Latest news with #Populism
Bloomberg
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Bloomberg
Humbled Thai Billionaire Is a Warning to Trump-Era Populists
Upon returning to Thailand after 15 years in exile, Thaksin Shinawatra first bowed to a portrait of the nation's monarch before waving to throngs of cheering supporters who greeted him at an airport in Bangkok. That moment in August 2023 represented a monumental shift for Thaksin, who rose to power at the turn of the century as a populist billionaire demagogue long before the likes of Donald Trump and Elon Musk became major political forces. Once an outside disruptor, Thaksin had suddenly cut a deal and joined forces with the royal establishment that staged a coup against him in 2006 and fought to keep him sidelined ever since.
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Independent Dan Osborn makes another run at Nebraska Senate
Independent populist Dan Osborn, whose insurgent Senate campaign seriously threatened one of Nebraska's Republicans from securing a third term last year, is now taking on GOP Sen. Pete Ricketts — one of the wealthiest members of Congress. Osborn's news comes as Elon Musk is moving to create a third party. The candidate told POLITICO he's not interested in ditching an independent bid to join the Tesla and SpaceX CEO's aspirational 'America Party,' but would be open to his financial support. Osborn, who has already met with state Democrats, announced his candidacy against the former Nebraska governor Tuesday via campaign video. A Navy veteran and mechanic by trade, Osborn is aware he won't be able to duplicate the out-of-nowhere grassroots campaign he deployed last cycle, when he outperformed Vice President Kamala Harris significantly in the state. 'There is no element of surprise [this time],' Osborn told POLITICO, adding that he expects Ricketts and his allies to 'come out with a lot of money and go very negative right from the beginning.' Ricketts was appointed to the seat following the retirement of Sen. Ben Sasse and easily won a special election in 2024 to serve the remaining two years of the term. Ricketts is the son of the billionaire founder of TD Ameritrade and his family owns a majority stake in one of American sports most storied professional franchises, the Chicago Cubs, making it easy for him to inject funds into his campaign if needed. But Osborn said he enjoys other advantages. 'We're starting off in a much better place with a tried-and-true set of volunteers across the state,' Osborn said of the name ID he gained by coming within single digits of Sen. Deb Fischer. He believes the grassroots operation he built last year coupled with a growing push of voters to upend status quo politics will help him break the GOP unanimous control of Nebraska's congressional delegation. That Osborn came as close as he did to capturing the seat last year underscored voters' dissatisfaction with both major parties. His latest Senate bid comes as tech Musk threatens to scramble politics by launching the 'America Party.' But Osborn, who aligns with President Donald Trump on some issues, doesn't see himself as part of Musk's nascent movement. 'I'm not interested in that. I'm an independent. I've been an independent from the time I could vote,' he said. 'It's an interesting idea, for sure, and he certainly has the money to do something like that,' he said of Musk, before making clear his chief goal if elected is to help take big money out of politics. But to do that, he's got to first vanquish Ricketts. 'I welcome donations from anyone, whether you're a Republican, Democrat, Independent, Libertarian, America Party, doesn't matter to me,' Osborn added. Fischer survived her 2024 reelection after a late infusion of cash by Republicans and 11th-hour help from Trump. Republicans privately acknowledged they were slow to take him seriously, a mistake they are vowing not to repeat this time. 'Senator Ricketts has consistently worked for and voted to secure the border and cut taxes for Nebraska workers, families, and seniors,' said Will Coup, a Ricketts campaign spokesperson. 'Dan Osborn is bought and paid for by his liberal, out-of-state, coastal donors. Dan Osborn will side with Chuck Schumer over Nebraska families and vote with Democrats to open the border, hike taxes, and stop the America First agenda.' National polling hints at a growing discontent among independents, Democrats and some Republicans over Trump's policies, including the passage of his megabill last week that critics predict will add trillions to the national deficit and boot millions off Medicaid. Where Trump's standing will be in 2026 among Nebraska's largely conservative electorate is a wild card. But Ken Schilz, a former Republican state senator from Nebraska suggested the race will come down to how well Ricketts defines Osborn early on. 'Fischer's campaign really didn't even just scratch the surface on opposition research on Osborn,' said Schilz. 'Ricketts will spend the money to go out and attack Osborn. He won't wait around. For his political operatives, it's kind of what they live for.' Trump endorsed Ricketts earlier this year in a Truth Social post as Osborn flirted with a Senate run and called Osborn a 'radical left open border extremist.' Osborn made a blatant play for Trump voters in 2024, including vowing to help the president build the U.S.-Mexico border wall, and started a 'conservatives for Osborn' fundraising offshoot. To win statewide, Osborn will need to flip disenchanted GOP voters in the state's western half. 'I think Nebraska has a real, real chance of being the center of a lot that goes on this political season,' Schilz added, pointing to the recent retirement announcement from longtime Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.), whose district includes the state's so-called 'blue dot' of Omaha. National Democrats kept their distance from Osborn in 2024, but privately viewed him as an ally despite him demurring on plans to caucus with them. As POLITICO reported in November, Chuck Schumer touted the race in a virtual rally days before the election. The Senate Democratic campaign arm and its main allied super PAC also made late donations to Osborn or groups supporting him. Democrats didn't recruit a candidate into the race last year and aren't planning to do so next year either, giving Osborn a chance to carry Democrats and the state's many independent voters, according to Nebraska Democratic Party chair Jane Kleeb. She met with Osborn last week, in part to discuss whether he would have supported Trump's 'big beautiful bill.' He answered in the negative. The two were at odds, at times, during the 2024 race, as Kleeb and other party Democrats questioned if they were helping elect the next Kyrsten Sinema, a reference to the Democrat-turned-independent who frustrated the party's base. Kleeb said for Osborn to win, he'll have to make up ground in Nebraska's 3rd Congressional District, which broke heavily for Fischer last cycle. She said it's possible. 'We just think that there is so much anger at what is happening with all of the cuts, in particular in rural communities, that if there was ever an opening to win statewide, [2026] is the year.' But Osborn vows to remain independent, saying: 'I have no problem sitting at lunch by myself.'
