Left-leaning lawmakers defected Tuesday to rob President Emmanuel Macron’s party of its outright majority in France’s National Assembly in a symbolic but non-paralyzing setback for the embattled reformist leader.

Seventeen members of Macron’s La Republique En Marche (LREM) party said they had formed a new political grouping named “Ecology, Democracy, Solidarity” (EDS) to pursue greener policies, “modernize” the political system, and reduce social inequalities.

“After COVID-19, nothing will be like before,” they said in a statement. “We can do more and better in the National Assembly.”

The 577-member assembly is the lower house of parliament, but has the final say on most legislation over the upper house or Senate.

Macron’s then-brand-new LREM took 308 seats in 2017 elections that saw the centrist leader sweep to power from relative obscurity.

Lawmakers have quit the party at a trickle since then, and it was finally left with 288 seats on Tuesday — one fewer than the 289 required for an outright majority.

The governing party insisted that Tuesday’s loss was not “cataclysmic,” as it could continue to rely on smaller, allied parties for a voting majority in the assembly.

Macron’s popularity has zigzagged as he has fought a succession of political battles starting with the so-called “yellow vest” rebellion of 2018-2019 that was sparked by widespread anger against a leader seen by critics as the president of the rich and out of touch with ordinary people.

That was followed early this year by France’s longest continuous transport strike over the former investment banker’s plans to reform the country’s pension system.

This month, an opinion poll showed only about a third of French people had confidence in Macron to manage the country’s problems.

This came as the country looked to Macron to spearhead the fight against the coronavirus outbreak that has seen the economy tank in spite of several billions of euros in government interventions to prop up businesses and save jobs.

One of the vice-presidents of the new EDS grouping is Cedric Villani, who opted to stand as an independent candidate for Paris mayor in the March local elections after Macron chose someone else to represent the party.

Villani denied Tuesday that any “rebellion” was at play.

In its declaration, the EDS listed 15 priorities that included “industrializing” the economy, seeking “real transparency” in politics, and boosting a public health system caught ill-prepared for the coronavirus crisis.

Two-thirds of the group’s members are women.

(Source: AFP)

Germany has banned Iran-backed Hezbollah activity on its soil and designated it a terrorist organisation, the Interior Ministry said on Thursday.

Police conducted early morning raids in Germany to detain suspected members of the group. Security officials believe up to 1,050 people in Germany are part of Hezbollah’s extremist wing.

“Interior Minister Horst Seehofer has banned the Shiite terrorist organisation Hezbollah in Germany,” tweeted a ministry spokesman.

“Even in times of crisis, the rule of law is capable of acting,” he added.

Germany had previously distinguished between Hezbollah’s political arm and its military units, which have fought alongside President Bashar al-Assad’s army in Syria.

Israel and the United States had been pushing Germany to ban the organisation.

German parliament had also urged ban

Last December, Germany’s parliament approved a motion urging Chancellor Angela Merkel’s government to ban all activities by Hezbollah on German soil, citing its “terrorist activities” especially in Syria.

A heavily armed Shiite Islamist group already designated a terrorist organisation by the United States, Hezbollah is also a significant backer of the government of Lebanese Prime Minister Hassan Diab, which took office in January.

On a trip to Berlin last year, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said he hoped Germany would follow Britain in banning Hezbollah. Britain introduced legislation in February of last year that classified Hezbollah as a terrorist organisation.

Officials raided four mosque associations in the western state of North Rhine-Westphalia, Bremen and Berlin which they believe are close to Hezbollah.

(REUTERS)

Britain’s main opposition Labour Party named Keir Starmer, a former director of public prosecutions who opposed the country’s exit from the European Union, as its leader on Saturday.

Starmer, who has tried to carry the socialist supporters of outgoing leader Jeremy Corbyn while also keeping more centrist Labour members on board, beat Rebecca Long-Bailey, an ally of Corbyn, and Lisa Nandy in the contest.

He won with 56.2% of the vote by party members and supporters.

“It’s the honour and privilege of my life to be elected as leader of the Labour Party. It comes at a moment like no other in our lifetime,” he said in a pre-recorded statement, due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“Under my leadership we will engage constructively with the government, not opposition for opposition’s sake. Not scoring party political points or making impossible demands. But with the courage to support where that’s the right thing to do.

