Tunisia’s democratic transition will struggle

2017 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Political Parties ◽  
Democratic Transition ◽  
Prime Minister ◽  
Public Spending ◽  
Structural Reforms ◽  
Political Leaders ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Arab Uprisings ◽  
The Government

Significance This follows former Prime Minister Mehdi Jomaa’s announcement on March 29 of a new, non-ideological party that includes technocrats and former ministers -- the Alternative Party. Six years after the 2011 Arab uprisings, Tunisian politics is still in flux -- facing serious social and economic challenges. Impacts Protests and industrial strikes will continue in the months ahead as the government tries to reduce public spending. Political parties are losing the trust of the population. Further cabinet reshuffles are likely, but political leaders are wary of making bold structural reforms.

Politics set to slow Pakistan's divestment drive

2016 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Public Sector ◽  
Economic Reform ◽  
Prime Minister ◽  
Structural Reforms ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Reform Agenda ◽  
Political Patronage ◽  
The Government ◽  
Core Condition

Subject Pakistan's divestment drive. Significance Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's government describes divestment of public sector enterprises (PSEs), involving 69 firms, as an essential part of its 2013-18 economic reform agenda. Progress thus far is limited, but the government faces rising pressure from the IMF, which made divestment a core condition of its 6.6-billion-dollar, three-year loan in September 2013. Impacts Another government led by Sharif would continue gradual divestments after 2018. Since PSEs are an important vector for distributing political patronage, structural reforms will face stiff resistance. Divestment of profitable PSEs defeats the purpose of the exercise, but the government will use them for a short-term cash boost.

Thailand’s Prayut may keep power in a civilian regime

2018 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Political Parties ◽  
House Of Representatives ◽  
Prime Minister ◽  
The United States ◽  
Economic Recovery ◽  
National Council ◽  
Political Pressure ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Government ◽  
The Military

Subject Thailand's long-delayed election. Significance More than 40 new political parties have been registered in Thailand since March 2, and established parties will be allowed to begin registering members on April 1, as Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and the military-led National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) begin a process of preparing for a long-delayed general election. The 2017 constitution initiated by the NCPO allows the (to be re-established) House of Representatives to select an ‘outsider’ as prime minister if it is unable to decide on a party-affiliated figure. Impacts Persistent election delays will not affect Thailand’s current economic recovery. Despite mounting political pressure on the government to commit to a poll, anti-government protests will not grow. Improving relations with the United States could insulate the government from EU pressure on delayed elections.

scholarly journals Government transition in the time of the COVID-19 crisis: Slovak case

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Juraj Nemec
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Prime Minister ◽  
Positive Finding ◽  
Political Leaders ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Prime Ministers ◽  
National Leader ◽  
National Media ◽  
The Government ◽  
Public Leaders

PurposeMost media evaluate Slovakia as the most successful European country in the fight against the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Such excellent results have been achieved in a really specific period – the change of the government overlapped the initial days of the outbreak of the pandemic in the country. The goal of this viewpoint paper is to investigate how individual public leaders (Prime Ministers) shaped the governance response, how these key political leaders have helped to make the transition to a new government so seamless in times of crisis.Design/methodology/approachQualitative approach is used to map the situation and to show how key political leaders shaped the governance response to the crisis. The official government COVID-19 web page and core national media were investigated to collect the necessary information for our research.FindingsThe most positive finding of this article is the fact that the departing Prime Minister Pellegrini did not decide to wait till the end of office in a passive or moderate way, but managed during last days of office of “his” government to realize a set of really comprehensive measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in Slovakia. Politics has been set a bit aside; coalition and opposition parties prioritized the need to fight COVID-19 instead of the need for permanent political fights.Originality/valueThe article introduces the example of the political “takeover” during the crisis, which has been realized in such positive ways, especially thanks to the fact that Pellegrini behaved as a real national leader just a few days before leaving office.

Bibi and Mr. Prime Minister: do different Facebook identities imply different messages for political leaders?

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gal Yavetz
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Content Analysis ◽  
Political Parties ◽  
Peer Review ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Prime Minister ◽  
Political Agenda ◽  
Political Leaders ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Link Type

PurposeSocial media has been widely adopted by politicians and political parties during elections and routine times and has been discussed before. However, research in the field has so far not addressed how a political leader's private or official social media account affects their message, language and style. The current study examined how Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu uses his private Facebook account, compared to his use of his official Facebook page “Prime Minister of Israel.”Design/methodology/approachIn this study, the author identified the differences between these two digital entities using in-depth content analysis based on all posts (N = 1,484) published on the two pages over a 12-month period between 2018 and 2019.FindingsThe study’s findings indicate that Netanyahu regularly uses his personal page to address topics that are not represented on his official page, such as mentioning and attacking political rivals, presenting political agenda, and criticizing Israeli journalists and media organizations. Netanyahu's private Facebook account is also used to comment on personal events such as the criminal indictments he is facing and family affairs.Originality/valueThe findings highlight the need to investigate the different identities that politicians maintain on social media when they use personal or official accounts, sometimes on the same platform. The medium matters, yet the author also discovered that a leader's choice of account and its title are also important.Peer reviewThe peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/OIR-01-2021-0004.

