After three days of voting, Egyptians approved a constitutional referendum that will allow Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi to remain in office until 2030. watch this and many more stories like this from the West-Asian part of the world, on The West Asia post, every Friday at 8:30 pm, only on WION, world is one.

The West Asia Post: Al-Sisi wins referendum to extend rule

Living in Gaza is not easy for human beings, let alone animals. it's high time they move to safer habitats. watch this and many more stories like this from the West-Asian part of the world, on the West Asia Post, every Friday at 8:30 pm, only on WION, world is one.

The West Asia Post: Animals evacuated from Gaza's last zoo

Gravitas: Are referendums healthy for democracy?

Asian markets staged a tentative recovery Tuesday from the previous day's steep losses, with investors increasingly anxious about the state of the global economy.

With a mixed lead from Wall Street, regional traders had few catalysts to drive buying, while safe-haven flows saw the dollar edge up against high-yielding currencies.

Attention is also back on London, where MPs essentially wrested control of the Brexit debate from Prime Minister Theresa May with a vote that will allow them to decide on a number of possibilities for how to proceed.

Investors in Asia were suffering a hangover from Monday's pummelling, which came on the back of a drop in benchmark 10-year Treasury bond yields below those for three-month bills -- for the first time since before the global financial crisis.

This so-called inverted yield curve shows investors are more willing to buy long-term debt -- usually viewed as a higher risk -- as they consider the short-term outlook more hazardous. Such a scenario has preceded several recessions in recent decades.

"Recession worries may be premature for the US, but the negative signals are consistent with the recent data," said OANDA senior market analyst Edward Moya.

May's fresh crisis&nbsp;

Tokyo led gains, jumping 1.8 per cent by the break -- having dived three per cent Monday -- while Hong Kong edged up 0.4 per cent and Shanghai was flat.

Sydney added 0.1 per cent, Singapore put on 0.7 per cent, while Seoul, Wellington, Taipei and Manila also rose.

In Britain, the Brexit saga took a new twist when lawmakers inflicted yet another defeat on May by voting to take control of parliamentary business that will see them hold a series of ballots on different options for leaving the EU.

They will now choose to revoke Article 50 and cancel Brexit, hold another referendum, vote for a deal including a customs union and single market membership, or leave the EU without a deal.

However, even if they decide a majority course of action, the government is not legally bound to follow their instructions.

The move came after the premier admitted she still had not secured the votes needed to get her Brexit deal through parliament.

EU leaders last week delayed the divorce but warned that unless May can push her withdrawal deal through, Britain must come up with a new plan by April 12 -- or leave its closest trading partner with no deal at all.

While uncertainty reigns, the sterling was slightly higher Tuesday, with investors still hopeful Britain will avoid a no-deal Brexit, which some warn could be an economic calamity for the country.

Asian markets staged a tentative recovery Tuesday from the previous day's steep losses, with investors increasingly anxious about the state of the global economy.

Asian markets staged a tentative recovery Tuesday from the previous day's steep losses, with investors increasingly anxious about the state of the global economy. With a mixed lead from Wall Street, regional traders had few catalysts to drive buying, while safe-haven flows saw the dollar edge up against high-yielding currencies. Attention is also back on London, where MPs essentially wrested control of the Brexit debate from Prime Minister Theresa May with a vote that will allow them to decide on a number of possibilities for how to proceed. Investors in Asia were suffering a hangover from Monday's pummelling, which came on the back of a drop in benchmark 10-year Treasury bond yields below those for three-month bills -- for the first time since before the global financial crisis. This so-called inverted yield curve shows investors are more willing to buy long-term debt -- usually viewed as a higher risk -- as they consider the short-term outlook more hazardous. Such a scenario has preceded several recessions in recent decades. "Recession worries may be premature for the US, but the negative signals are consistent with the recent data," said OANDA senior market analyst Edward Moya. May's fresh crisis Tokyo led gains, jumping 1.8 per cent by the break -- having dived three per cent Monday -- while Hong Kong edged up 0.4 per cent and Shanghai was flat. Sydney added 0.1 per cent, Singapore put on 0.7 per cent, while Seoul, Wellington, Taipei and Manila also rose. In Britain, the Brexit saga took a new twist when lawmakers inflicted yet another defeat on May by voting to take control of parliamentary business that will see them hold a series of ballots on different options for leaving the EU. They will now choose to revoke Article 50 and cancel Brexit, hold another referendum, vote for a deal including a customs union and single market membership, or leave the EU without a deal. However, even if they decide a majority course of action, the government is not legally bound to follow their instructions. The move came after the premier admitted she still had not secured the votes needed to get her Brexit deal through parliament. EU leaders last week delayed the divorce but warned that unless May can push her withdrawal deal through, Britain must come up with a new plan by April 12 -- or leave its closest trading partner with no deal at all. While uncertainty reigns, the sterling was slightly higher Tuesday, with investors still hopeful Britain will avoid a no-deal Brexit, which some warn could be an economic calamity for the country.

Asian markets rise but traders on edge over global outlook

Brexit Chaos: British Parliament vote to delay Brexit

A majority of <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/japans-okinawa-votes-against-controversial-us-base-move-exit-polls-199355">voters in a referendum on Okinawa</a> opposed a plan to relocate a US military base within the southern Japanese island, but the central government said on Monday it intended to press ahead with its construction plans.

Just over 70 per cent of voters opposed relocating the US&nbsp;Marines' Futenma air base within Okinawa in Sunday's non-binding referendum, with a turnout of 53 per cent. Okinawa governor Denny Tamaki was elected on that platform in September.

Okinawa is host to the bulk of US military forces in Japan, whose alliance with Washington is central to its security. Many Okinawa residents associate the bases with crime, pollution and accidents.

The governor is required to respect the outcome and notify the premier and the US&nbsp;president if the top response was backed by more than 25 per cent of eligible voters.

Tokyo's central government and Okinawa authorities have long been at loggerheads over the plan to move the airbase.

A US-Japan agreement calls for moving the base, which is surrounded by schools, hospitals and shops, to a less populated area, called Henoko, on the northern part of Okinawa.

However many Okinawa residents, indignant at what they see as an unfair burden, want the base off the island altogether.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told reporters on Monday the government was taking the results seriously and would work to obtain the understanding of Okinawa residents, but that plans to move the base could not be deferred.

"We cannot avoid the necessity of moving Futenma, said to be the most dangerous base in the world," Abe said, noting that two decades had passed since the agreement to do so was made.

"We can't put this off any longer," he said.

Tamaki called on the government to accept the "firm decision" of the Okinawa people that the base relocation was unacceptable.

"I urge the government to change their view that relocating the base to Henoko is the only way and halt construction, along with more dialogue with us on closing Futenma and returning the land to us," Tamaki said.

The referendum result was unlikely to derail the central government's stance, said former Chuo University professor Steven Reed.

"It's not a matter of local government policy. It's a matter for foreign policy. The deal has been made," he said.

The outcome could give a bit of a boost to the struggling opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDPJ) - the largest among Japan's opposition groups - ahead of an upper house election this year, Reed said.

The CDPJ opposes the Futenma relocation plan.

"It could make a substantial difference in the next election in Okinawa and it could make some difference nationwide," he said.

Support for the CDPJ was just under 6 per cent in a February survey by public broadcaster NHK, dwarfed by about 37 per cent for Abe's Liberal Democratic Party.

A majority of voters in a referendum on Okinawa opposed a plan to relocate a US military base within the southern Japanese island, but the central government said on Monday it intended to press ahead with its construction plans.

A majority of voters in a referendum on Okinawa opposed a plan to relocate a US military base within the southern Japanese island, but the central government said on Monday it intended to press ahead with its construction plans. Just over 70 per cent of voters opposed relocating the US Marines' Futenma air base within Okinawa in Sunday's non-binding referendum, with a turnout of 53 per cent. Okinawa governor Denny Tamaki was elected on that platform in September. Okinawa is host to the bulk of US military forces in Japan, whose alliance with Washington is central to its security. Many Okinawa residents associate the bases with crime, pollution and accidents. The governor is required to respect the outcome and notify the premier and the US president if the top response was backed by more than 25 per cent of eligible voters. Tokyo's central government and Okinawa authorities have long been at loggerheads over the plan to move the airbase. A US-Japan agreement calls for moving the base, which is surrounded by schools, hospitals and shops, to a less populated area, called Henoko, on the northern part of Okinawa. However many Okinawa residents, indignant at what they see as an unfair burden, want the base off the island altogether. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told reporters on Monday the government was taking the results seriously and would work to obtain the understanding of Okinawa residents, but that plans to move the base could not be deferred. "We cannot avoid the necessity of moving Futenma, said to be the most dangerous base in the world," Abe said, noting that two decades had passed since the agreement to do so was made. "We can't put this off any longer," he said. Tamaki called on the government to accept the "firm decision" of the Okinawa people that the base relocation was unacceptable. "I urge the government to change their view that relocating the base to Henoko is the only way and halt construction, along with more dialogue with us on closing Futenma and returning the land to us," Tamaki said. The referendum result was unlikely to derail the central government's stance, said former Chuo University professor Steven Reed. "It's not a matter of local government policy. It's a matter for foreign policy. The deal has been made," he said. The outcome could give a bit of a boost to the struggling opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDPJ) - the largest among Japan's opposition groups - ahead of an upper house election this year, Reed said. The CDPJ opposes the Futenma relocation plan. "It could make a substantial difference in the next election in Okinawa and it could make some difference nationwide," he said. Support for the CDPJ was just under 6 per cent in a February survey by public broadcaster NHK, dwarfed by about 37 per cent for Abe's Liberal Democratic Party.

Japan to push ahead with US base relocation despite Okinawa referendum result

More than 70 per cent of voters in Japan’s Okinawa islands objected in a referendum to the relocation of a US military base within the region, according to the results announced on Monday.

The referendum had been called the day before by the local government to consult the local population on the relocation of the US Navy's Futenma airbase, and its result once again highlights the majority rejecting the US military presence in Okinawa.

Despite the clear opposition to the transfer of the base, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Monday that he will go ahead with the project, saying “we cannot delay this any further” in statements to the media.

The Futenma base is currently located in the urban centre of Ginowan, on the main island of Okinawa, and Japan and the US agreed in 1996 to move it to the more remote Henoko Bay after a series of incidents.

However, the relocation has been delayed due to opposition from residents and local politicians who argue that the project would have a high environmental impact and say that both this base and other US bases should be moved out of their territory.

In the referendum, 72.2 per cent of voters rejected the move while 19.1 per cent supported the plan amidst a 52.48 per cent turnout.

"This is the first time that opposition specifically to the plan… was clearly shown so it bears significant meaning," said Okinawa prefecture Governor Danny Tamaki, who called on the central government to consider the resolution of the people and “stop the relocation work," in statements to the local media.

The ordinance approved by the regional authorities stipulated that if the most-voted option obtained a quarter of the votes, the local government should communicate it to the Japanese leader and United States President Donald Trump.

However, because of the referendum’s symbolic and non-binding nature, Abe is unlikely to withdraw a plan around which the central and regional governments are engaged in long political and court battles.

"We have spent many years holding dialogue with people in the prefecture," Abe said on Tuesday, adding that he will continue his “utmost efforts towards a reduction of the burden" of the US military presence on the inhabitants of the subtropical archipelago.

Okinawan authorities took the case to several courts to try to overturn the project with legal arguments based on the base's environmental impact, but Japan's Supreme Court ruled in Tokyo's favour in 2016.

About one-fifth of Okinawa's main island is US military land.

The region is also home to more than half of the nearly 47,000 US military personnel in Japan and 74 per cent of its military installations in the country.

More than 70 per cent of voters in Japan’s Okinawa islands objected in a referendum to the relocation of a US military base within the region, according to the results announced on Monday.

More than 70 per cent of voters in Japan’s Okinawa islands objected in a referendum to the relocation of a US military base within the region, according to the results announced on Monday. The referendum had been called the day before by the local government to consult the local population on the relocation of the US Navy's Futenma airbase, and its result once again highlights the majority rejecting the US military presence in Okinawa. Despite the clear opposition to the transfer of the base, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Monday that he will go ahead with the project, saying “we cannot delay this any further” in statements to the media. The Futenma base is currently located in the urban centre of Ginowan, on the main island of Okinawa, and Japan and the US agreed in 1996 to move it to the more remote Henoko Bay after a series of incidents. However, the relocation has been delayed due to opposition from residents and local politicians who argue that the project would have a high environmental impact and say that both this base and other US bases should be moved out of their territory. In the referendum, 72.2 per cent of voters rejected the move while 19.1 per cent supported the plan amidst a 52.48 per cent turnout. "This is the first time that opposition specifically to the plan… was clearly shown so it bears significant meaning," said Okinawa prefecture Governor Danny Tamaki, who called on the central government to consider the resolution of the people and “stop the relocation work," in statements to the local media. The ordinance approved by the regional authorities stipulated that if the most-voted option obtained a quarter of the votes, the local government should communicate it to the Japanese leader and United States President Donald Trump. However, because of the referendum’s symbolic and non-binding nature, Abe is unlikely to withdraw a plan around which the central and regional governments are engaged in long political and court battles. "We have spent many years holding dialogue with people in the prefecture," Abe said on Tuesday, adding that he will continue his “utmost efforts towards a reduction of the burden" of the US military presence on the inhabitants of the subtropical archipelago. Okinawan authorities took the case to several courts to try to overturn the project with legal arguments based on the base's environmental impact, but Japan's Supreme Court ruled in Tokyo's favour in 2016. About one-fifth of Okinawa's main island is US military land. The region is also home to more than half of the nearly 47,000 US military personnel in Japan and 74 per cent of its military installations in the country.

Japan’s Okinawa rejects transfer of US military base in a referendum

The pound dropped Monday following weak UK construction data and as Prime Minister Theresa May seeks to try and finally unlock the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/uk-trade-minister-says-eu-irresponsible-to-refuse-to-reopen-brexit-deal-194815">Brexit stalemate</a>.

London's benchmark FTSE 100 index, featuring large multinationals earning in dollars and euros, climbed to a two-month high above 7,000 points thanks to the weaker pound.

Eurozone stock markets faltered, while Asia mostly advanced.

Oil prices hit the highest levels this year as the crisis in OPEC producer Venezuela fuels concerns over potential tighter crude supplies.&nbsp;

"A minor decline for the pound, one that followed a 10- month low UK construction PMI... allowed the FTSE to hit a fresh two-month high," noted Connor Campbell, financial analyst at Spreadex traders.

The IHS Markit/CIPS UK Construction purchasing managers' index fell to 50.6 in January from 52.8 the previous month.

"Uncertainty about Brexit has snuffed out the recovery in the construction sector," said Samuel Tombs, chief UK economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics.

"In the unlikely event of a no-deal Brexit, the sector likely will slide into another recession, amid weaker business confidence and tighter credit conditions.&nbsp;

"But provided a deal is signed off, the construction sector likely will enjoy strong growth soon.&nbsp;

"Business investment should rebound later this year, given that firms' profit margins are relatively healthy and their balance sheets are awash with cash," Tombs added.

May on Sunday said she would be "armed with a fresh mandate and new ideas" when she next meets European Union negotiators over her Brexit deal.

EU officials have insisted that the deal -- rejected by British lawmakers -- is not open for renegotiation.

But May wrote in the Sunday Telegraph that she would be "battling for Britain and Northern Ireland" in her efforts to get rid of the agreement's unpopular "backstop" provision.

The so-called backstop is intended to ensure there is no return to a hard border with Ireland, but Brexit supporters fear it will keep Britain tied to the EU's customs rules.

Aside from Brexit, markets continued to feast over strong US jobs data published Friday, helping Asian stock markets to gain in thin trade owing to the three-day Lunar New Year break.

Expectations that the Federal Reserve will take its foot off the gas in raising US interest rates -- and optimism that China and the United States will eventually hammer out a deal to resolve their long-running trade war -- provided support.

The US, the world's biggest economy, added 304,000 new posts in January, almost double what was expected and the strongest reading for almost a year, while growth in pay held steady above inflation.

All three main indices on Wall Street ended with gains Friday, which filtered through to Asia.

The pound dropped Monday following weak UK construction data and as Prime Minister Theresa May seeks to try and finally unlock the Brexit stalemate. London's benchmark FTSE 100 index, featuring large multinationals earning in dollars and euros, climbed to a two-month high above 7,000 points thanks to the weaker pound.

The pound dropped Monday following weak UK construction data and as Prime Minister Theresa May seeks to try and finally unlock the Brexit stalemate. London's benchmark FTSE 100 index, featuring large multinationals earning in dollars and euros, climbed to a two-month high above 7,000 points thanks to the weaker pound. Eurozone stock markets faltered, while Asia mostly advanced. Oil prices hit the highest levels this year as the crisis in OPEC producer Venezuela fuels concerns over potential tighter crude supplies. "A minor decline for the pound, one that followed a 10- month low UK construction PMI... allowed the FTSE to hit a fresh two-month high," noted Connor Campbell, financial analyst at Spreadex traders. The IHS Markit/CIPS UK Construction purchasing managers' index fell to 50.6 in January from 52.8 the previous month. "Uncertainty about Brexit has snuffed out the recovery in the construction sector," said Samuel Tombs, chief UK economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics. "In the unlikely event of a no-deal Brexit, the sector likely will slide into another recession, amid weaker business confidence and tighter credit conditions. "But provided a deal is signed off, the construction sector likely will enjoy strong growth soon. "Business investment should rebound later this year, given that firms' profit margins are relatively healthy and their balance sheets are awash with cash," Tombs added. May on Sunday said she would be "armed with a fresh mandate and new ideas" when she next meets European Union negotiators over her Brexit deal. EU officials have insisted that the deal -- rejected by British lawmakers -- is not open for renegotiation. But May wrote in the Sunday Telegraph that she would be "battling for Britain and Northern Ireland" in her efforts to get rid of the agreement's unpopular "backstop" provision. The so-called backstop is intended to ensure there is no return to a hard border with Ireland, but Brexit supporters fear it will keep Britain tied to the EU's customs rules. Aside from Brexit, markets continued to feast over strong US jobs data published Friday, helping Asian stock markets to gain in thin trade owing to the three-day Lunar New Year break. Expectations that the Federal Reserve will take its foot off the gas in raising US interest rates -- and optimism that China and the United States will eventually hammer out a deal to resolve their long-running trade war -- provided support. The US, the world's biggest economy, added 304,000 new posts in January, almost double what was expected and the strongest reading for almost a year, while growth in pay held steady above inflation. All three main indices on Wall Street ended with gains Friday, which filtered through to Asia.

Pound falls as PM May plans fresh Brexit assault

The Philippines vowed to destroy those behind twin bombings that killed 20 people during a Sunday church service in the country's restive south, six days after a referendum on autonomy for the mainly Muslim region returned an overwhelming "yes" vote.

The <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/7-dead-as-bombs-hit-church-in-southern-philippines-193061">attack wounded</a> more than 100 people and was one of the deadliest in recent years in a region long plagued by instability. It came amid hope and excitement about the ratification of a devolution plan that aims to bring development, jobs and peace to one of Asia's poorest and most volatile places.&nbsp;

The first explosion went off inside the cathedral on Jolo island, in Sulu province, and was followed by a second blast outside, which was detonated as security forces raced to the scene, officials said.

"The enemies of the state have boldly challenged the capability of the government to secure the safety of the citizenry in that region," said Salvador Panelo, spokesman of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte.

"The armed forces of the Philippines will rise to the challenge and crush these godless criminals."

Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack via the militant group's Amaq news agency, describing it as twin suicide bombings that it said killed 120 people.&nbsp;

Police are investigating but suspect it was the work of Abu Sayyaf, a domestic militant group that has pledged allegiance to Islamic State and is notorious for its bombings and brutality.

"They want to show force and sow chaos," national police chief Oscar Albayalde told DZMM radio, suggesting Abu Sayyaf was the prime suspect.

Civilians bore the brunt of the attack, which also killed five soldiers. Police lowered the death toll from 27 to 20, after discovering duplications in initial records.

Jolo is a stronghold of the group, which runs a lucrative piracy and kidnapping operation that successive governments have failed to break up. The group, which operates in the waters and islands of western Mindanao, has beheaded numerous foreign captives when ransom demands were not met.

Images of the inside of the Jolo church showed several rows of wooden pews destroyed, with debris strewn across a blackened floor.

Speaking in Panama, Pope Francis condemned what he called a "terrorist attack" and during a prayer for the dead and wounded said: "May the Lord, Prince of peace, convert the hearts of the violent ones."

'DASTARDLY ACT'

The attack followed Friday's announcement that the region, a mainly Muslim part of the predominantly Catholic Philippines, had ratified the creation of an autonomous area called Bangsamoro, with 85 per cent of voters behind it.

Although Sulu was among only a few areas that rejected autonomy, it will still be part of the new entity when it is fully formed in 2022.

Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana called the attack a "dastardly act" and urged the local population to cooperate and "deny terrorism any victory".

National Security Adviser, Hermogenes Esperon, called those responsible "mass murderers" and "extremist criminals".

"We will not allow them to spoil the preference of the people for peace," he added.

The referendum came amid concerns about the presence of extremists in the Philippines and the possibility that foreign radicals will join those of Indonesia and Malaysia in gravitating to Mindanao to capitalize on porous borders, jungles and mountains, and an abundance of arms.

The Philippine military in mid-2017 encountered its biggest and longest battle since World War Two when an alliance of extremists loyal to Islamic State, among them foreigners and children, overran Marawi City and tried to establish a caliphate.

Isnilon Hapilon, an Abu Sayyaf faction leader anointed as Islamic State's Southeast Asian "emir" and wanted by the United States, was killed during that battle.

The Philippines vowed to destroy those behind twin bombings that killed 20 people during a Sunday church service in the country's restive south, six days after a referendum on autonomy for the mainly Muslim region returned an overwhelming "yes" vote.

The Philippines vowed to destroy those behind twin bombings that killed 20 people during a Sunday church service in the country's restive south, six days after a referendum on autonomy for the mainly Muslim region returned an overwhelming "yes" vote. The attack wounded more than 100 people and was one of the deadliest in recent years in a region long plagued by instability. It came amid hope and excitement about the ratification of a devolution plan that aims to bring development, jobs and peace to one of Asia's poorest and most volatile places. The first explosion went off inside the cathedral on Jolo island, in Sulu province, and was followed by a second blast outside, which was detonated as security forces raced to the scene, officials said. "The enemies of the state have boldly challenged the capability of the government to secure the safety of the citizenry in that region," said Salvador Panelo, spokesman of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte. "The armed forces of the Philippines will rise to the challenge and crush these godless criminals." Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack via the militant group's Amaq news agency, describing it as twin suicide bombings that it said killed 120 people. Police are investigating but suspect it was the work of Abu Sayyaf, a domestic militant group that has pledged allegiance to Islamic State and is notorious for its bombings and brutality. "They want to show force and sow chaos," national police chief Oscar Albayalde told DZMM radio, suggesting Abu Sayyaf was the prime suspect. Civilians bore the brunt of the attack, which also killed five soldiers. Police lowered the death toll from 27 to 20, after discovering duplications in initial records. Jolo is a stronghold of the group, which runs a lucrative piracy and kidnapping operation that successive governments have failed to break up. The group, which operates in the waters and islands of western Mindanao, has beheaded numerous foreign captives when ransom demands were not met. Images of the inside of the Jolo church showed several rows of wooden pews destroyed, with debris strewn across a blackened floor. Speaking in Panama, Pope Francis condemned what he called a "terrorist attack" and during a prayer for the dead and wounded said: "May the Lord, Prince of peace, convert the hearts of the violent ones." 'DASTARDLY ACT' The attack followed Friday's announcement that the region, a mainly Muslim part of the predominantly Catholic Philippines, had ratified the creation of an autonomous area called Bangsamoro, with 85 per cent of voters behind it. Although Sulu was among only a few areas that rejected autonomy, it will still be part of the new entity when it is fully formed in 2022. Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana called the attack a "dastardly act" and urged the local population to cooperate and "deny terrorism any victory". National Security Adviser, Hermogenes Esperon, called those responsible "mass murderers" and "extremist criminals". "We will not allow them to spoil the preference of the people for peace," he added. The referendum came amid concerns about the presence of extremists in the Philippines and the possibility that foreign radicals will join those of Indonesia and Malaysia in gravitating to Mindanao to capitalize on porous borders, jungles and mountains, and an abundance of arms. The Philippine military in mid-2017 encountered its biggest and longest battle since World War Two when an alliance of extremists loyal to Islamic State, among them foreigners and children, overran Marawi City and tried to establish a caliphate. Isnilon Hapilon, an Abu Sayyaf faction leader anointed as Islamic State's Southeast Asian "emir" and wanted by the United States, was killed during that battle.

Philippines vows to crush 'terrorists' after church bombs kill 20

Voters in Taiwan backed anti-gay marriage referendums Saturday in what LGBT activists said was a major blow to the island's reputation as a rights trailblazer.

Taiwan's top court legalised same-sex marriage in May 2017, the first place in Asia to do so, and ruled that it must be brought in within two years, but the government has made little progress in the face of opposition from conservative groups.

A referendum on whether marriage should only be recognised as between a man and a woman in Taiwan's Civil Code won more than seven million votes, while another calling for same-sex unions to be regulated under a separate law gained over six million.&nbsp;

Gay rights activists had proposed that the Civil Code should give same-sex couples equal marriage rights, but only garnered three million votes.&nbsp;

"Pro-family" group the Coalition for the Happiness of our Next Generation said the win was a "victory of all people who treasure family values".

The conservative group also beat gay rights activists on competing for referendums about whether LGBT issues should be compulsory on the school curriculum.

"Everyone used every single 'yes' vote to tell the authorities what are the mainstream public opinions," the coalition said.&nbsp;

Jennifer Lu, a spokeswoman for Marriage Equality Coalition Taiwan, said they were saddened by what she described as the "absurd referendums" and blamed government "incompetence" for allowing the anti-gay marriage votes to go ahead.&nbsp;

"The regression of gender equality... deals the most severe blow to Taiwan's democratic values," she added.

Although the government has made clear the referendum results will not impact the court's original decision to legalise gay marriage, pro-gay campaigners worry that their newly won rights will be weakened.&nbsp;

The court did not specify how it wanted gay marriage to be implemented, leaving room for conservative groups to call for separate regulations.&nbsp;

With all three conservative referendums passing the threshold of 25 per cent of eligible voters, under referendum law the government must take steps to reflect the result.&nbsp;

Ahead of the vote, Amnesty International had urged the government not to "water down" same-sex marriage proposals in the face of a conservative win.

Voters in Taiwan backed anti-gay marriage referendums Saturday in what LGBT activists said was a major blow to the island's reputation as a rights trailblazer. Taiwan's top court legalised same-sex marriage in May 2017, the first place in Asia to do so, and ruled that it must be brought in within two years, but the government has made little progress in the face of opposition from conservative groups.

Voters in Taiwan backed anti-gay marriage referendums Saturday in what LGBT activists said was a major blow to the island's reputation as a rights trailblazer. Taiwan's top court legalised same-sex marriage in May 2017, the first place in Asia to do so, and ruled that it must be brought in within two years, but the government has made little progress in the face of opposition from conservative groups. A referendum on whether marriage should only be recognised as between a man and a woman in Taiwan's Civil Code won more than seven million votes, while another calling for same-sex unions to be regulated under a separate law gained over six million. Gay rights activists had proposed that the Civil Code should give same-sex couples equal marriage rights, but only garnered three million votes. "Pro-family" group the Coalition for the Happiness of our Next Generation said the win was a "victory of all people who treasure family values". The conservative group also beat gay rights activists on competing for referendums about whether LGBT issues should be compulsory on the school curriculum. "Everyone used every single 'yes' vote to tell the authorities what are the mainstream public opinions," the coalition said. Jennifer Lu, a spokeswoman for Marriage Equality Coalition Taiwan, said they were saddened by what she described as the "absurd referendums" and blamed government "incompetence" for allowing the anti-gay marriage votes to go ahead. "The regression of gender equality... deals the most severe blow to Taiwan's democratic values," she added. Although the government has made clear the referendum results will not impact the court's original decision to legalise gay marriage, pro-gay campaigners worry that their newly won rights will be weakened. The court did not specify how it wanted gay marriage to be implemented, leaving room for conservative groups to call for separate regulations. With all three conservative referendums passing the threshold of 25 per cent of eligible voters, under referendum law the government must take steps to reflect the result. Ahead of the vote, Amnesty International had urged the government not to "water down" same-sex marriage proposals in the face of a conservative win.

Anti-gay marriage groups win Taiwan referendum battle

Jo Johnson, the younger brother of Boris, resigned from British Prime Minister Theresa May`s government on Friday, calling in a withering critique for another referendum to avoid her Brexit plans unleashing Britain`s greatest crisis since World War Two.

Quitting as a junior transport minister, Johnson called May`s Brexit plans delusional and said he could not vote for the deal she is expected to unveil in parliament within weeks.

"Britain stands on the brink of the greatest crisis since the Second World War," said Johnson, a former Financial Times journalist who voted to stay in the EU in the 2016 referendum.

Johnson, 46, called it the worst failure of statecraft since the 1956 Suez canal crisis, in which Britain was humiliatingly forced by the United States to withdraw its troops from Egypt.

"To present the nation with a choice between two deeply unattractive outcomes, vassalage and chaos, is a failure of British statecraft on a scale unseen since the Suez crisis," he said.&nbsp;

"Given that the reality of Brexit has turned out to be so far from what was once promised, the democratic thing to do is to give the public the final say," he added.

Johnson`s criticism underscored the travails that May faces in getting any Brexit divorce deal, which London and Brussels say is 95 per cent done, approved by her own fractious party.

The pound sank to a day`s low beneath $1.30 on the resignation and also fell against the euro. It was unclear whether others would follow Johnson out of government.&nbsp;

In the June 2016 referendum, 17.4 million voters, or 51.9 per cent, backed leaving the EU while 16.1 million, or 48.1 per cent, backed staying.&nbsp;

Johnson wants a three-way referendum giving the people a choice between remaining in the EU, May`s deal and no deal.

May`s office rejected his call, saying Britain would not hold a second referendum on its EU membership "under any circumstances".

"United in dismay"

Johnson is the 14th minister to have resigned from the government since November last year and the most senior to have called for another referendum in his leaving statement.

His resignation was published after May spent much of the day in France and Belgium, laying wreaths alongside fellow leaders to mark the centenary of the end of World War One.&nbsp;

As negotiations with Brussels enter their final fraught stage, May’s approach is under fire from all sides of the divisive Brexit debate.&nbsp;

Many politicians are unhappy with her compromise plans to maintain the free trade of goods with the EU, which they say will leave Britain subject to decisions in Brussels without any input.

In his 1,600-word resignation statement, Johnson said May`s proposed deal would leave Britain in a "far worse" negotiating position than now, adding he also knew from his work at the Department of Transport how painful a "no deal" Brexit would be.

Boris Johnson, a leading supporter of Brexit who quit as foreign secretary in July, praised his brother`s decision, saying they were "united in dismay" - despite their opposing views on Brexit - over May`s handling of the negotiations.

May is expected to hold a cabinet meeting later this month in the hope of securing ministers` support for her negotiating stance and hopes to strike an exit deal with the EU in the next few weeks.

Compounding May`s problems on Friday, the Northern Irish party that props up her minority government cast her Brexit negotiation as a betrayal and said it could not support any deal that divided the United Kingdom.

The Democratic Unionist Party interpreted a promise made by May in a letter that she would never let a division of the UK "come into force" as an admission that such a clause would be included in a final deal.

As campaigners step up pressure on the government calling for the public to be given another say on Brexit, the opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn dashed campaigners` hopes he could back another referendum.&nbsp;

Asked by German magazine Der Spiegel if he would stop Brexit if he could, Corbyn said: "We can`t stop it. The referendum took place....What we can do is recognise the reasons why people voted leave."

Jo Johnson, the younger brother of Boris, resigned from British Prime Minister Theresa May`s government on Friday, calling in a withering critique for another referendum to avoid her Brexit plans unleashing Britain`s greatest crisis since World War Two.

Jo Johnson, the younger brother of Boris, resigned from British Prime Minister Theresa May`s government on Friday, calling in a withering critique for another referendum to avoid her Brexit plans unleashing Britain`s greatest crisis since World War Two. Quitting as a junior transport minister, Johnson called May`s Brexit plans delusional and said he could not vote for the deal she is expected to unveil in parliament within weeks. "Britain stands on the brink of the greatest crisis since the Second World War," said Johnson, a former Financial Times journalist who voted to stay in the EU in the 2016 referendum. Johnson, 46, called it the worst failure of statecraft since the 1956 Suez canal crisis, in which Britain was humiliatingly forced by the United States to withdraw its troops from Egypt. "To present the nation with a choice between two deeply unattractive outcomes, vassalage and chaos, is a failure of British statecraft on a scale unseen since the Suez crisis," he said. "Given that the reality of Brexit has turned out to be so far from what was once promised, the democratic thing to do is to give the public the final say," he added. Johnson`s criticism underscored the travails that May faces in getting any Brexit divorce deal, which London and Brussels say is 95 per cent done, approved by her own fractious party. The pound sank to a day`s low beneath $1.30 on the resignation and also fell against the euro. It was unclear whether others would follow Johnson out of government. In the June 2016 referendum, 17.4 million voters, or 51.9 per cent, backed leaving the EU while 16.1 million, or 48.1 per cent, backed staying. Johnson wants a three-way referendum giving the people a choice between remaining in the EU, May`s deal and no deal. May`s office rejected his call, saying Britain would not hold a second referendum on its EU membership "under any circumstances". "United in dismay" Johnson is the 14th minister to have resigned from the government since November last year and the most senior to have called for another referendum in his leaving statement. His resignation was published after May spent much of the day in France and Belgium, laying wreaths alongside fellow leaders to mark the centenary of the end of World War One. As negotiations with Brussels enter their final fraught stage, May’s approach is under fire from all sides of the divisive Brexit debate. Many politicians are unhappy with her compromise plans to maintain the free trade of goods with the EU, which they say will leave Britain subject to decisions in Brussels without any input. In his 1,600-word resignation statement, Johnson said May`s proposed deal would leave Britain in a "far worse" negotiating position than now, adding he also knew from his work at the Department of Transport how painful a "no deal" Brexit would be. Boris Johnson, a leading supporter of Brexit who quit as foreign secretary in July, praised his brother`s decision, saying they were "united in dismay" - despite their opposing views on Brexit - over May`s handling of the negotiations. May is expected to hold a cabinet meeting later this month in the hope of securing ministers` support for her negotiating stance and hopes to strike an exit deal with the EU in the next few weeks. Compounding May`s problems on Friday, the Northern Irish party that props up her minority government cast her Brexit negotiation as a betrayal and said it could not support any deal that divided the United Kingdom. The Democratic Unionist Party interpreted a promise made by May in a letter that she would never let a division of the UK "come into force" as an admission that such a clause would be included in a final deal. As campaigners step up pressure on the government calling for the public to be given another say on Brexit, the opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn dashed campaigners` hopes he could back another referendum. Asked by German magazine Der Spiegel if he would stop Brexit if he could, Corbyn said: "We can`t stop it. The referendum took place....What we can do is recognise the reasons why people voted leave."

Jo Johnson quits UK government, urges referendum to avoid Brexit chaos

Priests protest in Romania in a rally voicing support for a referendum in Romanian marriage

Today many citizens either don&rsquo;t understand the value of independence or are not inclined to value the national symbols. In these times of apathy, it is important to remember the struggle of Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel. 
&nbsp; 
To understand his contribution to the nation we need to have a deep understanding of our own history. For the most part of the last millennia, India was subjected to foreign rule. The main reason attributed to this state of affairs was our lack of unity. The land was divided into many kingdoms and invaders were quick to exploit this political fragmentation. 
&nbsp; 
Invasions left a trail of destruction and death. MA Khan in his book, Islamic Jihad: A Legacy of Forced Conversion, Imperialism and Slavery, writes, &ldquo;... in 1398 the Mongol warlord Tamerlane declared jihad against India. When he reached Delhi he had hundred thousand prisoners. Before attacking Delhi he killed all of them (page 281)&rdquo;. 
 
He wasn&rsquo;t alone. In 1761, 60,000 to 70,000 Maratha soldiers died fighting the Afghan invader Ahmed Shah Abdali in the third battle of Panipat.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>The reason we(India) were subjugated by the foreign powers was our lack of political unity that could provide a cohesive resistance to any foreign invasion.</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=The reason we(India) were subjugated by the foreign powers was our lack of political unity that could provide a cohesive resistance to any foreign invasion." target="_blank">&nbsp;</a></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqquoteclosemark">&times;</a></div>
</div>
</div>

Similarly, in 1739 Iranian invader Nadir Shah resorted to the massacre in Delhi that left close to 30,000 dead. 
&nbsp; 
Death, destitution and starvation due to misrule by the British colonial rulers is today well documented. 
&nbsp; 
The reason we were subjugated by the foreign powers was our lack of political unity that could provide a cohesive resistance to any foreign invasion. 
&nbsp; 
Small kings ruled their principalities without any consideration to the larger needs of the nation and the threats our motherland faced. 
&nbsp; 
But today things have changed. A resident of Kerala joins the Indian army and readily lays down his life in Jammu &amp; Kashmir to safeguard the interests of the country. Men and women from every corner of India lay down their lives in varied theatres of action to save the integrity and unity of our nation. 
&nbsp; 
Patriotism and belief in the integrity and unity of a nation are the most important glue that holds the modern nation-state together and for this, we have only Sardar Patel to thank for. 
&nbsp; 
In 1947 when India became independent Sardar Patel was given the charge of the home ministry. At that time India had 565 princely states. The British wanted that they should remain independent so that India remained weak and fragmented. 
&nbsp; 
But Sardar Patel saw through their game and thwarted any attempts to rupture India&rsquo;s unity. Among the princely states, he had two greatest challenges - Hyderabad and Jammu &amp; Kashmir. He used his political genius to convince the Nizam of Hyderabad to join the Indian Union.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>If you want to understand how grave the situation was at the time of Independence then you must watch what is happening in Spain&rsquo;s Catalonia province today.</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=If you want to understand how grave the situation was at the time of Independence then you must watch what is happening in Spain?s Catalonia province today." target="_blank">&nbsp;</a></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqquoteclosemark">&times;</a></div>
</div>
</div>

Kashmir, however, was a different ball game. Even though he was the home minister he was kept away from dealing with Kashmir which was an issue close to the then Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru. 
&nbsp; 
It is because of Sardar&rsquo;s exclusion from the affairs of the state of Jammu and Kashmir that the issue is still posing a serious problem for the country. 
&nbsp; 
If you want to understand how grave the situation was at the time of Independence then you must watch what is happening in Spain&rsquo;s Catalonia province today.

