Merkel's party slumps to defeat in regional polls - BBC News

EPA

Angela Merkel's ruling Christian Democrats (CDU) have suffered poor results in two key regional votes seen as an indication of what might happen in September's general election.

The CDU is on course for about a quarter of the vote in Baden-Württemberg and Rhineland-Palatinate.

The two western states were once conservative strongholds.

Mrs Merkel is due to step down as German chancellor in September, after 16 years in office.

• The men vying to take Merkel's top job in Germany

The slump in the CDU vote comes amid anger in Germany at the slow pace of the coronavirus vaccine rollout and a mask procurement scandal.

Several conservative lawmakers have quit over allegations they received huge commissions for arranging government deals to buy face masks.

What do exit polls say?

In Baden-Württemberg the Green Party is predicted to hang on to power with 31.5% of the vote, with the CDU getting 23%, less than at the previous poll in 2016.

In neighbouring Rhineland-Palatinate, the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD) are projected to retain power with 33.5%.

The CDU had led in opinion polls but is predicted to get only 25.5% of the vote.

Reuters

Both results pave the way for regional alliances between the Greens, the SPD and the liberal Free Democrats and raise the prospect of a similar coalition forming a federal government after the September poll.

Opinion polls show the CDU's national popularity slipping from 40% last June, when Germany was being praised for its initial response to the coronavirus pandemic, to about 33% this month.

Who will be the CDU's candidate for chancellor?

In January the CDU elected centrist Armin Laschet as its leader but he is not guaranteed to be the party's candidate for chancellor in September's election.

His rival for the role is Markus Söder, leader of the CDU's Bavarian sister party the CSU. The party aims to have the matter settled by late May.

Merkel remains popular, but what about her party?

By Damien McGuinness, BBC News in Berlin

The results are even worse than expected, and are being blamed on how the CDU is managing the pandemic.

Rising infection numbers and the slow vaccine rollout have soured the national mood. And there is fury that some conservative MPs have earned huge commissions on government deals to procure masks.

Angela Merkel herself is still popular. But with just six months to go before her final term ends, these results don't bode well for the chances of her party in the general election.

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2021-03-14 19:20:25Z
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Nexit threat: EU warned Netherlands 'turn' for 'huge leap' like UK and quit bloc - Daily Express

Brexit: Geert Wilders 'EU had no incentive to get good deal'

Brussels is currently embroiled in a bitter internal row over its botched handling of the coronavirus pandemic. Member states are struggling to get vaccinations, and in some cases nations such as the Czech Republic and Hungary have begged other countries for jabs. The EU opted to rollout the vaccine as a united bloc, but difficulties with supply and a slow move to give the green-light to some vaccines has caused deep divisions in Brussels.

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It has sparked a rise in eurosceptic anger across the EU, which has only grown louder as nations look over at the UK's successful handling of its vaccine programme.

Figures earlier this month showed that the UK was vaccinating at a rate of around 31.2 people per 100 citizens, with the EU lagging way behind

This pales into comparison with the EU, with 7.6 jabs administered per 100 people.

With anti-EU rhetoric building strength, leaders will be hoping to make their claims on the Union in upcoming elections, including over in the Netherlands, which heads to the polls next week.

Nexit threat: EU warned Netherlands 'turn' for 'huge leap' like UK and quit bloc (Image: GETTY)

Ursula von der Leyen has come under increasing pressure (Image: GETTY)

Mark Rutte's People's Party for Freedom and Democracy currently holds a seven point lead over Geert Wilders' Party for Freedom in a poll of 4,500 by Peil.nl.

Mr Wilders is a staunch opponent of Brussels, and declared in the immediate aftermath of the UK's decision to press ahead with Brexit that the Netherlands should follow the British lead.

He said that the British "liberation from the European Union is a huge leap", adding: "Now it is our turn."

The politician also celebrated the Leave campaign's victory, writing on his personal website in 2016: “We want be in charge of our own country, our own money, our own borders, and our own immigration policy.

JUST IN: Spanish MEP admits THREE countries could quit - 'Same attitude as UK'

Geert Wilders is anti-EU and appears on the ballot in the Dutch election (Image: GETTY)

"If I become Prime Minister, there will be a referendum in the Netherlands on leaving the European Union as well. Let the Dutch people decide.”

The Nexit predicament was assessed by University of Groningen researcher Simon Otjes, who wrote after the referendum that the result "was quite a shock for the Dutch government".