Algeria constitutional reform masks economic malaise

2016 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Political Parties ◽  
Public Spending ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Business Interests ◽  
Price Increases ◽  
Petrol Price ◽  
Key Drivers ◽  
The Government ◽  
Economic Developments ◽  
Political Figure

Significance It is no coincidence that the Bank of Algeria's report on public finances between January and September 2015 was published the following day. The constitutional draft appears to give greater power to parliament and political parties at a time when the government is planning unpopular economic measures to cut public spending (such as privatisations), a series of new taxes and petrol price increases. Such concerns will be the key drivers for political and economic developments in 2016. Impacts Planned tax increases, the dinar's devaluation and inflation will decrease purchasing power and are likely to result in protests. The draft's publication was likely timed to pre-empt discontent at the planned economic measures in an effort to stave off popular unrest. Bouteflika's successor is likely to be an established political figure able to make alliances with army and business interests.

Tunisia’s anti-corruption drive could be divisive

2017 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Democratic Transition ◽  
Prime Minister ◽  
Public Support ◽  
Coalition Government ◽  
Municipal Elections ◽  
Content Type ◽  
High Profile ◽  
Emergency Powers ◽  
The Government

Subject Anti-corruption campaign. Significance Tunisian Prime Minister Youssef Chahed is pursuing a high-profile campaign against corruption, which has won him public support but also raised questions about his reliance on emergency powers. Anger over corruption has become widespread, and this campaign has improved Chahed’s standing at a time when his coalition government was criticised for ineffectiveness. Impacts Despite fractures within the ruling coalition, the alliance between Nidaa Tounes and Ennahda is in both parties’ interests and will endure. The democratic transition is making progress, but the government has only piecemeal remedies to counter widespread socio-economic protests. Coming municipal elections could restore some of the influence of Islamist party Ennahda.

Pre-election woes are rising in Trinidad and Tobago

2015 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
National Security ◽  
Prime Minister ◽  
Attorney General ◽  
Public Spending ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Police Investigations ◽  
New Information ◽  
General Elections ◽  
The Government ◽  
Spending Cuts

Subject Fall-out from the recent scandals affecting the cabinet. Significance Just months before a general election is due, the government of Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar is in turmoil owing to a scandal involving former attorney-general Anand Ramlogan and ex-minister of national security Gary Griffith, both implicated in witness tampering allegations. The prime minister removed both men from office, and then undertook a wider cabinet reshuffle. Impacts The government may yet recover, with more than six months until general elections must be held. However, public spending cuts are likely to undermine recovery and the government's approval. Police investigations could reveal new information that damages the government's credibility further.

Brunei economic woes could see China opening

2017 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Public Spending ◽  
Living Standards ◽  
Economic Conditions ◽  
Structural Reforms ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Government Services ◽  
Revenue Source ◽  
The Government

Subject Update on Brunei's economy. Significance Tightening economic conditions may prompt Brunei to renege on a global commitment to lower oil output until mid-year, which is eroding the sultanate's primary revenue source. In response, the government has instituted public spending cutbacks that risk depressing living standards. Impacts Falling oil volumes have led to sharp cutbacks in government services. The expected demise of the TPP will remove a potential trade opportunity. Progress with structural reforms of government and business will be slow.

UK freeports agenda may disappoint

2021 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Prime Minister ◽  
Global Trade ◽  
Central Component ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Creation ◽  
The Government

Significance The government vows that freeports will represent “hubs of enterprise which will allow places to carry out business inside a country’s land border but where different customs rules apply”. The creation of freeports are a central component of Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s government to facilitate global trade and promote regional regeneration in the post-Brexit era. Impacts With Brexit, London will have more flexibility regarding the concessions it can offer businesses operating in freeports. The government vows to create freeports in the devolved regions but faces the difficult task of cooperating with the devolved governments. Some poorer regions will miss out on freeports, which could leave them even more deprived and stoke local resentment against London.

Five-party Czech government must compromise on policy

2022 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Prime Minister ◽  
Energy Prices ◽  
Member States ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Eu Integration ◽  
The Government ◽  
Social Uncertainty

Significance The five-party coalition enters office at a time of intense economic and social uncertainty resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, rising debt and soaring energy prices. Prime Minister Petr Fiala's greatest challenges involve negotiating between the five coalition partners and restoring respectability to Czech politics. Impacts The new government will be less sceptical about closer EU integration, given the upcoming Czech EU presidency from mid-2022. The government will try to reopen EU Green Deal chapters to renegotiate compensation for highly industrialised member states. Former Prime Minister Andrej Babis may run for president in 2023. Babis will strive to avoid losing parliamentary immunity from prosecution relating to the Stork’s Nest affair and alleged EU subsidy fraud.

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