At the moment, the former Prime Minister of the Republic Imran Khan speaks to a crowd of protesters. After his speech, the general column is expected to move to the capital.
Former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, 97, lost his seat in parliament following the legislative elections that took place on Saturday, which threatens to put an end to the long career of this veteran politician who was hoping to return to the political scene.
Mahathir, who served as Malaysia's prime minister for more than two decades in two terms, failed to retain his parliamentary seat and came fourth in a competition contested by five candidates in the Langkawi island constituency.
The seat was won by a candidate from the National Alliance, which is led by another former prime minister, Muhyiddin Yassin.
Mahathir leads a coalition that pledged to overthrow the current National Front coalition government on the grounds of accusations of corruption, but his alliance is not a major competitor, as the Front faces two other major coalitions, the Muhyiddin bloc and another led by Anwar Ibrahim, Mahathir's arch-rival for a long time.
Mahathir said in an interview with Reuters this month that he would retire from politics if he lost.
Millions of voters went to the polls to participate in the national elections, which were called early, in an attempt to end the political instability.
The election is the first since the historic vote in 2018, when the party, which has ruled the Southeast Asian country since its independence in 1957, was defeated in the wake of a multibillion-dollar corruption scandal.
A single party is unlikely to win an outright majority in the 222-seat House of Representatives, and the majority of the major parties have campaigned under one banner, in a race between three major alliances.
Three successive prime ministers in the country within 3 years, including Mahathir Mohamad, 97, who ruled Malaysia for more than two decades during two terms in power.
The economic issue emerges as a priority for parties and voters alike. According to a survey prepared by the Merdeka Center for Opinion Research, it was found that 74% of respondents consider the economy a priority, followed by political stability and corruption.
Muslim-Americans are active in local and national US politics. They are members of both major parties. During the most recent elections, some won, some lost, but overall, it was a banner year for politicians who are members of the Arab and/or Muslim communities.
A statement by CAIR stated that there are currently 29 Muslim-American legislators in the councils of 18 states, and New York and Minnesota lead these states with three legislators each.
A total of 82 Muslim candidates won the races on Tuesday, the highest percentage since CARE began tracking the electoral progress of American Muslims.
Daryl Issa - Republican - California - House of Representatives / win
In California's 48th District, Arab-American Republican Representative Daryl Issa faced a challenge from Democratic newcomer Stephen Houlahan, but was victorious with 61% of the vote.
Darren Lahoud - Republican - Illinois - House of Representatives / win
Republican candidate Darren Lahoud, a Lebanese-American, handily defeated his Democratic opponent, Elizabeth Haderlin, in Illinois' 16th district with 66% of the vote.
Abraham Hamadeh - Republican - Arizona - Attorney General/ Not yet determined
For the position of state attorney general, Republican Abraham Hamadeh, a former military intelligence officer and lawyer of Syrian origin, is vying with Democrat Chris Mays, and the winner will represent the state on important issues related to immigration, abortion, and election management. Hamadeh won the support of former President Donald Trump.
As of the end of yesterday, Wednesday, Hamada had obtained 50.1% of the vote, compared to 49.9 percent for his democratic rival, and the completion of the counting and counting of votes had not yet been announced.
Rashida Tlaib - Democrat - Michigan / win
Democratic Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib won for the third time in the 12th district in Michigan, after defeating Republican Stephen Elliott, and got 73.3% of the vote, despite being bullied by the former president, in addition to campaigns directed by the Jewish lobby.
Ilhan Omar - Democrat - Minnesota / win
Ilhan Omar won a landslide victory in the fifth district in the state for a seat in the House of Representatives. Ilhan is considered one of the most effective Muslims in defending Arab and Islamic issues in Congress. She received the votes of 75% of the electorate, while her Republican opponent, Cecily Davis, received less than 25% of the vote.
Garrett Greaves, Republic of Louisiana/Foz
In the southern US state of Louisiana, Garrett Graves, a Republican of Lebanese descent, won the 6th District over another Republican contender, Brian Bayzer, by 80%.
Andrew Carson, Indiana, Democrat, House of Representatives
Farrow, Representative Andrew Carson in his seat, which he has held for several years, won by 68% over Republican candidate Angela Grabowski.
At the local level, dozens of Arab candidates achieved important victories, including Harvard-educated Democratic candidate Abdel Nasser Rashid, who won the Illinois State House of Representatives in the 21st district in the southwestern suburbs of Chicago, which includes one of the largest concentrations of Palestinian Americans. In Iowa, Democrat Sammy Sheetz won the 78th District in the state House of Representatives.