In a blog for the London School of Economics, he said: "The Liberal Prime Minister, Mark Rutte, has already expressed his displeasure at the vote.

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Dutch election: Geert Wilders jumps to second place - latest poll [INSIGHT]
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Mark Rutte alongside Geert Wilders (Image: GETTY)

"The reasons for this displeasure are obvious: the Dutch and the British share a common Atlantic orientation and a commitment to free trade.

"Therefore, the Dutch strongly favoured the entry of the UK into the European Economic Community in the 1970s to counterbalance the French and the Germans."

He added: "In this sense, the British referendum on EU membership may not be the end of a set of referendums on EU issues.

"After the success of the eurosceptic side in this referendum and the previous Dutch referendum on the Ukraine-EU treaty, the eurosceptic forces in the Netherlands are likely to use the tool more often to obstruct EU integration.

Boris Johnson spearheaded the Leave campaign (Image: GETTY)

According to a recent Dutch News report, Mr Wilders' manifesto for the upcoming election includes a pledge to leave the EU, "scrap the public broadcasting system and use the Army to 'regain the streets' where necessary".

It reported that his party, however, was only forecast to win between 19 and 23 seats in the 150 seat Parliament.

With Mr Rutte himself reluctant to have a referendum on the issue, some have drawn comparisons to the dilemma he faces with that of former Prime Minister David Cameron.

Mr Cameron famously called the referendum as anti-EU parties began to eat away at his Conservative Party vote.

How Daily Express covered Brexit (Image: EXPRESS)

And Europe correspondent Caroline de Gruyter argued that the Dutch have been "sceptical about European integration" for a long time.

She said: “It is clear the Dutch feel better in Europe with the British on their side.

“And that problems they currently have are partly the result of Brexit.”

She explained: “Apart from a Protestant culture, they have much else in common with the British: their love of the sea, a sober outlook on life and a commercial disposition.

“Both are liberal, seafaring and trading nations that once had overseas empires used to striking out on their own.”

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2021-03-14 16:35:00Z
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Violence erupts at anti-lockdown protests on eve of Dutch election as police confront demonstrators - Daily Mail

Violence breaks out at anti-lockdown protests on eve of Dutch election as baton-wielding police confront demonstrators in packed park

• Thousands gathered in The Hague with several carrying homemade banners some which said 'vote them out' 
• Police warned on Twitter that event was at maximum capacity but hundreds more arrived after they tweeted 
• Despite lockdown, numbers of infections remain high, and more than 16,000 people have died with Covid-19 

By Katie Feehan For Mailonline

Published: 16:11 GMT, 14 March 2021 | Updated: 16:54 GMT, 14 March 2021

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Some 2,000 people gathered in The Hague on Sunday to protest against the Dutch government and its coronavirus lockdown.

Several people carried a homemade banner with the words 'Love & Freedom: No Dictatorship' written on it in Dutch, while many others carried yellow umbrellas.

Another demonstrator carried a makeshift set of stocks with a photo of prime minister Mark Rutte's head stuck in the middle and a sign saying: 'If you love the Netherlands, vote them out.'

A heavy police presence ringed the park where the demonstrators gathered, and police tweeted before the scheduled start of the event that the maximum number of participants had already been reached. Hundreds more people arrived after the tweet.

Although the protest was generally peaceful, police tweeted that they had arrested one man for attacking an officer with a stick.

Trains heading to The Hague were halted to prevent more people making their way to the city.

Anti-lockdown protesters and police officers at the Malieveld, The Hague, The Netherlands, on the eve of the Dutch elections

Pictured: Dutch police fight with a demonstrator during a protest against coronavirus lockdown in the Hague this afternoon

Police warned people not to attend the event but hundreds more continued to arrive. Pictured: Dutch riot police appear to kick a man during the demonstration which saw thousands gather to protest against the government's Covid-19 restrictions

Dutch riot police advance through a cloud from fireworks as they break up a demonstration to protest government policies

Infection rate in the Netherlands remains high. Pictured: police uses a water cannon and dogs to break up the demonstration

Dutch anti-riot police officers detain a man during a demonstration against Covid-19 measures at the Malieveld in The Hague

Dutch police say the demonstration was largely peaceful. Pictured: Officers detain a man during the protest on Sunday

Smaller demonstrations have taken place in Amsterdam in recent weeks, with riot police repeatedly called in to disperse protesters who refuse to leave.

