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☆ UK local election: Former PM Boris Johnson turned away from polling station after forgetting ID
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-03 | by ( Christian Edwards | Alex Hardie | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Boris Johnson was turned away from a polling station while trying to vote in the United Kingdom’s local elections after forgetting to bring photo ID – a requirement he introduced while prime minister. Polling station staff were forced to turn the former prime minister away as he tried to cast his ballot in South Oxfordshire on Thursday, PA media reported. New rules requiring photo ID to vote were introduced by Johnson’s Conservative government in the Elections Act 2022. Veterans minister Johnny Mercer apologized to Diver. “The legislation on acceptable forms of ID came out before the veterans ID cards started coming out in January this year.

Persons: Boris Johnson, Johnson, Adam Diver, Johnny Mercer, ” Mercer, Rishi Sunak Organizations: CNN, United, Johnson’s Conservative, Labour Party Locations: South Oxfordshire

☆ Venezuela’s Democratic Hopes Dim as Opposition Is Blocked From National Vote
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-26 | by ( Genevieve Glatsky | Isayen Herrera | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Then, it was supposed to be Corina Yoris, a little-known philosophy professor. But now, an opposition coalition has been blocked from fielding any candidate to run against President Nicolás Maduro in elections scheduled in July. The coalition of opposing political parties, the Democratic Unity Roundtable, had hoped that uniting behind a single candidate would make it a viable challenger to Mr. Maduro. But on Monday, a national electoral commission controlled by allies of Mr. Maduro used a technical maneuver to prevent the coalition from putting a candidate on the ballot. As a result Mr. Maduro, whose repressive rule has left Venezuela in financial ruin and helped push out roughly one-fourth of its population, is increasingly likely to hold onto power.

Persons: María Corina Machado, Nicolás Maduro, Maduro Organizations: Democratic Unity Roundtable Locations: Venezuela

☆ U.S. and Britain accuse China-linked hackers of ‘malicious’ cyber campaigns, announce sanctions
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-25 | by ( Ryan Browne | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

BeeBright | Getty ImagesLONDON — The U.S. and U.K. on Monday accused hackers linked to the Chinese state of being behind "malicious" cyber campaigns targeting political figures, in moves expected to stoke tensions with Beijing. The British government also alleged that China-affiliated hackers were behind an attack that saw the data of millions of voters accessed. "I can confirm today that Chinese state-affiliated actors were responsible for two malicious cyber campaigns targeting our democratic institutions and parliamentarians," British Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden said in a speech to Parliament on Monday. "We want now to be as open as possible with the House and the British public," Dowden said. U.S. hits out at ChinaSeparately, the U.S. Justice Department unsealed an indictment Monday accusing Chinese state-linked hackers of being behind cyber campaigns targeting U.S. businesses, government officials and politicians.

Persons: Oliver Dowden, Dowden, Ni Gaobin, Weng Ming, Cheng Feng, Peng Yaowen, Xiong Wang, Zhao Guangzong, Merrick B, Garland Organizations: Getty, stoke, Electoral, Electoral Commission, Embassy, Google, APT31, U.S . Justice Department, DOJ Locations: U.S, Beijing, China, Britain, APT31 ., United States

☆ U.K. to Accuse China of Cyberattacks Targeting Voter Data and Lawmakers
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-25 | by ( Mark Landler | Stephen Castle | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The British government is expected to publicly link China to cyberattacks that compromised the voting records of tens of millions of people, another notable hardening of Britain’s stance toward China since its leaders heralded a “golden era” in British-Chinese relations nearly a decade ago. The deputy prime minister, Oliver Dowden, will make a statement about the matter in Parliament on Monday afternoon, and is expected to announce sanctions against state-affiliated individuals and entities implicated in the attacks. The government disclosed the attack on the Electoral Commission last year but did not identify those behind it. It is believed to have begun in 2021 and lasted several months, with the personal details of 40 million voters being hacked. The Electoral Commission, which oversees elections in the United Kingdom, said that the names and addresses of anyone registered to vote in Britain and Northern Ireland between 2014 and 2022 had been accessed, as well as those of overseas voters.

Persons: Oliver Dowden Organizations: Electoral Commission Locations: China, United Kingdom, Britain, Northern Ireland

CNN —Former Senegalese Prime Minister Amadou Ba has conceded defeat to leading opposition figure Bassirou Diomaye Faye in the western African country’s presidential elections. “I wish him lots of success and success for the well-being of the Senegalese people,” he added. Several opposition candidates in Sunday’s election conceded defeat to Faye earlier. Faye was also congratulated early Monday by another presidential candidate, Khalifa Sall. Official results will be announced by Saturday at the latest, according to an official from Senegal’s Autonomous National Electoral Commission.

