But exit polls suggest that turnout failed to reach the 50% needed for the result to be valid. » | Sunday, October 2, 2016
Showing posts with label referendum. Show all posts
Showing posts with label referendum. Show all posts
Sunday, October 02, 2016
Hungary Referendum Rejects EU Mandatory Migrant Plan
But exit polls suggest that turnout failed to reach the 50% needed for the result to be valid. » | Sunday, October 2, 2016
Hungary Votes on EU Refugee Quota Referendum
Thursday, September 29, 2016
Monday, July 06, 2015
Greek No Vote: 'The Fightback for a Europe of Dignity Starts Here'
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Monday, February 27, 2012
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Over 89 per cent of Syrians approved a new constitution, proposed by President Bashar al-Assad, in a referendum on Sunday, state television said on Monday.
The new constitution that could keep Mr Assad in power until 2028 was condemned by world leaders as a "sham".
"The referendum in Syria is nothing more than a farce," said Guido Westerwelle, the German foreign minister. "Sham votes cannot be a contribution to a resolution of the crisis. Assad must finally end the violence and clear the way for a political transition."
Turnout in the referendum was 57.4 percent, state television said. » | Bruno Waterfield, Brussels and agencies | Monday, February 27, 2012
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Sunday, February 26, 2012
THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: Syria's Bashar al-Assad and his wife voted in a referendum on Sunday on a new constitution aimed at defusing nearly a year of protests that have brought the country to the brink of civil war.
Assad and wife Asma struggled to reach the voting centre at the headquarters of state-owned television and radio, as cheering employees crowded to greet them, in footage aired on Syrian television.
"Allah, Syria and Bashar only," chanted the crowds to Assad who turned out in a navy blue suit. The blonde-haired first lady, in a black and grey suit, waved to onlookers.
The couple went together behind the booth curtain where voters are supposed to make their choices in privacy, before casting their ballots.
"The attack on us is a media assault," he said addressing the crowds on the staircase, apparently referring to a continuous coverage by Arab satellite channels of his forces' deadly crackdown on protests.
"It is true that media is important, but it does not beat reality," he said.
The West immediately dismissed the vote as "a sham". » | Sunday, February 26, 2012
THE SUNDAY TIMES: Syria: Will anyone dare stop the Syrian slaughter? – As the death toll mounts across Syria – and calls grow louder for the rebels to be armed with Western weapons – the fear on the ground is that things are only going to get worse. » | Richard Spencer, Middle East Correspondent | Sunday, February 26, 2012
Friday, February 03, 2012
No, there are no Englishmen hanging from the trees in the Scottish Highlands. There are no Scottish terrorists setting off bombs, and someone who speaks with an English accent here isn't likely to be targeted for a beating. Likewise, it's only rarely that you'll see the "Free Scotland" slogan along the highway from Glasgow to Edinburgh. So where exactly are all these separatists supposedly intent on splitting Britain apart?
Though they might be hard to spot, they do exist, they're active and they might even reach their goal in less than four years -- and all in a way that is perfectly democratic.
On Jan. 25, the Scots were commemorating Robert Burns, their national poet. Meanwhile, in Edinburgh, Alex Salmond, the charismatic leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP), announced how he intends to dissolve Great Britain. In a referendum to be held in the fall of 2014, the Scots will be asked to answer the following question: "Do you agree Scotland should be an independent country?" If a majority votes that it should be, the partition could already be completed by 2016.
The move would put an end to what will have been a 309-year partnership -- and be a serious blow. Although it boasts its own nuclear arsenal, Britain is now only a mid-sized power that sometimes still suffers from the loss of its empire. Likewise, it is increasingly isolating itself within Europe. Were Scotland to go its own way, Britain would suddenly see its population drop by 5.2 million, and its economic output could shrink by about £120 billion (€145 billion/$190 billion). However, as one of the few positive consequences for the government in London, the move would also lead to a reduction of nearly the same sum in its mountain of debt. » | Marco Evers | Thursday, February 02, 2012
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
BBC: The Scottish Secretary Michael Moore has said he hopes the row over the independence referendum can be worked out amicably and would not end up in the courts.
The Scottish government has said it has a mandate to hold the vote in the autumn of 2014 but ministers at Westminster say that would be unlawful under current devolved powers.