They reflect a growing impatience among a small section of society at the lockdown that has seen businesses including bars, restaurants and museums shut down since mid-October.

Despite the lockdown, numbers of infections remain stubbornly high, and more than 16,000 people are confirmed to have died with Covid-19 in the Netherlands.

Meanwhile, party leaders took to the airwaves to seek the support of undecided voters but also to start jockeying for position ahead of the formation of the country's next governing coalition.

In a television talk show airing on Sunday evening on national broadcaster NPO1, Christian Democrat leader Wopke Hoekstra said he would prefer to continue ruling in the outgoing four-party coalition led by Mr Rutte.

Mr Rutte said in turn that the Christian Democrats were the most natural partner for his conservative People's Party for Freedom of Democracy.

A protester moves towards a Dutch anti-riot police officer as Dutch force moves in to break up the large demonstration

Smaller demonstrations have taken place in Amsterdam as some of the population grow impatient at the government's rules

Police clash with demonstrators during a protest against coronavirus disease restrictions in The Hague this afternoon

A heavy police presence ringed the park where the demonstrators gathered before officers moved in to break up the protest

Dutch anti-riot police officers in formation at what they say was largely peaceful protest which took place Sunday afternoon

Pictured: Anti-lockdown protesters and police officers at the Malieveld, The Hague, The Netherlands this afternoon

Many protesters held up signs and banners urging people to vote against the country's current government in the election

A man sits down during a protest with a yellow umbrella - an item which has been used to symbolise political weakness

A record 37 parties are taking part in the election for the 150 seats in parliament's lower house. Pictured: riot police move in

'This is a real bromance,' Jesse Klaver, leader of the Green Left party, said.

The comments foreshadow what could be a lengthy process of forming the next coalition after three days of voting wraps up on Wednesday night.

A record 37 parties are taking part in the election for the 150 seats in parliament's lower house. The party that wins the most seats will be first in line to lead talks to form the next coalition, but with so many parties likely to enter parliament it could be difficult to form a coalition that commands a majority.

If, as polls predict, Mr Rutte's party emerges with the largest number of seats, he would be in a position to form his fourth ruling coalition and become the Netherlands' longest-serving premier.

A limited number of polling stations are opening on Monday and Tuesday, primarily to allow people considered vulnerable to coronavirus to vote. Wednesday is the main day of voting and results are likely to be known Wednesday night and into Thursday.

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2021-03-14 16:11:06Z
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COVID-19: Ireland should suspend AstraZeneca vaccine over clotting concerns, health authority says - Sky News

Ireland should temporarily halt its use of the Oxford/AstraZeneca jab after some reports of blood clots in vaccinated people, health authorities say.

The call came after a review from the Norwegian Medicines Agency showed four new cases of "serious blood clotting in adults" had occurred after the jab.

Ireland's Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Dr Ronan Glynn, said following the report and discussions with the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA), the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) had recommended "the administration of COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca be temporarily deferred from this morning, Sunday 14th March".

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Prime Minister Boris Johnson: 'These vaccines are safe and effective'

He added: "It has not been concluded that there is any link between the COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca and these cases.

"However, acting on the precautionary principal, and pending receipt of further information, the NIAC has recommended the temporary deferral of the COVID-19 vaccine AstraZeneca vaccination programme in Ireland.

"The NIAC is due to meet again this morning. A further statement will follow thereafter."

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Just two days ago the World Health Organisation said the vaccination was "excellent" and "no causal relationship had been established between the shot and the health problems reported".

The Irish authorities have been pressing the pharmaceutical firm to speed up its supplies to the Republic.

More from Covid-19

Several other European countries temporarily suspended AstraZeneca jabs following reports of people suffering blood clots.

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) reported one person in Austria was diagnosed with blood clots and died 10 days after vaccination, but it stressed there is "currently no indication that vaccination has caused these conditions".

Another person was admitted to hospital in Austria with pulmonary embolism (blockage in arteries in the lungs) after being vaccinated, while one death involving a blood clot was reported in Denmark.

A 50-year-old man is also thought to have died in Italy from deep vein thrombosis (DVT), while there has been an unconfirmed report of another death in Italy.

Denmark, Norway and Iceland have said they are temporarily halting all AstraZeneca vaccinations to investigate the reports.