Irish Times
18-05-2025
- Politics
- Irish Times
Romanian run-off the most crucial vote on Europe's ‘Super Sunday' of elections
Romanians are voting in a pivotal presidential run-off that could radically alter their country's strategic alignment and economic prospects, as voters in Poland and Portugal also cast their ballots in a European electoral 'super Sunday'. The Romanian contest, the most consequential of the three, pits a brash, EU -critical, Trump-admiring populist against a centrist independent in a knife-edge vote that analysts have called most important in the country's post-communist history. George Simion, a former soccer ultra and ultranationalist agitator who sees his far-right Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) party as a 'natural ally' of the US Maga movement, comfortably won the May 4th first round with a score of 41 per cent, double that of the Bucharest mayor, Nicuşor Dan. Recent polls have shown the gap between the two candidates closing, with one putting them neck and neck and another placing Mr Dan – who has described the vote as a battle between 'a pro-western and an anti-western Romania' – ahead. READ MORE 'This election isn't just about the president of Romania but about its entire direction,' said Siegfried Mureşan, a liberal Romanian MEP. Mr Simion would 'weaken Europe's unity, undermine support for Ukraine, and benefit only Vladimir Putin,' he added. In Poland, 13 contenders are vying to be the country's next head of state in the first round of presidential elections, with the centrist mayor of Warsaw, Rafał Trzaskowski, a senior member of prime minister Donald Tusk's Civic Coalition, the front-runner. Polls predict that Mr Trzaskowski and Karol Nawrocki, a historian who is formally independent but has been endorsed by the former national-conservative Law and Justice (PiS) government, will advance to the second round, which is due on June 1st. A win for the centrist would boost Mr Tusk's ability to push through his reformist agenda, which has been hampered by Polish presidents' power to veto legislation passed by parliament. The outgoing president, Andrzej Duda, is a PiS ally. Portugal, meanwhile, heads to the polls for its third snap general election in three years after the centre-right prime minister, Luís Montenegro, triggered and lost a confidence vote in parliament over questions about his family's business activities. Mr Montenegro's Democratic Alliance platform is forecast to finish first but fall short of a majority, and could struggle to form a government, especially if the Socialist party, likely to finish second, keeps its pledge to oppose his legislative agenda. Mr Montenegro has vowed not to work with the far-right Chega, whose leader, former TV football pundit André Ventura, was hospitalised on Friday after twice collapsing at rallies, but could be replaced as party leader with someone more Chega-compatible. In Romania, Mr Simion's first-round win triggered the collapse of Romania's government of centre-left Social Democrats (PSD) and centre-right Liberals (PNL), and whoever wins will nominate the next prime minister and influence the formation of a new ruling coalition. The vote is a rerun of last November's ballot, won by a far-right, Moscow-friendly firebrand, Călin Georgescu, who was barred from standing again after the vote was cancelled amid allegations of campaign finance violations and Russian meddling. Mr Simion has promised to nominate Mr Georgescu, who is under formal investigation on counts including misreporting campaign spending, illegal use of digital technology and promoting fascist groups, as prime minister if he becomes president. Romanian presidents have a semi-executive role with considerable powers over foreign policy, national security, defence spending and judicial appointments. They can also dissolve parliament if MPs reject two prime ministerial nominations. Analysts have said that since neither PSD or PNL would want a snap election with Mr Simion's AUR – the second biggest party in parliament – in the ascendant, a minority AUR-led government, backed perhaps by PSD, is a clear possibility if Mr Simion wins. Mr Simion opposes further aid to Ukraine and has sharply criticised the EU's leadership. While he insists he wants Romania to stay in the EU and Nato, he could ally with Hungary's Viktor Orban and Slovakia's Robert Fico as another disruptive force. – Guardian
The Guardian
18-05-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Romanian run-off the most crucial on Europe's ‘Super Sunday' of elections