“But we will test the arguments that are put forward. We will shine a torch on critical issues and where we see mistakes or faltering government or things not happening as quickly as they should, we’ll challenge that and call that out.”

The leadership contest, under way since Corbyn led Labour to a crushing defeat in the December election, has been overshadowed by the coronavirus outbreak, which all but silenced the three candidates’ campaigns.

(REUTERS)

Scotland’s former First Minister, Alex Salmond, has been cleared of sexually assaulting nine women.

A jury at the High Court in Edinburgh acquitted Salmond of 13 sexual assault charges.

An additional charge of sexually assaulting a 10^th woman had previously been dropped by prosecutors.

All the charges against Salmond were alleged to have taken place between June 2008 and November 2014.

Salmond, who is also the former leader of the pro-independence Scottish National Party (SNP), had strenuously pleaded his innocence during the two-week trial.

The former SNP leader is widely regarded as an icon of Scottish nationalism and a pioneer of the independence movement. Indeed, Salmond led the SNP and the Scottish people into the 2014 independence referendum.

Because of his pioneering status – and continuing influence on Scottish politics – independence advocates have long argued the accusations against Salmond were politically motivated.

For his part, Salmond demonstrated humility and magnanimity as he emerged from court an innocent man. Instead of bemoaning the politically motivated witch-hunt against him, Salmond decided instead to focus on the coronavirus crisis in Scotland and the rest of the UK.

“Whatever nightmare I’ve been in over the last two years it is nothing compared to the nightmare that every single one of us is currently living through … People are dying, many more are going to do so”, Salmond said by referencing the deadly COVID-19 disease sweeping Scotland and the UK as a whole.

In an unmistakable gesture of statesmanship, Salmond told reporters to “go home – those who can – take care of your families and god help us all”.  

Many Scots have taken to social media to commend Salmond for his statesmanlike behavior and refusal to engage in petty politics over what has now proven to be an unjust prosecution.

With his innocence now proven, there is mounting speculation about Salmond’s next move.

Sky News is reporting that “sources close” to Salmond claim the former First Minister is contemplating a political comeback.

One of the more curious aspects of this case has been the current First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon’s deafening silence on the whole issue. Indeed, as of this moment Sturgeon has failed to congratulate Salmond on proving his innocence in court.

This has prompted a leading Scottish journalist to argue that Sturgeon faces “profound questions of integrity” over the whole affair.

More broadly, Salmond’s acquittal is a blow to the British establishment which has tried for many years to bring him down.

But the scale of Salmond’s legal victory has caused leading establishment figures to reflect on the loss and demand answers from the system that tried to destroy the former SNP leader.

In the final analysis, Salmond’s acquittal is a big boost to the Scottish independence movement which had begun to lose some of its momentum in the wake of last December’s British general election

Apart from issues connected to Sturgeon’s over-cautious leadership style, the coronavirus outbreak has forced the cancellation of plans to hold an independence referendum later this year.

If Salmond decides to return to the centre stage of Scottish politics – albeit in an advisory role – the Scottish independence movement stands to regain vigor, clarity and momentum.  

Source: Presstv

Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar resigned on Thursday, but stayed on as interim leader while the country’s three main parties battle out coalition talks after an inconclusive election.

Varadkar tendered his resignation as taoiseach, or premier, to President Michael Higgins after the first sitting of Ireland’s lower house of parliament since an 8 February election which radically recast the political landscape.

“In accordance with the constitution, the taoiseach and the government will continue to carry on their duties until successors have been appointed,” a government statement said.

Parties in the 160 seat chamber — the Dail — convened and nominated candidates to lead a new government as taoiseach but with none commanding a majority it was adjourned until 5 March.

Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald received the most votes backing her.

At 45 it was far short of the 80 needed to take office but it was a symbolic victory reflecting the surge the nationalist party enjoyed in the election.

Sinn Fein, which once served as the political wing of paramilitary the Irish Republican Army (IRA), became the second biggest party with 37 seats — breaking the historic duopoly of centre-right parties Fine Gael and Fianna Fail.

