Latest news with #electoralreforms
Al Jazeera
4 days ago
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
New Caledonia declared a ‘state' in autonomy deal, but will stay French
France has announced a 'historic' deal with New Caledonia in which the South Pacific overseas territory, which was rocked by a wave of unrest last year over controversial electoral reforms, will be declared a new state. The 13-page accord, reached on Saturday after negotiations in Paris between the French government and groups on both sides of the territory's independence debate, proposes the creation of a 'State of New Caledonia', with its own nationality, but stops short of the independence sought by many Indigenous Kanaks. 'A State of New Caledonia within the Republic: it's a bet on trust,' French President Emmanuel Macron posted on X, saying that the time had come for 'respect, stability, and… goodwill to build a shared future'. Unrest broke out in May 2024, after Paris proposed a law allowing thousands of non-Indigenous long-term residents living in the territory to vote in provincial elections, diluting a 1998 accord that restricted these rights. Kanaks, who make up about 40 percent of the territory's population of nearly 300,000, feared the move would leave them in a permanent minority, diluting their influence and crushing their chances of winning independence. The violence, in which 14 people were killed, is estimated to have cost the territory two billion euros ($2.3bn), shaving 10 percent off its gross domestic product (GDP), according to Manuel Valls, France's minister for overseas territories. The accord will help 'us get out of the spiral of violence', said Emmanuel Tjibaou, a Kanak lawmaker who took part in the talks. Lawmaker Nicolas Metzdorf, who is in favour of remaining in the French fold, said the compromise deal was born of 'demanding dialogue', describing Caledonian nationality as a 'real concession'. Both chambers of France's parliament are to meet in the fourth quarter of this year to vote on approving the deal, which is then to be submitted to New Caledonians in a referendum in 2026. 'Intelligent compromise' Located nearly 17,000km (10,600 miles) from Paris, New Caledonia has been governed from Paris since the 1800s. Many Indigenous Kanaks still resent France's power over their islands and want fuller autonomy or independence. The last independence referendum in New Caledonia was held in 2021. But it was boycotted by pro-independence groups over the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Kanak population, and the political situation in the archipelago has since been deadlocked. Valls called Saturday's deal an 'intelligent compromise' that maintains links between France and New Caledonia, but with more sovereignty for the Pacific island. The deal also calls for an economic and financial recovery pact that would include a renewal of the territory's nickel processing capabilities.
Asharq Al-Awsat
03-07-2025
- Politics
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Fear of Losing Seats Drives Resistance to Reforming Expat Voting Law in Lebanon
The Lebanese Parliament's recent tensions over electoral reforms have laid bare the political calculations of the main blocs. Statements by Hezbollah MP Ali Fayyad that 'there is no level playing field in expat elections' capture why the Shiite Duo (Hezbollah and the Amal Movement), along with the Free Patriotic Movement (FPM), refuse to amend the current voting law. That law limits expatriate voters to strictly electing six MPs, rather than allowing them to vote in their home constituencies like residents. This stance is rooted in the 2022 elections, when overseas ballots overwhelmingly favored opposition candidates, especially independents and reformists. For Hezbollah, Amal, and the FPM, any shift risks further eroding their parliamentary share. Lebanon's political forces are sharply divided: on one side are Hezbollah, Amal, and the FPM, who oppose amending Article 122, which reserves six seats for expatriates; on the other side stand the Lebanese Forces, Kataeb, the Democratic Gathering, independents, and reformist MPs, all of whom back proposals to let expatriates vote in their districts in 2026. Tensions flared during Monday's parliamentary session when Speaker Nabih Berri rejected efforts to place the amendment on the agenda. Researcher Mohammad Shamseddine told Asharq Al-Awsat the refusal stems from a fear that expanded expatriate voting would yield even more unfavorable results for these factions. Shamseddine noted that about one million Lebanese abroad are eligible to vote, almost a third of the electorate. In 2022, around 141,000 expatriates cast ballots, influencing outcomes in eight districts and twelve seats, mostly favoring reformists. The number of overseas voters could rise to 250,000 in 2026, amplifying their impact. According to Shamseddine, Hezbollah and its allies secured only around 29,000 expat votes in 2022, compared to 27,000 for the Lebanese Forces alone. This gap is expected to widen further. For analyst Sami Nader, director of the Levant Institute for Strategic Affairs, Hezbollah's resistance also reflects its desire to prevent military setbacks from morphing into political defeat. He argues the party is keen to cling to what influence it has left, especially since it struggles to mobilize diaspora voters as effectively as it does domestically. Meanwhile, expatriate groups and Maronite bishops abroad have pressed Lebanon's government to protect their right to vote in their home constituencies. Maronite Bishop Charbel Tarabay warned against any attempt to 'deprive expatriates of their connection to the homeland.' Opposition parties, including the Lebanese Forces and Kataeb, have vowed to fight what they see as an effort to sideline the diaspora. As Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea declared: 'We will use every democratic and legal means to restore expatriates' right to vote in their districts, to keep them tied to Lebanon.'