The province has declared itself independent and the Spanish government is at its wit&rsquo;s end figuring out how to tackle this crisis perpetuated by the secessionists. 
&nbsp; 
It was the same situation in India but with 565 Catalonias demanding independence, ready to secede any moment. In such a dangerous atmosphere maintaining the unity of a new nation would really have been a great challenge for the &ldquo;iron man&rdquo;.

Sardar Patel's political strategies were the reasons behind India's unification after independence from colonial rule

Today many citizens either don’t understand the value of independence or are not inclined to value the national symbols. In these times of apathy, it is important to remember the struggle of Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel. To understand his contribution to the nation we need to have a deep understanding of our own history. For the most part of the last millennia, India was subjected to foreign rule. The main reason attributed to this state of affairs was our lack of unity. The land was divided into many kingdoms and invaders were quick to exploit this political fragmentation. Invasions left a trail of destruction and death. MA Khan in his book, Islamic Jihad: A Legacy of Forced Conversion, Imperialism and Slavery, writes, “... in 1398 the Mongol warlord Tamerlane declared jihad against India. When he reached Delhi he had hundred thousand prisoners. Before attacking Delhi he killed all of them (page 281)”. He wasn’t alone. In 1761, 60,000 to 70,000 Maratha soldiers died fighting the Afghan invader Ahmed Shah Abdali in the third battle of Panipat. The reason we(India) were subjugated by the foreign powers was our lack of political unity that could provide a cohesive resistance to any foreign invasion. × Similarly, in 1739 Iranian invader Nadir Shah resorted to the massacre in Delhi that left close to 30,000 dead. Death, destitution and starvation due to misrule by the British colonial rulers is today well documented. The reason we were subjugated by the foreign powers was our lack of political unity that could provide a cohesive resistance to any foreign invasion. Small kings ruled their principalities without any consideration to the larger needs of the nation and the threats our motherland faced. But today things have changed. A resident of Kerala joins the Indian army and readily lays down his life in Jammu & Kashmir to safeguard the interests of the country. Men and women from every corner of India lay down their lives in varied theatres of action to save the integrity and unity of our nation. Patriotism and belief in the integrity and unity of a nation are the most important glue that holds the modern nation-state together and for this, we have only Sardar Patel to thank for. In 1947 when India became independent Sardar Patel was given the charge of the home ministry. At that time India had 565 princely states. The British wanted that they should remain independent so that India remained weak and fragmented. But Sardar Patel saw through their game and thwarted any attempts to rupture India’s unity. Among the princely states, he had two greatest challenges - Hyderabad and Jammu & Kashmir. He used his political genius to convince the Nizam of Hyderabad to join the Indian Union. If you want to understand how grave the situation was at the time of Independence then you must watch what is happening in Spain’s Catalonia province today. × Kashmir, however, was a different ball game. Even though he was the home minister he was kept away from dealing with Kashmir which was an issue close to the then Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru. It is because of Sardar’s exclusion from the affairs of the state of Jammu and Kashmir that the issue is still posing a serious problem for the country. If you want to understand how grave the situation was at the time of Independence then you must watch what is happening in Spain’s Catalonia province today. The province has declared itself independent and the Spanish government is at its wit’s end figuring out how to tackle this crisis perpetuated by the secessionists. It was the same situation in India but with 565 Catalonias demanding independence, ready to secede any moment. In such a dangerous atmosphere maintaining the unity of a new nation would really have been a great challenge for the “iron man”.

Spain needs a leader like Sardar Patel to tackle Catalan crisis

Spain is facing its deepest constitutional crisis since the restoration of democracy in 1977, and it&rsquo;s only getting deeper. On October 18, the Spanish government invoked Article 155 of the Spanish Constitution, beginning the process of stripping the Catalan government of its autonomy and imposing the direct federal rule. Just hours after the announcement was made by the Spanish prime minister, Mariano Rajoy, 450,000 people took to the streets in protest.

Citing the Catalan government&rsquo;s &ldquo;conscious and systematic rebellion and disobedience&rdquo;, this is a heavy-handed response to Catalonia&rsquo;s recent separatist moves. Spain hardened its line when it jailed the leaders of two of the largest separatist organisations. The national attorney general has now threatened to arrest the Catalan president, Carles Puigdemont, and others for sedition should a further declaration of independence be issued.

These tough measures aren&rsquo;t just politically risky and pragmatically dubious, but also constitutionally untested. It is the first time that Article 155 has been invoked, allowing the government to intervene in one of Spain&rsquo;s regions if its autonomous government &ldquo;fails to fulfil the obligations imposed upon it by the constitution or other laws or acts in a way seriously prejudicing the general interests of Spain&rdquo;.

The Constitution of 1978 provides for a flexible and open framework that recognises both &ldquo;the indissoluble unity of the Spanish nation&rdquo; and &ldquo;the right to autonomy of nationalities and regions&rdquo;. And while the Catalan government&rsquo;s decision to hold the October 1 referendum undoubtedly violated both the Spanish Constitution and the Catalan Statute of Autonomy, the refusal of the central government to pursue dialogue with the Catalan government, and its attempts to oust democratically elected leaders and suspend regional autonomy will only deepen the antagonism between Catalonia and Madrid.

The question, then, is what an appropriate and reasonable response to this secession claim would look like. And inconveniently, this is something of a grey area.

Taking independence seriously

While international law affirms that peoples have a general right to self-determination, it provides little guidance on how that right should be exercised. It&rsquo;s particularly vague when it comes to secession, which leaves claims like the Catalans&rsquo; in something of a legal vacuum. In its Kosovo opinion of 2010, the International Court of Justice found that a unilateral declaration of independence does &ldquo;not violate general international law&rdquo;, but the specific international or domestic legal ramifications of a secessionist claim were left unclear.

The upshot is that different national governments can treat these claims almost as they see fit. The resulting ambiguity is a tricky problem, and it&rsquo;s played out vividly in two analogous independence movements: Quebec&rsquo;s and Scotland&rsquo;s.

In 1995, the Quebecois independence movement lost a referendum on independence by a mere 1.16 per cent. The result kicked off years of political talks and legal wrangling, and in 1998, the Supreme Court of Canada weighed in on whether secession claims were legitimate in principle.

It concluded that outside of a colonial context and in the absence of severe repression or exclusion from the state, there is no positive entitlement to claim statehood. But it also found that the Canadian state, at least on the basis of its own constitutional law, could not &ldquo;remain indifferent to the clear expression of a clear majority of Quebecers that they no longer wish to remain in Canada&rdquo;. Crucially, the court noted that under the Canadian constitution, the government has a duty to negotiate. Were it to refuse, that could undermine its claim to legitimacy, which could have international ramifications.

Following this logic were Quebec to vote for independence in some future referendum, that would impose a duty on the federal government and the province alike to enter into negotiations in good faith &ndash; though there would be no specific obligation to conclude the negotiations amicably.

Then there&rsquo;s Scotland. The UK Government took a similar approach to Canada, passing the Edinburgh Agreement in 2012, which granted Scottish nationalists legal authority to stage an independence referendum. They duly did so in 2014. And while that vote ultimately endorsed the status quo, had a majority been in favour of independence, it was largely accepted that the result would have been binding.

Refuse and reject

The Spanish government has chosen to pursue a different course. While the vast majority of Catalans wanted to vote in a referendum, the central authorities have been steadfast in their refusal to allow a vote, or recognise the result, and are now refusing to engage in dialogue with the Catalan authorities.

This intransigence dates back to at least 2010 when the independence campaign emerged in response to a growing dissatisfaction with current constitutional arrangements, a centralisation of the distribution of competences, and the impact of the financial crisis. With the Spanish government not responding to requests for dialogue, the Catalan authorities have for years continually invoked a &ldquo;right to decide&rdquo;, derived from a broad reading of self-determination as the right to &ldquo;democratic management of public affairs&rdquo;.

Legally speaking, it&rsquo;s a stretch to argue that the principle of self-determination guarantees the right to hold a vote on secession. Nevertheless, the principle of free political participation and representation is clearly established under international law, and it could certainly provide the basis of a demand for dialogue and negotiation where there is broad public support for independence.

Given that there is also scope for seeking dialogue under the Spanish Constitution, this latest sabre-rattling by the Spanish government is unwarranted, as are its actions in recent weeks &ndash; threats to arrest Catalan mayors, interference with civic budgets, raids on newspaper office, and mass police deployment including excessive force used by the Spanish police in attempting to prevent the Referendum taking place. These all reinforce the secessionists&rsquo; narrative of repression by an anti-Catalan Spanish regime.

For the good of Spain as a whole, a collaborative and productive dialogue needs to begin. The Spanish government&rsquo;s actions have not yet crossed the threshold of repression that would grant the Catalans a so-called &ldquo;remedial right&rdquo; of independence under international law, but its intransigent, hardline approach is inflaming tensions to no end &ndash; and enhancing the credibility of the Catalan claim.

This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com" rel="nofollow" target="blank">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/spains-hard-line-on-catalonia-is-no-way-to-handle-a-serious-secession-crisis-86243" rel="nofollow" target="blank">original article</a>.

Photo Credit: EPA

The Spanish government is dealing with the Catalonian secession movement in entirely the wrong way, its intransigent, hardline approach is inflaming tensions to no end

Spain is facing its deepest constitutional crisis since the restoration of democracy in 1977, and it’s only getting deeper. On October 18, the Spanish government invoked Article 155 of the Spanish Constitution, beginning the process of stripping the Catalan government of its autonomy and imposing the direct federal rule. Just hours after the announcement was made by the Spanish prime minister, Mariano Rajoy, 450,000 people took to the streets in protest. Citing the Catalan government’s “conscious and systematic rebellion and disobedience”, this is a heavy-handed response to Catalonia’s recent separatist moves. Spain hardened its line when it jailed the leaders of two of the largest separatist organisations. The national attorney general has now threatened to arrest the Catalan president, Carles Puigdemont, and others for sedition should a further declaration of independence be issued. These tough measures aren’t just politically risky and pragmatically dubious, but also constitutionally untested. It is the first time that Article 155 has been invoked, allowing the government to intervene in one of Spain’s regions if its autonomous government “fails to fulfil the obligations imposed upon it by the constitution or other laws or acts in a way seriously prejudicing the general interests of Spain”. The Constitution of 1978 provides for a flexible and open framework that recognises both “the indissoluble unity of the Spanish nation” and “the right to autonomy of nationalities and regions”. And while the Catalan government’s decision to hold the October 1 referendum undoubtedly violated both the Spanish Constitution and the Catalan Statute of Autonomy, the refusal of the central government to pursue dialogue with the Catalan government, and its attempts to oust democratically elected leaders and suspend regional autonomy will only deepen the antagonism between Catalonia and Madrid. The question, then, is what an appropriate and reasonable response to this secession claim would look like. And inconveniently, this is something of a grey area. Taking independence seriously While international law affirms that peoples have a general right to self-determination, it provides little guidance on how that right should be exercised. It’s particularly vague when it comes to secession, which leaves claims like the Catalans’ in something of a legal vacuum. In its Kosovo opinion of 2010, the International Court of Justice found that a unilateral declaration of independence does “not violate general international law”, but the specific international or domestic legal ramifications of a secessionist claim were left unclear. The upshot is that different national governments can treat these claims almost as they see fit. The resulting ambiguity is a tricky problem, and it’s played out vividly in two analogous independence movements: Quebec’s and Scotland’s. In 1995, the Quebecois independence movement lost a referendum on independence by a mere 1.16 per cent. The result kicked off years of political talks and legal wrangling, and in 1998, the Supreme Court of Canada weighed in on whether secession claims were legitimate in principle. It concluded that outside of a colonial context and in the absence of severe repression or exclusion from the state, there is no positive entitlement to claim statehood. But it also found that the Canadian state, at least on the basis of its own constitutional law, could not “remain indifferent to the clear expression of a clear majority of Quebecers that they no longer wish to remain in Canada”. Crucially, the court noted that under the Canadian constitution, the government has a duty to negotiate. Were it to refuse, that could undermine its claim to legitimacy, which could have international ramifications. Following this logic were Quebec to vote for independence in some future referendum, that would impose a duty on the federal government and the province alike to enter into negotiations in good faith – though there would be no specific obligation to conclude the negotiations amicably. Then there’s Scotland. The UK Government took a similar approach to Canada, passing the Edinburgh Agreement in 2012, which granted Scottish nationalists legal authority to stage an independence referendum. They duly did so in 2014. And while that vote ultimately endorsed the status quo, had a majority been in favour of independence, it was largely accepted that the result would have been binding. Refuse and reject The Spanish government has chosen to pursue a different course. While the vast majority of Catalans wanted to vote in a referendum, the central authorities have been steadfast in their refusal to allow a vote, or recognise the result, and are now refusing to engage in dialogue with the Catalan authorities. This intransigence dates back to at least 2010 when the independence campaign emerged in response to a growing dissatisfaction with current constitutional arrangements, a centralisation of the distribution of competences, and the impact of the financial crisis. With the Spanish government not responding to requests for dialogue, the Catalan authorities have for years continually invoked a “right to decide”, derived from a broad reading of self-determination as the right to “democratic management of public affairs”. Legally speaking, it’s a stretch to argue that the principle of self-determination guarantees the right to hold a vote on secession. Nevertheless, the principle of free political participation and representation is clearly established under international law, and it could certainly provide the basis of a demand for dialogue and negotiation where there is broad public support for independence. Given that there is also scope for seeking dialogue under the Spanish Constitution, this latest sabre-rattling by the Spanish government is unwarranted, as are its actions in recent weeks – threats to arrest Catalan mayors, interference with civic budgets, raids on newspaper office, and mass police deployment including excessive force used by the Spanish police in attempting to prevent the Referendum taking place. These all reinforce the secessionists’ narrative of repression by an anti-Catalan Spanish regime. For the good of Spain as a whole, a collaborative and productive dialogue needs to begin. The Spanish government’s actions have not yet crossed the threshold of repression that would grant the Catalans a so-called “remedial right” of independence under international law, but its intransigent, hardline approach is inflaming tensions to no end – and enhancing the credibility of the Catalan claim. This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article. Photo Credit: EPA

Catalonia: Spain's hard line is no way to handle a secession crisis

Catalonia with the population of 7.5 million and history of over 1000 years old has voted in favour of its exit from Spain. More than 90 per cent population has voted for independence. After a long struggle, finally, they won the right to statehood and is all set to emerge as an independent nation.

Catalans have everything they need to flourish as an independent nation. A state which has its own police and parliament, amazing infrastructure and rich as well as varied heritage. Almost everything that is necessary for a country to get along with other developing nation.

The diversified and dynamic economy has contributed 18.9 per cent of Spain&#39;s GDP. Catalonia&#39;s economic trend for 2017&nbsp; is 2.7 per cent. Rich in natural resources, it&#39;s 1000 years old history and remarkable culture makes it different from rest of the Spain. Language, wine, food, festival, football has the unique association with Catalonia.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>FC Barcelona club&#39;s value calculated in June 2017 was $3635 million.</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=FC Barcelona club's value calculated in June 2017 was $3635 million." target="_blank">&nbsp;</a></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqquoteclosemark">&times;</a></div>
</div>
</div>

But, when it comes to football, Catalonia may suffer a lot after its separation from Spain. Likewise whole Europe, Catalans also has undying madness for football. FC Barcelona holds a very important place in Spanish football leagues. Laliga,&nbsp;the most important of the Spanish league, will be incomplete without FC Barcelona.

After the separation of Catalonia from Spain, the club may shut down.

Many Barcelona players came forward in support of Catalon&nbsp;independence. Catalonian defender Gerard Pique, who also plays for the National Football team of Spain, has voted in favour of the referendum and posted in the social forum. He twitted, &quot;I already voted. Together we are unstoppable defending democracy&quot;. He promotes Catalan independence and said very clearly that he may leave Spanish football team if it is necessary.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Ja he votat. Junts som imparables defensant la democr&agrave;cia. <a href="https://t.co/mGXf7Qj1TM">pic.twitter.com/mGXf7Qj1TM</a>
&mdash; Gerard Piqu&eacute; (@3gerardpique) <a href="https://twitter.com/3gerardpique/status/914433491747659776?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 1, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">&times;</a></div>

La Liga president Javier Tebas, who himself is a Real Madrid follower, accentuated that football clubs of the Catalonian region would not be able to continue in case of independence. Barcelona playing in the Spanish Leagues would not violate any law but Tebas&#39; comments are not in Barca&#39;s favour.&nbsp;

There are other football teams, such as Dinamo Tbilisi and Red Star Belgrade who lost their identity after the respective countries got independence.

But speculations show and also indicated by club&#39;s president Josep Maria Bartomeu, &quot;Barcelona may leave La Liga if Catalonia gains independence&quot;, it may move to English Premier Leauge and flourish its football career. There are living examples of such teams, such as Monaco which plays in the French league and there are Welsh teams participating in English league.

Amid this chaos, FCB&#39;s captain, Andres Iniesta signed a lifetime contract with FC Barcelona despite being from Fuentealbilla, Albacete. He said, &quot;I am a Spanish but also feel for Catalans&quot;.&nbsp;

FC Barcelona&#39;s exit from Laliga would be a huge impact on Spanish football system. FC Barcelona club&#39;s value calculated in June 2017 was $3635 million, whereas, the revenue generated from the club is around $688 million.

Laliga,?the most important of the Spanish league, will be incomplete without FC Barcelona.

Catalonia with the population of 7.5 million and history of over 1000 years old has voted in favour of its exit from Spain. More than 90 per cent population has voted for independence. After a long struggle, finally, they won the right to statehood and is all set to emerge as an independent nation. Catalans have everything they need to flourish as an independent nation. A state which has its own police and parliament, amazing infrastructure and rich as well as varied heritage. Almost everything that is necessary for a country to get along with other developing nation. The diversified and dynamic economy has contributed 18.9 per cent of Spain's GDP. Catalonia's economic trend for 2017 is 2.7 per cent. Rich in natural resources, it's 1000 years old history and remarkable culture makes it different from rest of the Spain. Language, wine, food, festival, football has the unique association with Catalonia. FC Barcelona club's value calculated in June 2017 was $3635 million. × But, when it comes to football, Catalonia may suffer a lot after its separation from Spain. Likewise whole Europe, Catalans also has undying madness for football. FC Barcelona holds a very important place in Spanish football leagues. Laliga, the most important of the Spanish league, will be incomplete without FC Barcelona. After the separation of Catalonia from Spain, the club may shut down. Many Barcelona players came forward in support of Catalon independence. Catalonian defender Gerard Pique, who also plays for the National Football team of Spain, has voted in favour of the referendum and posted in the social forum. He twitted, "I already voted. Together we are unstoppable defending democracy". He promotes Catalan independence and said very clearly that he may leave Spanish football team if it is necessary. Ja he votat. Junts som imparables defensant la democràcia. pic.twitter.com/mGXf7Qj1TM — Gerard Piqué (@3gerardpique) October 1, 2017 × La Liga president Javier Tebas, who himself is a Real Madrid follower, accentuated that football clubs of the Catalonian region would not be able to continue in case of independence. Barcelona playing in the Spanish Leagues would not violate any law but Tebas' comments are not in Barca's favour. There are other football teams, such as Dinamo Tbilisi and Red Star Belgrade who lost their identity after the respective countries got independence. But speculations show and also indicated by club's president Josep Maria Bartomeu, "Barcelona may leave La Liga if Catalonia gains independence", it may move to English Premier Leauge and flourish its football career. There are living examples of such teams, such as Monaco which plays in the French league and there are Welsh teams participating in English league. Amid this chaos, FCB's captain, Andres Iniesta signed a lifetime contract with FC Barcelona despite being from Fuentealbilla, Albacete. He said, "I am a Spanish but also feel for Catalans". FC Barcelona's exit from Laliga would be a huge impact on Spanish football system. FC Barcelona club's value calculated in June 2017 was $3635 million, whereas, the revenue generated from the club is around $688 million.

