Page 5 - Democracy

Why populism prospers

Today's populist leaders, unlike the strong authoritarians of history, maintain political durability by keeping the masses in a state of consensual mediocrity and low self-esteem

Protests dethroned Nepal's king 16 yrs ago. Now, protestors want him back

Sixteen years ago, mass protests in Nepal forced then-King Gyanendra Shah to give up the throne and clear the way for a republic. Now, a new wave of protest is trying to bring him back. The capital of the Himalayan country is again teeming with demonstrators, this time demanding that Shah be reinstated as king and Hinduism brought back as a state religion. Royalist groups accuse the country's major political parties of corruption and failed governance and say people are frustrated with politicians. Come back king, save the country. Long live our beloved king. We want a monarchy, the crowd chanted at a rally last month in Kathmandu. Growing frustration with the present system has led to calls for radical change. Pro-monarchy rallies have been growing larger, and an increasing number of homes and businesses are displaying portraits of the ex-king and his ancestors. Gyanendra was a constitutional head of state without executive or political powers until 2005, when he seized absolute .

Biden slams Trump over Russia, democracy in fiery 'State of Union' address

Opinion polls show Biden, 81, and Trump, 77, closely matched in the race. Most American voters are unenthusiastic about the rematch after Biden defeated Trump four years ago

Hong Kong court affirms sedition conviction for pro-democracy activist

Criticizing laws or chanting anti-government slogans can be enough to jail someone for sedition in Hong Kong, an appeal court ruled Thursday in a landmark case brought under a colonial-era law increasingly used to crush dissent. Hong Kong's Court of Appeal upheld a 40-month sentence for pro-democracy activist Tam Tak-chi, the first person tried under the city's sedition law since Hong Kong returned to Chinese rule in 1997. Tam's lawyers had argued that his conviction should be overturned because the prosecution did not show he meant to incite violence. The prosecution is widely seen as part of Beijing's clampdown on dissent in the former British colony, following widespread anti-government protests in 2019. Tam was convicted on 11 charges in 2022, including seven counts of uttering seditious words." A judge at the lower court took issue with him chanting the popular protest slogan Liberate Hong Kong, revolution of our times words the government says imply separatism and criticisin

India, Japan global partners in world headed towards re-globalisation: EAM

India and Japan are natural partners in a world headed towards "re-globalisation", External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Thursday, asserting that the two nations also share basic affinities, being democracies and market economies. Jaishankar is in Tokyo for the second leg of his four-day visit to South Korea and Japan. Addressing the first Raisina Roundtable here, the minister said, "The world is heading for re-globalisation with the building of resilient and reliable supply chains and trusted and transparent digital transactions." The minister said the "top 20 or 30 nations today are not what they were two decades ago. Even less so. What they were four or eight decades ago." "Not only are the countries that impact us different but so are relative weight, importance and capability. As a result, new balances are being sought and occasionally achieved," he said. Jaishankar asserted that India and Japan are natural partners in the re-globalisation of the world as democracies

Auditors should engage with stakeholders to gather input, says CAG Murmu

CAG of India Girish Chandra Murmu on Friday said auditors should engage with stakeholders to gather input, address concerns, and promote transparency and accountability. Addressing the three-day International Conference on Strengthening of Grassroots Democracy, he also emphasised on the need to prioritise audit procedures based on identified risks, focusing on areas with the highest potential for fraud, mismanagement, or regulatory non-compliance. "Together we need to advocate transparency and accountability in local government operations, encouraging the adoption of best practices in financial reporting and governance," Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) said on the concluding day of the conference. He also stressed that auditors need to consider factors such as the size, complexity, and resources of the local government entity when applying auditing standards. Audit, Murmu said, should be familiar with the political, social, and economic context in which the local ...

