Page 2 - Presidential Elections

Iran's former Prez Ahmadinejad registers for June 28 presidential election

Iran's hard-line former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad registered Sunday as a possible candidate for the presidential election, seeking to regain the country's top political position after a helicopter crash killed the nation's president. The populist former leader's registration puts pressure on Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. In office, Ahmadinejad openly challenged the 85-year-old cleric, and his attempt to run in 2021 was barred by authorities. The firebrand, Holocaust-questioning politician's return comes at a time of heightened tensions between Iran and the West over Tehran's rapidly advancing nuclear program, its arming of Russia in its war on Ukraine and its wide-reaching crackdowns on dissent. Associated Press journalists in Tehran saw Ahmadinejad arrive at the Interior Ministry and begin the registration process. Before his arrival, his supporters chanted and waved Iranian flags. An election is planned June 28 to replace Khamenei's hard-line protg President Ebrahim

Mulino becomes Panama President with support from convicted former leader

Mulino, a pro-business right-wing politician, faces a daunting task of mending social divisions and regaining the faith of an electorate fed up with political graft

Close ally of PM Fico tops a pro-Western diplomat to become Slovakia's prez

A close ally of populist Prime Minister Robert Fico beat a pro-Western career diplomat to become Slovakia's new president, and succeed Zuzana Caputov, the country's first female head of state. Parliamentary speaker Peter Pellegrini received 53.85 per cent of the vote with the ballots from over 98 per cent polling stations counted by the Statistics Office in Saturday's runoff election, topping former Foreign Minister Ivan Korcok who had 46.14 per cent. Korcok conceded the defeat and congratulated the winner. I'm disappointed, he said. Pellegrini becomes Slovakia's sixth president since the country gained independence after the split of Czechoslovakia in 1993. Caputov, a staunch backer of neighboring Ukraine in its fight against Russia's invasion, didn't seek a second term in the largely ceremonial post. Pellegrini's victory cemented Fico's grip on power by giving him and his allies control of major strategic posts. The president of the nation of 5.4 million people picks the prime

Prabowo Subianto wins Indonesia's presidential election, says poll body

Prabowo is expected to take over from outgoing President Joko Widodo in October. He is expected to speak later on Wednesday

3 things to watch for in Russia's presidential poll, other than Putin's win

While the result may be a foregone conclusion, the election offers an important glimpse into the Kremlin's domestic challenges as it continues a war against Ukraine that recently entered third year

'Will not meddle in US presidential election,' Russia rejects accusations

President Vladimir Putin dropped a series of ironic remarks about the U.S. election, saying that he finds Joe Biden preferable as the next U.S. president to Donald Trump

Ex-President Trump set to face jury over sex abuse, defamation claims

After a big victory in the Iowa caucus, former President Donald Trump is expected in court on Tuesday to face another legal challenge: a trial to determine how much more he owes the writer E. Jean Carroll for denying that he sexually assaulted her in the 1990s and accusing her of lying about her claims. Jury selection begins on Tuesday morning at a federal court in Manhattan. Opening arguments could take place by afternoon in what is essentially a second penalty phase of a legal fight Carroll has already won. In May, a different jury awarded Carroll USD 5 million after concluding that Trump sexually abused her in a department store dressing room in spring 1996, then defamed her in 2022 by claiming she made it up after she revealed it publicly in a 2019 memoir. The jury said Carroll hadn't proven that Trump raped her. One issue that wasn't decided in that first trial was how much Trump owed for comments he made about Carroll while he was still president. Determining that dollar amou

With 40% votes DPP candidate Lai Ching-te wins Taiwan's presidential polls

This marks the historic third-straight victory for the DPP after Tsai Ing-wena completed her two terms as Taiwan President since 2016

Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu to visit China from January 8-12

New Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu will pay a state visit to China from January 8 to 12, the Chinese Foreign Ministry announced here on Friday. Muizzu, a close associate of former Maldives President Abdulla Yameen who forged close ties with China during his Presidency from 2013 to 2018, took oath as the eighth President of the Maldives after defeating India-friendly incumbent Ibrahim Mohamed Solih in the presidential runoff held in September. Muizzu is visiting China at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said in a press release. Muizzu's predecessors in the recent past visited India first, considering the wide-ranging bilateral ties and the Maldives' proximity to India, followed by China which has expanded its influence in the island nation by investing in major infrastructure projects there. However, Muizzu chose Turkey as his first visit soon after his election followed by the UAE where he met Prime Minister ...

A year in politics: A recap of all key global events that shaped 2023

From geopolitical conflicts to historic political shifts, 2023 has been a year of significant milestones. Dive into the key political events that left an indelible mark on the world stage

For Putin, winning election could be easier than resolving many challenges

For President Vladimir Putin, winning reelection will probably be the easy part. His sweeping grip on Russia's political scene has virtually assured him another six-year term that would extend his two dozen years in power. More daunting will be the thorny challenges that lie ahead. The stalemated war in Ukraine, unyielding Western pressure that compounds Russia's economic problems, and intensifying infighting among the ruling elite will loom over Putin's next term and erode his pledges of stability. THE WAR IN UKRAINE What Putin expected to be a quick campaign in 2022 to establish Kremlin control over its neighbour has turned into a grinding war of attrition that has incurred massive personnel losses and drained Russia's resources. While Russia has prevented Ukraine's army from making any significant gains during its summer counteroffensive, the Kremlin doesn't have enough manpower and equipment to mount any major campaigns of its own. The resulting stalemate sets the stage for m

Russian lawmakers set prez vote for Mar 17, 2024, clearing path for Putin

Russian lawmakers on Thursday set the date of the 2024 presidential election for March 17, moving Vladimir Putin closer to a fifth term in office. Putin, 71, hasn't yet announced his intention to run again, but he is widely expected to do so in the coming days now that the date has been set. Under constitutional reforms he orchestrated, he is eligible to seek two more six-year terms after his current one expires next year. Having established tight control over Russia's political system, Putin's victory is all but assured. Prominent critics who could challenge him on the ballot are either in jail or living abroad, and most independent media have been banned. Neither the costly, drawn-out military campaign in Ukraine, nor a failed rebellion last summer by mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin appear to have affected his high approval ratings reported by independent pollsters. The March election clears the way for him to remain in power at least until 2030.

