Tag: president

Lacson running as independent, resigns from Partido Reporma after party shifted support to Robredo

Partido Reporma president Alvarez says party had to change its standard bearer after Lacson’s poor showing in surveys (Eagle News) – Presidential candidate Senator Panfilo Lacson resigned on Thursday, March 24, from Partido Reporma and would be running as an independent presidential bet after his party supported Vice-President Leni Robredo, instead of him, as its standard bearer. This surprising twist of events happened less than two months before the May 9, 2022 elections. The Partido […]

Hungary elects Katalin Novak, first ever woman president

  BUDAPEST, Hungary (AFP) — The Hungarian parliament Thursday elected Katalin Novak, a close ally of Prime Minister Viktor Orban, as the EU member’s first ever woman president. Novak, who most recently served as a minister for family policy, portrayed her election as a victory for women. She was elected to the mostly ceremonial role by 137 votes to 51 in the parliament dominated by Orban’s right-wing Fidesz party ahead of opposition challenger Peter Rona, […]

Conservative Yoon wins tight South Korean presidential race

The opposition conservative Yoon Suk-yeol won South Korea’s presidential election early Thursday, propelling a political novice and avowed anti-feminist to the helm of Asia’s fourth largest economy. After a bitter, hard-fought election campaign Yoon, formerly a top prosecutor who has never held elected office, was declared winner as rival Lee Jae-myung from the incumbent Democratic Party conceded defeat. “This is a victory of the great South Korean people,” Yoon told cheering supporters, who were chanting his […]

South Korea votes in tight presidential race with inequality top concern

by Cat BARTON / Kang Jin-kyu SEOUL, South Korea (AFP) — South Koreans are voting Wednesday in a tightly fought presidential election with the deciding votes set to be cast by young people, whose top concerns are economic inequality and unemployment — not recent sabre-rattling from the nuclear-armed North. Official figures showed high turnout of about 65 percent by 2 pm (0500 GMT), after record early voting, following a campaign dominated by mud-slinging between the […]

Proclamation rallies of various presidential, VP bets kick off election campaign period

(Eagle News) — Various proclamation rallies of the presidential and vice-presidential bets, as well as their senatorial slate, are set on Tuesday, February 8, with the start of the 90-day campaign period for the May 2022 national candidates. Currently, there are 10 presidential candidates, nine vice-presidential bets, and 64 senatorial candidates. Former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos J., and his running mate Davao City mayor Sara Duterte will hold their proclamation rally at the Philippine Arena […]

Former Haiti senator arrested in Jamaica over president’s murder

MIAMI, United States (AFP) — A former Haitian lawmaker who is a suspect in the assassination of the country’s president has been arrested in Jamaica, Jamaican authorities said Saturday. Ex-senator Jean Joel Joseph, wanted in the July 7, 2021, killing of president Jovenel Moise, was arrested Friday evening, the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) said in a statement. The JCF “can confirm that a Haitian national; Jean Joel Joseph and three other members (of) his family […]

Mexican president says he has Covid for second time

MEXICO CITY, Mexico (AFP) — Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said Monday that he had caught Covid-19 for a second time and was experiencing mild symptoms. “I inform you that I am infected with Covid-19 and although the symptoms are mild, I will remain in isolation and will only do office work and communicate virtually until I get through it,” he tweeted. Hours earlier the 68-year-old, who rarely wears a face mask, had appeared […]

Czech president back in hospital over positive Covid test

by Jan Flemr PRAGUE, Czech Republic (AFP) — Czech President Milos Zeman returned to hospital hours after being released Thursday as he tested positive for Covid-19, his spokesman Jiri Ovcacek said in a statement. Zeman was expected to appoint centre-right leader Petr Fiala as prime minister on Friday, but Ovcacek said his programme would now be put on hold. The 77-year-old veteran leftwinger was hospitalised on October 10, a day after a general election, and […]

Robredo bares more names as part of her senate slate, including Sen. Gordon, ex-VP Binay

More reelectionist senators join De Lima, Trillanes in Leni’s senate line-up   (Eagle News) – Vice-President Leni Robredo bared the 11 names in her senatorial slate in a press briefing on Friday, Oct. 15, which included Senator Richard Gordon, five other reelectionist senators, and former Vice-President Jejomar Binay. Robredo, who is running as an independent presidential bet in 2022, gave six new names on Friday who will run alongside the five initial bets she had […]

Leni’s change in campaign color, independent run while LP chair, a bad move, says political analyst

  (Eagle News) – Vice-President Leni Robredo’s change of color to symbolize her presidential campaign was a “very bad signal” and could create further problems for her, according to a political analyst. Prof. Van Ybiernas, an economic historian and international relations professor who has a master’s degree in political science, said Robredo running as an independent candidate, instead of running as the standard bearer of the Liberal Party, would also create much confusion. “I think […]

Pres. Duterte confirms daughter Sara “definitely out” of 2022 presidential race

Says Sara could have “other opportunities in the future” but “not necessarily the presidency”   (Eagle News) — President Rodrigo Duterte said that presidential daughter Davao Mayor Sara Duterte “is definitely out” of the presidential race next year, but said that she could have “other opportunities in the future” and “not necessarily the presidency.” This was the first time that the 76-year old Philippine leader has categorically said that his daughter — whom he had […]

Robredo presents Pangilinan as her VP for 2022 polls; Liberal party “adopts” Leni as presidential bet

Robredo to present complete senate slate next week; names De Lima, Hontiveros, Trillanes and Diokno as among her senatorial candidates   (Eagle News) – Vice-President Leni Robredo announced on Friday, Oct. 8, that Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan will be her running-mate in the 2022 elections. In a press briefing in Quezon City, Robredo, who is running as an independent presidential candidate, presented Pangilinan as her vice-presidential bet. Pangilinan for his part said he accepted the […]