CNA
18-05-2025
- Politics
- CNA
Chee Soon Juan calls for reforms to electoral system, says SDP will not retreat despite GE2025 losses
SINGAPORE: Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) chief Chee Soon Juan reiterated his call for electoral reforms on Sunday (May 18), in his first public remarks since the party's losses at the 2025 General Election. "Rather than retreating, what we're going to be doing is embarking on this renew, rebuild, reignite campaign," he told reporters ahead of an appreciation dinner for SDP members. The opposition party lost in all four constituencies it contested in the election. Dr Chee narrowly missed out on becoming a Non-Constituency Member of Parliament after obtaining 46.82 per cent of the vote in Sembawang West SMC. The straight fight between Mr Chee and Ms Poh Li San of the People's Action Party (PAP) was the third-closest contest of the election. On Sunday, Dr Chee outlined three major initiatives that the party would be working on, the first of which was an online petition on electoral reforms. The petition highlighted six "urgent and meaningful" changes that would ensure Singapore's political system "reflects the highest standards of transparency, accountability and democratic integrity". It called for the Elections Department to be removed from the Prime Minister's Office, to "end gerrymandering" and abolish the Group Representation Constituency (GRC) system. The petition also said there should be a minimum three-week campaign period, a six-month gap between the announcement of new electoral boundaries and the dissolution of parliament, and a review of the Newspaper and Printing Presses Act in Singapore to allow media to be free and independent. Dr Chee said this year's polls were "very much a smash-and-grab election" by the ruling PAP. "This whole campaign was just conducted in unseemly haste," he said. He added that the electorate hardly had time to grasp the "weighty" national concerns that affect Singapore's society before Polling Day arrived. "This has been the feedback we've been getting over and over, especially if you're talking about younger voters," he said. By the time the voters start getting involved, they are "being pushed" to make decisions. Dr Chee emphasised that the petition is a "non-partisan effort". "They are foundational principles of good governance and democratic integrity," he wrote on "Singapore is ready to take the next step forward in its political maturity by ensuring our elections are genuinely free and fair." SDP chairman Paul Tambyah said the online petition is just a starting point, and could develop into legal challenges. "Hopefully we'll be able to sustain this momentum," he said, adding that the party is taking a multi-prong approach to the next five years. LAUNCH OF SOCIAL CO-OPERATIVE The second initiative that the SDP announced is the Orange and Teal Social Enterprise Co-operative, which aims to create a "people-centric economic counterweight to the PAP-NTUC nexus". Dr Chee said the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) has "lost its way", but that Singapore has been "dominated" by the PAP and NTUC. He said the co-operative is meant to operate from the ground up and will aim to offer fair-wage employment, compared to the top-down approach taken by the ruling party and the labour movement. "We're looking for Singaporeans to own a part of this business," he said. Those who register as members will pay a S$100 (US$77) fee. Its website said the co-operative wants to empower workers, freelancers, creatives, and small businesses in Singapore through shared ownership, community-driven innovation, and inclusive employment opportunities. GROWING INTEREST FROM YOUNG PEOPLE SDP also said it has seen an upsurge in interest from young people who want to be involved in the political process. "We're going to tap into it," said Dr Chee, adding that some younger voters find the political process to be unsatisfactory. The party attributed part of the increased interest to TikTok and memes that caught the attention of voters. "One thing that's been quite interesting that we have seen is that many young people, even people who are too young to vote, have been coming forward, expressing an interest," said Mr Ariffin Sha, who was part of an SDP team that contested Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC. Many people felt that the election was too rushed and felt an "innate sense of injustice" when Bukit Batok SMC was "wiped off the map", he added. Young Democrat representative Shawal Yeo said he hoped the party could direct the energy of the young people in a constructive way. "Don't get angry, get active," he said. Dr Tambyah said that at a training event held this weekend, many participants described themselves as previously "politically apathetic" and were in a political party office for the first time.
Associated Press
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
Tanzania court orders an opposition leader, who is on a hunger strike, to appear in person
DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania (AP) — A magistrate court in Tanzania on Tuesday ordered that an opposition leader who was charged with treason last month be brought to court in person next month after he went on hunger strike to protest against virtual hearings. Opposition leader Tundu Lissu was arrested on April 9 after calling for electoral reforms before a general election in October and was charged with treason, a charge for which bail isn't available. Lissu's party, Chadema, has been outspoken about electoral reforms, arrests and detentions of opposition politicians before the vote in which President Samia Suluhu Hassan is seeking election after serving out her predecessor's term in office. Chadema officials were arrested last month as they drove to court for a scheduled hearing of Lissu's treason case. They were later released without being charged. The magistrate's court on Tuesday ordered prison authorities to present Lissu for a hearing of his case on May 19. The magistrate said that members of the public will be allowed to attend the hearing, unlike last month's session which the public was barred from by the police. This will be the first time that Lissu will appear in court in person since his arrest. The last hearing was canceled after he protested against a virtual hearing. Over the weekend, Lissu's lawyers had said that he would embark on a hunger strike to demand that his case is heard in court and not virtually. Senior lawyer Peter Kibatala, who is one of 31 lawyers on the case, said that they weren't allowed to speak freely with their client in prison. 'The last time we were forced to conduct our conversation in English,' Kibatala said. Human rights activists have accused the government of Hassan of heavy-handed tactics against the opposition. The government denies the claims. In 2017, three years before the last election, Lissu survived an assassination attempt after being shot 16 times. His party has been critical of laws that favor the ruling CCM party, which has been in power since Tanzania's independence in 1961.