Republicans meet for second presidential debate to blunt Trump's momentum

Republicans are meeting for their second presidential debate on Wednesday as his top rivals seek to blunt the momentum of Donald Trump, who is so confident of cruising through the party's primary that he again won't share a stage with them. Seven GOP candidates will be at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library for an event hosted by Fox Business Network. Trump will be in Michigan, delivering a prime-time speech attempting to capitalize on the Auto Workers Union strike and trying to appeal to rank-and-file union members in a key state for the general election. The debate comes at a critical moment in the GOP campaign, with less than four months before the Iowa caucuses formally launch the presidential nomination process. For now, Trump is dominating the field even as he faces a range of vulnerabilities, including four criminal indictments that raise the prospect of decades in prison. His rivals are running out of time to dent his lead, which is building a sense of urgency among som

The Trump saga: Indictment, RICO law & future of presidential campaign

Donald Trump faces 91 charges against him. However, he may still be able to run for President in the next US elections

Ecuador: Shooting occurs near prez election candidate Otto Sonnenholzner

Otto Sonnenholzner said he was having breakfast with his wife and daughters at a restaurant when the violence erupted

LIVE: HP govt declares whole state as 'natural calamity affected area'

Catch all the latest updates from across the globe here

Indian-origin ex-minister Tharman qualified to run in S'pore prez election

Singapore-born Indian-origin Tharman Shanmugaratnam and two Chinese-origin former executives of government-linked companies have qualified to run for the city-state's presidential election on September 1, it was announced on Friday. The Presidential Elections Committee (PEC) received a total of six applications for the Certificate of Eligibility by Thursday's deadline, the Elections Department (ELD) said. Singapore had earlier said it would hold the presidential election on September 1 if more than one person qualifies for the presidential run. Incumbent President Halimah Yacob's six-year term will end on September 13. The two Chinese origin who have qualified as candidates for the presidential election are Chief Investment Officer Ng Kok Song and former NTUC Income Chief Executive Tan Kin Lian. The department noted that Tharman submitted his bid under the public sector service track while Ng applied under the public sector deliberative track, and Tan under the private sector ...

Brazilian hacker claims Bolsonaro asked him to hack into the voting system

A Brazilian hacker claimed at a Congressional hearing on Thursday that former President Jair Bolsonaro wanted him to hack into the country's electronic voting system to expose its alleged weaknesses ahead of the 2022 presidential election. Walter Delgatti Neto did not provide any evidence for his claim to the parliamentary commission of inquiry. But his detailed testimony raises new allegations against the former far-right leader, investigated for his role in the Jan. 8 riots in the capital city of Brasilia. Delgatti also told lawmakers that he met in person with Bolsonaro and told the former president it was not possible for him to hack the electronic voting system. The Associated Press has reached out to Bolsonaro's lawyers who have not yet responded. Bolsonaro has denied any wrongdoings. Bolsonaro's political nemesis, leftist Luiz Incio Lula da Silva, won the Oct. 30, 2022 election with just 50.9% of the votes. According to Delgatti, Bolsonaro had wanted the attempted hack to .

Who's running for US President? See a rundown of the 2024 candidates

With roughly a year and a half until the 2024 presidential contest, the field of candidates is largely set. Former President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis have dominated the early Republican race as the other candidates look for an opening to take them on. President Joe Biden faces a couple of Democratic challengers but is expected to secure his party's nomination. Here's a look at the candidates competing for the Republican and Democratic nominations: REPUBLICAN PRIMARY FIELD DONALD TRUMP The former president announced his third campaign for the White House on November 15 at his Mar-a-Lago resort, forcing the party to again decide whether to embrace a candidate whose refusal to accept defeat in 2020 sparked the US Capitol attack and still dominates his speeches. The GOP front-runner remains hugely popular in the Republican Party, despite making history as the first president to be impeached twice and inciting the Capitol insurrection on January 6, 2021. In March,

Erdogan takes lead in unofficial count in Turkiye's presidential runoff

Preliminary, unofficial results from Turkish news agencies showed incumbent President Recep Tayyip Erdogan ahead with 88 per cent of ballot boxes counted in a presidential runoff that will decide whether the country's longtime leader stretches his increasingly authoritarian rule into a third decade. The state Anadolu news agency showed Erdogan at 53 per cent, and his challenger, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, at 47 per cent. Meanwhile, the ANKA news agency, close to the opposition, showed the results at 51 per cent for Erdogan and Kilicdaroglu at 49 per cent. The outcome could have implications far beyond Ankara. Turkiye stands at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, and it plays a key role in NATO. Erdogan's government vetoed Sweden's bid to join NATO and purchased Russian missile-defence systems, which prompted the United States to oust Turkiye from a US-led fighter-jet project. But it also helped broker a crucial deal that allowed Ukrainian grain shipments and averted a global food crisis.