Will FC Barcelona exit Spanish football league?

Calls for &ldquo;independence&rdquo; have been increasingly heard on the streets of Barcelona in recent days. Those powerful emotions can drive people to extremes, which in some cases include killing and dying. Yet for the high price often paid, independence movements are rarely successful and their outcomes are usually less than hoped for.

Catalonia&rsquo;s recent vote for independence provoked&nbsp;a heavy-handed response from the government in Madrid. This has, in almost textbook style, conversely increased support for independence.

The Spanish government&rsquo;s response was wrong if the intention was to secure Catalonia&rsquo;s loyalty, but perhaps the right response if the intention was to shore up falling nationalist support elsewhere.

Independence movements commonly start with a small number of idealists, yet quickly grow when central governments respond with repression. In such circumstances, the desire for &ldquo;freedom&rdquo; takes root and flourishes. So the first responses of central governments to secessionist movements are critical to their outcome.

There are currently well over 100 secessionist movements, including four in the Philippines, dozens in India, around eight in Myanmar, and several dozen in Africa. Many of these have produced bloodshed and trauma well in excess of possible practical gains. Yet, despite their numbers, very few secessionist movements are ultimately successful, while the costs for governments imposing a nominal unity can be high for all involved.

With high risks and limited chances of success, secessionist movements are rarely about pragmatism and more about fervour. Even with popular support, these movements rarely have the political or military capacity to impose their will on the state from which they intend to secede.

Such limited examples&nbsp;of secessionist success that there are have relied on either external intervention &ndash; such as Bangladesh and Kosovo &ndash; or agreement by a weakened parent state, such as Eritrea and South Sudan. Timor-Leste achieved independence on the back of both factors.

Having overcome daunting odds of achieving independence, the success of post-secessionist states has, on balance, been poor. Bangladesh has struggled between periods of incapable civilian government, military coups and a state of emergency. Since independence in 1991, Eritrea has been an authoritarian one-party state with no political activity allowed.

Kosovo has been marked by divisive ethnic politics, while South Sudan has been wracked by ethnopolitical fighting since independence in 2011. Timor-Leste is a successful democracy, yet survived intact only due to international intervention ending civil conflict in 2006.

Of the world&rsquo;s separatist movements, the most recent and notable, next to Catalonia, is Kurdistan. A&nbsp;Kurdish state would have a potentially sound oil-based economy and a very capable military.

Yet even an independent Kurdistan would require access to trade routes to export oil. This is currently blocked by its parent state, Iraq, and suspicion or hostility from neighbouring Turkey, Syria and Iran. Kurdistan may continue to pursue independence, but it would likely have a more viable economic future as an autonomous state in a federated Iraq.

Even when successful, the cost of independence can be high. It can bring destructive wars, lack of economic activity and independence leaders failing to translate as wise politicians and capable administrators. The skills needed to win independence are not those required to rebuild and run a successful state.

So the record of successful secessionist movements is, overall, poor. The rhetoric of freedom and reward is more usually reflected in little of either.

Catalonia is luckier than most, having an experienced set of politicians and administrators. It also has, for now at least, an intact infrastructure and a vibrant economy. Its chances of success, should Madrid let it go, would be better than most.

Yet what is now more practically needed in Catalonia, and for most other secessionist movements, is a relatively high level of regional autonomy. Loosening the ties that bind can ease tensions and make states more stable, if in federated or similar form, rather than being tightly controlled and therefore presented.

Spanish President Mariano Rajoy&rsquo;s threat to revoke Catalonia&rsquo;s autonomy is, therefore, precisely the wrong response for a leader wishing to quell secessionist demands. It was, after all, Spain&rsquo;s Constitutional Court&rsquo;s decision to restrict Catalonia&rsquo;s existing autonomy that sparked the present calls for independence.

Spain&rsquo;s governing People&rsquo;s Party may strengthen its faltering support base by appealing to a wider nationalist sentiment in favour of state unity and imposing control over Catalonia. But imposed control will likely prompt further and more deeply entrenched separatist sentiment.

Given their vast differences, the fate of the handful of successful separatist movements cannot be used as indicators of an independent Catalonia&rsquo;s future. But the drivers of separatism and impediments to achieving independence are shared.

Catalonia has been at the forefront of Spain&rsquo;s domestic battles, and it could be that the current push for independence will spark another. Should it come to this, the cost of such conflict would exceed any possible benefits, for both Catalonia and for Spain.

<img alt="The Conversation" height="1" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/85097/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" width="1" />The question, then, is how Spain&rsquo;s national government and the Catalan independence movement can step back from a showdown. Failure to do so may mean the consequences become irretrievable.

This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com" nofollow="" rel="">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/passion-and-pain-why-secessionist-movements-rarely-succeed-85097" nofollow="" rel="">original article</a>.

The skills needed to win independence are not those required to rebuild and run a successful state.

Calls for “independence” have been increasingly heard on the streets of Barcelona in recent days. Those powerful emotions can drive people to extremes, which in some cases include killing and dying. Yet for the high price often paid, independence movements are rarely successful and their outcomes are usually less than hoped for. Catalonia’s recent vote for independence provoked a heavy-handed response from the government in Madrid. This has, in almost textbook style, conversely increased support for independence. The Spanish government’s response was wrong if the intention was to secure Catalonia’s loyalty, but perhaps the right response if the intention was to shore up falling nationalist support elsewhere. Independence movements commonly start with a small number of idealists, yet quickly grow when central governments respond with repression. In such circumstances, the desire for “freedom” takes root and flourishes. So the first responses of central governments to secessionist movements are critical to their outcome. There are currently well over 100 secessionist movements, including four in the Philippines, dozens in India, around eight in Myanmar, and several dozen in Africa. Many of these have produced bloodshed and trauma well in excess of possible practical gains. Yet, despite their numbers, very few secessionist movements are ultimately successful, while the costs for governments imposing a nominal unity can be high for all involved. With high risks and limited chances of success, secessionist movements are rarely about pragmatism and more about fervour. Even with popular support, these movements rarely have the political or military capacity to impose their will on the state from which they intend to secede. Such limited examples of secessionist success that there are have relied on either external intervention – such as Bangladesh and Kosovo – or agreement by a weakened parent state, such as Eritrea and South Sudan. Timor-Leste achieved independence on the back of both factors. Having overcome daunting odds of achieving independence, the success of post-secessionist states has, on balance, been poor. Bangladesh has struggled between periods of incapable civilian government, military coups and a state of emergency. Since independence in 1991, Eritrea has been an authoritarian one-party state with no political activity allowed. Kosovo has been marked by divisive ethnic politics, while South Sudan has been wracked by ethnopolitical fighting since independence in 2011. Timor-Leste is a successful democracy, yet survived intact only due to international intervention ending civil conflict in 2006. Of the world’s separatist movements, the most recent and notable, next to Catalonia, is Kurdistan. A Kurdish state would have a potentially sound oil-based economy and a very capable military. Yet even an independent Kurdistan would require access to trade routes to export oil. This is currently blocked by its parent state, Iraq, and suspicion or hostility from neighbouring Turkey, Syria and Iran. Kurdistan may continue to pursue independence, but it would likely have a more viable economic future as an autonomous state in a federated Iraq. Even when successful, the cost of independence can be high. It can bring destructive wars, lack of economic activity and independence leaders failing to translate as wise politicians and capable administrators. The skills needed to win independence are not those required to rebuild and run a successful state. So the record of successful secessionist movements is, overall, poor. The rhetoric of freedom and reward is more usually reflected in little of either. Catalonia is luckier than most, having an experienced set of politicians and administrators. It also has, for now at least, an intact infrastructure and a vibrant economy. Its chances of success, should Madrid let it go, would be better than most. Yet what is now more practically needed in Catalonia, and for most other secessionist movements, is a relatively high level of regional autonomy. Loosening the ties that bind can ease tensions and make states more stable, if in federated or similar form, rather than being tightly controlled and therefore presented. Spanish President Mariano Rajoy’s threat to revoke Catalonia’s autonomy is, therefore, precisely the wrong response for a leader wishing to quell secessionist demands. It was, after all, Spain’s Constitutional Court’s decision to restrict Catalonia’s existing autonomy that sparked the present calls for independence. Spain’s governing People’s Party may strengthen its faltering support base by appealing to a wider nationalist sentiment in favour of state unity and imposing control over Catalonia. But imposed control will likely prompt further and more deeply entrenched separatist sentiment. Given their vast differences, the fate of the handful of successful separatist movements cannot be used as indicators of an independent Catalonia’s future. But the drivers of separatism and impediments to achieving independence are shared. Catalonia has been at the forefront of Spain’s domestic battles, and it could be that the current push for independence will spark another. Should it come to this, the cost of such conflict would exceed any possible benefits, for both Catalonia and for Spain. The question, then, is how Spain’s national government and the Catalan independence movement can step back from a showdown. Failure to do so may mean the consequences become irretrievable. This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

Catalonia: Secessionist movements rarely succeed

Iraqi Kurdish officials <a href="http://www.presidency.krd/english/articledisplay.aspx?id=E8ZKw7evZVQ=" style="font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">have decided</a> to hold an independence referendum <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2017/06/07/world/middleeast/ap-iraq-kurds.html?_r=0" style="font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">on</a> September 25 of this year. The decision was <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/iraq/10945578/Kurds-prepare-first-moves-for-independence-referendum.html" style="font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">widely anticipated</a>, since Masoud Barzani, president of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), had explicitly <a href="http://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/new-atlanticist/barzani-an-independent-kurdistan-is-coming" style="font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">promised</a> an independence referendum once ISIS were defeated.

Yet without any stamp of approval <a href="http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2017/06/kurdistan-independence-iraq-iran-turkey.html">from Baghdad</a> and the international community &ndash; <a href="http://www.cambridge.org/au/academic/subjects/politics-international-relations/international-relations-and-international-organisations/power-politics-and-state-formation-twentieth-century-dynamics-recognition?format=HB&amp;isbn=9781107047358#tZWLG4s2ChU9h8ql.97">or at least</a> from the majority of permanent members on the UN Security Council &ndash; the referendum will not by itself make the Kurdish dream of statehood a reality. The Kurds are <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-iraq-kurds-idUSKBN18Y284">well aware</a> of this.

Instead, the likely overwhelming vote in favour of independence could inflame <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-iraq-politics-kurds-idUSKBN17M1CF">already tense</a> relations between the Kurdish capital, Erbil, and Baghdad. The same goes for <a href="http://www.mfa.gov.tr/no_181_-9-june-2017_-press-release-regarding-the-decision-to-organize-independence-referendum-in-the-krg-on-25-september-2017.en.mfa">Turkey</a> and <a href="https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/international/middle-east/147516-170610-iran-opposes-iraqi-kurdish-independence-vote">Iran</a>, on whose trade Erbil currently depends for survival as a <a href="http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/03050629.2014.915543">separate entity</a>. So if this independence vote could escalate tensions and will not confer statehood, why is the KRG holding it?

Political goals

The answer is deceptively simple: political expediency. Beyond its historic importance for Kurds&rsquo; independence aspirations, the decision to hold a referendum may conceal more mundane objectives. In particular, this referendum has much to do with tactics in their dealings with the Iraqi government. The <a href="http://foreignpolicy.com/2017/06/07/kurds-finally-set-date-for-independence-referendum/?utm_content=buffer75b29&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=facebook.com&amp;utm_campaign=buffer">main prizes</a> are increased oil revenues and territory, particularly the oil-rich region of <a href="http://www.upenn.edu/pennpress/book/14637.html">Kirkuk</a>.

<figure class="align-center zoomable">
First, oil revenues. Baghdad <a href="http://www.rudaw.net/english/kurdistan/030320141" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">cut off</a> federal disbursements following an acrimonious dispute over oil revenues in 2014. The Kurds retaliated by stopping crude oil deliveries to the central government, instead of <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/us-iraq-kurdistan-oil-idUSKCN0T61HH20151117" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">selling oil</a> directly to Turkey through a newly built pipeline.

Negotiations with Baghdad have been on hold due to the military imperative of fighting ISIS. But with ISIS now close to defeat, oil sharing has <a href="http://www.mei.edu/content/article/iraq-after-isis-three-major-flashpoints">come back</a> to the fore. KRG officials may be hoping the referendum will increase their bargaining power, pressuring Baghdad into larger monthly disbursements. Erbil argues that, under the <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/12/AR2005101201450.html">Iraqi constitution</a> of 2005, it should receive roughly 17 per cent of federal revenues from oil exports, <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/us-iraq-oil-kurdistan-idUSKCN0Z10CY">amounting to</a> about US$1 billion (&pound;785m) per month.
</figure>

Kurdish officials may also have an eye on disputed areas that have fallen under their authority. ISIS previously <a href="http://www.janes.com/article/58831/islamic-state-loses-22-per-cent-of-territory">swept through</a> large swathes of <a href="https://www.rienner.com/title/The_Kurds_of_Iraq_Building_a_State_Within_a_State">northwestern Iraq</a>, directly threatening oil-rich Kirkuk. The much acclaimed Kurdish armed forces, the &ldquo;<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2016/may/20/peshmerga-review-bernard-henri-levy-cannes-2016">Peshmerga</a>&rdquo;, fronted the counterattack and have been in <a href="http://www.tabletmag.com/jewish-news-and-politics/182042/kurdish-independence">de facto control</a> of Kirkuk since 2014. The Kurds recently raised their flag on municipal buildings &ndash; to vehement criticism from <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-turkey-erdogan-idUSKBN1761PP">Turkey</a> and the local <a href="http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2017-06/09/c_136350975.htm">Turkmen</a> community.

<figure class="align-center zoomable">
If these disputed areas deliver a strong Yes vote in September, Kurdish rule could be legitimised. The vote could then confer further bargaining advantages with Baghdad in relation to revenue sharing, further devolution of power and the demarcation of KRG borders (as well as Kirkuk, Erbil claims authority over the contested areas of Makhmour, Shingal and Khanaqin).

Economics and realpolitik
</figure>

The referendum might also divert attention from the <a href="http://www.kurdistan24.net/en/news/0e44d797-1d90-4d2d-afec-2832a4a7785c/five-reasons-for-kurdistan-region-financial-crisis">dire economic situation</a> in Iraqi Kurdistan since 2014. Along with losing federal disbursements, the fight against ISIS and the fall in oil prices have led the economy to the brink of collapse.

Kurdish officials and the wider population of around 5 million may have valiantly coalesced around the war effort against ISIS, but dissent <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-iraq-protests-idUSKCN0VI11X">is intensifying</a>. With the local parliament <a href="http://www.rudaw.net/english/kurdistan/190820152">suspended</a> since 2015 following a row over Barzani&rsquo;s decision to extend his term as KRG president, grassroots opposition has been gathering steam.

Cracks have <a href="http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2017/06/kirkuk-iraq-kurdistan-independence-baghdad-oil.html">been appearing</a> in the grand alliance between the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK). This is critical to the region&rsquo;s survival as a separate entity, KDP and PUK have <a href="https://www.rienner.com/title/The_Kurds_of_Iraq_Building_a_State_Within_a_State">fought</a> bitterly in the past for political and military dominance.

<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<figcaption>
With a growing array of disgruntled domestic actors, the Kurdish leadership may have calculated that the moment is ripe to rally the population around the independence struggle and buy precious time to begin &ldquo;putting the house in order&rdquo;.

In addition, the independence vote will help to cement an effective separation from Iraq that <a href="https://academic.oup.com/isq/article/doi/10.1093/isq/sqw049/3078982/De-Facto-States-Survival-and-Disappearance-1945" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">dates back</a> to the 1990s. It sends a signal that, in the long run, nothing short of independence will placate the Kurds. The referendum also allows Kurdish politicians to gauge the potential for <a href="https://global.oup.com/academic/product/recognizing-states-9780199564446?cc=gb&amp;lang=en&amp;" style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">international recognition</a> of an independent Kurdistan.
</figcaption>
</figure>

<img alt="The Conversation" height="1" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/79447/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" width="1" />So barring unforeseen events, the population will probably deliver an overwhelming Yes vote to independence on September 25. Since this is about the latest tactics in the continuation of the conflict between Erbil and Baghdad by other means, we can then expect a showdown with the KRG&rsquo;s domestic and regional adversaries. Only time will tell whether Erbil has been correct to calculate that the benefits outweigh the political risks of going ahead.

This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/kurdistans-referendum-wont-lead-to-independence-so-why-hold-it-79447">original article</a>.

Iraqi Kurds go for an independence referendum on 25th September. The independence may worsen the socio-economic situation in Iraq and the Kurdish region.

Iraqi Kurdish officials have decided to hold an independence referendum on September 25 of this year. The decision was widely anticipated, since Masoud Barzani, president of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), had explicitly promised an independence referendum once ISIS were defeated. Yet without any stamp of approval from Baghdad and the international community – or at least from the majority of permanent members on the UN Security Council – the referendum will not by itself make the Kurdish dream of statehood a reality. The Kurds are well aware of this. Instead, the likely overwhelming vote in favour of independence could inflame already tense relations between the Kurdish capital, Erbil, and Baghdad. The same goes for Turkey and Iran, on whose trade Erbil currently depends for survival as a separate entity. So if this independence vote could escalate tensions and will not confer statehood, why is the KRG holding it? Political goals The answer is deceptively simple: political expediency. Beyond its historic importance for Kurds’ independence aspirations, the decision to hold a referendum may conceal more mundane objectives. In particular, this referendum has much to do with tactics in their dealings with the Iraqi government. The main prizes are increased oil revenues and territory, particularly the oil-rich region of Kirkuk. First, oil revenues. Baghdad cut off federal disbursements following an acrimonious dispute over oil revenues in 2014. The Kurds retaliated by stopping crude oil deliveries to the central government, instead of selling oil directly to Turkey through a newly built pipeline. Negotiations with Baghdad have been on hold due to the military imperative of fighting ISIS. But with ISIS now close to defeat, oil sharing has come back to the fore. KRG officials may be hoping the referendum will increase their bargaining power, pressuring Baghdad into larger monthly disbursements. Erbil argues that, under the Iraqi constitution of 2005, it should receive roughly 17 per cent of federal revenues from oil exports, amounting to about US$1 billion (£785m) per month. Kurdish officials may also have an eye on disputed areas that have fallen under their authority. ISIS previously swept through large swathes of northwestern Iraq, directly threatening oil-rich Kirkuk. The much acclaimed Kurdish armed forces, the “Peshmerga”, fronted the counterattack and have been in de facto control of Kirkuk since 2014. The Kurds recently raised their flag on municipal buildings – to vehement criticism from Turkey and the local Turkmen community. If these disputed areas deliver a strong Yes vote in September, Kurdish rule could be legitimised. The vote could then confer further bargaining advantages with Baghdad in relation to revenue sharing, further devolution of power and the demarcation of KRG borders (as well as Kirkuk, Erbil claims authority over the contested areas of Makhmour, Shingal and Khanaqin). Economics and realpolitik The referendum might also divert attention from the dire economic situation in Iraqi Kurdistan since 2014. Along with losing federal disbursements, the fight against ISIS and the fall in oil prices have led the economy to the brink of collapse. Kurdish officials and the wider population of around 5 million may have valiantly coalesced around the war effort against ISIS, but dissent is intensifying. With the local parliament suspended since 2015 following a row over Barzani’s decision to extend his term as KRG president, grassroots opposition has been gathering steam. Cracks have been appearing in the grand alliance between the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK). This is critical to the region’s survival as a separate entity, KDP and PUK have fought bitterly in the past for political and military dominance. With a growing array of disgruntled domestic actors, the Kurdish leadership may have calculated that the moment is ripe to rally the population around the independence struggle and buy precious time to begin “putting the house in order”. In addition, the independence vote will help to cement an effective separation from Iraq that dates back to the 1990s. It sends a signal that, in the long run, nothing short of independence will placate the Kurds. The referendum also allows Kurdish politicians to gauge the potential for international recognition of an independent Kurdistan. So barring unforeseen events, the population will probably deliver an overwhelming Yes vote to independence on September 25. Since this is about the latest tactics in the continuation of the conflict between Erbil and Baghdad by other means, we can then expect a showdown with the KRG’s domestic and regional adversaries. Only time will tell whether Erbil has been correct to calculate that the benefits outweigh the political risks of going ahead. This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

Kurdistan's referendum won't lead to independence ? so why hold it?

