Women have been elected to municipal councils in Saudi Arabia for the first time after a ban on women taking part in elections was lifted. The vote is being seen as a landmark in the conservative kingdom. However, the councils have limited powers. Women won in many regions in the country, including Jeddah and Qatif. Saudi women still face many curbs in public life, including driving. A total of 978 women registered as candidates, alongside 5,938 men.
Showing posts with label Elections. Show all posts
Jan 16, 2016
Tsai Ing-wen elected as first female President of Taiwan
Pro-Independence Opposition candidate of Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Tsai Ing-wen (59) has been elected as first female and 14th President of Taiwan.
Ms Tsai’s victory is the biggest mandate ever won by a DPP president and is only the second-ever victory for the DPP since Taiwan split with China in 1949.
The first was Chen Shui-bian who also was pro-independence (from China) advocate. During his time as President between 2000 and 2008 tensions had escalated with China.
Background
- In the 2016 general elections, DPP which leads the camp that wants independence from China led by Tsai Ing-wen emerged victorious with 56% of the total vote share. She defeated Eric Chu of the ruling Kuomintang (KMT) Party that secured 31% vote share.
China sees Taiwan as a breakaway province (island) which will one day be reunited with the mainland. China also has threatened to take back by force, if necessary.
The two sides had split in 1949 after then nationalist KMT party had lost to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) under Mao Zedong and had set up a new government in Taiwan.
The KMT Party has ruled Taiwan for almost past 70 years and has overseen improved relations with China in recent times.
Dec 12, 2015
Saudi Arabia: First women councillors elected
Women have been elected to municipal councils in Saudi Arabia for the first time after a ban on women taking part in elections was lifted. The vote is being seen as a landmark in the conservative kingdom. However, the councils have limited powers. Women won in many regions in the country, including Jeddah and Qatif. Saudi women still face many curbs in public life, including driving. A total of 978 women registered as candidates, alongside 5,938 men.
The disparity was attributed by female voters to bureaucratic obstacles and a lack of transport. Female candidates were also not allowed to address male voters directly during campaigning.
Elections of any kind are rare in the Saudi kingdom. The recent one was only the third time in history that Saudis had gone to the polls. There were no elections in the 40 years between 1965 and 2005. The decision to allow women to take part was taken by the late King Abdullah and is seen as a key part of his legacy. Before he died in January, he appointed 30 women to the country’s top advisory Shura Council.
Nov 2, 2015
Ruling AKP wins 2015 general election of Turkey
Ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) founded by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has won a critical 2015 Parliamentary Election of Turkey.
In this election
- AKP won 316 seats of total 550 members of the Grand National Assembly of the Parliament by securing 49.4 per cent of the votes.
- Main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) won 134 by securing 25.4 per cent votes.
Backgroud
- The 2015 Turkish general election was snap election which was held throughout country Turkey to elect 550 members to the Grand National Assembly.
- The snap election was called by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in August 2015 after coalition negotiations between the ruling AKP and the opposition broke down.
- It was the 25th general election in the history of the Turkish Republic and elected the country’s 26th Parliament.
Oct 5, 2015
Governing Centre Right Coalition wins 2015 Portugal elections
Governing Centre Right coalition parties led by Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho have won the Portugal’s 2015 general election.
In this election the governing coalition has won 99 seats in the 230-seat parliament by securing 39% of votes. However they failed to secure absolute majority in the Parliament.
Socialist Parties have emerged as opposition in this election and have secured 32 per cent vote share. The leader of the opposition Socialists Antonio Costa has admitted defeat.
It should be noted that in this election, parties to the left of the Socialists have achieved their best-ever result. Left Bloc has won 10% of the vote
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