Persons: Amadou Ba, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, Bassirou Diomaye Diakhar Faye, “, Macky Sall, Faye, Ba, Futurs Médias, Anta Babacar Ngom, ”, Faye “, Khalifa, . Ba, kickstart, Ousmane Sonko, Sonko, Sall, – Organizations: CNN —, Senegalese, Saturday, Senegal’s, Electoral Commission Locations: Ba, Senegal, .

☆ Senegal goes to the polls as country’s once sturdy democracy looks shaky
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-23 | by ( Nimi Princewill | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

CNN —Senegalese voters will choose their next president on Sunday in a delayed and high-stakes election that poses a test for the country’s democracy. A long list of candidates are running, but two former tax inspectors - one representing the government, the other the main opposition coalition - are considered frontrunners. Just over seven million of Senegal’s 18 million people are registered to vote in this election, the country’s electoral body said. It shows how desperate these young people are due to the failure of President Sall to create employment,” Thior said. The ruling coalition candidate Ba kicked off his campaign promising “massive employment” for young people and improving the “purchasing power of households” by creating thousands of jobs.

Persons: Macky Sall, –, Sall, “, ”, Zohra Bensemra, Ousmane Sene, Mamadou Thior, Sall’s, Amadou Ba, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, Ousmane Sonko, jeopardizing, Sonko, kickstart, Carmen Abd Ali, Faye, John Wessels, Thior, “ We’re, “ Thior, Idrissa Seck, ” Faye, Ba, Michele Cattani, ” Thior, ” Sene Organizations: CNN, Senegalese, BBC, ”, Reuters, West African Research Center, firebrand, president's Alliance, Republic, Getty, Sonko, International Organization for, International Monetary Fund Locations: West African, Senegal, ” Senegal, Dakar, Senegalese, Diourbel, AFP, Republic, Medina, Canary, Europe, Spain, Nicaragua, “

☆ US intel chief says she can’t rule out possibility that China will use TikTok to influence 2024 elections
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-12 | by ( Sean Lyngaas | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —US intelligence officials “cannot rule out” the possibility that the Chinese government will use TikTok to influence the 2024 US elections, Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines told lawmakers on Tuesday. “We regularly take action against deceptive behavior, including covert influence networks throughout the world, and have been transparent in reporting them publicly,” a TikTok spokesperson told CNN. China is showing “a higher degree of sophistication in its influence activity,” including by experimenting with generative artificial intelligence, according to the report. The Chinese government routinely denies US allegations of election influence. “Even if Beijing sets limits on these activities, individuals not under its direct supervision may attempt election influence activities they perceive are in line with Beijing’s goals.”

Persons: National Intelligence Avril Haines, Haines, “, ”, TikTok, Christopher Wray, Wray, ByteDance, Moscow’s, Xi Jinping, Joe Biden Organizations: CNN, National Intelligence, Intelligence, U.S, Republican, Facebook, Twitter, Capitol, House Intelligence Committee, Foreign Ministry Locations: China, Russia, Iran, New York, Washington, Los Angeles, U.S, Beijing

☆ Russia Bars Antiwar Candidate in Election Putin Is All But Sure of Winning
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-08 | by ( Ivan Nechepurenko | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Russian authorities on Thursday banned from the presidential race the only candidate who had openly contested President Vladimir V. Putin’s hold on power in Russia, and who made his opposition to the war in Ukraine central to his campaign. The move by Russia’s Central Electoral Commission, the body that administers elections in Russia, was the latest predictable twist in a campaign that few doubt will result in Mr. Putin’s re-election in March. Mr. Putin’s expected victory in the March 15-17 presidential election would secure him a fifth term in the Kremlin, cementing his rule as one of the longest and most consequential in Russian history. The commission’s dismissal of the antiwar candidate, Boris B. Nadezhdin, demonstrated how the Kremlin has decided to remove all contenders who deviate from the party line. Mr. Nadezhdin, who has attracted thousands of supporters across Russia, has called the decision to invade Ukraine a “fatal mistake.”