Italy also followed Austria, Estonia, Latvia, Luxembourg and Lithuania in banning jabs from one particular batch of one million AstraZeneca vaccines, which was sent to 17 countries, after reports of a death.

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2021-03-14 09:45:00Z
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Vaccinations will double to 5m a week as deaths and hospital cases fall fast - The Times

The NHS is to double the number of vaccinations against Covid-19 to five million a week, paving the way for a mass programme of second jabs.

Deaths due to the virus have fallen by 62 per cent in a fortnight and health sources say the decline in fatalities is accelerating.

The seven-day rolling average for deaths within 28 days of a positive test fell from 406 on February 18 to 154 on March 4, the latest date for which the number has been officially calculated. It is the lowest since October and down 88 per cent since the second wave peaked at 1,283 on January 19.

The number of new admissions to hospital is also falling rapidly. The seven-day rolling average dropped 48 per cent

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2021-03-14 00:01:00Z
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Breonna Taylor: Protest to mark anniversary of police killing - BBC News

Reuters

People are gathering in the US city of Louisville for a demonstration to mark a year since the death of Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old black medic shot dead when police raided her home.

The incident caused outrage, spurring protests against racism and brutality.

Ms Taylor was shot by officers who forced entry into her home using a "no-knock" warrant that meant they did not have to announce themselves.

The three police officers who carried out the raid were eventually sacked.

During the operation Ms Taylor's boyfriend Kenneth Walker shot and wounded one of the officers. Earlier this month a charge of attempted murder against him was dropped.

Mr Walker said he fired once because he believed criminals were breaking in. The officers responded with 32 shots, six of which struck Ms Taylor.

However a grand jury decided not to charge any of them over Ms Taylor's death, sparking protests.

• What happened to Breonna Taylor?
• Timeline of US police killings

Ahead of Saturday's demonstration, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear said in a statement that he would "never understand the unimaginable grief" of Ms Taylor's family and loved ones.

"Today we remember Breonna Taylor, her tragic and unnecessary loss and the immense work we have ahead of us," he said.

Tamika Palmer — Breonna Taylor’s mother — arrives at Jefferson Square Park. Flowers, candles and a mural of Taylor take centre stage in this corner of Downtown Louisville (dubbed Injustice Square or ‘Breeway’ by many locals). With @LarryMadowo for live updates for @BBCWorld. pic.twitter.com/3dqImJdNMi

— Shrai Popat (@shraipopat) March 13, 2021

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.View original tweet on Twitter

The FBI's Louisville field office also issued a statement saying that its investigation into Ms Taylor's death had made "significant progress" since it began last May, without providing further details.

Ms Taylor's killing did not initially attract nationwide attention. But it received renewed focus after the police killing of unarmed black man George Floyd in Minneapolis, which ignited anti-racism protests around the world.

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Her case attracted the support of celebrities such as tennis star Naomi Osaka and basketball legend LeBron James.

At the protest, Camille Bascus told AFP why she had travelled more than 400 miles (650km) from Atlanta to attend.

"It's been a year and justice has not been served," the 50-year-old said.

She said she wanted to "represent the people without voices, because they no longer have a heartbeat. We have a voice and our lives matter".

'We're going to keep on fighting'

By Shrai Popat, BBC News in Louisville

On the anniversary of Breonna Taylor's death, her hometown of Louisville is determined that the US doesn't forget her. Flowers, candles and murals of Taylor are centre stage in Jefferson Square Park - dubbed Injustice Square or "Breewayy" by many locals. Surrounding roads have been closed off, but many feel that the security measures are excessive for a day of remembrance. "No-one who organised today asked for these barricades," said Attica Scott, a Kentucky state representative.

Ms Scott has been a fixture at many of the marches following Ms Taylor's death. She has also proposed a state-wide adoption of "Breonna's Law" - the Louisville legislation banning the use of no-knock warrants. "We're going to keep on fighting," she said.

The chant "Say her name" resounded at the anti-racism protests of last summer, a call for justice for black women in the US. But for many in downtown Louisville, this demand hasn't been met. "There's always time to arrest, indict and convict the men who killed Breonna Taylor," said Lonita Baker, the Taylor family lawyer. So far, that hasn't happened.

The city of Louisville paid $12m (£8.6m) to Ms Taylor's family and agreed to police reforms to settle a wrongful death lawsuit.