“The people who vote for us aren’t going anywhere,” said McDonald.

“We have made a commitment to them to represent them well and to make our very best effort to deliver that government of change — and that is precisely what we intend to do.”

‘A government for change’

McDonald outstripped the 36 votes backing Varadkar to continue as prime minister after his Fine Gael party slipped into third position in the election with 35 seats.

“The onus is on those who have made enormous promises of change to people during this election, who are entrusted with that mandate to bring a programme for government to the Dail for approval,” Varadkar said in parliament before departing to resign.

“If they cannot, they should say so and be upfront and honest about their failure, and the empty promises they made.”

Micheal Martin’s Fianna Fail party won the most seats in the election at 38, but suffered significant losses on their 2016 wins.

He received the backing of 41 lawmakers in Thursday’s contest.

Sinn Fein has been historically associated with the IRA which fought British rule in Northern Ireland for decades until the late 1990s, when a peace agreement largely ended violence that left more than 3,000 dead on all sides.

It won the popular vote with 24.5 percent of first preference ballots and picked up 14 seats by attracting voters with a campaign focusing on Ireland’s housing shortage and health crisis.

But its flagship policy on Irish unity is likely to be a top issue if it gains power.

It wants a referendum on uniting the two parts of the island within five years.

Talks

At least three parties will be needed to form a majority government in the Dail.

But with the three largest refusing to cooperate newly elected speaker Sean O Fearghail said the challenge of government formation remained “substantial”.

Fianna Fail and Fine Gael have both ruled out working with Sinn Fein, in part because of their association to past violence.

Varadkar told state broadcaster RTE on Monday he was prepared to go into opposition.

Meanwhile, Sinn Fein said Wednesday it was “intensifying” negotiations with smaller parties and independents seeking “a government for change”.

Talks may take some time and may result in a new election in which Sinn Fein could emerge as a favourite.

After a 2016 vote it took 70 days for a minority coalition government to form under Fine Gael, which was supported in a confidence and supply agreement by Fianna Fail.

Source: AFP

Support for left-wing Irish nationalists Sinn Fein surged in an election on Saturday, leaving it tied with the party of Prime Minister Leo Varadkar but unlikely to emerge with the highest number of seats, an exit poll showed.

Instead Varadkar’s Fine Gael is likely to compete with fellow centre-right rival Fianna Fail to secure the most seats and the right to try to form a coalition government – a task analysts called extremely difficult.

The Ipsos MRBI exit poll showed Fine Gael on 22.4%, Sinn Fein on 22.3% and pre-election favourites Fianna Fail on 22.2%.

Sinn Fein, the former political wing of the Irish Republican Army (IRA), is likely to fall behind the other two parties because it fielded far fewer candidates.

Still, its breakthrough represents a major realignment of Irish politics, which for a century has been dominated by Fine Gael and Fianna Fail.

“It’s a very, very good result for Sinn Fein… but even though it is a statistical tie, we would expect Fine Gael and Fianna Fail to fight it out to get the most seats,” said Gary Murphy, Professor of Politics at Dublin City University.

Fianna Fail has ruled out going into coalition for the first time with Fine Gael and both parties say they will not govern with Sinn Fein, meaning there is no obvious government to be formed, he added.

“There are very rocky times ahead,” he said.

‘Historical election’

Counting begins at 0900 GMT on Sunday with some results expected from early afternoon. The final and potentially decisive seats in Ireland’s 160-member parliament may not be filled until Monday or even later.

Fine Gael and Fianna Fail have said they will look to smaller parties to form what would likely be another minority government requiring support of one of the two main parties from the opposition benches.

The parties have swapped power at every election since emerging from the opposing sides of Ireland’s 1920s civil war.  They have similar policies on the economy and Brexit trade talks.

Sinn Fein has moved on from the long leadership of Gerry Adams, seen by many as the face of a bloody IRA war against British rule in Northern Ireland. Its candidates were the biggest gainers by vote share, up from 14% at the last election in 2016.

With Fine Gael and Fianna Fail marginally down, the outcome demonstrated some appetite for change.

“The days of Fine Gael and Fianna Fail dominating Irish politics are over,” Fine Gael parliamentary party chairman Martin Heydon told national broadcaster RTE.