Commenting on the election results, CARE National Executive Director Nihad Awad said, “The historic string of electoral victories for American Muslims that broke previous records is a testament to our community’s continued rise in American politics and the trust our neighbors have placed in us to represent them and fight for their interests. ".
In the press release, Awad called on "all elected American Muslim leaders to be inspired by their Islamic faith, and to work towards the best possible future for all Americans."
As revealed again by the West’s rhetorical support of protesters in Iran, the practice of using human rights claims to go after governments the West does not like and ignoring human rights abuses when they are done by Western-supported regimes or when done in Western countries, such a practice is very short-sighted and tends to backfire.
Case in point: for more than seventy years, the US and other
European governments provided unwavering support to the Saudi regime even when such regime banned women from driving, unleashed its morality police to beat shop owners who did not close their shops during Friday prayers, abused migrant workers, oppressed its Shia community, beheaded dissidents, launched illegal wars against its neighbors, and sent a team of 15 operatives to lure a dissident into its embassy building and dismember his body. Then, after one single decision by the Saudi regime to cut oil export just one month before midterm elections in the US and when Russia's oil is sanctioned, and the media and politicians are now gearing up to tell the world how bad the Saudi regime is. Soon, you will see more commentaries and political talking points unmasking Saudi Arabia’s “bad” human rights record. Given the context, few informed people will pay attention, and even fewer will trust the human rights claims behind which the West stands to justify its sanctions or interventions in countries run by leaders who do not follow and obey Western preferences. Here, the preeminent NYT and its top influencer is using a line from Trump’s book, They Are Laughing At Us, to promote the idea of punishing the Saudi regime.
In this way, the Insaf Party was able to invest its victory in the elections in Punjab, which is the largest and most influential province in Pakistan on the political scene. This region owns more than half of the seats in the country's parliament, and the winner of his local elections will have the opportunity to form the federal government later.
This prompted Imran Khan to demand again new national elections after his party's landslide victory. "Any other path will only lead to more political uncertainty and economic chaos," he said on Twitter.
There are a number of reasons for Imran Khan's success in this election. Between 30 to 45 thousand new voters were added to the voter register, who usually vote for parties and not individuals.
Al-Insaf Party's nomination of popular members or influential families and clans, in addition to obtaining the support of religious groups (Sunni and Shiite) in some electoral districts.
The effective campaign of the leadership of the Insaf Party, especially after the 10th of April (the date of the overthrow of the Khan government), and the focus on the external role in this overthrow, despite the repeated denials of this by his opponents.
Imran Khan's performance in the electoral rallies, which observers and followers described as admirable, as his personality was a decisive factor by urging voters to "jihad" and defeat "traitors" and achieve the real independence of the country and prevent any external interference, and this is popular with the Pakistani people.
Outside these matters, there is alos the state of other political parties. Internal disagreements over the nomination of members within Sharif's Muslim League party, which led to the division of the popular base for them, in addition to their lack of a clear plan or a strong electoral campaign. So what might happen in the near future?
A. Federal Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif is supposed to announce early elections in the country.
B. If Sharif does not do so, then there is a high probability that Punjab Chief Minister Pervez Elahi will resort to dissolving the provincial parliament, and this may force Sharif to dissolve the federal parliament. It is also possible that the Chief Minister of the PTI-controlled Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province will do a similar scenario, and this will certainly destabilize the federal government.
Al-Sudani’s failure to have a significant bloc in the House of Representatives, as his bloc includes only three deputies, after obtaining two of the resigned “Sadrists” replacements, makes him a middle candidate within the “Coordination Committee” first; If a major figure was nominated from the "framework", this would have provoked the sensitivity of al-Maliki, who considers himself more deserving of his leadership. The candidacy also sends a message to al-Sadr that the formation of the new government aims to disrupt the current stage, knowing that the latter is betting on the failure of any government formed by the “framework,” to pave the way for new elections that would lead him, he hopes, to win a clear majority that would allow him to form a government that does not include his opponents. Accordingly, Al-Sudani's candidacy could open the way to forming a new government, after the Kurds agreed to choose a new president of the republic. The Coordination Council has more than 160 deputies in the 329-seat House of Representatives, which means that it is easy to obtain the required majority for the government in the event that a deal is reached that includes the election of a president and the formation of the government.
Al-Sudani is a member of the Iraqi parliament and a representative of the province of Baghdad, and he is the Secretary of the Euphrates Movement.
He held several ministerial positions, including Minister of Labor and Social Affairs in the government of former Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi in 2014, then Acting Minister of Industry, Acting Minister of Trade and Minister of Human Rights between 2010 and 2014.
