky Sall has hailed the electoral win by opposition candidate Bassirou Diomaye Faye as a victory for democracy. Faye defeated former prime minister Amadou Ba and 19 other candidates in the presidential election on 24 March. International and regional observers have affirmed the election's fairness and peaceful conduct. In an address to supporters, Faye pledged to govern with humility, transparency, and a firm stance against corruption. The priorities which he has outlined are national reconciliation, rebuilding institutions, reducing living costs, and inclusive policy consultations. His victory marks a significant shift in Senegal's political landscape, highlighting the country's dedication to democratic principles and aspirations for positive change under new leadership. Sall's term ends on 2 April.

Narendra Modi's government has been accused by the opposition Congress party of using the tax department to financially cripple them ahead of the upcoming elections in April and May, which Modi’s BJP party are favourites to win. Congress leader Sonia Gandhi claimed a systematic effort to starve the party of funds, stating that freezing their 2.1 billion rupee (£20 million) accounts is unprecedented and undemocratic. Her son Rahul said, ‘This is not the freezing of our bank accounts. It is the freezing of Indian democracy.’ Without access to funds, the party is unable to spend money on advertisements and publicity, paying party workers, and printing campaign materials, They have also pointed out that this action has been taken at a time when it had just been revealed that the BJP had benefited hugely from the electoral bonds scheme set up in 2018, which the supreme court declared illegal in February. The BJP and tax authorities have yet to respond.

In the Kingswood and Wellingborough by-elections, the Labour Party achieved significant victories, causing a setback for Rishi Sunak and the Conservatives. Labour’s Gen Kitchen and Damien Egan won in Wellingborough and Kingswood respectively, overturning substantial Conservative majorities. These results mark the ninth and tenth by-election defeats for the government in the current parliament and represent one of the largest swings from Conservatives to Labour. The defeats add pressure on Sunak amidst a recession and strong by-election performances by Reform UK. Labour leader Keir Starmer celebrated these wins as signs of change and trust in Labour. The Conservatives have now suffered the most by-election defeats for a government since the 1960s, which indicates a shift in public sentiment against them.

Labour has halved its commitment to green investments, reducing its annual pledge from £28bn to less than £15bn. This decision, a significant shift under Keir Starmer's leadership, has caused unrest among environmentalists, unions, and some in the energy sector. Only one-third of the revised budget, announced by Starmer and shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves, represents new funding. The reduction aims to mitigate Conservative criticism about excessive borrowing, yet it has angered environmental groups who argue it increases long-term costs and hinders achieving green objectives. The Unite union criticised Labour for aligning too closely with Conservative policies, while the energy sector expressed concern over diminished ambitions for UK energy. Starmer justified the decision by citing changed economic circumstances since the initial announcement in 2021, including high interest rates and government debt concerns. The revised plan includes £4.7bn yearly on green projects, complementing existing government commitments. Labour MPs have expressed relief at the change, despite the reduced financial commitment. Environmental campaigners, however, are disappointed, pointing out the challenge of meeting energy targets with less funding.

Thailand's constitutional court has ruled that the Move Forward party's campaign promise to amend the strict royal insult law during the 2023 election amounted to an attempt to overthrow the monarchy. The case was initiated by a conservative activist lawyer, who argued that the party's pledge to amend the lèse-majesté law violated Section 49 of the constitution. The nine judges unanimously ruled against Move Forward, stating that its efforts to change the law undermined and weakened the monarchy, posing a significant danger to the state's security. Move Forward was ordered to cease any activities violating Section 49. The party is not being disbanded, but the lawyer has said he might make a new petition asking the election commission to do so. Move Forward's leader warned that the ruling could further make the royal institution increasingly ‘a factor behind conflicts in Thai politics’.

Rishi Sunak has proposed compromising some of Britain's Brexit freedoms to encourage the return of devolved government in Northern Ireland. He plans to introduce a requirement that all new laws undergo screening to ensure they won't create additional trade barriers in the Irish Sea, aiming to persuade the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) to end its two-year boycott of Stormont, which has paralysed Northern Irish politics. All laws would have to come with a ministerial statement confirming they would not significantly harm internal UK trade. If Britain diverges from EU rules, these checks could increase, potentially blocking new laws that differ from Brussels. Unionists argue that the current arrangement harms the Northern Irish economy. While Sunak's offer aims to guarantee no new laws will create more trade barriers between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, critics argue it would tether the UK to European standards and limit the benefits of Brexit. The DUP leader, Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, has been in talks with the government over returning to power-sharing in Stormont but has faced resistance within his party.

There are allegations of extensive official censorship on coverage of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) ahead of the country's elections on 8 February. PTI, founded by former prime minister Imran Khan, is considered one of the most popular political parties in Pakistan. However, he has been imprisoned since August 2023, facing corruption and state secrets leakage charges which he claims are politically motivated. Censorship against PTI has increased since Khan lost a confidence vote in April 2022, leading to his resignation. The election commission has rejected nomination papers for Khan and other PTI leaders and stripped the party of its election symbol (a cricket bat), forcing many candidates to run as independents. Several journalists have admitted receiving official instructions not to use party symbols or identify candidates as PTI members. though the government has denied these claims. Media censorship has grown since May 2023, when PTI supporters protested against Khan's arrest. Government officials recently said that unrestricted internet access during elections cannot be guaranteed, citing technical issues.

On 24 January, supporters of the main opposition party, Chadema, staged a peaceful march in Dar-es-Salaam - the first such occasion in seven years. A ban on political gatherings and protests was imposed by former president John Magufuli in 2015 but lifted by Samia Suluhu Hassan in 2021. Under heavy police protection, the demonstrators marched peacefully through the streets, waving placards and blowing whistles. They are calling for constitutional amendments to allow presidential election results to be challenged in court and to prevent the president from selecting electoral commission members. The opposition party also highlighted concerns about the high cost of living in Tanzania. Chadema's chairman, Freeman Mbowe, urged the withdrawal of proposed electoral law amendments from parliament until public opinions are incorporated. Unlike the previous era under Magufuli, this demonstration was not disrupted by the police, indicating a shift in the government's approach to political dissent. During his tenure, opposition gatherings were often violently suppressed, and leaders faced arrests and attacks, which they deemed politically motivated.