News

Fight to be President: Macron and Le Pen ramp up speeches

Published

4 years ago

April 11, 2022

The fight for presidency is well and truely on in France

Current French President Emmanuel Macron will go head to head with far-right rival Marine Le Pen as the French elections get underway.

The two are getting set for a run-off which has been locked in for April 24.

Projections after a first-round voting was in favour of Macron. With 96 per cent of votes counted, Mr Macron won 27.4 per cent in the first round, with Ms Le Pen at 24 per cent.

“Make no mistake, nothing is decided,”
mr macron told supporters.

In the end, he won a convincing first-round victory, but opinion polls suggest the run-off could be much closer.

Rival, Le Pen called on every non-Macron voter to join her and “put France back in order”.

The results set up a duel between Macron who is an economic liberal with a globalist outlook and Le Pen, who has become known to be a deeply euro-sceptic economic nationalist who, until the Ukraine war, was an open admirer of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

News

Liberal and Nationals reunite after political split

Australia’s major parties restore Coalition unity after three weeks, with Nationals frontbenchers rejoining shadow cabinet and ministers pledging commitment.

Published

8 hours ago

February 9, 2026

Harvey Vargas

Australia’s major parties restore Coalition unity after three weeks, with Nationals frontbenchers rejoining shadow cabinet and ministers pledging commitment.

Australia’s Liberal and National parties have agreed to restore their historic Coalition partnership after a three-week split, marking their second reconciliation in under a year. The deal ensures stability ahead of upcoming political challenges.

Under the agreement, Nationals frontbenchers will return to the shadow cabinet by March 1. This move signals a return to unified leadership as both parties aim to present a stronger front in parliament.

As part of the compromise, three senators who broke party solidarity during a recent vote face a six-week suspension. All shadow ministers will also sign an agreement to uphold cabinet unity and prevent future splits.

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News

Starmer aide resigns after Mandelson appointment questioned over Epstein links

Morgan McSweeney resigned amid scrutiny of Peter Mandelson’s US ambassadorship; Keir Starmer claims he was misled about Epstein ties.

Published

8 hours ago

February 9, 2026

Harvey Vargas

Morgan McSweeney resigned amid scrutiny of Peter Mandelson’s US ambassadorship; Keir Starmer claims he was misled about Epstein ties.

U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, has resigned amid scrutiny over Peter Mandelson’s appointment as U.K. ambassador to the U.S. McSweeney accepted responsibility for the controversial decision, calling stepping aside the honourable choice.

Lawmakers raised questions about Mandelson’s ties to Jeffrey Epstein. The Epstein files indicate Mandelson maintained contact with Epstein even after his 2008 conviction, intensifying the controversy surrounding his diplomatic appointment.

Starmer confirmed that Mandelson misled him about the extent of their friendship and pledged to release documents confirming the details. The resignation signals a significant shake-up in Starmer’s team and ongoing political fallout.

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News

Japan election delivers commanding win for ruling LDP

Japan’s ruling party expected to strengthen majority in Lower House election despite heavy snowfall, says local forecasts.

Published

8 hours ago

February 9, 2026

Harvey Vargas

Japan’s ruling party expected to strengthen majority in Lower House election despite heavy snowfall, says local forecasts.

Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party is projected to tighten its grip on power following a decisive Lower House election, according to local media forecasts. Early projections suggest the LDP will secure between 274 and 328 seats in the 465-seat chamber, significantly strengthening its parliamentary position.

Together with coalition partner the Japan Innovation Party, the governing bloc is expected to cross the 300-seat mark, with some estimates putting the total as high as 366 seats. Voter turnout remained resilient despite heavy snow across parts of the country, as citizens braved severe weather to cast their ballots.

The election was called by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in January, a move widely viewed as a strategic gamble to capitalise on her strong public approval ratings. The result appears to reinforce her mandate and consolidate political stability in Japan’s national leadership.

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