Al-Sudani was governor of Maysan governorate between 2009 and 2010 and a member of the same governorate council between 2005 and 2009, in addition to the position of head of the High Commission for Justice Accountability as an agency and head of the Institution of Political Prisoners as an agency.
Al-Sudani is considered the candidate of the coordination framework for the position of prime minister, as an internal leader, and he has never worked in the opposition, does not have a Western residency, and has never worked in security positions.
Full name and surname: Muhammed Shaya Sabbar Hatem Al-Sudani.
Birth: Baghdad 1970.
Marital status: He is married and has (5) children.
Academic achievement: Bachelor of Agricultural Sciences / University of Baghdad 1992.
Political Vision:
That the people of Iraq live with honor and dignity, and that Iraq becomes a strong, secure and rich country in human energies and economic resources.
Political Mission:
Fighting poverty, beating corruption, reviving the economy and absorbing unemployment.
About childhood and his father's struggle against dictatorship:
He was born in Baghdad in the city of Al-Hurriya in 1970 from a middle-class family. His father was an employee of the Agricultural Bank. He is the eldest son of Sheikh Sabbar Hatem Al-Sihoud.
He joined the ranks of the Islamic Dawa Party in 1974 and was arrested after returning from France in 1980 from a treatment trip after his group was exposed in the party. He was detained in a hospital in Paris by embassy security and was forcibly returned despite his need for surgery.
His father, the martyr, had a great impact on the life of the engineer Muhammad, the author of the biography, as he accompanied him on all his tours and visits, as well as the strict educational program in studying and memorizing the Qur’an and the principles of good morals that became a clear basis for the personality of Muhammad Shiaa Al-Sudani.
God honored him when he was ten years old by the martyrdom of his father in the group of martyrs of the Islamic Dawa Party in 1980, as well as five martyrs from members of the family.
Beginning of his political career:
He participated in the Shaaban uprising on 3/1/1991 to get rid of the dictatorship and remove the Baathist regime of oppression, and because of the security harassment that followed the suppression of the uprising, he resided in Baghdad for three years until he graduated from college.
Professional life:
He submitted an application for appointment in 1995, but did not start until 4-6-1997 due to the difficulty of obtaining security approvals, as he was one of the destitute people during the time of the defunct dictatorial regime. He has an actual service for six years in the Directorate of Agriculture of Maysan, in which he assumed several responsibilities, including the presidency of the Kumait and Ali Al Sharqi Agriculture Division and the Plant Production Department. He was the engineer supervising the national research program with the United Nations FAO.
The last hours before the start of the referendum on the new draft constitution in Tunisia seem decisive and decisive.
It is expected that more than nine million registered voters will go to the polling stations to vote “yes” or “no” on a draft new constitution for the country, including more than eight million voters inside Tunisia and nearly 900,000 outside it.
The voting process abroad begins on Saturday and ends on Monday, July 25, which is the day on which the voting takes place at home and coincides with Tunisia’s commemoration of the Republic Day, as well as the first anniversary of the approval of the exceptional measures that allowed President Kais Saied to dismiss the government and freeze Parliament and then finally dissolve it permanently.
While about 160 participants in the campaign for the referendum, including parties, organizations and natural persons, conclude their activities in preparation for the day of silence and then the referendum day, the opposition moves its spectrum again in the street with calls for demonstrations launched by the parties of the national campaign to overthrow the referendum, which brings together the Democratic Current, the Republican Party, the Ettakatol Party and the Labor Party The Qutb Party, as well as the Civil Coalition for a Social Democratic Civil State on the one hand, and the National Salvation Front led by veteran lawyer and politician Ahmed Najib al-Shabbi, and in which ten political components are included, foremost of which is the Ennahda movement on the other.
24 hours was enough to turn the picture of the results that the opponents of Hezbollah and the Free Patriotic Movement wanted to circulate on Sunday evening. If Hezbollah (along with its ally, President Nabih Berri) has firmly seized the entire Shiite parliamentary bloc over the whole of Lebanon, what emergped from the developments in the Christian community ended in the absence of the image of victory that the Lebanese forces spread on Sunday evening, and official and unofficial results showed that the current The Free Patriotic Movement won a parliamentary bloc that outperforms the forces bloc. And if the loss of the current in the Jezzine district represented a major blow, the forces’ loss of one of the two seats of Bcharre was a major and unprecedented blow, bearing in mind that scrutiny of vote percentages remains linked to reviewing the full results. A quick reading of the names of the winners from the members of the two teams or those allied with them shows the movement's progress over the forces by at least a seat.