Romanians have started voting in a pivotal presidential run-off that could radically alter their country's strategic alignment and economic prospects, as voters in Poland and Portugal also prepare to cast their ballots in a European electoral 'super Sunday'. The Romanian contest, the most consequential of the three, pits a brash, EU-critical, Trump-admiring populist against a centrist independent in a knife-edge vote that analysts have called most important in the country's post-communist history. George Simion, a former soccer ultra and ultranationalist agitator who sees his far-right AUR party as a 'natural ally' of the US Maga movement, comfortably won the 4 May first round with a score of 41%, double that of the Bucharest mayor, Nicuşor Dan. Recent polls have shown the gap between the two candidates closing, with one putting them neck and neck and another placing Dan – who has described the vote as a battle between 'a pro-western and an anti-western Romania' – ahead. 'This election isn't just about the president of Romania but about its entire direction,' said Siegfried Mureşan, a liberal Romanian MEP. Simion would 'weaken Europe's unity, undermine support for Ukraine, and benefit only Vladimir Putin,' he added. In Poland, 13 contenders are vying to be the country's next head of state in the first round of presidential elections, with the centrist mayor of Warsaw, Rafał Trzaskowski, a senior member of prime minister Donald Tusk's Civic Coalition, the frontrunner. Polls predict that Trzaskowski and Karol Nawrocki, a historian who is formally independent but has been endorsed by the former national-conservative Law and Justice (PiS) government, will advance to the second round, which is due on 1 June. A win for the centrist would boost Tusk's ability to push through his reformist agenda, which has been hampered by Polish presidents' power to veto legislation passed by parliament. The outgoing president, Andrzej Duda, is a PiS ally. Portugal, meanwhile, heads to the polls for its third snap general election in three years after the centre-right prime minister, Luís Montenegro, triggered and lost a confidence vote in parliament over questions about his family's business activities. Montenegro's Democratic Alliance (AD) platform is forecast to finish first but fall short of a majority, and could struggle to form a government, especially if the Socialist party (PS), likely to finish second, keeps its pledge to oppose his legislative agenda. Montenegro has vowed not to work with the far-right Chega, whose leader, former TV football pundit André Ventura, was hospitalised on Friday after twice collapsing at rallies, but could be replaced as party leader with someone more Chega-compatible. Simion's win triggered the collapse of Romania's government of centre-left Social Democrats (PSD) and centre-right Liberals (PNL), and whoever wins will nominate the next prime minister and influence the formation of a new ruling coalition. Sign up to This is Europe The most pressing stories and debates for Europeans – from identity to economics to the environment after newsletter promotion The vote is a rerun of last November's ballot, won by a far-right, Moscow-friendly firebrand, Călin Georgescu, who was barred from standing again after the vote was cancelled amid allegations of campaign finance violations and Russian meddling. Simion has promised to nominate Georgescu, who is under formal investigation on counts including misreporting campaign spending, illegal use of digital technology and promoting fascist groups, as prime minister if he becomes president. Romanian presidents have a semi-executive role with considerable powers over foreign policy, national security, defence spending and judicial appointments. They can also dissolve parliament if MPs reject two prime ministerial nominations. Analysts have said that since neither PSD or PNL would want a snap election with Simion's AUR – the second biggest party in parliament – in the ascendant, a minority AUR-led government, backed perhaps by PSD, is a clear possibility if Simion wins. Simion opposes further aid to Ukraine and has sharply criticised the EU's leadership. While he insists he wants Romania to stay in the EU and Nato, he could ally with Hungary's Viktor Orbán and Slovakia's Robert Fico as another disruptive force. 'Simion's election would mark a sea change in Romanian politics, creating significant risks to domestic stability, Bucharest-Brussels relations, and EU unity over Ukraine,' said Mujtaba Rahman of the political risk consultancy Eurasia Group. The prospect of a Simion win has spooked markets and investors, causing the Romanian leu to plunge and major foreign business chambers in Romania have warned of a 'rapid deterioration' in the business climate. Romania has the EU's highest budget deficit.
Bloomberg
16-05-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
Tusk Ally Slides in Polls Before Polish Presidential Ballot
Support for Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski declined in the latest opinion surveys before Poland's presidential election on Sunday, signaling a closer race with the populist opposition and weakening stocks and the zloty. Trzaskowski, a centrist ally of Prime Minister Donald Tusk, is backed by 30% of the electorate, according to an average of four surveys published on Friday. At the start of the week, he was polling around 33%. His nearest competitor, the candidate of the Law & Justice party Karol Nawrocki, is backed by around 25%, which has changed little in the past days.
