Serbia votes in historic election as students seek to end Vucic’s long grip on power

-
By Mina PEJAKOVIC AFP | Posted by TOE Voting was under way in Serbia on Sunday in what is set to be its most fiercely contested parliamentary election in more than 14 years, as a student-led movement seeks to oust the party of veteran leader Aleksandar Vucic. The snap vote is the culmination of nearly two years of student-led protests sparked by the 2024 collapse of a canopy at Novi Sad railway station that killed 16 people — a tragedy widely blamed on corruption. The disaster triggered some of Serbia’s largest protests since the fall of strongman Slobodan Milosevic in 2000. The Students’ List, a selection of candidates backed by the largely leaderless movement, now poses the biggest challenge to Vucic’s right-wing populist Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), which has dominated politics throughout its tenure. – High turnout – Eighteen electoral lists are vying for seats in Serbia’s 250-member parliament, but polls suggest ...
Post a Comment

Togo soldiers break up protests against longtime leader

-

Soldiers in Togo used tear gas and batons on Thursday to disperse hundreds of protesters who blocked main roads in the capital to call for the resignation of longtime leader Faure Gnassingbe, Reuters witnesses said.

The gathering organised by bloggers and activists highlighted persisting political strife in Togo, where last month Gnassingbe was given the powerful new role of President of the Council of Ministers that has no fixed term limit.

Gnassingbe, whose family has ruled the West African nation since 1967, had previously served for two decades as president, and opposition parties have described his new appointment as a “constitutional coup” that could extend his rule for life.

Protest organisers called for three days of gatherings, although participants on Thursday were quickly scattered by soldiers, Reuters witnesses said. Many shops remained closed as clashes continued into the afternoon, they said.

Hodabalo Awate, Togo’s minister of territorial administration, did not immediately respond to a request for comment on security forces’ response to the protests.

In the suburbs of the capital Lome, some protesters burned wooden furniture and tyres used for makeshift barricades, sending black smoke billowing above the streets.

“We’re hungry. Nothing works for Togolese youth any more, that’s why we’re going out to protest this morning,” said Kossi Albert, a 30-year-old unemployed man, adding that he was planning to turn out again on Friday.

Togolese authorities arrested dozens of people on June 5-6 during protests against Gnassingbe’s new role as well as what critics described as a crackdown on dissent and a cost-of-living crisis, according to Amnesty International.

Many were quickly released, the rights group said.

Last week, Togo suspended broadcasts of French state-funded international news outlets RFI and France 24 for three months, accusing them of a lack of impartiality and rigour.

SOURCE: REUTERS AND AGENCIES



from The Times Of Earth https://ift.tt/lAskFQb

Comments

Post a Comment