Turkey&#39;s electoral authority on Wednesday rejected appeals to annul a referendum granting President Tayyip Erdogan wide new powers, but the main opposition CHP party said it would maintain its legal challenge to the result.

Sunday&#39;s referendum narrowly backed the largest overhaul of Turkey&#39;s political system since the founding of the republic nearly a century ago, giving Erdogan sweeping authority over the NATO member-state.

But the tight result of a highly charged campaign laid bare divisions, while European observers and the head of Turkey&#39;s bar associations union said a decision to count unstamped votes broke electoral law.

The High Electoral Board said it had assessed appeals from the CHP and two other parties at a seven-hour meeting, and rejected them by 10 to one.

In response, CHP Deputy Chairman Bulent Tezcan said his party was considering taking its appeal to Turkey&#39;s Constitutional Court or the European Court of Human Rights.

&quot;This is a serious legitimacy crisis. We will employ all legal ways available,&quot; Tezcan said.

Separately, Istanbul police detained 19 suspects on charges of attempted provocation for organising protests against the referendum, Dogan News Agency reported.

A defiant Erdogan has dismissed the complaints, saying the vote had finally put an end to debate over the powerful presidency he has long sought.

On Wednesday, the ruling AK Party set out plans for Erdogan to gradually resume leadership of the party, a step towards implementing the changes approved in Sunday&#39;s plebiscite.

Turkey&#39;s president has been required to remain above party politics, but that condition was removed in one of the referendum&#39;s 18 amendments.

Prime Minister and AKP leader Binali Yildirim said Erdogan could rejoin the party he founded in 2001 once official results - expected before the end of the month - were announced.

But he said the AKP would not hold a party congress until 2018, indicating Erdogan would not officially become its leader until then, despite widespread expectations that it would happen almost immediately.

Unfair Referendum

The pro-Kurdish opposition HDP, which had appealed along with the CHP for the referendum to be annulled, said the late decision by the electoral board to allow unstamped ballots meant it was impossible to determine how many invalid or fake votes may have been counted.

HDP deputy chairman Mithat Sancar said the vote was also undermined by the fact that the campaign was held under emergency rule while the party&#39;s co-leaders were under arrest, that its candidates for polling station monitors had been rejected, and the &quot;Yes&quot; campaign had benefited from state resources.

&quot;This referendum will forever remain controversial,&quot; he told reporters. &quot;You cannot build a change in the political system on such a controversial and unfair referendum.&quot;

Metin Feyzioglu, head of the Union of Turkish Bar Associations, said the decision to count unstamped ballots, without keeping any record of them, removed the main safeguard against voting fraud.

&quot;What makes any country a democracy is the security of the ballot boxes,&quot; Feyzioglu told Reuters. &quot; ... If your ballots are unsafe, that means that regime is not a democracy.&quot;

Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said a critical report by European observers on the referendum contained several mistakes, which he believed were deliberate.

Observers from the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the Council of Europe said Sunday&#39;s referendum had been an uneven contest.

&quot;The OSCE&#39;s report has no reliability as their observations lack objectivity and are extremely partial,&quot; Cavusoglu told a news conference in Ankara.

(Reuters)

Sunday's referendum narrowly backed the largest overhaul of Turkey's political system since the founding of the republic

Turkey's electoral authority on Wednesday rejected appeals to annul a referendum granting President Tayyip Erdogan wide new powers, but the main opposition CHP party said it would maintain its legal challenge to the result. Sunday's referendum narrowly backed the largest overhaul of Turkey's political system since the founding of the republic nearly a century ago, giving Erdogan sweeping authority over the NATO member-state. But the tight result of a highly charged campaign laid bare divisions, while European observers and the head of Turkey's bar associations union said a decision to count unstamped votes broke electoral law. The High Electoral Board said it had assessed appeals from the CHP and two other parties at a seven-hour meeting, and rejected them by 10 to one. In response, CHP Deputy Chairman Bulent Tezcan said his party was considering taking its appeal to Turkey's Constitutional Court or the European Court of Human Rights. "This is a serious legitimacy crisis. We will employ all legal ways available," Tezcan said. Separately, Istanbul police detained 19 suspects on charges of attempted provocation for organising protests against the referendum, Dogan News Agency reported. A defiant Erdogan has dismissed the complaints, saying the vote had finally put an end to debate over the powerful presidency he has long sought. On Wednesday, the ruling AK Party set out plans for Erdogan to gradually resume leadership of the party, a step towards implementing the changes approved in Sunday's plebiscite. Turkey's president has been required to remain above party politics, but that condition was removed in one of the referendum's 18 amendments. Prime Minister and AKP leader Binali Yildirim said Erdogan could rejoin the party he founded in 2001 once official results - expected before the end of the month - were announced. But he said the AKP would not hold a party congress until 2018, indicating Erdogan would not officially become its leader until then, despite widespread expectations that it would happen almost immediately. Unfair Referendum The pro-Kurdish opposition HDP, which had appealed along with the CHP for the referendum to be annulled, said the late decision by the electoral board to allow unstamped ballots meant it was impossible to determine how many invalid or fake votes may have been counted. HDP deputy chairman Mithat Sancar said the vote was also undermined by the fact that the campaign was held under emergency rule while the party's co-leaders were under arrest, that its candidates for polling station monitors had been rejected, and the "Yes" campaign had benefited from state resources. "This referendum will forever remain controversial," he told reporters. "You cannot build a change in the political system on such a controversial and unfair referendum." Metin Feyzioglu, head of the Union of Turkish Bar Associations, said the decision to count unstamped ballots, without keeping any record of them, removed the main safeguard against voting fraud. "What makes any country a democracy is the security of the ballot boxes," Feyzioglu told Reuters. " ... If your ballots are unsafe, that means that regime is not a democracy." Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said a critical report by European observers on the referendum contained several mistakes, which he believed were deliberate. Observers from the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the Council of Europe said Sunday's referendum had been an uneven contest. "The OSCE's report has no reliability as their observations lack objectivity and are extremely partial," Cavusoglu told a news conference in Ankara. (Reuters)

Turkey: Election board throws out appeal to annul referendum

In a historic vote Sunday, the people of Turkey sided with the President to usher in changes that will dramatically transform the country&#39;s political system and give president more powers.

In a closely watched referendum, the &#39;Yes&#39;&nbsp;campaign was ahead with 51.34 per cent while the &#39;No&#39; vote stood at 48.66 per cent at last count, state media said.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan hailed Turkey for making a &quot;historic decision&quot; as he claimed victory in the referendum.

&quot;Today... Turkey has taken a historic decision,&quot; Erdogan told reporters at his official Istanbul residence, the Huber Palace. &quot;With the people, we have realised the most important reform in our history,&quot; he added.

Turkey&#39;s Prime Minister, Binali Yildirim, also&nbsp;declared&nbsp;victory in the historic referendum on expanding Erdogan&#39;s powers.

The opposition has questioned the legitimacy of the vote.

Erdogan also said he could hold a referendum on reinstating the death penalty, after claiming victory in the vote on a new constitution that gives him greater powers, AFP reported.

&quot;If it (a parliament bill) comes in front of me, I will approve it. But if there isn&#39;t support (from the opposition in parliament)... then what shall we do? Then we could have another referendum for that,&quot; Erdogan said in &nbsp;a televised speech in Istanbul, referring to capital punishment, as supporters chanted for its reintroduction.

For the change to be implemented, the &#39;Yes&#39;&nbsp;vote needed 50 per cent plus one vote.

The &#39;Yes&#39; vote significantly enhances the powers of the president.&nbsp;

The voting happened under a state of emergency which has seen dramatic crackdown on dissenters after a failed putsch last year against Erdogan.

More than 55.3 million Turks were eligible to cast ballots on sweeping changes to the president&#39;s role. The change would grant Erdogan more powers than any leader since modern Turkey&#39;s founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk and his successor Ismet Inonu.

The Constitutional reforms will strengthen the office of the president. He will be able to appoint top public officials including ministers directly.

The office of the prime minister, currently held by Binali Yildirim, a stauch Erdogan loyalist, will be scrapped.

The presidnet will be able to appoint one or more vice-presidents.

The judiciary will also see changes. Erdogan has accused the judiciary of being influenced by supporters of Fethullah Gulen, the US-based Islamic preacher who is blamed for last year&#39;s failed putsch.

(WION with inputs from AFP)

&nbsp;

The 'Yes' campaign won 51.3% of the vote as the counting process has nearly ended, state media reported

In a historic vote Sunday, the people of Turkey sided with the President to usher in changes that will dramatically transform the country's political system and give president more powers. In a closely watched referendum, the 'Yes' campaign was ahead with 51.34 per cent while the 'No' vote stood at 48.66 per cent at last count, state media said. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan hailed Turkey for making a "historic decision" as he claimed victory in the referendum. "Today... Turkey has taken a historic decision," Erdogan told reporters at his official Istanbul residence, the Huber Palace. "With the people, we have realised the most important reform in our history," he added. Turkey's Prime Minister, Binali Yildirim, also declared victory in the historic referendum on expanding Erdogan's powers. The opposition has questioned the legitimacy of the vote. Erdogan also said he could hold a referendum on reinstating the death penalty, after claiming victory in the vote on a new constitution that gives him greater powers, AFP reported. "If it (a parliament bill) comes in front of me, I will approve it. But if there isn't support (from the opposition in parliament)... then what shall we do? Then we could have another referendum for that," Erdogan said in a televised speech in Istanbul, referring to capital punishment, as supporters chanted for its reintroduction. For the change to be implemented, the 'Yes' vote needed 50 per cent plus one vote. The 'Yes' vote significantly enhances the powers of the president. The voting happened under a state of emergency which has seen dramatic crackdown on dissenters after a failed putsch last year against Erdogan. More than 55.3 million Turks were eligible to cast ballots on sweeping changes to the president's role. The change would grant Erdogan more powers than any leader since modern Turkey's founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk and his successor Ismet Inonu. The Constitutional reforms will strengthen the office of the president. He will be able to appoint top public officials including ministers directly. The office of the prime minister, currently held by Binali Yildirim, a stauch Erdogan loyalist, will be scrapped. The presidnet will be able to appoint one or more vice-presidents. The judiciary will also see changes. Erdogan has accused the judiciary of being influenced by supporters of Fethullah Gulen, the US-based Islamic preacher who is blamed for last year's failed putsch. (WION with inputs from AFP)

Turkey: President Erdogan claims victory in historic referendum to expand his powers

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon insisted Saturday that Scotland will have another referendum on seceding from the UK, as she blasted British Prime Minister Theresa May.

At a raucous rally of her leftwing Scottish National Party (SNP), Sturgeon said May&#39;s centre-right Conservatives were &quot;terrified&quot; of how Scotland would vote in a second referendum on independence.

Sturgeon said the will of the semi-autonomous Scottish Parliament &quot;must prevail&quot; as she seeks a new referendum before Britain leaves the European Union.

&quot;After the terms of Brexit are clear but while there is still an opportunity to change course, the people of Scotland will have a choice,&quot; she told the SNP conference in the oil city of Aberdeen on the northeast coast.

&quot;There will be an independence referendum,&quot; she said to huge cheers.

&quot;Scotland should not be dragged out of Europe by a Tory government intent on a disastrous hard Brexit. They are now terrified of the verdict of the Scottish people,&quot; she added.

Sturgeon caught the British government off-guard on Monday when she demanded a new referendum by early 2019 at the latest, just before the UK is expected to leave the EU.

But May hit back, saying &quot;now is not the time&quot; for another referendum, arguing all energies should be devoted to getting a good Brexit deal for the UK as a whole.

Sturgeon will ask the Scottish Parliament on Wednesday for its approval to ask the British government for the power to call another referendum.

The SNP runs a minority administration in Edinburgh but the leftwing Greens have pledged their support, which would give Sturgeon enough votes for a majority.

&quot;If a new referendum is to happen, it should come about by the will of the people, and not be driven by calculations of party political advantage,&quot; the Greens` manifesto says.&nbsp;

&quot;In such a referendum, the Scottish Greens will campaign for independence.&quot;

In Scotland&#39;s 2014 plebiscite, 55 per cent backed staying in the UK. But the SNP says the political landscape has dramatically changed since then, requiring another vote within the next two years.

Sturgeon said if May was concerned about the timing, she was happy to have a discussion on the date -- &quot;within reason&quot;. 
Delegates greeted her address with standing ovations.

&quot;The people of Scotland have a right to take their future into their own hands,&quot; 70-year-old SNP member Tony Martin told AFP.

&quot;We don&#39;t want to go down on the Good Ship Brexit,&quot; he said.

In last year&#39;s referendum on EU membership, 62 per cent in Scotland voted for Britain to remain in the bloc, but across the whole kingdom, 52 per cent backed Brexit. In a speech to her Conservative Party on Friday, May accused the SNP of &quot;tunnel vision&quot; and &quot;obsessive nationalism&quot;.

&quot;It is now clear that using Brexit as the pretext to engineer a second independence referendum has been the SNP&#39;s sole objective,&quot; she said.

As the debate heats up, former prime minister Gordon Brown on Saturday waded in with a compromise solution: grant Scotland sweeping new autonomy, such as the power to set sales tax and to sign international treaties.

Control over agriculture, fisheries and environmental regulation -- currently areas under EU control -- would be handed to Scotland as Britain leaves the EU, he said.

The Scot, who is from the main opposition Labour Party, said this was would be &quot;a patriotic Scottish way&quot; to avoid both &quot;die-hard conservatism&quot; and &quot;hardline nationalism&quot;.

Scotland&#39;s relationship with the EU is at the forefront of the SNP&#39;s renewed call for independence, although EU officials have indicated it would have to reapply to join the bloc rather than inherit Britain&#39;s membership.

But the SNP is also banking on a growing desire for independence.

According to the latest annual ScotCen Scottish Social Attitudes survey released on Wednesday, 46 per cent of Scottish voters now back leaving the UK -- a record high.

&quot;Last time a lot of people voted for the status quo and against the unknown, but this time there is no status quo,&quot; said 58-year-old SNP member Paul Wright.

(AFP)

'Scotland should not be dragged out of Europe by a Tory government intent on a disastrous hard Brexit,' Sturgeon said

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon insisted Saturday that Scotland will have another referendum on seceding from the UK, as she blasted British Prime Minister Theresa May. At a raucous rally of her leftwing Scottish National Party (SNP), Sturgeon said May's centre-right Conservatives were "terrified" of how Scotland would vote in a second referendum on independence. Sturgeon said the will of the semi-autonomous Scottish Parliament "must prevail" as she seeks a new referendum before Britain leaves the European Union. "After the terms of Brexit are clear but while there is still an opportunity to change course, the people of Scotland will have a choice," she told the SNP conference in the oil city of Aberdeen on the northeast coast. "There will be an independence referendum," she said to huge cheers. "Scotland should not be dragged out of Europe by a Tory government intent on a disastrous hard Brexit. They are now terrified of the verdict of the Scottish people," she added. Sturgeon caught the British government off-guard on Monday when she demanded a new referendum by early 2019 at the latest, just before the UK is expected to leave the EU. But May hit back, saying "now is not the time" for another referendum, arguing all energies should be devoted to getting a good Brexit deal for the UK as a whole. Sturgeon will ask the Scottish Parliament on Wednesday for its approval to ask the British government for the power to call another referendum. The SNP runs a minority administration in Edinburgh but the leftwing Greens have pledged their support, which would give Sturgeon enough votes for a majority. "If a new referendum is to happen, it should come about by the will of the people, and not be driven by calculations of party political advantage," the Greens` manifesto says. "In such a referendum, the Scottish Greens will campaign for independence." In Scotland's 2014 plebiscite, 55 per cent backed staying in the UK. But the SNP says the political landscape has dramatically changed since then, requiring another vote within the next two years. Sturgeon said if May was concerned about the timing, she was happy to have a discussion on the date -- "within reason". Delegates greeted her address with standing ovations. "The people of Scotland have a right to take their future into their own hands," 70-year-old SNP member Tony Martin told AFP. "We don't want to go down on the Good Ship Brexit," he said. In last year's referendum on EU membership, 62 per cent in Scotland voted for Britain to remain in the bloc, but across the whole kingdom, 52 per cent backed Brexit. In a speech to her Conservative Party on Friday, May accused the SNP of "tunnel vision" and "obsessive nationalism". "It is now clear that using Brexit as the pretext to engineer a second independence referendum has been the SNP's sole objective," she said. As the debate heats up, former prime minister Gordon Brown on Saturday waded in with a compromise solution: grant Scotland sweeping new autonomy, such as the power to set sales tax and to sign international treaties. Control over agriculture, fisheries and environmental regulation -- currently areas under EU control -- would be handed to Scotland as Britain leaves the EU, he said. The Scot, who is from the main opposition Labour Party, said this was would be "a patriotic Scottish way" to avoid both "die-hard conservatism" and "hardline nationalism". Scotland's relationship with the EU is at the forefront of the SNP's renewed call for independence, although EU officials have indicated it would have to reapply to join the bloc rather than inherit Britain's membership. But the SNP is also banking on a growing desire for independence. According to the latest annual ScotCen Scottish Social Attitudes survey released on Wednesday, 46 per cent of Scottish voters now back leaving the UK -- a record high. "Last time a lot of people voted for the status quo and against the unknown, but this time there is no status quo," said 58-year-old SNP member Paul Wright. (AFP)

Scotland's Nicola Sturgeon insists on second referendum

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon on Monday demanded a new independence referendum to be held in late 2018 or early 2019, once the terms of Britain&#39;s exit from the European Union have become clearer.

A vote that could rip apart the United Kingdom just months before Brexit adds a tumultuous twist and highly uncertain consequences to the two-year process of leaving the EU after more than four decades.

&quot;If Scotland is to have a real choice - when the terms of Brexit are known but before it is too late to choose our own course - then that choice must be offered between the autumn of next year, 2018, and the spring of 2019,&quot; Sturgeon told reporters.

Her demand comes just as British Prime Minister Theresa May is poised to launch the Brexit process, something opposed by most Scots in last June&#39;s vote on leaving the bloc.

Ultimately it is the UK parliament in Westminster - where May commands a majority - which makes the call on whether Scotland can hold a second referendum. But if May refused to approve such a vote she could provoke a constitutional crisis.

