Category: Politics
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz loses confidence vote
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has lost a vote of confidence in parliament, paving the way for early elections on 23 February. Scholz called Monday’s vote and had expected to lose it, but calculated that triggering an early election was his best chance of reviving his party’s political fortunes. It comes around two months after the collapse of Scholz’s three-party coalition government, which left the embattled chancellor leading a minority administration. Ahead of Monday’s vote, Scholz said it would now be up to voters to “determine the political course of our country”, teeing up what is likely to be a fiercely [Read More…]
No-one gets France’s difficulty more than me, says Macron’s new PM Bayrou
Centrist leader François Bayrou has become France’s latest prime minister, chosen by President Emmanuel Macron in a bid to end months of political turmoil. Bayrou, a 73-year-old mayor from the south-west who leads the MoDem party, said he was fully aware of the “Himalayan” task facing France, and he vowed to “hide nothing, neglect nothing and leave nothing aside”. He is seen by Macron’s entourage as a potential consensus candidate and his task will be to avoid the fate of his predecessor. Ex-Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier was ousted by MPs nine days ago and welcomed Bayrou to the prime minister’s [Read More…]
Germany’s one million Syrians at centre of fierce debate over their future
Across Germany Syrians have been celebrating in the streets the downfall of former president Bashar al-Assad. But now many will be feeling less euphoric, as some politicians question their future in Germany. There are around a million people with a Syrian passport in Germany. Most of them came from 2015-16, after Angela Merkel’s government made a decision not to close Germany’s borders to refugees fleeing Syria’s civil war. The mood at the time was that Germany would manage. The climate now is rather different. Within hours of the news of Assad’s fall, a fierce political debate erupted in Germany over [Read More…]
Trump vow to end automatic citizenship for anybody dem born for America
President-elect Donald Trump say e go chook eye for pardon for those wey involve for di 2021 US Capitol riot on im first day back in office next month. “Dis pipo dey live in hell,” e tell NBC Meet the Press for im first broadcast network interview since e win di November election. Di Republican also vow to end automatic citizenship for anybody dem born for di country, but e offer to work with Democrats to help some undocumented immigrants wey dem bring come US as children. For di interview wey dem record on Friday, Trump promise to issue “a [Read More…]
North Korea, Russia and China watch on as crisis unfolds in key US ally South Korea
A night of political upheaval in South Korea has upended stability in a key democratic US ally – sending shock waves through the region and Washington at a moment of acute global tension. South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law on Tuesday night in a surprise decree that was reversed hours later following overwhelming opposition across the political spectrum for what was widely seen as a breach of the country’s vibrant democracy. The move, which Yoon claimed was necessary to “save the country against anti-state forces” trying to destroy the “constitutional order of liberal democracy,” was met by protests in Seoul and [Read More…]
Zelensky suggests war could end if unoccupied Ukraine comes under Nato
President Volodymyr Zelensky has suggested that the parts of Ukraine under his control should be taken “under the Nato umbrella” to try and stop the “hot phase” of the war. He was asked by Sky News whether he would accept Nato membership, but only on the territory that Kyiv currently holds. Zelensky said he would, but only if Nato membership was offered to the whole of Ukraine, within its internationally recognised borders, first. Ukraine could then attempt to negotiate the return of territory currently under Russian control “in a diplomatic way”, he said in a wide-ranging interview. But the suggestion [Read More…]
No ‘red lines’ in Ukraine support, French foreign minister
There are no “red lines” when it comes to support for Ukraine, the French Foreign Minister. Jean-Noël Barrot said that Ukraine could fire French long-range missiles into Russia “in the logics of self defence”, but would not confirm if French weapons had already been used. “The principle has been set… our messages to President Zelensky have been well received,” he said in an exclusive interview for Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg. French President Macron indicated France’s willingness to allow its missiles to be fired into Russia earlier this year. But Barrot’s comments are significant, coming days after US and UK long-range [Read More…]
German coalition collapses after Scholz fires key minister
Germany’s governing coalition has collapsed after Chancellor Olaf Scholz fired a key minister and said he would call a vote of confidence in his government early next year. The chancellor said he had no trust in Finance Minister Christian Lindner, who heads the pro-business Free Democrats and has been part of the coalition along with Scholz’s Social Democrats and the Greens. The crisis inside the coalition plunged Europe’s largest economy into political chaos, hours after Donald Trump’s US election victory triggered deep uncertainty about the future of the continent’s economy and security. President Frank-Walter Steinmeier called for common sense to [Read More…]
Biden plans to send $1bn arms shipment to Israel
The White House has told Congress it plans to send more than $1bn (£800m) in new weapons to Israel. This comes despite the US being opposed to a full-scale invasion by the Israeli military on the southern Gaza city of Rafah. It said last week it had paused a shipment of bombs to Israel over concerns civilians would be killed if used in densely populated areas. The package can be blocked by Congress if a majority in both chambers object. The package, confirmed by US media, would include $700m in tank ammunition, $500m in tactical vehicles and $60m in mortar [Read More…]
Javier Milei: New president tells Argentina ‘shock treatment’ looms
Argentina’s new far-right president has vowed to deliver economic “shock treatment” in his first speech after formally taking office. Javier Milei warned Argentines “there is no money” and recommitted to a programme of harsh austerity measures. The populist outsider won a surprise election victory in November with radical pledges to overhaul the South American nation’s ailing economy. Mr Milei’s inauguration was held in Buenos Aires on Sunday. In a day of pomp and ceremony, the 53-year-old capped his extraordinary rise to power with a speech which left Argentines in no doubt he intends to embark on an economic path unlike any previous [Read More…]