Persons: Vladimir V, Putin’s, Boris B, Nadezhdin, ” Organizations: Russia’s, Electoral Commission, Mr, Kremlin Locations: Russia, Ukraine

☆ Paris SUV parking charges to triple as voters back mayor’s initiative
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-05 | by ( Chris Liakos | Laura Paddison | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Paris CNN —Parisians voted in favor of tripling the parking costs for SUVs on Sunday, following a proposal by the Paris mayor’s office, as the city aims to cut air pollution and tackle the climate crisis. Citizens were asked to decide whether there should be a specific parking rate for “heavy” and “polluting” vehicles. The results of the Paris vote are expected to be verified on Monday by the electoral commission. Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo thanked those who cast their vote on Sunday, stressing that it was a question about ecology, road safety and public health. Some car associations have come out strongly against the SUV proposal, however, including the group 40 Millions d’Automobilistes (40 Million Motorists).

Persons: Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo, Hidalgo Organizations: Paris CNN, Paris, Citizens, €, International Energy Agency, Paris Mayor Locations: Paris, US, India, Europe

☆ Russian war critic poses an awkward challenge for Putin and the Kremlin as the election nears
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-02 | by ( Holly Ellyatt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

The Kremlin has sought to dismiss Nadezhdin's potential to upset an election whose win for Putin is seen as a done deal. Kremlin Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov told CNBC Thursday that "we are not inclined to exaggerate the level of support for Mr. However, Nadezhdin's recent growing popularity and prominence has changed that, political analysts say, and he now poses a challenge and a dilemma for the Kremlin as the election nears. Nadezhdin has said in interviews that he would end the war with Ukraine, describing the war as a "fatal mistake." Stanovaya believed it was likely that the CEC would not recognize a portion of the signatures that Nadezhdin has garnered.

Persons: Boris Nadezhdin, Vera Savina, Vladimir Putin's, Nadezhdin, Putin, Dmitry Peskov, isn't, Putin's, Tatiana Stanovaya, he's, Stanovaya, András, Czifra, Peskov Organizations: Civic Initiative, Central, Commission, Afp, Getty, Kremlin, CNBC, Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center, Duma, Ukraine, Moscow, Election Commission, CEC, Eurasia, Foreign Policy Research Institute, Boris Nadezhdin Press, Central Electoral, Putin, Kremlin's Locations: Moscow, Russia, Ukraine, Russian, Mar, today's Russia, Anadolu

☆ Russian Commission Finds Problems in Anti-War Election Candidate's Supporter List - TASS
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-02 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia's election commission has found irregularities in the list of signatures that anti-war candidate Boris Nadezhdin submitted to back his bid to run against Vladimir Putin in an upcoming election, the TASS news agency said on Friday. Nobody expects Nadezhdin, 60, to win if he is allowed to run given Putin's long dominance and control of the state. But Nadezhdin had become the preferred candidate of some Russians who oppose Moscow's war in Ukraine, something it calls a special military operation. Nadezhdin needs the Central Election Commission to approve signatures he submitted on Wednesday from more than 100,000 supporters across Russia in order to get his name on the ballot for the March 15-17 election. The electoral commission met on Friday and its deputy chairman, Nikolai Bulayev, said some voter lists submitted by candidates contained the names of dead people.

Persons: Boris Nadezhdin, Vladimir Putin, Nadezhdin, Nikolai Bulayev, Sergei Malinkovich, Mark Trevelyan, Andrew Osborn Organizations: TASS, Commission, Reuters Locations: MOSCOW, Ukraine, Russia, Nadezhdin

☆ Night Curfew Imposed in Comoros After President's Re-Election Sparks Protests
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-18 | by ( Jan. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By Abdou MoustoifaMORONI (Reuters) - An overnight curfew has been imposed in the Indian Ocean nation of Comoros after violent protests against President Azali Assoumani's re-election rocked the archipelago, the interior ministry said. Assoumani won a fourth five-year term after the country's electoral body on Tuesday declared him the winner of Sunday's election against five opponents. The interior ministry announced the curfew on Wednesday. He garnered 62.97% of the vote in the latest election, according to the national electoral commission. The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights urged for calm and appealed authorities to practise restraint in the wake of protests.

