國際時事政治選舉新聞張貼及討論區（六）

Brexit: EU's Donald Tusk 'suggests 12-month flexible delay'

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-47821646

European Council President Donald Tusk is proposing to offer the UK a 12-month "flexible" extension to its Brexit date, according to a senior EU source.

His plan would allow the UK to leave sooner if Parliament ratifies a deal, but it would need to be agreed by EU leaders at a summit next week.

The UK's Conservatives and Labour Party are set to continue Brexit talks later.

Attorney General Geoffrey Cox has told the BBC that if they fail, the delay is "likely to be a long one".

The UK is due to leave the EU on 12 April and, as yet, no withdrawal deal has been approved by MPs.

Downing Street said "technical" talks between Labour and the Conservatives on Thursday had been "productive" and would continue on Friday.

UK PM May asks EU for Brexit delay until June 30

https://reut.rs/2IjaVCV

LONDON (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Theresa May wrote to European Council President Donald Tusk on Friday asking to delay Brexit until June 30 to allow divided British lawmakers to agree a withdrawal deal.

“The United Kingdom proposes that this period should end on 30 June 2019,” May said in the letter.

May said that if an agreement was reached before this date, then Britain proposed that the extension should be ended early.

“The government will want to agree a timetable for ratification that allows the United Kingdom to withdraw from the European Union before 23 May 2019 and therefore cancel the European Parliament elections, but will continue to make responsible preparations to hold the elections should this not prove possible,” she said.

France maintains hardline stance on no-deal Brexit

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/apr/05/france-maintains-hardline-stance-on-no-deal-brexit

France has reiterated its opposition to Britain being granted any further Brexit extension if it does not have a concrete plan with clear support in the Commons, saying that without that Britain must be deemed to have chosen to leave the EU without a deal.

Theresa May wrote to the president of the European council, Donald Tusk, on Friday to ask for Brexit to be delayed until 30 June while she battles to win cross-party agreement on a way forward.

Responding to May’s letter, France’s secretary of state for European affairs, Amélie de Montchalin, said in a statement: “The European council took a clear decision on 21 March … Another extension requires the UK to put forward a plan with clear and credible political backing.” The council would then define the necessary conditions attached to that extension, she said.

“[I]n the absence of such a plan, we would have to acknowledge that the UK chose to leave the EU in a disorderly manner.”

Tusk is pushing the EU27 to offer a one-year “flexible” extension to article 50, with an option to leave earlier once the withdrawal agreement is ratified by parliament. He is said to have described the plan as “the only reasonable way out”.

Brexit: Government offers 'no change' to deal, says Labour

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-47833841

The government has not proposed any changes to the PM's Brexit deal during cross-party talks, says shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer.

Meetings have been taking place between Tory and Labour politicians to find a proposal to put to the Commons before an emergency EU summit next week.

But Sir Keir said the government was not "countenancing any change" on the wording of the existing plan.

A Downing Street spokesman said: "We have made serious proposals."

The government was "prepared to pursue changes to the political declaration", a plan for the future relationship with the EU, to "deliver a deal that is acceptable to both sides", the spokesman said.

Sir Keir said the government's approach was "disappointing", and it would not consider any changes the "actual wording" of the political declaration. "Compromise requires change," he said.

"We want the talks to continue and we've written in those terms to the government, but we do need change if we're going to compromise."

當英國忙於脫歐之際，歐盟已在專注歐洲議會選舉

https://europechinese.blogspot.com/2019/04/blog-post_6.html?m=1

// 而且，如果英國在６月３０日、或今年年底脫歐，都還好，如果英國延遲１年至明年春季才脫歐，這些候補當選議員是否要等待一年，現在暫時找其他工作，但要準備好明年春季要去歐洲議會呢？

寫了這麼多，都只是涉及實質運作的技術細節，仍未觸及政治理論和政治考慮。如果英國６月３０日脫歐，英國便選了一些不會就任的議員，儘管他們不會成為議員，但英國仍會有歐洲議會選舉辯論，各成員國之間的歐洲議會選舉辯論是不可能完全避免互相影響的，一個不會把議員送進新一屆議會的國家，卻在舉行同一個議會的選舉，繼而干擾整場選舉，十分奇怪。更不要說，如果這些英國選出的議員還是要上任，並留在歐洲議會一段時間，他們應否進行審議工作呢？例如他們有份對歐盟執委會主席的任命作表決，但他們早已說好將會離開，他們在表決時會以破壞歐盟的心態、或至少是不介意歐盟及另外２７個成員國長遠利益來作出決定呢？這些都是歐盟不想看到的，亦因此對英國脫歐議而不決感到不耐煩。

