Category: Politics

On Thursday, the Dutch far-right urged voters to prioritise immigration as the four-day European elections began. About 370 million people will be able to cast ballots on Sunday in the majority of EU member states. Following the Dutch election, exit polls will test the predicted rise of the hard right across Europe.

The far-right Freedom Party (PVV) leader, Geert Wilders, has put an emphasis on limiting immigration and strengthening asylum regulations. People who share his view that the European Union needs tougher immigration policies, such as Simone Nieuwenhuys, voted for him.

The Dutch coalition government, which includes Wilders’ PVV, is expected to emerge victorious in the next EU elections. Unsettling for mainstream groupings like the Socialists and Democrats and the European People’s Party (EPP), surveys show that the far-right might capture a quarter of the 720 seats in the European Parliament.

When it comes to passing legislation, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen, who is running for reelection, is willing to work with the far right. Giorgia Meloni, head of the post-fascist Brothers of Italy party and Italy’s prime minister, has been in negotiations with her.

At a time when the world’s geopolitical environment is in a state of flux, many are looking to the European Union (EU) for stability.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi thanked the people of India for their support after the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) won for the third time in a row. For the third time, the public has put its trust in the NDA. According to Prime Minister Modi’s post on X, this is a monumental achievement in India’s history.

The NDA gained 290 seats, putting them past the halfway point.

After receiving 1.5 lakh votes from Varanasi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his gratitude to the Janata Janardan for their devotion and promised to keep working hard to accomplish people’s dreams. According to him, “words will never do justice to their exceptional efforts.” He went on to commend the party workers for their commitment.

The most surprising development occurred in Uttar Pradesh, where the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Samajwadi Party (SP) were anticipated to cruise to a comfortable victory. As a long-standing electoral pledge of the BJP, the building of the Ram temple in Ayodhya was a major factor.

In Faizabad, however, where the Ayodhya assembly seat is located, SP candidate Awadhesh Prasad has more than 33,000 votes compared to BJP candidate Lallu Singh.

South Korea is hosting a summit with leaders from 48 African countries, with an emphasis on mineral resources and the continent’s massive export market. According to President Yoon Suk Yeol’s deputy national security adviser, Kim Tae-hyo, plans include aid for industrial infrastructure and digital transformation, with Africa highlighted as a key partner.

Thirty heads of state are expected to attend Tuesday’s summit, while South Korean business leaders will host an investment and industrial development summit on Wednesday. Yoon and President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani of Mauritania, the African Union’s Chair, will deliver a joint statement.

South Korea is an important buyer of energy and semiconductor producers, and Kim pointed out that vital minerals like manganese, cobalt, and chrome are found in Africa. This brought attention to Africa’s strategic importance. Yoon has met with leaders from Sierra Leone, Tanzania, and Ethiopia. Additionally, he plans to meet with heads of state from Zimbabwe, Togo, Rwanda, and Mozambique.

Meanwhile, Tanzania will borrow $2.5 billion from South Korea over the next five years, and Ethiopia has signed a $1 billion financing agreement for infrastructure, research, technology, health, and urban development. By negotiating trade and investment pacts with Africa, South Korea hopes to take advantage of the continent’s 1.4 billion people under 25.

Japan plans to prioritise nuclear power in an upcoming energy policy update, aiming for a stable electricity supply amidst rising demand and geopolitical risks. The nation pledged to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 and decreased its dependency on nuclear power in the aftermath of the 2011 Fukushima accident. The country is getting 70% of its power from fossil fuels.

However, now everyone is turning their eyes to energy security because of the coal and gas price spikes in 2022, which were made worse by Russia’s war in Ukraine. Along with solar and wind power, the government is currently trying to increase nuclear power consumption.

Alex Whitworth, vice president at Wood Mackenzie said, “The focus has shifted from carbon emissions to energy security.”

Fossil fuel exporters such as Indonesia, the US, Australia, and Qatar will also be affected by Japan’s growing nuclear power. Japan’s energy policy is revised every three years and last month, discussions on the next revision began.

For 2040, Japan’s nuclear energy targets, which range from 20% to 22% in 2030, remain unclear, but energy corporations are pushing for more nuclear power to meet growing electricity demands and reduce geopolitical risks.

On Sunday, RUV announced entrepreneur Halla Tomasdottir as the newly elected Iceland’s president, succeeding Gudni Johannesson in the ceremonial role. The 55-year-old Tomasdottir won 34% of the votes in Saturday’s election. She defeated former PM Katrin Jakobsdottir, who resigned in April to run for president and received 25% votes.

The Icelandic president is elected for a four-year term has limited political authority functions as a unifying figure for the nearly 400,000 citizens of this NATO member nation. Tomasdottir will be Iceland’s eighth president since the republic was founded in 1944. She had run for president eight years ago and finished second to Johannesson. August 1st is when she is expected to start her new job.

Tomasdottir, a former head of Iceland’s Chamber of Commerce, founded Audur Capital in 2007 to bring social responsibility and female perspectives to finance. According to the World Economic Forum, Iceland has been the top country for gender equality for the past 14 years.

Traditionally, the presidents of Iceland have adopted a non-political role during their tenure in office. In recent years, the country has experienced a few volcanic eruptions around Reykjavik. These resulted in indefinite evacuations around the erupting sites.