“Our elections are becoming more volatile. More like a lot of other European countries. The ability to form governments is going to be hard after this.”

A new generation of politicians led by Mary Lou McDonald spearheaded the groundswell of support for Sinn Fein, particularly among younger voters on the defining election issue of the cost and availability of housing.

Her deputy leader in the Irish parliament, Pearse Doherty, said the exit poll represented a vote of “a historic nature” for the party.

“You can see in the figures there today that there is a mood for change,” he told RTE.

Source: REUTERS

The former president of the European Council, Donald Tusk, has energized the Scottish independence movement by claiming he feels “empathy” for an “independent” Scotland “joining” the European Union (EU).

Speaking to the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show, Tusks said he feels “very Scottish, especially after Brexit”.

His remarks have been interpreted as provocative by the British government, which is trying hard to suppress the Scottish independence movement.

Speaking to the same programme (Andrew Marr Show), British foreign secretary, Dominic Raab, described Tusk’s comments as “rather un-European and rather irresponsible”.

Raab further claimed that the comments could touch off “separatist tendencies” in the EU.

“I’m not sure European leaders, let alone here in the UK, would actually welcome that [Tusk’s] comment”, Raab added.

Despite his clear enthusiasm for Scottish independence – and by extension Scottish membership of the EU – Tusk was careful to add that Scotland would not be automatically accepted into the European Union.

According to Tusk, “formalities” and “treaty agreements” had to be fully considered before an independent Scotland could gain EU membership.

Tusk’s intervention is a shot in the arm to the Scottish independence movement which in recent weeks has slightly lost momentum due to Prime Minister, Boris Johnson’s steadfast refusal to allow a Scottish independence referendum later this year.

In the June 2016 Brexit referendum, 62 percent of Scots opted to remain within the EU and only 38 percent voted to leave the block. By stark contrast, 53.4 percent of English voters opted to leave the EU.

Source: Presstv  

The United Kingdom has officially left the European Union after 47 years of membership, in a step cast by Prime Minister Boris Johnson as the dawn of new era.

Britain formally withdrew from the EU at 23:00 GMT on Friday, marking by both celebrations and anti-Brexit protests.  

Thousands of Brexit supporters gathered outside the British parliament to celebrate the country’s departure from the EU after more than three years of wrangling. London’s Parliament Square was lined with national flags, and government buildings were lit up in the red, white and blue of the Union Jack.

Candlelit vigils were held in Scotland, which voted to stay in the EU.

In a public address ahead of Brexit, Johnson promised a new era of friendly cooperation with the European Union.

He acknowledged there may be burdens ahead, but described Brexit an opportunity for “stunning success.”  

In the pre-recorded statement, the premier stressed that the departure is not an end but a beginning.

“The most important thing to say tonight is that this is not an end but a beginning,” he said.

After more than three years of wrangling, Britain remains as split over leaving the EU as it was in the 2016 referendum where Britons voted with a slight majority for their country to leave the union.

“For many people this is an astonishing moment of hope, a moment they thought would never come,” Johnson said.

“And there are many of course who feel a sense of anxiety and loss.

“And then there’s a third group, perhaps the biggest, who had started to worry that the whole political wrangle would never come to an end.

“I understand all those feelings, and our job as the government — my job — is to bring this country together now and take us forward.”

Johnson pledged to deliver a clean Brexit after winning the December 12 general election. Johnson had called for the election in order to break a deadlock in parliament, which had blocked the country’s withdrawal from the European Union, more than three and a half years after the Brexit referendum in 2016.

Source: Presstv

A group of Labour MPs who lost their seats in the general election have predictably tried to blame Jeremy Corbyn and the Labour leadership for their loss.

In a letter to the Observer yesterday, the group blames “cronyism” and “anti-Semitism” for Labour’s worst electoral performance in 85 years. Some have also blamed Brexit.

Labour won only 203 seats, a drop of 59 seats, qualifying as the party’s worst national election performance since 1935.

But in a parallel move, a review launched by “Labour Together”, a network comprised of leading activists and senior Labour party figures, is said to be opposed to identifying a single issue, notably Corbyn’s leadership, for the historic defeat.