因此，如果有成員國不介意英國無協議脫歐，也不奇怪，因為對歐洲政圈部份人來說，英國無序脫歐引發的混亂，可能較一個即將離開的國家但仍長時間留在歐盟擾亂歐盟決策的破壞為小。//

'Diabolically bad' poll: Tony Abbott facing 12 per cent swing to lose seat

Internal Liberal Party polling is "diabolically bad" for Tony Abbott in Warringah, according to senior Liberal sources, with the former prime minister facing a 12 per cent swing that could sweep him out of his blue-ribbon seat.

But with Prime Minister Scott Morrison poised to call an election any day, the Liberal Party is increasingly confident of a positive or neutral result in NSW by regaining Malcolm Turnbull's old seat of Wentworth and even winning Lindsay from Labor in the western suburbs.

Rocked by the disastrous state election loss last month, Labor hardheads now hope to hold steady on 24 federal seats in NSW. A Labor loss in Lindsay could be offset by victories in the South Coast seat of Gilmore or the Strathfield seat of Reid.

A very senior NSW Liberal source said Wentworth was "looking good" and Liberal candidate Dave Sharma was "tracking well". But the same source said polling was "diabolically bad" for Mr Abbott in Warringah against independent challenger Zali Steggall.

The former prime minister faces a swing of about 12 per cent, the size of his current margin.

https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/diabolically-bad-poll-abbott-facing-12-per-cent-swing-to-lose-seat-20190406-p51bhg.html

Brexit: I had no choice but to approach Labour - May

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-47842572

Prime Minister Theresa May has insisted she had to reach out to Labour in a bid to deliver Brexit or risk letting it "slip through our fingers".

In a statement on Saturday night, Mrs May said there was a "stark choice" of either leaving the European Union with a deal or not leaving at all.

Some Conservatives have criticised her for seeking Labour's help after MPs rejected her Brexit plan three times.

Three days of talks between the parties ended without agreement on Friday.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said he was "waiting to see the red lines move" and had not "noticed any great change in the government's position".

He is coming under pressure from his MPs to demand a referendum on any deal he reaches with the government, with 80 signing a letter saying a public vote should be the "bottom line" in the negotiations.

Brexit: furious Tories will try to oust May if UK fights Euro elections

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/apr/06/furious-tory-mps-will-bid-to-oust-may-if-uk-fights-euro-poll

Theresa May is being warned by her mutinous MPs that they will move to oust her within weeks if the UK is forced to take part in European elections next month and extend its EU membership beyond the end of June.

Tory MPs are increasingly angry at the prospect of voters being asked to go to the polls to elect MEPs three years after the Brexit referendum, in an election they fear will be boycotted by many Conservatives and be a gift to the far right and Nigel Farage’s new Brexit party. Senior Tories said one silver lining of a long extension would be that it would allow them to move quickly to force May out, and hold a leadership election starting as soon as this month.

The warnings came as the prime minister made a last desperate appeal on Saturday night to MPs to back a deal, saying there was an increasing danger Brexit would “slip though our fingers”. May said: “Because parliament has made clear it will stop the UK leaving without a deal, we now have a stark choice: leave the European Union with a deal or do not leave at all.

“The longer this takes, the greater the risk of the UK never leaving at all. It would mean letting the Brexit that the British people voted for slip through our fingers. I will not stand for that. It is essential we deliver what people voted for, and to do that we need to get a deal over the line.”

Nigel Adams, a former minister who quit last week over May’s decision to hold talks on Brexit with Jeremy Corbyn, said: “Over 170 Conservative MPs including cabinet ministers signed a letter to the PM last week urging her to ensure the UK does not take part in the European elections. Doing so will not end well.”

U.S. to designate elite Iranian force as terrorist organization

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-iran/u-s-to-designate-elite-iranian-force-as-terrorist-organization-idUSKCN1RH2I4

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States is expected to designate Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards Corps a foreign terrorist organization, three U.S. officials told Reuters, marking the first time Washington has formally labeled another country’s military a terrorist group.

The decision, which critics warn could open U.S. military and intelligence officials to similar actions by unfriendly governments abroad, is expected to be announced by the U.S. State Department, perhaps as early as Monday, the officials said. It has been rumored for years.

Japanese people casting in local election

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190407_23/

Japanese people are casting last minute votes in local elections across the country.