Persons: Abdou Moustoifa MORONI, Azali Assoumani's, Assoumani, Moroni, Houmed Msaidie, Abdou Moustoifa, Bhargav Acharya, Michael Perry Organizations: Reuters, The United Nations, Human Rights Locations: Comoros, France, Mayotte

☆ President Tshisekedi's Ruling Party Leads in Congo Legislative Election
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-13 | by ( Jan. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By Ange KasongoKINSHASA (Reuters) - Democratic Republic of Congo President Felix Tshisekedi's UDPS party won 66 seats in the December parliamentary election, placing it ahead of 44 other parties that won one or more seats in the 500-member house, provisional results showed on Sunday. The increased number of UDPS seats, up from 35 in the 2018 election, along with gains by allied parties, could enable Tshisekedi to maintain his ruling big tent Sacred Union coalition, giving him the majority needed to name a new government. The results of the legislative vote follow the Constitutional Court's confirmation of Tshisekedi's landslide re-election in the disputed Dec. 20-24 general election that was marred by allegations of fraud, logistical shortcomings and disruptions. Opposition parties and independent observers have raised concerns about the election's transparency, citing chaotic voting conditions and a murky tabulation process. Congo's opposition parties have repeatedly blasted the election as fraudulent and called for a re-run - a demand authorities have dismissed.

Persons: Ange Kasongo, Felix Tshisekedi's UDPS, Modeste Bahati, Jean Pierre Bemba, Vital Kamerhe, Tshisekedi, Africa's, Bate Felix, Christian Schmollinger Organizations: Democratic, Sacred Union coalition, Provisional, Congo's, Sunday, Defence, Economy Locations: Ange Kasongo KINSHASA, Democratic Republic of Congo, Congo

☆ A slew of new conflicts could erupt in 2024, analysts say — while the world is watching Gaza and Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-28 | by ( Elliot Smith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

- | Afp | Getty ImagesWith the eyes of the world on the ongoing wars in Ukraine and Gaza, an unprecedented number of potentially "catastrophic" conflicts are going under the radar, analysts have warned. The U.N. estimated in October that more than 114 million people were displaced by war and conflict worldwide. There is good reason for that — it is currently the most dangerous place in the world to be a civilian." The political turbulence comes amid ongoing armed conflict in eastern DRC and widespread poverty, and precedes further regional elections early next year. If you look at Myanmar, of course you've got this huge population in Bangladesh of displaced Rohingyas, and also displaced within Myanmar itself," she said.

Persons: Abdel Fattah al, Burhan, David Miliband, Miliband, Isabelle Arradon, Rapid Support Forces —, Gen, Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, Khalifa Haftar —, Arradon, Félix Tshisekedi, U.N, Antonio Guterres, you've, We've, It's Organizations: Afp, Getty, Rescue, Crisis, CNBC, Rapid Support Forces, UAE, IOM, UN's, Organization for Migration, Sudanese Armed Forces, Democratic, Government Locations: Red Sea, Port Sudan, Ukraine, Gaza, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Libyan, Khartoum, Darfur, METEMA, Ethiopia, Metema, AFP, South Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of, Congo, DRC, Goma, North Kivu, Kigali, Kinshasa, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Shan, Sagaing, Kayah, Rakhine State, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Gambia, Guinea, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal

☆ Kenyan parliamentary committee call for reforms to electoral body
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-26 | by ( Humphrey Malalo | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The bipartisan committee formed to study opposition grievances wants the electoral commission reconstituted and an audit of the last presidential election. As a result, the committee was formed in August with the backing of a parliamentary resolution and was mandated to study the grievances and propose necessary policy reforms to the government. In its report, the committee recommended the "restructuring and reconstitution" of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), the country's electoral body. "The committee recommended the appointment of a panel of experts who would evaluate the 2022 electoral process and a mechanism for evaluating future elections." The government, the committee said in the report, should also review its tax policy, rationalise public expenditure and expand the reach of social protection.

Persons: Baz Ratner, William Ruto, Raila Odinga, Hussein Mohamed, Ruto, Humphrey Malalo, Elias Biryabarema, Giles Elgood Organizations: Kenyatta International Convention, REUTERS, Rights, Kenyan, Reuters, Sunday, Independent, Commission, Kenya State House, Thomson Locations: Nairobi, Kenya, Rights NAIROBI

☆ Kenyan Parliamentary Committee Call for Reforms to Electoral Body
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-26 | by ( Nov. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

Persons: Humphrey Malalo, William Ruto, Raila Odinga, Hussein Mohamed, Ruto, Elias Biryabarema, Giles Elgood Organizations: Kenyan, Reuters, Sunday, Independent, Commission, Kenya State House Locations: Humphrey Malalo NAIROBI, Kenya

☆ Liberia’s President George Weah concedes victory to political rival
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-18 | by ( Stephanie Busari | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Liberia’s President, George Weah, has conceded defeat to opposition candidate Joseph Boakai after a tight run-off election. Weah, a former soccer star, called Boakai after the country’s National Elections Commission (NEC) released provisional results on Friday. Therefore, a few minutes ago, I spoke with President-elect Joseph N. Boakai to congratulate him on his victory. President Weah was voted into office in 2018 and will step down in January. A run-off was triggered when Weah, 57, secured a victory in an earlier October poll with a margin of just 7,000 votes over his political rival, Boakai.