SAI India committed to strengthen local governments audits, says CAG Murmu

CAG stressed the importance of transparency and accountability, stating, "These bodies are also vital for implementation of SDGs etc

Thousands rail against Mexico's prez, ruling party in 'march for democracy'

Thousands of demonstrators cloaked in pink marched through cities in Mexico and abroad in what they called a march for democracy targeting the country's ruling party in advance of the country's June 2 elections. The demonstrations on Sunday called by Mexico's opposition parties advocated for free and fair elections in the Latin American nation and railed against corruption just days after presidential front-runner Claudia Sheinbaum officially announced her candidacy under the country's ruling party Morena. Sheinbaum is largely seen as a continuation candidate of Mexico's highly popular leader Andrs Manuel Lpez Obrador. He's adored by many voters who say he bucked the country's elite parties from power in 2018 and represents the working class. But the 70-year-old populist president has also been accused of making moves that endanger the country's democracy. Last year, the leader slashed funding for the country's electoral agency, the National Electoral Institute, and weakened oversig

Pakistan polls: Imran Khan calls on US to raise voice over transparency

Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has accused the US of not fulfilling responsibility against the anti-Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) measures in Pakistan

Infirmities in electoral system pre-2017 still to be worked on: ADR

NGO Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), one of the petitioners in the electoral bond case, Thursday termed the decision to strike down the scheme a big boost to democracy but also noted that the infirmities which existed in the electoral system pre-2017 still have to be worked on. In a landmark verdict delivered within spitting distance of the Lok Sabha polls, the Supreme Court scrapped the government's electoral bonds scheme of anonymous political funding, terming it "unconstitutional" and ordering disclosure of the names of the purchasers, value of the bonds and their recipients. Last October, the bench began hearing arguments on the four petitions, including those filed by Congress leader Jaya Thakur, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and ADR. "We welcome this landmark judgement wholeheartedly. The Supreme Court has given a big boost to Indian Democracy, something our freedom struggle fought for. ADR is privileged to have played a small role in carrying that legacy ...

Indonesia goes to polls as it seeks to enter new phase amid concerns

Millions of Indonesians were choosing a new president on Wednesday as the world's third-largest democracy aspires to become a global economic powerhouse just over 25 years since emerging from a brutal authoritarian era. The incumbent Indonesian defence minister, who has been accused of human rights atrocities as an ex-general, and two former governors are vying to succeed the still-widely popular President Joko Widodo. Widodo's rise from a riverside slum to his country's presidency has showcased the vibrancy of his Southeast Asian nation's democracy in a region rife with authoritarian regimes. The voting in a vast archipelago of 17,000 islands sprawled across three time zones, with a population of 270 million, is a logistical nightmare, with white ballot boxes and ballots being brought by donkeys and on foot in some of the more remote locations. Polls open at 7 am local time in each time zone and the first region began voting at 22.00 GMT. Aside from the presidency, about 20,000 ..

Pakistan parties' coalition talks hit speed bump over who becomes PM

Pakistan's benchmark stock index fell 2.8% Monday after dropping 1.8% on Friday

France accuses Russia of disinformation campaign in key election year

French government officials on Monday accused Russia of operating a long-running online manipulation campaign against Ukraine's Western backers in the lead up to the second anniversary of Moscow's military invasion of its neighbour. French foreign ministry officials said in a media briefing that Russia has stepped up efforts to manipulate information and spread deception, targeting Kyiv's allies in the West, including Poland, Germany and France. They referred to messages on social media platforms such as X, formerly Twitter, and websites like Sputnik as "massive in scope" and "complex in structure". The aim of Russia's disinformation campaign remains the same, officials said: To amplify Russia's success in the Ukraine war, justify its invasion, discredit and diminish Ukraine's military resistance and undermine civilians' resilience in the face of daily attacks on cities and towns, and fracture Western support for Ukraine's military and slow if not stop supply with weapons ...