This month, she accused Sturgeon&#39;s Scottish National Party of sacrificing not only the United Kingdom but also Scotland with its &quot;obsession&quot; with securing independence.

Sturgeon has previously said she wanted Scotland to be allowed to strike its own deal with the EU to keep access to the bloc&#39;s tariff-free single market. But on Monday she said her efforts had hit a &quot;brick wall of intransigence&quot; in London.

&quot;If the UK leaves the EU without Scotland indicating beforehand - or at least within a short time after it - that we want a different relationship with Europe, we could face a lengthy period not just outside the EU but also the single market,&quot; she said.

The results of the June 23 Brexit referendum called the future of the UK into question because England and Wales voted to leave the EU but Scotland and Northern Ireland voted to stay, with an overall 51.9 per cent in favour of leaving.

Scots rejected independence by 55-45 per cent in a referendum in September 2014, though the vote energised Scottish politics and support for the SNP has surged since then.

Sterling rose after Sturgeon said the earliest date for a new Scottish independence referendum was in the autumn of next year. British government bond prices fell.

Recent opinion polls have shown support for independence running at close to 50 per cent.

At her news conference on Monday, Sturgeon was asked if she believed she could win a second independence vote: &quot;Yes I do. Absolutely, I believe that.&quot;

(Reuters)

The decision on whether Scotland can hold a second referendum will be made in the UK parliament in Westminster where May commands a majority

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon on Monday demanded a new independence referendum to be held in late 2018 or early 2019, once the terms of Britain's exit from the European Union have become clearer. A vote that could rip apart the United Kingdom just months before Brexit adds a tumultuous twist and highly uncertain consequences to the two-year process of leaving the EU after more than four decades. "If Scotland is to have a real choice - when the terms of Brexit are known but before it is too late to choose our own course - then that choice must be offered between the autumn of next year, 2018, and the spring of 2019," Sturgeon told reporters. Her demand comes just as British Prime Minister Theresa May is poised to launch the Brexit process, something opposed by most Scots in last June's vote on leaving the bloc. Ultimately it is the UK parliament in Westminster - where May commands a majority - which makes the call on whether Scotland can hold a second referendum. But if May refused to approve such a vote she could provoke a constitutional crisis. This month, she accused Sturgeon's Scottish National Party of sacrificing not only the United Kingdom but also Scotland with its "obsession" with securing independence. Sturgeon has previously said she wanted Scotland to be allowed to strike its own deal with the EU to keep access to the bloc's tariff-free single market. But on Monday she said her efforts had hit a "brick wall of intransigence" in London. "If the UK leaves the EU without Scotland indicating beforehand - or at least within a short time after it - that we want a different relationship with Europe, we could face a lengthy period not just outside the EU but also the single market," she said. The results of the June 23 Brexit referendum called the future of the UK into question because England and Wales voted to leave the EU but Scotland and Northern Ireland voted to stay, with an overall 51.9 per cent in favour of leaving. Scots rejected independence by 55-45 per cent in a referendum in September 2014, though the vote energised Scottish politics and support for the SNP has surged since then. Sterling rose after Sturgeon said the earliest date for a new Scottish independence referendum was in the autumn of next year. British government bond prices fell. Recent opinion polls have shown support for independence running at close to 50 per cent. At her news conference on Monday, Sturgeon was asked if she believed she could win a second independence vote: "Yes I do. Absolutely, I believe that." (Reuters)

Scotland demands new independence vote before Brexit: Sturgeon

The woman&#39;s shadowed eyes stare out from a black niqab with the poster&#39;s tagline urging Swiss voters to reject &quot;uncontrolled naturalisation.&quot;

But critics of the campaign image distributed across the country ahead of Sunday&#39;s referendum say the poster is really just a brazen appeal to those worried about more Muslims becoming Swiss.

&quot;That is exactly what they are trying to (do)&quot;, said Pius Walker, who heads the Zurich-based advertising agency Walker AG.

&quot;It is a very, very frightening thing that is going on here.&quot;

The issue in Sunday&#39;s vote, the latest in Switzerland&#39;s direct democracy system, is whether the grandchildren of immigrants should be able to benefit from an expedited citizenship process.&nbsp;

The government as well a majority of lawmakers and political parties support the proposal.

They argue that children born in Switzerland, who have a grandparent who was also born in the country or had a residency card, should be able to skip a few steps in the arduous process of securing a Swiss passport.

According to a migration department study, an estimated 25,000 people currently qualify as third generation immigrants, nearly 60 per cent of whom are Italian.

But in campaigning against the measure, the rightwing nationalist Swiss People&#39;s Party (SVP) has made clear that Italians were not its primary concern.

&quot;In one or two generations, who will these third generation foreigners be?&quot; SVP lawmaker Jean-Luc Addor wrote in an opinion piece on the party&#39;s website.

&quot;They will be born of the Arab Spring, they will be from sub-Saharan Africa, the Horn of Africa, Syria or Afghanistan,&quot; he warned.

&#39;An attack on Muslims&#39;

The SVP is not officially responsible for the niqab poster.

It was commissioned by the Committee Against Facilitated Citizenship, which is backed by many senior SVP members, including Addor, the committee&#39;s co-chair.

And SVP members are no strangers to campaigns denounced as discriminatory, notably a successful 2009 initiative to outlaw the construction of new mosque minarets.

Campaigns demonising Muslims are expected from the SVP, but they are not &quot;deemed acceptable&quot; by the Swiss political mainstream, said Sophie Guignard of the Institute of Political Science at the University of Bern.

For most politicians and journalists, the niqab poster amounts to &quot;a violent attack against Muslims,&quot; Guignard told AFP.

But that does not mean it won&#39;t work.&nbsp;

The latest polls from the gfs.bern institute show 66 per cent of people support easier citizenship for third-generation immigrants, with 31 per cent against and three percent undecided.

Polls from the news company Tamedia have it closer, with 55 per cent in favour and 44 per cent against.

The &quot;No&quot; side has however gained about 10 points since polling opened.&nbsp;

And an upset can&#39;t be ruled out, especially with the touchstone issue of Swiss identity and Islam at the centre of the debate.&nbsp;

The &#39;ad guru&#39;

The niqab poster was created by the Zurich-based agency Goal AG, whose chief Alexander Segert was described by the Financial Times in December as &quot;the advertising guru of Europe&#39;s new right.&quot;

Segert has worked extensively for SVP members as well as the far-right Freedom Party of Austria and is seeking to expand his business to include Germany&#39;s political right, according to the FT.&nbsp;

Among Segert&#39;s earlier Swiss work was the 2009 minaret ban campaign.

He produced a poster with a series of minarets sketched to look like spears protruding from a Swiss flag as a similar niqab-clad woman stared out in the foreground.

For Walker, whose agency has worked for leftwing causes and parties, Goal&#39;s religiously and ethnically charged ads have &quot;basically copied a style&quot; that goes back to the &quot;Soviet Union and Nazi Germany.&quot;

&quot;It&#39;s a very simple trick,&quot; where a nation&#39;s problems are condensed into the image of a supposedly threatening outsider, he explained.

He also expressed regret over the fact that rightwing parties seemed better at using such simple methods than the left.

&quot;Maybe fear is very simple to communicate and hope and pluralism is harder,&quot; Walker told AFP. &quot;But that doesn&#39;t mean it shouldn&#39;t be done.&quot;

(AFP)

The issue in Sunday's vote is whether the grandchildren of immigrants should be able to benefit from an expedited citizenship process

The woman's shadowed eyes stare out from a black niqab with the poster's tagline urging Swiss voters to reject "uncontrolled naturalisation." But critics of the campaign image distributed across the country ahead of Sunday's referendum say the poster is really just a brazen appeal to those worried about more Muslims becoming Swiss. "That is exactly what they are trying to (do)", said Pius Walker, who heads the Zurich-based advertising agency Walker AG. "It is a very, very frightening thing that is going on here." The issue in Sunday's vote, the latest in Switzerland's direct democracy system, is whether the grandchildren of immigrants should be able to benefit from an expedited citizenship process. The government as well a majority of lawmakers and political parties support the proposal. They argue that children born in Switzerland, who have a grandparent who was also born in the country or had a residency card, should be able to skip a few steps in the arduous process of securing a Swiss passport. According to a migration department study, an estimated 25,000 people currently qualify as third generation immigrants, nearly 60 per cent of whom are Italian. But in campaigning against the measure, the rightwing nationalist Swiss People's Party (SVP) has made clear that Italians were not its primary concern. "In one or two generations, who will these third generation foreigners be?" SVP lawmaker Jean-Luc Addor wrote in an opinion piece on the party's website. "They will be born of the Arab Spring, they will be from sub-Saharan Africa, the Horn of Africa, Syria or Afghanistan," he warned. 'An attack on Muslims' The SVP is not officially responsible for the niqab poster. It was commissioned by the Committee Against Facilitated Citizenship, which is backed by many senior SVP members, including Addor, the committee's co-chair. And SVP members are no strangers to campaigns denounced as discriminatory, notably a successful 2009 initiative to outlaw the construction of new mosque minarets. Campaigns demonising Muslims are expected from the SVP, but they are not "deemed acceptable" by the Swiss political mainstream, said Sophie Guignard of the Institute of Political Science at the University of Bern. For most politicians and journalists, the niqab poster amounts to "a violent attack against Muslims," Guignard told AFP. But that does not mean it won't work. The latest polls from the gfs.bern institute show 66 per cent of people support easier citizenship for third-generation immigrants, with 31 per cent against and three percent undecided. Polls from the news company Tamedia have it closer, with 55 per cent in favour and 44 per cent against. The "No" side has however gained about 10 points since polling opened. And an upset can't be ruled out, especially with the touchstone issue of Swiss identity and Islam at the centre of the debate. The 'ad guru' The niqab poster was created by the Zurich-based agency Goal AG, whose chief Alexander Segert was described by the Financial Times in December as "the advertising guru of Europe's new right." Segert has worked extensively for SVP members as well as the far-right Freedom Party of Austria and is seeking to expand his business to include Germany's political right, according to the FT. Among Segert's earlier Swiss work was the 2009 minaret ban campaign. He produced a poster with a series of minarets sketched to look like spears protruding from a Swiss flag as a similar niqab-clad woman stared out in the foreground. For Walker, whose agency has worked for leftwing causes and parties, Goal's religiously and ethnically charged ads have "basically copied a style" that goes back to the "Soviet Union and Nazi Germany." "It's a very simple trick," where a nation's problems are condensed into the image of a supposedly threatening outsider, he explained. He also expressed regret over the fact that rightwing parties seemed better at using such simple methods than the left. "Maybe fear is very simple to communicate and hope and pluralism is harder," Walker told AFP. "But that doesn't mean it shouldn't be done." (AFP)

Anti-Muslim poster clouds Swiss referendum

Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe today vowed to achieve reconciliation in the country, even as former strongman Mahinda Rajapaksa warned the government against any steps endangering the unitary character of the state.

Both Sirisena and Wickremesinghe renewed hope for reconciliation and economic development to be achieved by the unity government which marks its second anniversary next week.

Sirisena in his new year message called for brotherhood and unity among all communities to achieve reconciliation following the end of the nearly three decades-long civil war in 2009.

Wickremesinghe said despite efforts to break up the national unity government, it would not waver in its commitment to install good governance, democracy and economic prosperity.

Former President Rajapaksa, in his New Year message, warned against any action that endangers the unitary character of the state and its territorial integrity.

His remarks were in reference to the government&#39;s efforts to introduce a new Constitution which is expected to grant some form of political autonomy to the minority Tamil community.

The new Constitution is expected to be adopted this year after a nationwide referendum.

The main opposition leader R Sampanthan echoed the Tamil wishes in his message, saying &quot;2017 will be a crucial year in the history of our country&quot;.

&quot;Our expectation, is that we should find a permanent and lasting solution to the national question. The new Constitution in the New Year, should bring about this achievement,&quot; he said.

The government expects the new Constitution to address the demand of Tamil minorities for political recognition.

With the defeat of the Tamil Tigers in 2009 the Tamil groups have opted for maximum devolution as opposed to LTTE&#39;s goal of a separate Tamil homeland.

(PTI)

&nbsp;

A new Constitution, expected to grant some form of political autonomy to Tamil minority, could be adopted this year after a referendum

Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe today vowed to achieve reconciliation in the country, even as former strongman Mahinda Rajapaksa warned the government against any steps endangering the unitary character of the state. Both Sirisena and Wickremesinghe renewed hope for reconciliation and economic development to be achieved by the unity government which marks its second anniversary next week. Sirisena in his new year message called for brotherhood and unity among all communities to achieve reconciliation following the end of the nearly three decades-long civil war in 2009. Wickremesinghe said despite efforts to break up the national unity government, it would not waver in its commitment to install good governance, democracy and economic prosperity. Former President Rajapaksa, in his New Year message, warned against any action that endangers the unitary character of the state and its territorial integrity. His remarks were in reference to the government's efforts to introduce a new Constitution which is expected to grant some form of political autonomy to the minority Tamil community. The new Constitution is expected to be adopted this year after a nationwide referendum. The main opposition leader R Sampanthan echoed the Tamil wishes in his message, saying "2017 will be a crucial year in the history of our country". "Our expectation, is that we should find a permanent and lasting solution to the national question. The new Constitution in the New Year, should bring about this achievement," he said. The government expects the new Constitution to address the demand of Tamil minorities for political recognition. With the defeat of the Tamil Tigers in 2009 the Tamil groups have opted for maximum devolution as opposed to LTTE's goal of a separate Tamil homeland. (PTI)

Sri Lanka: President Sirisena and PM Wickremesinghe vow reconciliation

Italian voters on Sunday overwhelmingly rejected constitutional reform proposals on which Prime Minister Matteo Renzi has staked his political future, exit polls suggested.

 
Polls for national broadcaster Rai and the La7 television channel both called the vote for the&nbsp;&ldquo;No&quot; camp by a margin of at least 54 per cent to 46 per cent for the Yes camp, and by an average of 56.7-43.3 per cent.

 
The projected result was in line with what opinion polls had been indicating up until November 18, after which the media were banned from publishing survey results.

 
Renzi, who had vowed to resign if he lost the vote, was due to make a statement at his Palazzo Chigi official residence around midnight.

 
The defeat and Renzi&#39;s likely departure will plunge Italy in a new phase of political uncertainty and possible economic turmoil.

 
Presuming Renzi does step down, President Sergio Mattarella will be charged with brokering the appointment of a new government to run Italy until the next general election, which has to take place by the spring of 2018.

 
The main opposition parties had all gone into the referendum insisting that there should be early elections if the referendum proposals to streamline Italy&#39;s parliament and transfer powers from the regions to the national government were defeated.

&nbsp;

(AFP)

Polls for national broadcaster Rai and the La7 television channel both called the vote for the 'No' camp by a margin of at least 54 per cent

Italian voters on Sunday overwhelmingly rejected constitutional reform proposals on which Prime Minister Matteo Renzi has staked his political future, exit polls suggested. Polls for national broadcaster Rai and the La7 television channel both called the vote for the “No" camp by a margin of at least 54 per cent to 46 per cent for the Yes camp, and by an average of 56.7-43.3 per cent. The projected result was in line with what opinion polls had been indicating up until November 18, after which the media were banned from publishing survey results. Renzi, who had vowed to resign if he lost the vote, was due to make a statement at his Palazzo Chigi official residence around midnight. The defeat and Renzi's likely departure will plunge Italy in a new phase of political uncertainty and possible economic turmoil. Presuming Renzi does step down, President Sergio Mattarella will be charged with brokering the appointment of a new government to run Italy until the next general election, which has to take place by the spring of 2018. The main opposition parties had all gone into the referendum insisting that there should be early elections if the referendum proposals to streamline Italy's parliament and transfer powers from the regions to the national government were defeated. (AFP)

Italy referendum: Exit polls suggest Prime Minister Renzi's defeat

Italians voted in huge numbers on Sunday in a high-stakes constitutional referendum that will decide the fate of Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and has left the rest of Europe braced for the fallout.

Renzi, who has vowed to step aside if he loses, was counting on a last-minute turnaround in voter sentiment to win backing for his proposals to streamline parliament and centralise some regional powers in the name of more effective and stable government.

Turnout was very high by Italian standards, with 57.24 per cent of voters having cast their ballots by 7 pm (1800 GMT), according to the interior ministry.

Nearly two-thirds of the electorate had voted in some parts of prosperous northern Italy but the turnout was much lower in the south, a pattern which was seen as a potential boost to the premier&#39;s survival hopes.

Renzi was in jovial mood as he cast his vote in his native Tuscany.

&quot;Have you decided how you are going to vote, prime minister?&quot; a female voter cheekily asked outside a voting station in his home town of Pontassieve, near Florence.

&quot;Now I&#39;m thinking about it!&quot; Renzi, 41, quipped back before spending 10 minutes queuing to register his vote.

Opposition parties have denounced the proposed amendments to the 68-year-old constitution as dangerous for democracy because they remove important checks and balances on executive power.

Spearheaded by the populist Five Star Movement, the biggest rival to Renzi&#39;s Democratic party, the &quot;No&quot; campaign has also sought to capitalise on Renzi&#39;s declining popularity, a sluggish economy and the problems caused by tens of thousands of migrants arriving in Italy from Africa.

&quot;God willing it&#39;s over. A new era starts tomorrow I hope,&quot; said Matteo Salvini, leader of the far-right Northern League, after voting in Milan.

Five Star leader Beppe Grillo, who had urged Italians to follow their gut instincts, used his voting appearance to joke about some voters&#39; claims that the pencils being used to vote meant ticks on the ballot papers could easily be rubbed out.

&quot;Us oldies knew what to do in this digital age. I sucked the pencil and it was working,&quot; the comedian told reporters in Genoa.

Outside a polling station in Rome, business owner Raffaele Pasquini, 37, told AFPTV he was voting &quot;Yes&quot; in the interest of his two-year-old son.

&quot;We are voting to try and change a country that has been stalled for far too long.&quot;

Turnout in Rome may have been affected by the vote coinciding with the local football derby match.&nbsp;

Matteo Rossi, 25, voted &quot;Yes&quot; before heading to the Stadio Olimpico to watch his side, Roma, beat arch rivals Lazio 2-0.

&quot;I hesitated but when you look at the people who are for &#39;No&#39;, I couldn&#39;t be with them,&quot; he told AFP.

Fellow fan Guido wasn&#39;t planning to vote. &quot;For me, the important thing today is what happens inside this stadium.&quot;Polls close at 11 p.m. (2200 GMT) with a reliable projection of the result not expected until the early hours of Monday.

If Renzi goes, some short-term market turbulence looks inevitable. Some analysts fear a deeper crisis of investor confidence that could derail a rescue scheme for Italy&#39;s most indebted banks, triggering a wider financial crisis across the eurozone.

If he wins, Italy&#39;s youngest ever prime minister could be emboldened to accelerate promised reforms in areas such as public administration, the judicial system and education.

&quot;If we miss this chance it won&#39;t come back for 20 years,&quot; Renzi warned voters before campaigning was suspended at midnight on Friday.

Up until polls were banned on November 18, the &quot;No&quot; camp was leading comfortably -- but with a quarter of the electorate undecided.

After the Brexit vote and Donald Trump&#39;s victory in the US presidential election, populism has been a factor, and Grillo&#39;s Five Star would see a &quot;No&quot; vote as its stepping stone to government.

But the campaign has also caused many voters to reconsider the merits of a much-loved constitution, crafted in the aftermath of World War II and the bitter experience of fascist dictator Benito Mussolini&#39;s disastrous rule.