Thousands of seats are up for grabs, including for governors, mayors and local assembly members.

Polling stations opened at 7 a.m. this morning. For national parties, it's an opportunity to build momentum as they prepare for the Upper House election this summer.

11 prefectural governor seats are up for grabs with two races generating most of the attention.

Maldives election: Early results show victory for president's party
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-47842303

President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih's party is on course to win a landslide victory in the Maldives parliamentary election, early result show.

The Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) is projected to win almost 60 seats in the 87-seat parliament, local media report.

Final results are expected to be declared on Sunday.

An MDP win would solidify the comeback of the country's former president and MDP leader Mohamed Nasheed, who was in exile until late last year.

Footage posted on the party's official Twitter account shows supporters hugging each other and dancing.

"This [the result] will go a long way in consolidating democracy in the Maldives," Mr Nasheed told the BBC.

Mr Nasheed became the country's first democratically elected president in 2008.

His party campaigned on a platform of reforming the judiciary, upholding freedom of expression and democracy.

依個係親中定印？

He previously criticized the infrastructure projects funded by PRC

Donald J. Trump
@realDonaldTrump

Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen will be leaving her position, and I would like to thank her for her service.

[black]US Homeland Security chief Kirstjen Nielsen leaves post
[/black]
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-47848619

In a tweet, the president thanked her for her service and said she would be temporarily replaced by Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Kevin McAleenan.

Ms Nielsen has held her position since December 2017.

She has drawn criticism for her staunch defence of some of Mr Trump's most contentious border policies.

Her department was responsible for implementing the proposed border wall and the separation of migrant families, and she became the face of the controversial moves.

Last June, protesters booed Ms Nielsen as she ate at a Mexican restaurant in Washington DC.

But she brushed off the demonstration, tweeting that she would "work tirelessly" to fix the "broken immigration system".

Her relationship with Mr Trump is said to have been difficult, although in public she has been unwaveringly loyal to the administration.

Winners being announced
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20190408_07/
Election Result:
https://www.nhk.or.jp/senkyo/database/touitsu/2019/?utm_int=news_contents_special_001

We are now getting a clearer picture of Sunday's local elections.

Thousands of seats were up for grabs including for governors, mayors and local assembly members.

National parties have campaigned fiercely framing the poll as a bellwether for Upper House elections this summer.

Winners of the 11 gubernatorial races have been confirmed.

One of the most closely watched races was in Osaka. Former Osaka City mayor Hirofumi Yoshimura has been elected.

He's a member of Osaka Ishin no Kai. The party campaigned on what's known as the "Osaka metropolis plan", which would abolish Osaka City and reorganize it into special wards just like Tokyo.

The party claims their plan will cut costs by streamlining overlapping city and prefectural services.

Pakistan accuses India of plotting fresh military attack
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-47848425

Pakistan says it has "reliable intelligence" India is planning a military attack this month, something India dismissed as "war hysteria".

Foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi made the comments on Sunday.

Already tense relations between the two deteriorated this year when Pakistan-based militants killed dozens of Indian troops in Indian-administered Kashmir.

Tensions seemed to have eased after the clashes, but on Sunday the Pakistani foreign minister said his country had intelligence to suggest an imminent Indian attack.

"There are chances of another aggression against Pakistan and according to our information this action can take place between April 16 and 20," Mr Qureshi told reporters.

The foreign minister said he made the allegations "with responsibility", arguing the aggression aimed to raise "diplomatic pressure" against his country.

Brexit hangs in the balance: Corbyn's Labour says no breakthrough yet

https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-britain-eu/brexit-hangs-in-the-balance-corbyns-labour-says-no-breakthrough-yet-idUSKCN1RK18X

LONDON (Reuters) - The Labour Party said on Monday that Prime Minister Theresa May had so far failed to convince it to support a divorce deal, two days before a European Union emergency summit where she will try to delay Britain’s April 12 departure.

Brexit has already been delayed once but May is asking the EU for yet more time as she courts veteran socialist Jeremy Corbyn, whose Labour Party wants to keep Britain more closely tied to the EU after Brexit.

Nearly three years after the United Kingdom shocked the world by voting by 52 percent to 48 to leave the EU, May warned that Brexit might never happen but said that she would do everything possible to make sure that it did.

Labour’s Brexit point man, Keir Starmer, said May’s government had so far not changed its position on Brexit and so no way forward had been agreed.

“Both us and the government have approached this in the spirit of trying to find a way forward. We haven’t found that yet. We will continue to do that,” Starmer said.

