Argentina’s ruling coalition loses senate majority in midterm elections

Published

2 years ago

15/11/2021

MNN

Argentina’s President Alberto Fernandez has called for dialogue with the opposition after projections from midterm parliamentary elections showed his governing coalition lost control of the Senate.

President Alberto Fernandez has suffered a severe setback in Argentina’s midterm elections, with his governing coalition losing control of the Senate.

Fernandez’s Frente de Todos (Everyone’s Front) coalition looked set to drop from 41 to 35 seats in the 72-member Senate, based on projections of Sunday’s election.

“If the numbers are confirmed, effectively we’ve lost the quorum in the Senate,” a government source told AFP.

More than 90 percent of the votes have been counted.

According to the official count, the centre-right coalition Together for Change got 40.1 percent of the votes in Buenos Aires province while the president’s coalition got 38.4 percent.

Together for Change also led in Santa Fe, Cordoba and the city of Buenos Aires, other districts with important electoral weight.

Nearly half the Chamber of Deputies seats were up for grabs, as well as a third of Senate seats in the election, which was held amid widespread anger over high inflation and rising poverty.

Argentina's President Fernandez vows to resolve the country's debt with the IMF and the "evil" of inflation after voters punished his Peronist party in a midterm election pic.twitter.com/dJr1HOD3V8

— TRT World Now (@TRTWorldNow) November 15, 2021

Cooperation with opposition

Nearly half the Chamber of Deputies seats were up for grabs, as well as a third of Senate seats in the election, which was held amid widespread anger over high inflation and rising poverty.

Front for Everyone, which is made up of a collection of Peronist and leftist parties, has been threatened with falling from its position as the biggest bloc in the Chamber of Deputies.

It has been able to pass laws by controlling the Senate while relying on support from independents in the lower house, where the coalition held a strong minority.

Fernandez will now likely be forced to make concessions to the opposition during the last two years of his mandate in order to pass laws or make key appointments, including to the judiciary.

‘Punishment’ vote

The result was seen as a “punishment” vote against the Fernandez government for hardships that have accompanied a 10 percent fall in Argentina’s economy last year.

More than 40 percent of the country’s 45 million inhabitants live in poverty, unemployment is close to 10 percent and inflation in October ran at an annual rate of nearly 42 percent.

The government was also hurt by perceptions of rising insecurity and a series of scandals including violations by Fernandez and those close to him of pandemic health restrictions.

Interior Minister Eduardo de Pedro said the turnout was around 71 percent, beating the 67 percent from September’s primaries, the lowest since Argentina returned to democracy.

Source: TRTWorld and agencies

Maldivian FM meets Qatari PM; both commit to stronger ties

Published

2 days ago

12/05/2024

Maldives and Qatar reaffirm the commitment to strengthening the partnership between the two countries on Sunday, in a meeting between Maldivian Foreign Minister Moosa Zameer and Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Qatar.

Zameer, who is on an official visit to Qatar, met with Al Thani on Sunday morning.

At the meeting, Zameer reflected on the growing Maldives-Qatar partnership, and thanked Qatar for the generous assistance in Maldives’ socio-economic development.

According to a statement released by the Maldivian Foreign Ministry, both Zameer and Al Thani reiterated the commitment to deepen bilateral cooperation between the two countries.

Zameer also conveyed appreciation for Qatar’s role in the mediation process on the Gaza crisis.

Both reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthen the partnership in the multilateral fora on matters of global concern.

Zameer was accompanied at the meeting by Secretary, Bilateral, Dr. Hala Hameed, Ambassador-at-Large, Dr. Fazeel Najeeb, and Assistant Director, Lamha Saleem.

This year will mark the 40th anniversary of bilateral relations between the Maldives and Qatar.

According to the Foreign Ministry, Zameer is also scheduled to meet with other senior officials from the Qatari government to explore opportunities to enhance cooperation in various sectors between the two countries.

Zameer’s latest trip comes at the heels of a similar visit to India last week.

Source(s): sun.mv

News

President recognises forefront services of nurses

Published

2 days ago

12/05/2024

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has praised the dedicated efforts of nurses, stating that they fulfil a national obligation by providing forefront services. He made the remarks on a social media post, commemorating International Nurses Day.

In the post shared on social media, President Dr. Muizzu recognised the unwavering commitment of nurses, characterising their contributions and services as a valuable, significant responsibility for humanity. The president additionally commended the dedication of nurses for ensuring the provision of cutting edge care.

The International Nurses Day is annually celebrated on May 12, aiming to acknowledge the pivotal role nurses play, as they are the backbone of the healthcare system. The theme for International Nurses Day 2024 is “Our Nurses. Our Future. The economic power of care.” The purpose of selecting the theme was to emphasise the significance of reshaping perceptions of the economic and societal advantages of the nursing field, such that nursing can be seen as an investment rather than a cost.

Source(s): PsmNews

News

Government launches Hope Island for crime-exposed kids

Published

2 days ago

12/05/2024

The Ministry of Homeland Security and Technology has announced the launch of Hope Island, a rehabilitation initiative aimed at children exposed to crime.

Speaking at a collaborative press briefing involving agencies under the homeland ministry, Minister Ali Ihusaan outlined the planning efforts for Hope Island. He emphasised the provision of fundamental education and religious guidance for the children residing there. He also highlighted the implementation of psychosocial intervention and sports programmes on the island.

Additionally, Minister Ihusaan disclosed that children would reside on Hope Island until they turn 18 years, and serve a designated term in either the Maldives Police Service (MPS) or the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF). Subsequently, he said that they would be granted opportunities to pursue their chosen careers.

Furthermore, Minister Ihusaan announced a reduction in the age of criminal responsibility to 15 years, with previous advocacy for lowering it to 12 years. He cited instances of 12-year-olds engaging in criminal activities and revealed ongoing legal initiatives, in collaboration with the Prosecutor General’s Office (PGO), to effect the change.

Moreover, Minister Ihusaan revealed plans to direct 12-year-old offenders to Hope Island for rehabilitation, with a dedicated facility established to mitigate exposure to criminal influences. He also disclosed intentions to develop a separate island specifically for this rehabilitation facility.

Source(s): PsmNews