Armenian lawmakers brawl as the government cracks down on its political opponents
Artur Sargsyan, who represents the opposition bloc Armenia, had finished a speech in which he said the case against him had been decided ahead of time and tried to leave the chamber. Other lawmakers then moved to stop him, and security guards flooded in, according to video from news outlets.
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Bloomberg
33 minutes ago
- Bloomberg
Japan Faces Trade Uncertainty After Ruling Party's Election Defeat
Japan is facing trade and political uncertainty after a historic defeat for the prime minister's ruling party. Shigeru Ishiba is trying to buy time for his premiership following this past weekend's election, which left the ruling bloc three seats short of a majority in the upper house. Despite being in a weaker position to stave off opposition demands or secure a last-minute trade deal with the US, Ishiba has vowed to stay on with a minority in both houses. Many of the key opposition parties ran on a platform to cut the sales tax, and Ishiba may have to make concessions to push any of his policies through.
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Yahoo
Japan's Ishiba vows to stay on after election defeat
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's ruling coalition has failed to secure a majority in Sunday's election for the 248-seat upper house of parliament, Japan's public NHK TV outlet said. The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), already in a minority in the lower house since last October's snap election, faced mounting public discontent over inflation, political scandals, and a surge in anti-immigration sentiment. LDP, Komeito fall short in upper house The LDP and its junior partner Komeito needed to win 50 of the 125 contested seats, on top of the 75 seats they already have. They fell short, however, getting only 46 of the seats up for grabs. In recent years, such an electoral defeat has usually led to a prime minister's resignation. Ishiba, however, vowed to stay on in order to lead Japan through the difficult terrain of striking a trade deal with the US in the face of looming tariffs. "We are engaged in extremely critical tariff negotiations with the United must never ruin these negotiations," he told a press conference after vowing to stay on as party leader through the trade talks. The loss is another blow to Ishiba's coalition, making it a minority in both houses following its October defeat in the lower house election, It is the first time the LDP has lost a majority in both houses of parliament since the party's foundation in 1955. The poor performance in the election will not immediately trigger a change of government because the upper house lacks the power to file a no-confidence motion against a leader. Despite his determination to stay on, Ishiba could face calls from within his party to step down or find another coalition partner. Rise of the 'Japanese First' party The surge of the right-wing populist Sanseito party complicated the election. Once a fringe movement, spreading conspiracy theories about vaccinations and global elites during the COVID-19 pandemic on YouTube, the party is now gaining momentum with its "Japanese First" rhetoric and criticism of immigration, globalism, and foreign capital. Sanseito is expected to win 14 seats in the upper house, appealing especially to young male voters. Its leader, Sohei Kamiya, has drawn comparisons to Trump and Germany's AfD for his anti-establishment stance and social media reach. On Sunday, a Sanseito candidate's interview by Russia's Sputnik news agency courted controversy and prompt denials of ties to Russia by Kamiya, according to AFP news agency. The European Union has banned Sputnik along with other Russian state media for "disinformation and information manipulation." Edited by: Alex Berry, Wesley Dockery
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Yahoo
Japanese PM's coalition loses majority in upper house election
Japanese prime minister Shigeru Ishiba's ruling coalition has failed to secure a majority in the 248-seat upper house in a crucial parliamentary election, NHK public television said. Mr Ishiba's Liberal Democratic Party and its junior coalition partner Komeito needed to win 50 seats on top of the 75 seats they already had to reach the goal. With two more seats to be decided, the coalition had only 46 seats. The loss is another blow to Mr Ishiba's coalition, making it a minority in both houses following its October defeat in the lower house election, and worsening Japan's political instability. It was the first time the LDP had lost a majority in both houses of parliament since the party's foundation in 1955. Despite the loss, Mr Ishiba expressed determination to stay on to tackle challenges such as US tariff threats, but he could face calls from within his party to step down or find another coalition partner. 'I will fulfil my responsibility as head of the number one party and work for the country,' he said. Mr Ishiba had set the bar low, wanting a simple majority of 125 seats, which meant his LDP and its Buddhist-backed junior coalition partner Komeito needed to win 50 to add to the 75 seats they already had. Exit poll results released seconds after the ballots closed on Sunday night mostly showed a major setback for Mr Ishiba's coalition. The LDP alone won 38 seats, better than most exit poll projections of 32, and still the number one party in the parliament, known as the Diet. 'It's a tough situation. I take it humbly and sincerely,' Mr Ishiba told a live interview with NHK. He said the poor showing was because his government's measures to combat price increases had yet to reach many people. The poor performance in the election will not immediately trigger a change of government because the upper house lacks the power to file a no-confidence motion against a leader, but it will certainly deepen uncertainty over his fate and Japan's political stability. Mr Ishiba could face calls from within the LDP party to step down or find another coalition partner. Soaring prices, lagging incomes and burdensome social security payments are the top issues for frustrated, cash-strapped voters. Stricter measures targeting foreign residents and visitors also emerged as a key issue, with a surging right-wing populist party leading the campaign. Sunday's vote comes after Mr Ishiba's coalition lost a majority in the October lower house election, stung by past corruption scandals, and his government has since been forced into making concessions to the opposition to get legislation through parliament. It has been unable to quickly deliver effective measures to mitigate rising prices, including Japan's traditional staple of rice, and dwindling wages. US president Donald Trump has added to the pressure, complaining about a lack of progress in trade negotiations and the lack of sales of US vehicles and American-grown rice to Japan despite a shortfall in domestic stocks of the grain. A 25% tariff due to take effect on August 1 has been another blow for Mr Ishiba. Mr Ishiba resisted any compromise before the election, but the prospect for a breakthrough after the election is just as unclear because the minority government would have difficulty forming a consensus with the opposition. Frustrated voters were rapidly turning to emerging populist parties. But the eight main opposition groups were too fractured to forge a common platform as a united front and gain voter support as a viable alternative.