“The ball is the government’s court,” he added. “We need to see what they come back with and, when they do, we will take a collective position on that.”

Modi-led alliance closes in on majority, survey shows ahead of vote

https://www.reuters.com/article/india-election-poll/modi-led-alliance-closes-in-on-majority-survey-shows-ahead-of-vote-idUSKCN1RK1I5
tmsnrt.rs/2WQGVSF


NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ruling alliance will be just a few seats short of a majority in parliament, bolstered by a rise in nationalist sentiment over hostilities with arch foe Pakistan, a survey showed on Monday, days before voting begins.

About 900 million people are eligible to vote in the election starting on Thursday, in which Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party-led group is taking on the Congress and its allies and a clutch of regional parties.

The election had become tighter because of discontent in the countryside over a weak rural economy and lack of jobs for young people. But over the last month, support for Modi’s Hindu nationalist party has grown following a spike in tension with Pakistan, the polls say.

The BJP and its allies are expected to win 267 of the 543 parliament seats at stake, the CVoter polling agency said, just five short of the halfway mark required to rule.

Libya crisis: UN says thousands fleeing clashes

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-47853478

At least 2,800 people have fled from the fighting near Libya's capital, Tripoli, according to the UN.

Other civilians are trapped by the clashes and are cut off from vital emergency services, it says.

Forces under Gen Khalifa Haftar began an attack on the city last Thursday with aim of wresting it from Libya's UN-backed government.

Prime Minister Fayez al-Serraj has accused Gen Haftar of attempting a coup and says rebels will be met with force.

The ministry of public health said on Monday at least 25 people had been killed and 80 wounded, including both civilians and soldiers. Earlier reports had given a higher figure.

Erdogan casts doubt on Istanbul vote, hints at possible re-run

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-turkey-election-erdogan/erdogan-casts-doubt-on-istanbul-vote-hints-at-possible-re-run-idUSKCN1RK0OV

ANKARA (Reuters) - President Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday Turkey’s local elections were marred by “organized crime” at ballot boxes in Istanbul, raising the possibility of re-running a March 31 vote that handed a slim majority to the main opposition party.

Erdogan’s comments, his strongest challenge yet to the election process in Turkey’s largest city, briefly drove the lira down and also weighed on Turkish stocks.

Erdogan’s AK Party has already lost the mayoralty in the capital Ankara to the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), and is has appealed several stages of the count in Istanbul which showed a narrow CHP victory.

The Islamist-rooted AKP is reeling from the potential loss of both cities, which the party and its predecessors have governed for a quarter of a century. Erdogan himself rose to prominence as Istanbul mayor in the 1990s before emerging as national leader.

Erdogan said the scale of electoral irregularities his party had uncovered meant the margin of votes between Istanbul’s top two candidates, less than 20,000 in a city of 10 million voters, was too narrow for the opposition to claim victory.

Israel's election: first the vote, then the kingmaking

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-israel-election-process-explainer/israels-election-first-the-vote-then-the-kingmaking-idUSKCN1RK0ZS

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israelis vote in a parliamentary election on Tuesday, choosing among party lists of candidates to serve in the 120-seat Knesset.

No party has won a majority of seats since Israel’s first election in 1949. Following are questions and answers about the vote and what sort of coalition negotiations could emerge:

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER POLLS CLOSE?
Israel’s major television stations and news websites issue exit polls when voting ends at 10 p.m. (1900 GMT) on Tuesday, estimating how many parliamentary seats each party has won, and then the coalition calculations begin.

WHO’S AHEAD IN OPINION POLLS?
Final polls in the campaign, on Friday, showed that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had fallen behind his main challenger, centrist Benny Gantz, but still has an easier path to form a government that would keep him in power for a record fifth term.

Secret Service director out as part of larger Trump shakeup
https://www.politico.com/story/2019/04/08/secret-service-director-leaves-trump-administration-1261442

U.S. Secret Service Director Randolph Alles is leaving the administration, the White House said Monday, amounting to President Donald Trump's second shakeup at the Department of Homeland Security in as many days.

In a statement, press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders praised the "great job" Alles had done since he was tapped for the post in 2017 and said that Trump "is thankful for his over 40 years of service to the country."

"Mr. Alles will be leaving shortly and President Trump has selected James M. Murray, a career member of the USSS, to take over as director beginning in May," she said.

Alles’ departure comes less than 24 hours after DHS Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen resigned and a little more than a week after a Chinese national was arrested for trespassing at the president’s Mar-A-Lago resort.