But leading signatories (of the Observer letter), including former MPs Mary Creagh and Anna Turley, argue that the magnitude of Labour’s defeat necessities soul-searching that goes “way beyond a simple review”.

Meanwhile, the Labour party leadership contest has picked up steam, with Yvette Cooper indicating she is considering joining the race.

Writing in the Sunday Mirror, Cooper, who has been the MP for Normanton, Pontefract and Castleford since 2010, argues that whilst Labour “did badly” in the general election, it still has the capacity to “pull the UK together again”.  

Hitherto, only two candidates have formally declared their intention to contest the Labour leadership once Corbyn steps down as leader early next year.

The declared candidates are shadow foreign secretary, Emily Thornberry, and shadow Treasury minister, Clive Lewis.

However, other leading Labour figures, notably shadow Brexit secretary, Keir Starmer, and shadow secretary for business, energy and industrial strategy, Rebecca Long-Bailey, are widely expected to join the race.  

Source: Presstv

Embattled Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared a “huge” victory Friday, after winning a leadership primary that ensures he will lead his right-wing Likud party into March elections.

Israel’s longest-serving premier, who faces a corruption indictment and a third general election in twelve months, was expected to beat rival Gideon Saar but the convincing margin of victory strengthened his position in the party he has dominated for 20 years.

With all votes counted, Likud announced early Friday that Netanyahu had secured 72.5 percent, with Saar winning 27.5 percent. 

“A huge win! Thank you to Likud members for their trust, support and love,” Netanyahu tweeted.

“With God’s and your help, I will lead Likud to a big victory in the upcoming elections and we will continue to lead the State of Israel to unprecedented achievements,” he added.

Around 57,000 Likud members cast their ballots across the country throughout Thursday a little less than 50 percent of those eligible.

Saar, a former minister seen as to the right of Netanyahu, campaigned on the basis that the leader was no longer able to win elections after deadlocked polls in April and September.

“I am content with my decision to have stood. Those who are unwilling to take a risk for what they believe in will never succeed,” Saar tweeted. 

“My colleagues and I will stand behind (Netanyahu) in campaigning for the Likud’s success,” he added.

He announced his leadership challenge last month after Israel’s attorney general indicted the prime minister for fraud, bribery and breach of trust.

Netanyahu, 70, denies the allegations, accusing the police, prosecutors and the media of a witch hunt.

Stephan Miller, a pollster who has worked on multiple Israeli campaigns, said Netanyahu had campaigned harder than ever before to defeat Saar.

Netanyahu held multiple campaign events a day in different parts of the country, while on Thursday his Facebook page broadcast live video of him phoning supporters.

In the campaign’s most dramatic moment on Wednesday, Netanyahu was rushed off stage at a rally in Ashkelon in southern Israel after a rocket was fired from the nearby Palestinian enclave of Gaza.

“His job was on the line and he fought to keep it successfully,” Miller said.

Immunity focus 

Netanyahu’s downfall has been predicted multiple times since he was elected for a second term in 2009, but he has defied expectations and beaten off multiple potential rivals.

He will likely remain prime minister at least until new elections on March 2.

Likud and the centrist Blue and White were near neck-and-neck after polls in March and September, with neither able to form a coalition under the country’s proportional system.

Early polls indicate that the third round could again be a stalemate.

In the short term, attention will now turn to Netanyahu’s legal woes.

Netanyahu is accused of corruption in three separate cases, ranging from receiving illegal gifts worth thousands of dollars to offering to change regulatory framework in exchange for positive media coverage.

On Tuesday the country’s supreme court is expected to hold a hearing on whether a prime minister that has been indicted can form a government.

Under current understanding of the law, a prime minister is only forced to step down once convicted with all appeals exhausted.

Netanyahu also has until January 1 to decide if he will ask parliament for immunity.

Gayil Talshir, a professor of politics at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, said the result could embolden Netanyahu in his campaign against the charges.

“He is going to argue that the people chose him and not the mechanisms and the judiciary,” Talshir said.

“The big game for Netanyahu is immunity and for that he needs 61 votes (in the 120-seat parliament),” she said.

(AFP)