Under the proposed reform, the Senate, currently a body of 315 directly-elected and five lifetime lawmakers, would have only 100 members, mostly nominated by the regions.&nbsp;

The chamber would also be stripped of most of its powers to block and revise legislation, and to unseat governments.

Other envisioned changes involve transferring some regional powers to the national government, making it easier to get major infrastructural works approved, and abolishing a costly policy agency in Rome.

&nbsp;

(AFP)

57.24 per cent of voters had cast their ballot by 7 pm local time. A high turnout by Italian standards, says the interior ministry

Italians voted in huge numbers on Sunday in a high-stakes constitutional referendum that will decide the fate of Prime Minister Matteo Renzi and has left the rest of Europe braced for the fallout. Renzi, who has vowed to step aside if he loses, was counting on a last-minute turnaround in voter sentiment to win backing for his proposals to streamline parliament and centralise some regional powers in the name of more effective and stable government. Turnout was very high by Italian standards, with 57.24 per cent of voters having cast their ballots by 7 pm (1800 GMT), according to the interior ministry. Nearly two-thirds of the electorate had voted in some parts of prosperous northern Italy but the turnout was much lower in the south, a pattern which was seen as a potential boost to the premier's survival hopes. Renzi was in jovial mood as he cast his vote in his native Tuscany. "Have you decided how you are going to vote, prime minister?" a female voter cheekily asked outside a voting station in his home town of Pontassieve, near Florence. "Now I'm thinking about it!" Renzi, 41, quipped back before spending 10 minutes queuing to register his vote. Opposition parties have denounced the proposed amendments to the 68-year-old constitution as dangerous for democracy because they remove important checks and balances on executive power. Spearheaded by the populist Five Star Movement, the biggest rival to Renzi's Democratic party, the "No" campaign has also sought to capitalise on Renzi's declining popularity, a sluggish economy and the problems caused by tens of thousands of migrants arriving in Italy from Africa. "God willing it's over. A new era starts tomorrow I hope," said Matteo Salvini, leader of the far-right Northern League, after voting in Milan. Five Star leader Beppe Grillo, who had urged Italians to follow their gut instincts, used his voting appearance to joke about some voters' claims that the pencils being used to vote meant ticks on the ballot papers could easily be rubbed out. "Us oldies knew what to do in this digital age. I sucked the pencil and it was working," the comedian told reporters in Genoa. Outside a polling station in Rome, business owner Raffaele Pasquini, 37, told AFPTV he was voting "Yes" in the interest of his two-year-old son. "We are voting to try and change a country that has been stalled for far too long." Turnout in Rome may have been affected by the vote coinciding with the local football derby match. Matteo Rossi, 25, voted "Yes" before heading to the Stadio Olimpico to watch his side, Roma, beat arch rivals Lazio 2-0. "I hesitated but when you look at the people who are for 'No', I couldn't be with them," he told AFP. Fellow fan Guido wasn't planning to vote. "For me, the important thing today is what happens inside this stadium."Polls close at 11 p.m. (2200 GMT) with a reliable projection of the result not expected until the early hours of Monday. If Renzi goes, some short-term market turbulence looks inevitable. Some analysts fear a deeper crisis of investor confidence that could derail a rescue scheme for Italy's most indebted banks, triggering a wider financial crisis across the eurozone. If he wins, Italy's youngest ever prime minister could be emboldened to accelerate promised reforms in areas such as public administration, the judicial system and education. "If we miss this chance it won't come back for 20 years," Renzi warned voters before campaigning was suspended at midnight on Friday. Up until polls were banned on November 18, the "No" camp was leading comfortably -- but with a quarter of the electorate undecided. After the Brexit vote and Donald Trump's victory in the US presidential election, populism has been a factor, and Grillo's Five Star would see a "No" vote as its stepping stone to government. But the campaign has also caused many voters to reconsider the merits of a much-loved constitution, crafted in the aftermath of World War II and the bitter experience of fascist dictator Benito Mussolini's disastrous rule. Under the proposed reform, the Senate, currently a body of 315 directly-elected and five lifetime lawmakers, would have only 100 members, mostly nominated by the regions. The chamber would also be stripped of most of its powers to block and revise legislation, and to unseat governments. Other envisioned changes involve transferring some regional powers to the national government, making it easier to get major infrastructural works approved, and abolishing a costly policy agency in Rome. (AFP)

Italy: Referendum battle enters final hours, logs massive turnout

With his career on the line, Prime Minister Matteo Renzi made a final appeal to Italians on Friday to support a crucial referendum to change the constitution, saying Italy could become Europe&#39;s strongest nation if it wins.

&quot;(This Sunday) could change the lives of our children,&quot; he told a large rally in his home city of Florence.

&quot;It is not for us, it is not for a political party, it is for them,&quot; he said at the end of a frenetic day of campaigning that included numerous media events and public rallies.

Financial markets and European political leaders fear victory for the opposition &quot;No&quot; camp in Sunday&#39;s vote could trigger political instability and renewed turmoil for Italy&#39;s battered banks, pushing the euro zone towards a fresh crisis.

Renzi has promised to resign if Italians reject his plan to drastically reduce the role of the upper house Senate and claw back powers from regional authorities.&nbsp;

The opposition says the reform will reduce vital democratic checks and balances.

Renzi, who has been trying to turn around a plethora of opinion polls showing a lead for &quot;No&quot;, said voting &quot;Yes&quot; would &quot;give Italians the possibility to write a page of history&quot;.

&quot;If &#39;Yes&#39; wins, Italy will become the leader of Europe,&quot; said Renzi, who has pledged to immediately veto the European Union&#39;s budget to force Italy&#39;s partners to give it more help in handling an influx of migrants arriving on its shores.

If Renzi is defeated, he is expected to go to President Sergio Mattarella at the Quirinale Palace, a ritual for a prime minister about to resign.

Mattarella might try to convince him to stay in office to guarantee political stability, officials have said.

Hours before Renzi spoke in Florence, Beppe Grillo, founder of the anti-euro 5-star Movement which backs a &quot;No&quot; vote, thundered against the political establishment at a rally in the northern industrial city of Turin.

&quot;We are a country that is stuck in the mud,&quot; the former comedian told thousands of people.

MOST BETS ON &quot;NO&quot;

A blackout on the publication of surveys was imposed on Nov. 18, but private polls are still being carried out and bookmakers say the &quot;No&quot; camp remains the clear favourite to win.

Economy Minister Pier Carlo Padoan sought to calm nervous markets, saying in a newspaper interview that there was &quot;no risk of a financial earthquake&quot; if &quot;No&quot; wins, though there may be &quot;48 hours of turbulence&quot;.

European shares fell to a three-week low on Friday as investors stayed cautious ahead of Italy&#39;s vote, with Milan&#39;s blue chip index off 0.75 per cent.

The bond market was more sanguine, with the gap between Italian and German 10-year bond yields, a key bellwether of investor sentiment, dipping to 165 basis points against a 2-1/2 year high of 190 points registered last week.

Market jitters have concentrated on Italy&#39;s banks, saddled with 360 billion euros ($380 billion) of bad loans, and most specifically on Monte Dei Paschi di Siena , its oldest and third largest lender.

The bank needs to raise 5 billion euros ($5.3 billion) by the end of the year to plug a capital shortfall or risk being wound down.&nbsp;

Government officials say potential investors may be deterred by political instability if &#39;No&#39; wins on Sunday.

With bookmakers odds suggesting a roughly 75 per cent chance of a win for &quot;No&quot;, speculation is rife on what Renzi will do in the event of defeat.

Renzi has said he will play no role in any unelected, so-called &quot;technical&quot; government, which Mattarella may try to put in place. Some of his allies have urged him to stay in power regardless of the result.

&nbsp;

(Reuters)

Markets and European political leaders fear victory of opposition 'No' camp in Sunday's crucial referendum to change Italy's constitution

With his career on the line, Prime Minister Matteo Renzi made a final appeal to Italians on Friday to support a crucial referendum to change the constitution, saying Italy could become Europe's strongest nation if it wins. "(This Sunday) could change the lives of our children," he told a large rally in his home city of Florence. "It is not for us, it is not for a political party, it is for them," he said at the end of a frenetic day of campaigning that included numerous media events and public rallies. Financial markets and European political leaders fear victory for the opposition "No" camp in Sunday's vote could trigger political instability and renewed turmoil for Italy's battered banks, pushing the euro zone towards a fresh crisis. Renzi has promised to resign if Italians reject his plan to drastically reduce the role of the upper house Senate and claw back powers from regional authorities. The opposition says the reform will reduce vital democratic checks and balances. Renzi, who has been trying to turn around a plethora of opinion polls showing a lead for "No", said voting "Yes" would "give Italians the possibility to write a page of history". "If 'Yes' wins, Italy will become the leader of Europe," said Renzi, who has pledged to immediately veto the European Union's budget to force Italy's partners to give it more help in handling an influx of migrants arriving on its shores. If Renzi is defeated, he is expected to go to President Sergio Mattarella at the Quirinale Palace, a ritual for a prime minister about to resign. Mattarella might try to convince him to stay in office to guarantee political stability, officials have said. Hours before Renzi spoke in Florence, Beppe Grillo, founder of the anti-euro 5-star Movement which backs a "No" vote, thundered against the political establishment at a rally in the northern industrial city of Turin. "We are a country that is stuck in the mud," the former comedian told thousands of people. MOST BETS ON "NO" A blackout on the publication of surveys was imposed on Nov. 18, but private polls are still being carried out and bookmakers say the "No" camp remains the clear favourite to win. Economy Minister Pier Carlo Padoan sought to calm nervous markets, saying in a newspaper interview that there was "no risk of a financial earthquake" if "No" wins, though there may be "48 hours of turbulence". European shares fell to a three-week low on Friday as investors stayed cautious ahead of Italy's vote, with Milan's blue chip index off 0.75 per cent. The bond market was more sanguine, with the gap between Italian and German 10-year bond yields, a key bellwether of investor sentiment, dipping to 165 basis points against a 2-1/2 year high of 190 points registered last week. Market jitters have concentrated on Italy's banks, saddled with 360 billion euros ($380 billion) of bad loans, and most specifically on Monte Dei Paschi di Siena , its oldest and third largest lender. The bank needs to raise 5 billion euros ($5.3 billion) by the end of the year to plug a capital shortfall or risk being wound down. Government officials say potential investors may be deterred by political instability if 'No' wins on Sunday. With bookmakers odds suggesting a roughly 75 per cent chance of a win for "No", speculation is rife on what Renzi will do in the event of defeat. Renzi has said he will play no role in any unelected, so-called "technical" government, which Mattarella may try to put in place. Some of his allies have urged him to stay in power regardless of the result. (Reuters)

Italy's last day of frantic referendum campaign, Renzi makes final appeal

Thousands of Venezuelans staged rival demonstrations on Wednesday for and against President Nicolas Maduro in a new test of strength as the opposition pushes for a vote on driving him from power. 
 
A week after a mass protest in the capital Caracas, Maduro opponents rallied near offices of the electoral authorities nationwide, demanding a recall referendum in the crisis-stricken country by the end of the year. 
 
The leftist leader&#39;s supporters held rallies of their own nearby, but the rival demos -- far smaller than last week&#39;s -- went off with no reports of major clashes. 
 
Oil giant Venezuela&#39;s once-booming economy has gone into meltdown as crude prices have crashed since mid-2014. 
 
Outrage is mounting over shortages of food and medicine, threatening Maduro and the socialist &quot;revolution&quot; his late predecessor, Hugo Chavez, launched in 1999. 
 
&quot;We have to do something. Voting and peaceful protest are the only weapons we have,&quot; said Rosmina Castillo, 52, demonstrating against Maduro in the town of Los Teques, just southwest of the capital. 
&nbsp;
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>Outrage is mounting over shortages of food and medicine, threatening Maduro and the socialist &quot;revolution&quot; his late predecessor, Hugo Chavez, launched in 1999.</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=
Outrage is mounting over shortages of food and medicine, threatening Maduro and the socialist &quot;revolution&quot; his late predecessor, Hugo Chavez, launched in 1999." target="_blank">&nbsp;</a></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
 
 
She was among a crowd of some 1,500 opposition protesters who gathered a block away from roughly the same number of Maduro supporters. A metal barrier and lines of police kept them apart. 
 
&quot;We&#39;re here defending the revolution against an attack by this unpatriotic right,&quot; said state oil company employee Alexander Rangel at a pro-government demo in Caracas. 
 
The protests&#39; target, the electoral authorities&#39; 24 regional offices, were closed and tightly guarded by police. 
 
&nbsp;&#39;Coup-mongering&#39;&nbsp; 
 
Maduro accuses his opponents of plotting protest violence in a bid to oust him. 
 
&quot;No one will bring fascist violence to Venezuela, nor coup-mongering, nor hate,&quot; he told a crowd of supporters on Wednesday. 
 
The center-right opposition, for its part, accuses the government of waging an authoritarian crackdown. 
 
Dozens of protesters were arrested in the aftermath of last Thursday&#39;s rally, human rights groups say. 
 
The opposition says around one million people flooded the streets of Caracas that day, the biggest protest in decades. Maduro put the turnout at a maximum of 30,000 people. 
 
But the massive crowds, dressed in white and venting months of pent-up anger, gave the opposition new momentum. 
 
&quot;The opposition&#39;s roadmap is to try to keep people participating,&quot; political analyst Luis Vicente Leon said. &quot;The challenge is to stay active and peaceful in the street while pushing a referendum.&quot; 
 
War of words&nbsp; 
 
Long lines and bare supermarket shelves have become the norm in Venezuela, where inflation is forecast to top 700 per cent this year. 
 
Outbreaks of looting have erupted and violent crime is festering. 
 
Maduro blames the crisis on an &quot;economic war&quot; by Venezuelan elites backed by &quot;American imperialism.&quot; 
 
Although the opposition has won control of the legislature, it has been hamstrung by a Supreme Court it condemns as loyal to Maduro.
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>Although the opposition has won control of the legislature, it has been hamstrung by a Supreme Court it condemns as loyal to Maduro.</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=
Maduro blames the crisis on an &quot;economic war&quot; by Venezuelan elites backed by &quot;American imperialism.&quot;
" target="_blank">&nbsp;</a></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
If Maduro loses a recall vote before January 10 -- as opinion polls predict he would -- it would trigger new elections. After that date, he would simply hand power to his hand-picked vice president. 
 
Maduro&#39;s number two, Diosdado Cabello, vowed there was &quot;no chance&quot; of the recall referendum taking place this year. 
 
&quot;We demand the constitution be respected. We have the right to a referendum,&quot; fired back Jesus Torrealba, spokesman for the opposition Democratic Unity Roundtable (MUD). 
 
Cracks in Maduro camp&nbsp; 
 
In the next stage of the referendum process, the opposition must gather four million signatures within three days. 
 
The electoral authorities are due to announce the dates for that petition next Tuesday. 
 
The opposition has called for a full 24 hours of protests the following day. 
 
&quot;They are pushing the people&#39;s patience,&quot; senior opposition figure Henrique Capriles said of Maduro&#39;s side. 
 
&quot;What will happen if they keep pushing? A social explosion.&quot; 
 
Maduro meanwhile faces growing pressure within his own camp. 
 
Former Chavez minister Ana Elisa Osorio, once a steadfast ally, told AFP this week that recent events show Maduro is &quot;not up to the job.&quot; 
 
Crucially, however, the embattled president has so far maintained the backing of the security forces. 
 
Seeking to contain the crisis, he has given the army vast powers over food distribution, and on Wednesday announced a new $25-million spending program for arms and equipment for the national police force. 
 
(AFP)

President Nicholas Maduro has accused his opponents of plotting protest violence in a bid to oust him

Thousands of Venezuelans staged rival demonstrations on Wednesday for and against President Nicolas Maduro in a new test of strength as the opposition pushes for a vote on driving him from power. A week after a mass protest in the capital Caracas, Maduro opponents rallied near offices of the electoral authorities nationwide, demanding a recall referendum in the crisis-stricken country by the end of the year. The leftist leader's supporters held rallies of their own nearby, but the rival demos -- far smaller than last week's -- went off with no reports of major clashes. Oil giant Venezuela's once-booming economy has gone into meltdown as crude prices have crashed since mid-2014. Outrage is mounting over shortages of food and medicine, threatening Maduro and the socialist "revolution" his late predecessor, Hugo Chavez, launched in 1999. "We have to do something. Voting and peaceful protest are the only weapons we have," said Rosmina Castillo, 52, demonstrating against Maduro in the town of Los Teques, just southwest of the capital. Outrage is mounting over shortages of food and medicine, threatening Maduro and the socialist "revolution" his late predecessor, Hugo Chavez, launched in 1999. She was among a crowd of some 1,500 opposition protesters who gathered a block away from roughly the same number of Maduro supporters. A metal barrier and lines of police kept them apart. "We're here defending the revolution against an attack by this unpatriotic right," said state oil company employee Alexander Rangel at a pro-government demo in Caracas. The protests' target, the electoral authorities' 24 regional offices, were closed and tightly guarded by police. 'Coup-mongering' Maduro accuses his opponents of plotting protest violence in a bid to oust him. "No one will bring fascist violence to Venezuela, nor coup-mongering, nor hate," he told a crowd of supporters on Wednesday. The center-right opposition, for its part, accuses the government of waging an authoritarian crackdown. Dozens of protesters were arrested in the aftermath of last Thursday's rally, human rights groups say. The opposition says around one million people flooded the streets of Caracas that day, the biggest protest in decades. Maduro put the turnout at a maximum of 30,000 people. But the massive crowds, dressed in white and venting months of pent-up anger, gave the opposition new momentum. "The opposition's roadmap is to try to keep people participating," political analyst Luis Vicente Leon said. "The challenge is to stay active and peaceful in the street while pushing a referendum." War of words Long lines and bare supermarket shelves have become the norm in Venezuela, where inflation is forecast to top 700 per cent this year. Outbreaks of looting have erupted and violent crime is festering. Maduro blames the crisis on an "economic war" by Venezuelan elites backed by "American imperialism." Although the opposition has won control of the legislature, it has been hamstrung by a Supreme Court it condemns as loyal to Maduro. Although the opposition has won control of the legislature, it has been hamstrung by a Supreme Court it condemns as loyal to Maduro. If Maduro loses a recall vote before January 10 -- as opinion polls predict he would -- it would trigger new elections. After that date, he would simply hand power to his hand-picked vice president. Maduro's number two, Diosdado Cabello, vowed there was "no chance" of the recall referendum taking place this year. "We demand the constitution be respected. We have the right to a referendum," fired back Jesus Torrealba, spokesman for the opposition Democratic Unity Roundtable (MUD). Cracks in Maduro camp In the next stage of the referendum process, the opposition must gather four million signatures within three days. The electoral authorities are due to announce the dates for that petition next Tuesday. The opposition has called for a full 24 hours of protests the following day. "They are pushing the people's patience," senior opposition figure Henrique Capriles said of Maduro's side. "What will happen if they keep pushing? A social explosion." Maduro meanwhile faces growing pressure within his own camp. Former Chavez minister Ana Elisa Osorio, once a steadfast ally, told AFP this week that recent events show Maduro is "not up to the job." Crucially, however, the embattled president has so far maintained the backing of the security forces. Seeking to contain the crisis, he has given the army vast powers over food distribution, and on Wednesday announced a new $25-million spending program for arms and equipment for the national police force. (AFP)

Venezuelans demand referendum, Maduro hard-pressed

Thailand will vote on a junta-crafted constitution today in a referendum where independent campaigning and open debate has been banned, as opponents warn the document will perpetuate military power. 
 