They are prepared to give Holyrood the authority to hold a binding vote provided its a single question, is overseen by the Electoral Commission and the minimum voting age is 18.
First Minister Alex Salmond told BBC Good Morning Scotland he thinks Mr Moore is wrong about the voting age. Listen to the audio » | Tuesday, January 11, 2012
Thursday, November 03, 2011
L’EXPRESS.fr: Le Premier ministre grec a laissé entendre en fin de journée que le référendum n'aurait finalement pas lieu. Les pressions exercées de toutes part auront donc eu raison de lui. Récit d'une journée extraordinaire.
Une journée en enfer pour le premier ministre grec. En l'espace de quelques heures, des pressions venues de l'Europe, de l'opposition, et même de son propre parti ont forcé Georges Papandréou à prendre le chemin de l'abandon du référendum sur le plan d'aide européen qu'il avait annoncé avec fracas ce mardi. Car depuis 48h, ce choix de consulter le peuple empoisonne ses relations avec l'Europe entière et avec les membres de sa propre majorité. Retour sur une spectaculaire volte-face. » | Ali Bekhtaoui | jeudi 03 novembre 2011
Wednesday, November 02, 2011
The French president Nicolas Sarkozy and German chancellor Angela Merkel will hold emergency talks on Wednesday in a desperate attempt to hold the eurozone together and formulate a response to the Greek prime minister's plan for a referendum on the austerity measures imposed by his European partners.
George Papandreou's socialist government is on the brink of collapse after his referendum plan sparked an angry reaction within his own party and plunged Europe back into turmoil, just days after a complex rescue deal had been agreed – requiring Greece to embark on tough cost-cutting measures.
While Papandreou's cabinet approved unanimously his decision to hold a referendum, it threatens to split the prime minister's Pasok party. One MP, Milena Apostolaki, has quit in disgust at the idea of a referendum and several colleagues have said that if it is not abandoned they will join her. Papandreou faces a vote of confidence on Friday. A split in the Pasok party would almost certainly bring down the Greek government, which now has a majority of just two MPs in parliament.
The Greek finance minister, Evangelos Venizelos, who was rushed to hospital before the referendum announcement, said Papandreou had kept him in the dark over his plan to announce a vote. » | Phillip Inman and Helena Smith in Athens | Wednesday, November 02, 2011
Tuesday, November 01, 2011
Der griechische Ministerpräsident Georgios Papandreou hat ein Referendum über das europäische Hilfspaket von 130 Milliarden Euro sowie den in Aussicht gestellten Teilerlass griechischer Staatsschulden und damit über den unpopulären Sanierungskurs seiner Regierung angekündigt. Er werde zudem im Parlament die Vertrauensfrage stellen, sagte Papandreou bei einer Fraktionssitzung der regierenden Pasok. Über die Vertrauensfrage wird das Parlament voraussichtlich in der kommenden Woche abstimmen, das Referendum soll noch in diesem Jahr stattfinden. Die Pasok stellt 153 der 300 Abgeordneten im griechischen Parlament. » | Von RAINER HERMANN, ATHEN | Montag 31. Oktober 2011
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BBC: Greek PM Papandreou faces party revolt over bailout: Six leading members of Greece's governing Pasok party have called on Prime Minister George Papandreou to resign, the day after he called a referendum on the proposed EU bailout. » | Tuesday, November 01, 2011
LE FIGARO: Madrid critique le référundum [sic] grec : Le choix d'organiser un référendum en Grèce sur le plan de sauvetage financier du pays "n'est pas une bonne décision pour l'Europe" et "pas non plus pour l'Espagne", a affirmé mardi le porte-parole du gouvernement espagnol José Blanco. » | AFP | mardi 01 novembre 2011
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Despite the biggest-ever Tory rebellion on Europe, David Cameron faced down a courageous attempt by backbenchers to give voters their first say on Britain’s membership of the EU since 1975.
MPs voted overwhelmingly against the Commons motion calling for a national poll on whether to cut or renegotiate Britain’s ties to Brussels.
The result was a bloody nose for the Prime Minister and a stark demonstration of the growing support at Westminster for a referendum.