Country needs stability, democratic forces should unite: Pak army chief

He said, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), that elections and democracy are means to serve the people of Pakistan and not ends in themselves

Democracy in India being crippled by 'Union over states' mentality: Vijayan

A democracy envisaged as a union of states is being "crippled" by the Centre's "undemocratic Union over States" mentality, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said in New Delhi on Thursday, as he led a protest against the Centre's alleged neglect towards the southern state on financial matters. Spearheading the ruling Left's protest, Vijayan criticised the 'Union over States' mentality of the Centre, by which it accords itself supremacy over the states, saying it not only manifested in financial matters, but was evident in the functioning of governors in opposition-ruled states as well. The chief minister was addressing a gathering that included LDF MPs, MLAs, senior Left front leaders such as CPI General Secretary D Raja and CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury, Jammu and Kashmir National Conference Chief Farooq Abdullah, Tamil Nadu's Minister of Information Technology and Digital Services Palanivel Thiagarajan and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, at Jantar Mantar in th

Democracy for the minority, by the minority

With Donald Trump likely to storm back to power on their dime, their contribution to powering the cause of far-right minorities is no less disturbing

Agreement, disagreement soul of Parliamentary democracy: Lok Sabha speaker

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Saturday said agreement and disagreement form the soul of Parliamentary democracy and urged members to utilise the forum of state assemblies to articulate the hopes and aspirations of people. Addressing the newly elected members of the Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly, Birla said it was very important for dissent to be expressed within the established parameters of parliamentary dignity and decorum. "When it comes to national interest, all the Members should work collectively to achieve that goal without being guided by partisan politics," he said. Birla said the dignity of the Chair in the House was paramount and suggested that Treasury and Opposition must respect decisions of the presiding officer. "Respect for the Chair will strengthen people's faith in democratic institutions," he said. Birla advised the members to denounce the tactics of disruption and adopt the path of debate and discussion. "Fruitful debates in the House will pave the way to s

Judiciary pillar of democracy, should have spirit of service: CM Bhajanlal

Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma on Saturday said the judiciary is playing an important role as a strong pillar of democracy and exhorted lawyers to work with a spirit of service by helping provide timely justice to victims. Sharma was addressing the swearing-in ceremony of the newly elected executive of The Bar Association Jaipur. "The Indian judiciary is highly respected in the world today due to the important contribution of lawyers in the freedom movement to the making of the Constitution. This pleasant result has been possible only due to the work done by the lawyers in the interest of society," an official statement quoted the chief minister as saying on the occasion. He said advocates have a very high status in the society. "By living in the society, they remain aware of their problems and work with commitment to provide them timely justice. Besides, they also work to connect the society". Sharma said lawyers should perform the duty of providing timely justice to t

One nation, one election will damage idea of parliamentary democracy: AAP

The Aam Aadmi Party on Saturday said holding simultaneous elections in the country will damage the idea of parliamentary democracy and the basic structure of the Constitution. It will not be able to deal with hung legislature and will actively encourage anti-defection, the AAP said. The remarks of the AAP, a constituent of the INDIA bloc, came a day after the Congress, also part of the same grouping, strongly opposed the idea of holding simultaneous elections in the country, saying it goes against the guarantees of federalism and the basic structure of the Constitution. In a statement on Saturday, the AAP said, "'One nation, one election' will damage the idea of parliamentary democracy, the basic structure of the Constitution and federal polity of the country. It is unable to deal with hung legislature, will actively encourage the evil of anti-defection and open buying-selling of MLAs and MPs." It added that the cost sought to be saved by holding simultaneous elections is a mere 0.

Bernardo Arevalo sworn in as Guatemala's president despite challenges

Bernardo Arevalo was sworn in as Guatemala's president on Monday minutes after midnight despite months of efforts to derail his inauguration, including foot-dragging and rising tensions right up until the transfer of power. Arevalo arrives in the presidency after winning August's elections by a comfortable margin. But nothing has been straightforward since, with Attorney General Consuelo Porras and the establishment forces observers say she represents throwing one legal challenge after another at Arevalo and his party. Despite hundreds of Arevalo's supporters pressuring lawmakers to follow the constitution, even clashing with riot police outside the congress building on Sunday, the inauguration process dragged for hours into the night before he took the oath of office just past midnight. A progressive academic-turned-politician and son of a Guatemalan president credited with implementing key social reforms in the mid-20th century, Arevalo takes office with expectations of confrontin