Persons: CNN —, George Weah, Joseph Boakai, Weah, Joseph N, Boakai, ”, Bola Tinubu, Weah’s Organizations: CNN, Elections Commission, NEC Locations: Liberia, West, Central Africa, West Africa

☆ Nigerian Supreme Court upholds President Tinubu's election win
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-26 | by ( Camillus Eboh | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu looks on after his swearing-in ceremony in Abuja, Nigeria May 29, 2023. REUTERS/Temilade Adelaja/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsABUJA, Oct 26 (Reuters) - Nigeria's Supreme Court on Thursday upheld President Bola Tinubu's election win, bringing to an end a legal challenge brought by his two main rivals, who argued that his victory was marred by irregularities. The judgment by seven Supreme Court judges, which is final, follows a pattern seen in previous presidential elections that have been challenged in court. "There is no merit in this appeal, and it is hereby dismissed," said Supreme Court judge John Okoro. The court also rejected Atiku's bid to introduce new evidence that alleged Tinubu had submitted a forged university certificate to the electoral agency.

Persons: Bola Tinubu, Temilade, Bola Tinubu's, Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi of, Tinubu's, Tinubu, John Okoro, Camillus Eboh, MacDonald Dzirutwe, Estelle Shirbon, Sharon Singleton Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, People's Democratic Party, Labour Party, Thomson Locations: Abuja, Nigeria, Rights ABUJA, Africa's

☆ Liberia presidential election heads for November run-off vote
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-25 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

Reuters —Liberia’s electoral commission on Tuesday scheduled a presidential election run-off for November after results showed that the two frontrunners, President George Weah and opposition leader Joseph Boakai, had failed to secure enough votes. Weah holds a slim lead at 43.83% of the vote, while Boakai has 43.44%, according to tallied results from 100% of polling places, the West African nation’s election commission said. Commission chairperson Davidetta Browne Lansanah said the run-off vote would be held on Nov. 14. Liberia is struggling to recover from two civil wars that killed more than 250,000 people between 1989 and 2003 and from a 2013-16 Ebola epidemic that killed thousands. Boakai, 78, was Weah’s main challenger and campaigned on what he called the need to rescue Liberia from alleged mismanagement by Weah’s administration.

Persons: George Weah, Joseph Boakai, Weah, Boakai, Davidetta Browne Lansanah Organizations: Reuters Locations: Liberia

☆ Liberia presidential election heads for run-off vote
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-24 | by ( Reuters Editorial | ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

PoliticsLiberia presidential election heads for run-off votePostedLiberia's electoral commission on Tuesday (October 24) scheduled a presidential election run-off for November after results showed that the two frontrunners, President George Weah and opposition leader Joseph Boakai, had failed to secure enough votes. Angela Johnston reports.

Persons: George Weah, Joseph Boakai, Angela Johnston Locations: Liberia

The conservative Law and Justice party, which has governed the country for eight turbulent years, won slightly over 35% of the votes, making it the single party with the most votes. But the party and its leader Jarosław Kaczyński lost their majority in parliament and appeared to have no way to hold onto power. The official ballot announced by the National Electoral Commission aligns closely with an exit poll released after voting ended Sunday. Political Cartoons View All 1211 ImagesThe result was a huge victory for Donald Tusk, the head of the largest opposition group, Civic Coalition. The National Electoral Commission said that Law and Justice won slightly over 35% of the votes, and the far-right Confederation, a possible ally, about 7%.

Persons: Jarosław Kaczyński, Donald Tusk Organizations: Justice, National, Commission, Law, Civic Coalition, European Council, European Union, Electoral Commission, Left Locations: WARSAW, Poland, Germany, Russia, Ukraine

☆ Poland election: Donald Tusk's pro-European opposition seems set to oust populists, but tense days lie ahead
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( Rob Picheta | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

PiS finished ahead of opposition party Civic Coalition (KO), led by former Polish Prime Minister and European Council President Donald Tusk, on 30.7%. Tusk had promised to restore democratic norms in Poland and cooperate with Western European allies, among whom Warsaw was fast becoming a pariah. Poland’s PiS-aligned President, Andrzej Duda, is expected to give the PiS every chance to form a government before turning over proceedings to Poland’s new block of opposition lawmakers. According to the Polish constitution, the president must call a new parliamentary session within 30 days of the election. Tusk had painted the election as a last chance to save Polish democracy.