Campaigners accused the Tory, Lib Dem and Labour MPs who united to kill the Commons motion of wilfully ignoring a huge surge of public support for a plebiscite. And they vowed that there will be no let-up in the drive to give the British people a say on our links with the EU. » | Macer Hall and Martyn Brown | Tuesday, October 25, 2011
THE GUARDIAN: Deputy PM says prospect of wresting back powers from EU is 'tilting at windmills' after Cameron suffers backbench rebellion
Fresh differences between Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition partners have been exposed as the deputy prime minister, Nick Clegg, described the prospect of wresting back powers from Brussels as "tilting at windmills".
The education secretary, Michael Gove, had earlier sought to play down differences between the government and backbenchers after David Cameron suffered the largest postwar rebellion on Europe on Monday night, when 81 Conservative MPs supported a referendum on Britain's membership of the EU.
Gove insisted the policy differences between the government and rebels were exaggerated, and said the two sides were united in their determination to repatriate powers from the EU to Westminster[.]
Clegg, however, condemned the backbench rebellion, saying Britain should be leading, not leaving, Europe.
Recognising that reforms to the EU were necessary, he said: "You don't change Europe by launching some smash-and-grab dawn raid on Brussels. You do it by setting out the case for changes and then arguing the case with other countries.
"We can't do this on our own – we have to build alliances, we have to convince and persuade other countries, and that is what we look to do all the time."
Asked whether the British public could not be trusted with a vote on the country's relationship with Europe, Clegg replied: "I have always advocated a vote on Europe if there is a proposal on the table to transfer significant chunks of sovereignty and policy from our country to Brussels – but it's not on the table.
"We should stop tilting at windmills about threats and challenges which simply aren't there right now. Let's get on with the difficult job of working with our eurozone partners to fix the eurozone because, let's face it, unless you've got a strong, prosperous eurozone, you can't have a strong, prosperous United Kingdom." » | Hélène Mulholland, political reporter | Tuesday, October 25, 2011
THE GUARDIAN: Largest postwar rebellion on Europe as 81 Tory MPs support call for referendum on Britain's membership of the EU
David Cameron was warned that he faces four years of trench warfare with disgruntled backbenchers after he suffered the largest postwar rebellion on Europe as 81 Conservative MPs supported a referendum on Britain's membership of the EU.
With a new opinion poll showing overwhelming support for a referendum, normally loyal backbenchers told Downing Street that Cameron will face further rebellions unless he takes a tough stance in EU treaty negotiations.
The warnings were issued as nearly half of Cameron's backbenchers defied a three-line whip and voted in favour of a motion calling for a referendum on whether Britain should remain in the EU on current terms, whether to leave or whether to renegotiate Britain's membership. » | Nicholas Watt, chief political correspondent | Tuesday, October 25, 2011
THE GUARDIAN: Full list of MPs who voted against the EU referendum: A total of 81 Tory MPs rebelled against the government. In all, 79 Tory MPs voted in favour of an EU referendum while a further two were tellers for the rebels » | Patrick Wintour | Tuesday, October 25, 2011
THE GUARDIAN: The government will win the vote on a referendum on EU membership – but at what cost to the PM's leadership?
While Tory MP Steve Baker conducted his weekly surgery in High Wycombe on Friday, the phone rang constantly. "Lots of constituents got in touch, urging me to vote for a referendum on Europe," he said. "And members of my association did the same. It is the first time on any issue that I have had that kind of response."
As it turns out, they need not have bothered. Baker, a young MP who entered parliament only in 2010, is already a fully developed muscular Eurosceptic. He had decided days before that he would rebel in Monday's Commons vote on whether the people should be granted a referendum on UK membership of the European Union. "Personally I think reform of the EU is impractical and that we should come out," he said. "So I will be backing the motion."
Across the country, Tory MPs – many of whom are worried about retaining their seats after boundary changes – have been ordered by their constituents to do the same, or else.
At Westminster, however, the pressure on them has been to do precisely the opposite. David Cameron and his whips are making clear they expect Conservatives to vote against Monday's motion. Their argument is that the UK must help to shape a better, more economically successful Europe from within and that now, of all times, is not the moment for a noisy revival of Brussels-bashing. » | Toby Helm, political editor | Saturday, October 22, 2011
Monday, October 24, 2011
William Hague, has told backbench Eurosceptics that Monday's Commons vote on pulling out of Europe "is the wrong question at the wrong time".
The foreign secretary spoke out as David Cameron faced the most serious challenge to his authority since taking office. A large number of Conservative MPs are reportedly planning to rebel on the Commons motion, which calls for a referendum on the UK's relationship with the EU.
