The most senior Shiite religious leader in Iraq has called for the formation of an “effective government” to foster national unity and criticised "past mistakes" made by Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's administration, in a departure from previous support for the embattled Iraqi leader.
In Contrast to President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi’s overtures to Muslim Brotherhood members not involved in violence in the post-30 June 2013 period, the government is continuing to follow through on policies aimed at politically eliminating the Islamist organisation and cutting off its sources of funding. Most recently the Teachers and Pharmacists Syndicates, long time political platforms for the Brotherhood, were sequestrated. Earlier this week the assets of Zad and Seoudi supermarket chains, owned by leading Brotherhood members Khairat Al-Shater and Abdel-Rahman Seoudi, were seized.
Presidential candidate Abdullah Abdullah declaration on boycotting relations with the Independent Election Commission (IEC) raised reactions from the international community including the United Nations (UN), United States and Britain.
“Election commissions must show highest level of transparency and trustee and must address concerns of candidates,” Nazifullah Salarzay, spokesman for the United Nations Office in Afghanistan, said. “Efforts must be made to ensure that legit votes are counted and illegitimate votes are avoided, those instances will follow our complete support.”
The Transparent Election Foundation of Afghanistan (TEFA) shared its findings about the elections with media on Thursday at a press conference.
TEFA reported that the runoff turnout was no more than six million, a figure much lower than the first round. The report also indicated that the runoff witnessed more challenges, riggings and violations compared to the first round.
Some of the issues highlighted in the report are as followed:
1. Stuffed ballot boxes in 218 centers in 16 provinces
2. Voting without using ink in 18 centers in 7 provinces
Presidential candidate Abdullah Abdullah reiterated that his demands made on Wednesday are definite, stating that it is in line with the country’s law, on Thursday at a brief press conference in Kabul.
He asserted that the legitimacy of the election process is under question because the Independent Election Commission’s (IEC) Secretariat Zia-ul-Haq Amarkhail has not been suspended. He added that on the day of elections, the police had caught Amarkhail with ballots and without police escorts, but the investigation of this case has not been followed.
Jakarta. Indonesia’s pollsters are going into overdrive with the presidential elections drawing near.
Polls in March showed a sizable 26.6 percent lead for Jakarta Governor Joko Widodo over former general Prabowo Subianto. Now, with just over three weeks to go, that divide has narrowed to a mere 4 percent.
The immensely popular governor appeared to be the clear front-runner when he declared his candidacy in March and the so-called “Jokowi effect” swept the nation.
Devolution Trust for Community Empowerment (DTCE) Chief Operating Officer Azhar Bashir Malik said this while speaking at a seminar titled, “Citizens’ engagement and accountability for an effective LG system and policy and implementation under 18th amendment”, organised by DTCE in collaboration with USAID under the “Citizens’ Voice Projects”.
Manama, June. 19. (BNA) – The Supreme Council for Women (SCW)'s media support programme, which is conducted in cooperation with Mayasim Telecommunications Company, continues to hold meetings that address the mechanisms and optimal ways to address voters, for the affiliates of the political empowerment programme of potential female candidates for the next parliamentary and municipal elections.
Ahmad Zia Massoud, brother of Ahmad Shah Massoud and a member of Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai's campaign team, came out on Wednesday and urged for restraint in the election process moving forward
The Supreme Judicial Council, in a bluntly worded statement, declared that the General National Congress (GNC) does not have the authority to dismiss or appoint the Attorney General, referencing the absolute need to observe separation of powers between the legislative and judicial branches of the government.
Jakarta. The national broadcasting watchdog has called on the Indonesian government to sanction two television news stations, MetroTV and tvOne, for imbalanced coverage on news surrounding the presidential election campaign.
Jakarta. Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is seen losing his firm grip on the Democratic Party and its members, according to Yuddy Chrisnandi, a politician of the People’s Conscience Party, or Hanura.
Yudhoyono, who serves as Democratic chairman, has often said that the party would remain neutral ahead of the July 9 presidential election. However, some members have decided to express their personal support to Prabowo Subianto.
Jakarta. Former Constitutional Court chief justice Mahfud M.D., the campaign manager for presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto, has likened his campaign strategy to going to war.
And a war is what some observers fear, following a rousing comeback by Prabowo against his rival, Joko Widodo, in their second presidential debate on Sunday, and opinion polls that show the former military general closing the gap on, or even overtaking, the popular Jakarta governor.
The appointment of Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu as the joint presidential candidate of the two main opposition parties, has sparked a debate within the Republican People’s Party (CHP), and İhsanoğlu is not thought to represent the party’s authentic worldview.
Around 15 CHP lawmakers came together yesterday under the leadership of former chairman Deniz Baykal to evaluate the appointment and to mull over how they would react to the nomination of İhsanoğlu, a former head of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
Still searching for a candidate for the upcoming August presidential elections, the two Kurdish sister parties at the Turkish Parliament have continued the trend of political cross-dressing, by making a surprising offer to main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) deputy and former European Court of Human Rights judge, Rıza Türmen.
The Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) has replaced the administration of all of its branches in the Istanbul district, the party’s deputy chair, Şefkat Çetin, announced in a written statement on June 18.
The party has appointed new officials to its Istanbul branches.
“We thank our friends who have been relieved of their duties and wish success to our friends who replaced them,” Çetin said.
The MHP’s Istanbul branches have come under fire after the party’s poor electoral performance in the March 30 local polls.
Without a vision or a program and with a lot of hopes and expectations, the republic of Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has begun. Most expectations are ambitious and optimistic. They are betting on a new renaissance to restore Egypt’s due and deserved role and place among the Arabs and the world.
Iraqi Shi’ite and Sunni political leaders made a joint call for national unity on Tuesday after a closed-door meeting called after a week of sectarian violence that saw Sunni militants seize northern cities.
The leaders, including Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, a Shi’ite, and Sunni Usama al-Nujaifi, the last speaker of parliament which dissolved this month, stood apart and listened as Maliki’s predecessor Ibrahim al-Jafaari called for “defending the state and protecting its sovereignty and dignity.”