Only one of the police officers who took part in the deadly raid faced any charges linked to the botched raid. Brett Hankison was charged with endangering Ms Taylor's neighbours by firing into a next door apartment.

Reuters

Earlier this week the city of Minneapolis reached a $27m settlement with George Floyd's family.

"That the largest pre-trial settlement in a wrongful death case ever would be for the life of a black man sends a powerful message that black lives do matter and police brutality against people of colour must end," said Floyd family attorney Ben Crump.

Jury selection is under way for the murder trial of police officer Derek Chauvin, who was filmed with his knee on Mr Floyd's neck as he begs for his life and says "I can't breathe". He was later pronounced dead in hospital.

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2021-03-13 20:35:03Z
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UK declares China in breach of 1984 Hong Kong declaration - Financial Times

Britain has declared that China is now in “a state of ongoing non-compliance” with the 1984 Sino-British joint declaration, which was supposed to guarantee Hong Kong a high degree of autonomy after the territory returned to Beijing’s control in 1997.

Dominic Raab, foreign secretary, said radical changes planned by Beijing to restrict participation in Hong Kong elections represented a further clear breach of the legally binding declaration.

His comments came ahead of the publication next week of a UK foreign and defence policy, which will see Boris Johnson’s government set out its strategy for dealing with China.

While David Cameron’s government claimed that the UK and China were engaged in a new “golden age”, Johnson will set a strategy to make Britain less reliant on Chinese investment and technology.

Britain’s intention to increase its presence in the Pacific region was illustrated in January by its application to join 11 countries in the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership.

The UK is also sending its new aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth to East Asia this summer.

Raab said on Saturday that the legal reforms proposed by Beijing were “part of a pattern designed to harass and stifle all voices critical of China’s policies”.

“The Chinese authorities’ continued action means I must now report that the UK considers Beijing to be in a state of ongoing non-compliance with the Joint Declaration — a demonstration of the growing gulf between Beijing’s promises and its actions,” he said.
 

“The UK will continue to stand up for the people of Hong Kong. China must act in accordance with its legal obligations and respect fundamental rights and freedoms in Hong Kong.”

In the House of Commons last week Raab was urged by Tory MPs to impose sanctions on named Chinese officials under Britain’s so-called Magnitsky sanctions regime.

Johnson’s threat last year to break international law relating to the Northern Ireland protocol — part of the UK’s Brexit treaty with the EU — led to warnings from senior Tory figures that it would diminish the UK’s credibility when urging other countries to uphold treaty obligations.

Meanwhile, since at least 2017 Chinese officials have challenged the status of the declaration, calling it a historical document without practical significance.

The joint declaration was signed in 1984 by Zhao Ziyang, the Chinese Premier at the time, and the then UK prime minister Margaret Thatcher and was registered with the United Nations.

It came into force in 1997 when the UK’s lease over the New Territories, a piece of land located between Kowloon and mainland China, ended, and was guaranteed for 50 years.

The US and the UK have accused China of breaking these promises of autonomy when its parliament ratified an election law on Thursday that will dilute the proportion of democratically elected lawmakers in Hong Kong and subject all nominees to a new vetting process.

The passage of the law is part of a heightened tempo from Beijing of more direct interventions in the territory’s governance following the 2019 anti-government protests.

China’s parliament imposed a national security law on Hong Kong last year that paved the way for a crackdown on the pro-democracy movement in the city.

Analysts have said Beijing, caught out by the strength of the 2019 demonstrations, has made the electoral changes in order to gain more control of the city’s political landscape.

China blames the protests both on the failure of a loose network of local elites and elected officials who have traditionally represented Beijing’s interests, as well as their perception that western countries have swayed the city’s politics.

In the last clear survey of popular local sentiment — a council election in 2019 — pro-Beijing parties and politicians were resoundingly defeated at the ballot box.

Chinese state media said at the weekend that the new electoral laws would “cut off the channels and tools” used by the US and the UK “to intervene in Hong Kong’s affairs”.

Some western diplomats in Hong Kong are pessimistic that their statements, or even US sanctions, have had any impact on halting China's political crackdown in Hong Kong. A number of nations released statements after China’s legislature passed the law, but one diplomat said that protecting democratic rights in Hong Kong may be a lost cause.

Video: How the national security law is changing Hong Kong

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2021-03-13 16:07:50Z
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