Cameron will meet parliamentary aides in Downing Street before the vote in an attempt to dissuade as many as 10 members of the government who are minded to rebel against the prime minister, requiring them to resign their posts.
The coalition is sticking to its decision to impose a three-line whip on MPs to vote against the motion, despite criticism that it has been too heavy-handed.
The motion calls for a nationwide referendum on whether Britain should leave the EU, renegotiate its treaty with Brussels, or remain a member on the current terms.
The government will not suffer a defeat because Labour and the Lib Dems will vote down the motion, but a sizeable group of Conservative believes Cameron should honour pledges once made to allow a national vote on Britain's relationship with Europe. They are calling for the repatriation of social and employment rights.
Hague – formerly one of the Tory party's most high-profile Eurosceptics – defended the leadership's decision to impose a three-line whip on the grounds that the motion being debated was "completely against the policy of the government".
"This proposition is the wrong question at the wrong time. It was not in the manifesto of either of the governing parties," he said. » | Hélène Mulholland | Monday, October 24, 2011
Thursday, October 20, 2011
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: David Cameron faces the biggest rebellion of his premiership next week as dozens of Conservative MPs are expected to defy the Government and vote in favour of a referendum on Britain’s relationship with Europe.
Graham Brady, the chairman of the 1922 Committee of back-bench Conservative MPs, warns today that a referendum would give the British people “one of the most important decisions about the future of our democracy and our economy”.
In an article for The Daily Telegraph, Mr Brady says that it is not appropriate for the Prime Minister to seek to use Parliamentary whips to force Conservative MPs to vote against the plan for a referendum. Next week, the Commons will vote on a motion calling for a referendum, either on Britain leaving the European Union or to renegotiate this country’s relationship with Europe.
The debate was scheduled to be held on Thursday, when William Hague, the Foreign Secretary, and Mr Cameron were due to be out of the country. Last night, the debate was brought forward to Monday because Mr Hague is understood to want to lead government opposition to the proposal.
The motion, which is not binding on the Government, has already been publicly backed by at least 46 Conservative MPs including David Davis, the former shadow home secretary, and Zac Goldsmith, Mr Cameron’s former environmental adviser.
Downing Street sources said they still favoured “whipping” the vote to order Tory MPs to vote against a referendum. » | Robert Winnett, and Christopher Hope | Wednesday, October 19, 2011
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Scandal the European parliament tried to keep secret: The European Parliament’s £1.5 billion budget is beset by the abuse of staff perks and expenses, nepotism and the wasting of taxpayers’ money, according to secret internal audits obtained by The Daily Telegraph. » | Bruno Waterfield, Brussels | Thursday, October 20, 2011
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Even as MPs agreed to hold a Commons vote on a referendum, government sources made clear that the Tories would be whipped to vote against a poll.
Mr Cameron's decision to impose a three-line whip has angered many MPs, since the vote was called under rules the Coalition promised would give backbenchers more freedom.
The back-bench business committee yesterday voted to hold a debate on the issue on Oct 27 after more than 100,000 people signed a petition demanding a choice.
The Prime Minister, who has expressed his desire to take back some powers from Brussels, is publicly opposed to a referendum and will order his MPs to vote against it.
Although any vote would not be binding, the decision sets the scene for a Tory rebellion and a test of Mr Cameron's authority over his party. » | Christopher Hope | Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Cameron would have been better off becoming a high class estate agent. He'd have done well at that. Leading the Conservatives, however, is another matter. Judging by the comments I have read on this thread, he's already a dead man walking. His chances of re-election are zilch.
I am no Europhobe, but if the people want a referendum, they should be given one. It isn't enough to talk about democracy, one has to show one's democratic credentials. David Cameron's are sadly lacking. But scorn will be heaped on him for this decision; and pay-back time is just a few years down the road. – © Mark
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Monday, May 16, 2011
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Voters in the Swiss canton (state) of Zurich have overwhelmingly rejected calls to ban assisted suicide or to outlaw the practice for non-residents.Zurich's cantonal voters rejected both measures on Sunday that had been backed by political and religious conservatives.
Out of more than 278,000 ballots cast, the initiative to ban assisted suicide was rejected by 85 per cent of voters and the initiative to outlaw it for foreigners was turned down by 78 per cent, according to Zurich authorities. » | Sunday, May 15, 2011
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