Persons: CNN —, PiS, Donald Tusk, Tusk, Poland’s, Andrzej Duda, Mateusz Morawiecki, ” Organizations: CNN, Justice, National Electoral Commission, Civic Coalition, Polish, European, Tusk’s, Western, Confederation, Democracy, European Union Locations: Warsaw’s, Poland, Warsaw, Kyiv, Ukraine

☆ Congo Election Chief Promises 'Rebrand' Amid Concerns Over December Vote
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( Oct. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

CENI is undergoing "rebranding" to show people it has changed since past elections that were marred by irregularities and violence, CENI president Denis Kadima told Reuters in an interview in Washington on Friday. The 2011 elections, followed by the 2018 elections, have left many people so disappointed with the institution," said Kadima. He cited, as an example, that some of the 24 presidential candidates were in exile or barred from participating in 2018. Kadima, who was appointed in 2021, said observers from groups including the U.S.-funded Carter Center and the European Union were expected to monitor the elections. Washington remains concerned about "possible violence, threats to the press freedom and freedom of peaceful assembly, and attempts by certain parties to manipulate the vote," the spokesperson said.

Persons: Simon Lewis WASHINGTON, Denis Kadima, CENI, Kadima, Critics, Felix Tshisekedi, Simon Lewis, Sonia Rolley, Grant McCool Organizations: Democratic, Electoral, Reuters, Carter Center, European Union, Kadima, State Department Locations: Democratic Republic, United States, Africa's, Washington, U.S, Congolese

☆ Explainer: New Zealand voted for change, what happens now?
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Christopher Luxon, Leader of the National Party arrives at his election party after winning the general election to become New Zealand’s next prime minister in Auckland, New Zealand, October 14, 2023. National won 50 seats and the right-wing, free-market ACT Party won 11, securing a majority of just one seat in the 121-seat parliament, according to provisional results from the Electoral Commission. If they do, National may need the support of populist New Zealand First and its leader Winston Peters to form a government. National's leader Christopher Luxon said he would wait for the final count to come in but was talking with both ACT and New Zealand First. Parliament has to meet with six weeks of the official election result but there is no date for when a government must be formed.

Persons: Christopher Luxon, David Rowland, Winston Peters, Luxon, Nicola Willis, Zealand First's Peters, Brooke van Velden, Lucy Craymer, Lincoln Organizations: National Party, New, REUTERS, Rights, Party, National, ACT Party, Electoral, ACT, New Zealand, WHO, Labour Party, APEC, BE, Zealand, Thomson Locations: Auckland , New Zealand, Zealand, Wellington

Partial results with two-thirds of the voting districts reporting their results also showed the opposition parties with a clear lead. The earlier results tend to come from rural areas and small towns, with large cities where opposition parties do better reporting their results later. The Ipsos poll showed that three centrist opposition parties that campaigned on a promise to reverse the illiberal drift of the government had together secured 249 seats in the 460-seat lower house of parliament, or Sejm, a clear majority. “No matter how you look at it, we won,” Law and Justice campaign manager Joachim Brudziński said Monday in an interview on RMF FM radio. Even if the opposition parties take power, they will face difficulties in putting forward their agenda.

Persons: Ipsos, Viktor Orbán, Robert Fico, “, Magdalena Chmieluk, ”, Douglas Wake, Jacek Kucharczyk, ” Kucharczyk, Mateusz Morawiecki, Joachim Brudziński, Andrzej Duda, Duda, haven't, Kamysz, Donald Tusk, Tusk, Elżbieta, Cezary Tomczyk, ” Tomczyk, Kucharczyk, Pietro De Cristofaro, Kwiyeon, Raf Casert Organizations: European Union, Law, Justice, Russia's, Organization for Security, Cooperation, Institute of Public Affairs, Associated Press, ”, RMF, Third Way, Civic Coalition, European, Third, EU Locations: WARSAW, Poland, Poland's, Ukraine, Wroclaw, EU, Brussels, Berlin, Hungary, Russia, Slovakia, Europe, Warsaw, Rome, Belarus

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