The referendum is the first time Thais have headed to the polls since the generals toppled a democratically-elected government in 2014. 
 
The kingdom has been beset by a decade of political turmoil, denting growth and taking the shine off a nation that was once hailed for its democratic progress. 
 
The military says their new constitution will curb endemic political corruption and bring stability after the dizzying merry-go-round of recent years. 
 
But critics say it aims to neuter civilian politicians and reinforce the royalist elite&#39;s hold over democracy. 
 
Jaturong Boonyarattanasoontorn, from the Union for Civil Liberty, described the referendum as a &quot;win-win&quot; for the military. 
 
&quot;If the draft constitution is accepted, the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) will use it to legitimise its influence over Thai politics,&quot; he said, using the official acronym for the junta. 
 
&quot;If it&#39;s rejected, the junta will have an excuse to continue its absolute rule.&quot; 
 
Thailand has long had a turbulent political scene. The military has successfully seized power 12 times since the end of absolute monarchy in 1932 and this constitution will be the kingdom&#39;s twentieth if passed. 
 
But the latest political crisis - dubbed the &quot;lost decade&quot; - is particularly acute. 
 
Since a 2006 coup, power has flipped between elected governments led by or linked to self-exiled billionaire Thaksin Shinawatra and rule by an arch-royalist army and its establishment allies. 
 
In that time competing streets protests have shunted democracy aside and seen scores killed on Bangkok&#39;s streets. 
 
The turmoil has been compounded by the frail health of 88-year-old King Bhumibol Adulyadej, as competing elites jostle ahead of any transition. 
 
&#39;Fuel political instability&#39;&nbsp; 
 
The most divisive clauses in the charter call for a junta-appointed senate to check elected lawmakers and increased powers for courts, which are already accused of political bias. 
 
Another clause makes it easy to begin impeachment proceedings. 
 
The charter &quot;creates undemocratic institutions, weakens the power of future elected governments, and is likely to fuel political instability,&quot; the International Federation of Human Rights (FIDH) concluded in a recent analysis. 
 
Debate has also been curtailed ahead of the vote, prompting international criticism from allies and the United Nations. 
 
At least 195 arrests have been made under a vaguely worded special law that effectively bans campaigning or criticism of the charter, according to Thai Lawyers for Human Rights. 
 
As a result, interest in the poll appears thin. 
 
A low turnout is likely to favour the military because the charter only needs a simple majority of those who vote to pass, not a majority of the 50 million registered voters. 
 
But the two main political parties in Thailand - who rarely agree - have both come out against the charter, which could prompt a higher turnout. 
 
Junta chief Prayut Chan-O-Cha has promised to hold elections in the summer of 2017, whether or not the charter is passed. But his previous election date promises have slipped. 
 
Preliminary results of the referendum are expected around 9:00 pm (1400 GMT) today, with final results to be confirmed three days later. 
 
(AFP) 
&nbsp;

Opponents warn the document will perpetuate military power

Thailand will vote on a junta-crafted constitution today in a referendum where independent campaigning and open debate has been banned, as opponents warn the document will perpetuate military power. The referendum is the first time Thais have headed to the polls since the generals toppled a democratically-elected government in 2014. The kingdom has been beset by a decade of political turmoil, denting growth and taking the shine off a nation that was once hailed for its democratic progress. The military says their new constitution will curb endemic political corruption and bring stability after the dizzying merry-go-round of recent years. But critics say it aims to neuter civilian politicians and reinforce the royalist elite's hold over democracy. Jaturong Boonyarattanasoontorn, from the Union for Civil Liberty, described the referendum as a "win-win" for the military. "If the draft constitution is accepted, the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) will use it to legitimise its influence over Thai politics," he said, using the official acronym for the junta. "If it's rejected, the junta will have an excuse to continue its absolute rule." Thailand has long had a turbulent political scene. The military has successfully seized power 12 times since the end of absolute monarchy in 1932 and this constitution will be the kingdom's twentieth if passed. But the latest political crisis - dubbed the "lost decade" - is particularly acute. Since a 2006 coup, power has flipped between elected governments led by or linked to self-exiled billionaire Thaksin Shinawatra and rule by an arch-royalist army and its establishment allies. In that time competing streets protests have shunted democracy aside and seen scores killed on Bangkok's streets. The turmoil has been compounded by the frail health of 88-year-old King Bhumibol Adulyadej, as competing elites jostle ahead of any transition. 'Fuel political instability' The most divisive clauses in the charter call for a junta-appointed senate to check elected lawmakers and increased powers for courts, which are already accused of political bias. Another clause makes it easy to begin impeachment proceedings. The charter "creates undemocratic institutions, weakens the power of future elected governments, and is likely to fuel political instability," the International Federation of Human Rights (FIDH) concluded in a recent analysis. Debate has also been curtailed ahead of the vote, prompting international criticism from allies and the United Nations. At least 195 arrests have been made under a vaguely worded special law that effectively bans campaigning or criticism of the charter, according to Thai Lawyers for Human Rights. As a result, interest in the poll appears thin. A low turnout is likely to favour the military because the charter only needs a simple majority of those who vote to pass, not a majority of the 50 million registered voters. But the two main political parties in Thailand - who rarely agree - have both come out against the charter, which could prompt a higher turnout. Junta chief Prayut Chan-O-Cha has promised to hold elections in the summer of 2017, whether or not the charter is passed. But his previous election date promises have slipped. Preliminary results of the referendum are expected around 9:00 pm (1400 GMT) today, with final results to be confirmed three days later. (AFP)

Thais vote on junta-written constitution, will be country's 20th if passed

Venezuela&#39;s opposition gathered enough signatures to proceed with efforts to call a referendum on removing President Nicolas Maduro, electoral authorities said Monday, without setting a date for the next step. 
 
The head of the National Electoral Council (CNE), Tibisay Lucena, told a press conference Maduro&#39;s opponents had cleared the threshold of 200,000 valid signatures on a petition demanding the leftist leader face a recall referendum. 
 
The opposition blames Maduro for an economic implosion that has seen food shortages, hyperinflation, violence and looting erupt in the once-booming oil giant. 
 
The council did not set a date for the next stage of the lengthy recall process, in which the opposition must collect four million signatures in just three days. 
 
In a boost to the Maduro camp&#39;s claims of rampant fraud, Lucena said the authorities had detected more than 1,000 apparently falsified signatures. 
 
The opposition submitted 1.8 million signatures in May calling for Maduro to face a recall, 1.3 million of which were accepted by the council. 
 
Signatories then had to show up at electoral offices to validate their identity with fingerprint scans. 
 
The threshold was one per cent of the electorate, or roughly 200,000 signatures which the opposition cleared. 
 
&quot;The certification will be granted by the (CNE) secretariat,&quot; Lucena said. 
 
That enables the main opposition coalition, the Democratic Unity Roundtable (MUD), to formally request a recall vote. 
 
However, Lucena said more than 1,000 fingerprint scans did not correspond with the signatory&#39;s identity, more than 400 were repeats and nearly 200 people tried to register more than once. 
 
&quot;The electoral authority will ask the state prosecutor&#39;s office to investigate the potential usurpation of identity committed by some citizens,&quot; she said. 
 
A recent poll found 64 per cent of Venezuelans would vote to remove Maduro. 
 
But to get there, the opposition first has to collect another four million signatures in three days, at a yet-to-be-decided time. 
 
To win the ensuing recall referendum, Maduro&#39;s opponents would need more votes than he won the presidency with in 2013 around 7.5 million. 
 
Time appears to be on the president&#39;s side. 
 
His allies have an arsenal of possible delaying strategies. They have filed more than 8,000 legal challenges against the recall petition and called on the electoral authorities to ban MUD for alleged fraud. 
 
The opposition is racing to force a referendum by January 10, the cutoff date to trigger new elections four years into the president&#39;s six-year term. 
 
After that date, a successful recall vote would simply transfer power to Maduro&#39;s hand-picked vice-president.US Secretary of State John Kerry urged Venezuela not to stall. 
 
&quot;The Venezuelan constitution guarantees Venezuelans the right to have their voices heard through the referendum process. And we call on Venezuela`s authorities to allow this process to go forward in a timely and a fair manner, and not to play a game of delay,&quot; he said in Washington. 
 
MUD, a motley coalition of opposition parties, accuses the electoral authority of being in bed with Maduro. 
 
They are hoping pressure from Venezuelans desperate over the collapsing economy will force the government&#39;s hand. 
But MUD has struggled to rally mass protests. 
 
Many Venezuelans are too busy standing in line for scarce food and basic goods. 
 
Maduro has declared a state of emergency and given his military sweeping powers over food production and distribution. 
 
Venezuela has sunk into crisis as global prices for its main export, oil, have collapsed. 
 
Its economy is facing its third year of deep recession this year. Its inflation rate is the highest in the world, forecast to top 700 per cent this year. 
 
The economic tailspin is threatening 17 years of socialist rule under Maduro and his late predecessor, Hugo Chavez. 
 
The opposition won legislative elections in December, only to find its power stymied by the Supreme Court, which it says is also in Maduro&#39;s pocket. 
 
(AFP)

According to National Electoral Council, Maduro's opponents had cleared 200,000 valid signatures to call referendum

Venezuela's opposition gathered enough signatures to proceed with efforts to call a referendum on removing President Nicolas Maduro, electoral authorities said Monday, without setting a date for the next step. The head of the National Electoral Council (CNE), Tibisay Lucena, told a press conference Maduro's opponents had cleared the threshold of 200,000 valid signatures on a petition demanding the leftist leader face a recall referendum. The opposition blames Maduro for an economic implosion that has seen food shortages, hyperinflation, violence and looting erupt in the once-booming oil giant. The council did not set a date for the next stage of the lengthy recall process, in which the opposition must collect four million signatures in just three days. In a boost to the Maduro camp's claims of rampant fraud, Lucena said the authorities had detected more than 1,000 apparently falsified signatures. The opposition submitted 1.8 million signatures in May calling for Maduro to face a recall, 1.3 million of which were accepted by the council. Signatories then had to show up at electoral offices to validate their identity with fingerprint scans. The threshold was one per cent of the electorate, or roughly 200,000 signatures which the opposition cleared. "The certification will be granted by the (CNE) secretariat," Lucena said. That enables the main opposition coalition, the Democratic Unity Roundtable (MUD), to formally request a recall vote. However, Lucena said more than 1,000 fingerprint scans did not correspond with the signatory's identity, more than 400 were repeats and nearly 200 people tried to register more than once. "The electoral authority will ask the state prosecutor's office to investigate the potential usurpation of identity committed by some citizens," she said. A recent poll found 64 per cent of Venezuelans would vote to remove Maduro. But to get there, the opposition first has to collect another four million signatures in three days, at a yet-to-be-decided time. To win the ensuing recall referendum, Maduro's opponents would need more votes than he won the presidency with in 2013 around 7.5 million. Time appears to be on the president's side. His allies have an arsenal of possible delaying strategies. They have filed more than 8,000 legal challenges against the recall petition and called on the electoral authorities to ban MUD for alleged fraud. The opposition is racing to force a referendum by January 10, the cutoff date to trigger new elections four years into the president's six-year term. After that date, a successful recall vote would simply transfer power to Maduro's hand-picked vice-president.US Secretary of State John Kerry urged Venezuela not to stall. "The Venezuelan constitution guarantees Venezuelans the right to have their voices heard through the referendum process. And we call on Venezuela`s authorities to allow this process to go forward in a timely and a fair manner, and not to play a game of delay," he said in Washington. MUD, a motley coalition of opposition parties, accuses the electoral authority of being in bed with Maduro. They are hoping pressure from Venezuelans desperate over the collapsing economy will force the government's hand. But MUD has struggled to rally mass protests. Many Venezuelans are too busy standing in line for scarce food and basic goods. Maduro has declared a state of emergency and given his military sweeping powers over food production and distribution. Venezuela has sunk into crisis as global prices for its main export, oil, have collapsed. Its economy is facing its third year of deep recession this year. Its inflation rate is the highest in the world, forecast to top 700 per cent this year. The economic tailspin is threatening 17 years of socialist rule under Maduro and his late predecessor, Hugo Chavez. The opposition won legislative elections in December, only to find its power stymied by the Supreme Court, which it says is also in Maduro's pocket. (AFP)

Venezuela recall clears hurdle, but no date for next step

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras yesterday said the constitution should be revised to give Greeks &quot;direct democracy&quot;, a say in electing the president and the right to hold referendums on laws. 
 
&quot;It is time to set aside fear of the people&#39;s judgment even if the people are not infallible,&quot; Tsipras said in a televised speech. 
 
He said people should be allowed to elect the nation&#39;s president - who is currently chosen by parliament - if efforts by lawmakers fail, as they did last year. 
 
The people should also be able to reject laws by referendum - except those on fiscal matters - and propose their own legal initiatives, Tsipras said. 
 
Lawmakers should only be allowed to serve a maximum of two consecutive terms in parliament. 
 
The Greek state should also be &quot;religion-neutral&quot; and officials should take civil oaths, even if Greece&#39;s main religion remains orthodox Christianity, the leftist PM said. 
 
This last proposal is likely to raise eyebrows in Greece, where Tsipras - a self-admitted atheist - became the country&#39;s first-ever prime minister to take a civil oath on his election last year. 
 
And the PM must also sway his own Syriza party, where a sizeable faction sees no need for constitutional revision.&nbsp;He said discussion groups would be formed nationwide and deliver a report by April on public proposals for the constitution. 
 
Most opposition leaders boycotted the ceremony, held mainly before Tsipras allies in front of parliament. 
 
Even if approved, the constitutional changes cannot be set in motion by the present parliament.&nbsp;They can only be enacted by the legislative body that will emerge after the next elections, which are normally due in 2019. 
 
However, Tsipras&#39; coalition government rests on a fragile three-seat majority and it is widely assumed that he will be unable to complete his four-year term. 
 
Tsipras said decisions would be taken in a year&#39;s time and could be supported with a referendum on the issue. 
 
The Greek constitution has been revised three times in the last four decades, with the last changes coming in 2008.&nbsp;Successive parliamentary votes are required to change a constitutional article - one to nominate a specific article to be amended, and another to actually rewrite it. 
 
From the two votes to be held on each article selected for amendment, at least one must be carried by a majority of 180 out of Greece&#39;s 300 lawmakers. 
 
Tsipras can currently rely on at least 153 deputies to approve his proposals, but finding another 180 to confirm the changes, up to three years from now, will not be easy.&nbsp;Tsipras&#39; popularity has waned after he was forced last year to accept an unpopular EU bailout to keep Greece in the eurozone. 
 
Polls show he could actually lose the next election to Kyriakos Mitsotakis, leader of the conservative New Democracy party. 
 
(AFP)

People should be allowed to elect the nations's president and also be able to reject laws by referendum, Alexis Tsipras said

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras yesterday said the constitution should be revised to give Greeks "direct democracy", a say in electing the president and the right to hold referendums on laws. "It is time to set aside fear of the people's judgment even if the people are not infallible," Tsipras said in a televised speech. He said people should be allowed to elect the nation's president - who is currently chosen by parliament - if efforts by lawmakers fail, as they did last year. The people should also be able to reject laws by referendum - except those on fiscal matters - and propose their own legal initiatives, Tsipras said. Lawmakers should only be allowed to serve a maximum of two consecutive terms in parliament. The Greek state should also be "religion-neutral" and officials should take civil oaths, even if Greece's main religion remains orthodox Christianity, the leftist PM said. This last proposal is likely to raise eyebrows in Greece, where Tsipras - a self-admitted atheist - became the country's first-ever prime minister to take a civil oath on his election last year. And the PM must also sway his own Syriza party, where a sizeable faction sees no need for constitutional revision. He said discussion groups would be formed nationwide and deliver a report by April on public proposals for the constitution. Most opposition leaders boycotted the ceremony, held mainly before Tsipras allies in front of parliament. Even if approved, the constitutional changes cannot be set in motion by the present parliament. They can only be enacted by the legislative body that will emerge after the next elections, which are normally due in 2019. However, Tsipras' coalition government rests on a fragile three-seat majority and it is widely assumed that he will be unable to complete his four-year term. Tsipras said decisions would be taken in a year's time and could be supported with a referendum on the issue. The Greek constitution has been revised three times in the last four decades, with the last changes coming in 2008. Successive parliamentary votes are required to change a constitutional article - one to nominate a specific article to be amended, and another to actually rewrite it. From the two votes to be held on each article selected for amendment, at least one must be carried by a majority of 180 out of Greece's 300 lawmakers. Tsipras can currently rely on at least 153 deputies to approve his proposals, but finding another 180 to confirm the changes, up to three years from now, will not be easy. Tsipras' popularity has waned after he was forced last year to accept an unpopular EU bailout to keep Greece in the eurozone. Polls show he could actually lose the next election to Kyriakos Mitsotakis, leader of the conservative New Democracy party. (AFP)

Greek PM proposes constitutional change for 'direct democracy'

Two eight-year-old girls in Thailand have been charged for violating campaigning rules ahead of a contentious referendum next month after tearing voter lists off a wall because they liked the pink paper they were printed on, police said today.&nbsp; 
 
The military government has clamped down on dissent ahead of the August 7 vote on a military-backed constitution that it says will ensure stability in a country rocked by political turmoil for more than a decade. 
 
The girls were charged with obstructing the referendum process and destroying public property after tearing down the lists posted outside a school, said Damrong Phetpong, police commander in the northern province of Kamphaeng Phet. 
 
&quot;We now understand the issues why it was happened. The two girls were just playing around without realising what documents those were,&quot; he said, adding they would not face punishment because they were so young. 
 
The referendum will be the first big test of the public&#39;s opinion of the military government since it came to power after a May 2014 coup. 
 
Critics, including major political parties, say the draft charter would give the military too much power over elected governments, and would not resolve differences between populist political forces and the military-dominated establishment. 
 
The government, which appears increasingly jittery ahead of the vote, has brought in a law banning discussion of the constitution and lobbying, both for and against, with a 10-year prison sentence for anyone who breaks it. 
 
(Reuters)

The girls were charged with obstructing referendum process, destroying public property after tearing down the lists posted outside a school

Two eight-year-old girls in Thailand have been charged for violating campaigning rules ahead of a contentious referendum next month after tearing voter lists off a wall because they liked the pink paper they were printed on, police said today. The military government has clamped down on dissent ahead of the August 7 vote on a military-backed constitution that it says will ensure stability in a country rocked by political turmoil for more than a decade. The girls were charged with obstructing the referendum process and destroying public property after tearing down the lists posted outside a school, said Damrong Phetpong, police commander in the northern province of Kamphaeng Phet. "We now understand the issues why it was happened. The two girls were just playing around without realising what documents those were," he said, adding they would not face punishment because they were so young. The referendum will be the first big test of the public's opinion of the military government since it came to power after a May 2014 coup. Critics, including major political parties, say the draft charter would give the military too much power over elected governments, and would not resolve differences between populist political forces and the military-dominated establishment. The government, which appears increasingly jittery ahead of the vote, has brought in a law banning discussion of the constitution and lobbying, both for and against, with a 10-year prison sentence for anyone who breaks it. (Reuters)

Two 8-year-old girls charged in Thailand for tearing referendum voter lists

referendum

Referendum, News on Referendum, stories on Referendum, articles on Referendum, Referendum stories at Wion, Referendum news, Referendum latest news