Claudia Sheinbaum, a Nobel Prize-winning climate scientist, will become Mexico’s first female president following her stunning victory.

The 61-year-old received between 58.3% and 60.7% of the vote, the highest level of support for a candidate since the collapse of a one-party government in 2000. She thanked outgoing leader Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. She described him as “an exceptional, unique man who has transformed Mexico for the better.”

Sheinbaum’s win is a huge milestone for Mexico, which is known for its macho culture. The main opposition rival, Xochitl Galvez, conceded after acquiring 26.6% to 28.6% of the vote.

On October 1, Sheinbaum will become the first woman elected to a US, Mexican, or Canadian general election.

Sheinbaum has promised to increase Lopez Obrador’s welfare initiatives, despite inheriting a large budget deficit and slow economic development. She wants to strengthen security, but she confronts considerable obstacles, particularly as organised crime’s power grows during Lopez Obrador’s administration.

Sheinbaum will also manage strained US relations, notably those involving migration and drug trafficking. She intends to handle internal challenges such as energy and water shortages, as well as the struggling state-owned oil company Pemex.

On Friday, the US and China’s defence leaders met for the first time in two years, sparring over Taiwan. However, they emphasised the importance of maintaining open military communications. Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin and China’s defence minister, Dong Jun, met at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore.

After Taiwan’s presidential election and President Lai Ching-te’s inauguration, Austin expressed concern about Chinese military operations near the island. He stressed that Taiwan’s political transition should not be exploited as a pretext for China’s aggressive measures. Dong cautioned that US meddling in Taiwanese politics breaches commitments and sends the wrong signal to separatist elements in Taiwan, labelling Lai as a “separatist.”

Both parties highlighted the importance of military-to-military communications despite tensions. Additionally, the conflicts in the South China Sea, Ukraine, and Gaza were also discussed. Later, Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. addressed the conference, emphasising the significance of the South China Sea for world trade and reaffirming the country’s legal and geopolitical position.

The Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Vietnam all claim sovereignty over parts of the South China Sea, but China claims sovereignty over the majority. According to Wellington Koo, Taiwan’s Defence Minister, peace could be maintained if Beijing stopped its military provocations.

On Tuesday, billionaire philanthropist Melinda French Gates pledged $1 billion (£782.4 million) over the next two years to women’s issues and gender equity around the world. About $200 million (£157 million) will go to US organisations campaigning for gender and reproductive rights.

In a New York Times essay, French Gates mentioned the 2022 Supreme Court judgement that overturned the constitutional right to abortion as a trigger for her support.

The statement comes after her decision to stand down from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The cash will be distributed through her company, Pivotal Ventures, until 2026. French Gates intends to give $20 million (£16 million) to 12 world leaders to distribute to selected organisations by 2026. An additional $250 million (£196 million) will be set aside for international organisations dedicated to women’s health.

French Gates emphasised the necessity of funding women’s rights. She said, “When we allow this cause to go so chronically underfunded, we all pay the cost.” The Centre for Reproductive Rights, a grant recipient, promotes abortion rights and represents 50 women in related lawsuits. Joung-ah Ghedini-Williams of the Centre emphasised the crucial necessity for this support.

On Tuesday, President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan of the United Arab Emirates arrived in South Korea accompanied by an honorary escort of four fighter jets. This is his first visit to Asia’s fourth-largest economy, and he will focus on security, business, investment, and energy programmes.

On Tuesday, Sheikh Mohammed met with CEOs from key South Korean businesses, including Samsung Electronics’ Jay Y. Lee, SK Group’s Chey Tae-won, and Hyundai Motor Group’s Euisun Chung.

On Wednesday, Sheikh Mohammed will meet with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol to talk about strengthening their “special strategic partnership,” according to Yoon’s office.

This visit comes after Yoon’s travels to Abu Dhabi last year when the UAE offered $30 billion in investments in South Korean sectors like nuclear power, defence, hydrogen, and solar energy.

South Korea, which aims to become the world’s fourth-largest weapons exporter by 2027, has secured substantial defence contracts, including a recent agreement with Poland. Earlier this year, South Korea strengthened its defence cooperation with Saudi Arabia.

South Korean military exports to the Middle East increased nearly tenfold between 2013 and 2022. The UAE state visit strengthened South Korean military stocks on Tuesday, with Hanwha Aerospace, LIG Nex1, and Korea Aerospace Industries all enjoying significant gains.

Saudi Arabia has appointed Faisal al-Mujfel as its first ambassador to Syria since breaking ties in 2012. This step marks a substantial improvement in relations. Syria has been readmitted to the Arab League after being excluded for more than a decade due to President Bashar Assad’s crackdown on protestors. The Syrian government has yet to react to this event.

The Syrian conflict which is currently in its 14th year, has claimed more than half a million lives and displaced half the country’s pre-war population of 23 million. Attempts to find a political settlement have stalled. A 7.8 magnitude earthquake in February 2023 prompted many Arab countries to reestablish ties with Assad.

In March 2023, Saudi Arabia and Iran, a key Assad ally, agreed to resume diplomatic relations to alleviate regional crises. Saudi Arabia continues to lead a coalition in Yemen against Iran-backed Houthi rebels in what has become a proxy war.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman recently met with the United States National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan to discuss a broad security pact that included measures to resolve the Israel-Hamas conflict and establish a two-state solution in Palestine.