What was remarkable on the day following the count was not only the loss of some Hezbollah allies, including all the Syrian Social Nationalist Party candidates and candidates Talal Arslan, Wiam Wahhab and Marwan Khair al-Din, but rather the ability of youth groups that emerged from the October 17 uprising to achieve serious violations in several circles. It can be said that these groups succeeded in challenging the traditional forces in the south, the Bekaa, the mountains and the north, in addition to Beirut.
Detailed political readings will occupy the scene over the next few days. But what must be confirmed until now is not promising, especially since the voting in most constituencies was based on a sharp sectarian and sectarian background, and even the boycott in many constituencies reflected the frustration of a large part of the Sunnis who represent the base of the Future Movement.
In practice, the official results announced by the Minister of Interior Bassam al-Mawlawi until midnight last night presented the final figures in 12 constituencies, and the official results remained limited to the districts of Tripoli - Minieh - Denniye, Akkar and Beirut II, where it is assumed that the real repercussions of the reluctance of President Saad Hariri's audience in these Sunni-majority districts.
There are many titles related to the main forces that ran in the elections. But the media scene, with its political background, focused on two things. The first relates to the results of voting in the Christian street and the nature of voting among Sunnis in most of Lebanon's districts. In this context, the following can be mentioned:
Tayyar (Current) and Quwat (Forces)
From Sunday evening until sunset yesterday, time was heavy on the audience and leaders of the Free Patriotic Movement. Despite Gibran Bassil winning his seat in Batroun, and declaring his victory over all the political forces and financial machines that had gathered to topple him, the announced results indicated that the movement had lost in front of the forces. This was reflected in frustration among the Aoun public, especially since the forces did not provide a television or radio program or a page on social media to announce their landslide victory and the formation of the largest parliamentary bloc from north to south. It is not just numbers for the movement, but its loss of a set of political privileges that begin with the government and do not end with appointments and key Christian positions in the state as well as sitting at the decision table. The privileges he has been accustomed to since 2005 as a result of his victory in the largest parliamentary bloc, and which mainly led to the arrival of President Michel Aoun to his position. The crash looked strong after 17 years.
In the evening, however, the scene changed. The picture began to fade since it became clear that the movement won four seats in Akkar, followed by the announcement of the victory of MP George Atallah in Koura, and then the forces' loss of the minority seat in Beirut I. This coincided with the struggle of candidate Gad Ghosn with the forces on the Matn seat, and news of the loss of George Adwan in the Chouf in favor of Ghada Eid.
On paper and pen, the Aounists could enumerate 19 deputies, in addition to 3 allied deputies from the Tashnaq Party, so that the bloc would have 22 deputies. While the forces were retreating from 23 to 18, MP Raji Al-Saad was added to them as an ally after MP Camille Chamoun announced that he did not intend to join the bloc of forces, bringing the result to 22 for the current and 19 for the forces. Soon, it became possible to talk about a completely changed picture between the two republics; The Quwatists seemed more anxious, and the Aounists more comfortable, especially with the "violation" of George Atallah in Koura.
However, the biggest blow that the Forces received came after the official result of the third northern district was announced, and the announcement of the fall of the troop candidate Joseph Ishak in exchange for the victory of the candidate William Tawq in the troop den in Bcharre. It is a loss equal to 18 deputies or more. This news sparked a wave of countless comments and publications, the majority of which belong to the Free Patriotic Movement. MP Strida Geagea, prior to the election day, addressed Basil by saying: “Let him stop his neighbors in Batroun on May 15th.” You shook and you became a human being, a rewarder.” Thus, it flared up again between the forces and the current, and it was now possible to talk about the Aounists regaining their breath. In fact, the Free Patriotic Movement will organize a "victory festival" to announce its victory next Saturday. For him, “Exiting this many representatives after all the war that was waged against him, both foreign and internal, and by all available means, including Gulf ambassadors, pressure on candidates, money, propaganda, media, media professionals, and funded programs, is a crushing victory, stronger and stronger than all past victories.”
The Lebanese Parliamentary Elections.. Announcing the winning candidates in 12 constituencies
The representatives were distributed among their parties so far, according to the following:
Hezbollah and Amal Movement: 32 deputies
Free Patriotic Movement: 20 deputies
Lebanese Forces Party: 18 deputies
The Kataeb Party: 5 MPs
Tashnak Party: 2
Marada party: 2
Independents: 14 deputies
Civil society: 11 deputies
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