Bloomberg (March 25)
There are lots of questions for the Bank of Japan about its negative rate strategy, which “has caused bond yields to fall below zero, money market funds to stop accepting money, and lawmakers to summon Bank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda to parliament a record number of times to explain it.”
Tags: BOJ, Bond yields, Kuroda, Lawmakers, MMF, Negative rates, Parliament, Strategy
New York Times (February 23)
“The heavy parliamentary weapon France’s Socialist government deployed to ram an economic reform bill through opposition in its own ranks might seem excessive for a measure that basically lets some stores stay open on some Sundays.” This raises the question of how President François Hollande will proceed when the “far tougher package of tax breaks, easing of labor laws and other reforms is due later this year.”
Tags: Economic reform, France, Hollande, Labor laws, Parliament, Socialist government, Stores, Sundays, Tax breaks
New York Times (May 22)
With nearly 400 million voters registered, the European Parliament elections “are second only to India’s in size.” Yet low turnout may result in the election of “fringe parties whose ultimate goal is to dismantle the very union they’re supposed to be serving.” This would be regrettable. “The problems that Europe has endured in the past five years demonstrate that the need for European unity is greater than ever, and despite what the nationalists and populists argue, these elections matter all the more.”
Tags: Elections, EU, Europe, Fringe, India, Nationalists, Parliament, Populists, Registered, Turnout, Union, Voters
Wall Street Journal (September 20)
“What will German voters be choosing when they go to the polls on Sunday? A new Parliament, definitely, but not likely a new direction for their government. In this year’s federal election campaign, the parties’ platforms could have been written two years ago, the candidates for Chancellor are allergic to bold ideas, and opinion polls have been flat for months, only tightening a little in the last few weeks. Europe’s most important election since the financial crisis is an election about nothing.”
Tags: Bold ideas, Campaign, Chancellor, Election, Europe, Financial Crisis, Germany, Government, Opinion polls, Parliament, Polls, Voters
The Independent (September 14)
In Britain, the Boundary Commission has proposed cutting the number of members of parliament (MPs) by 50. The Independent believes “fewer MPs is a good thing.” If approved, the plan to move from 650 MPs to 600 would provide annual cost savings of approximately £12 million “a saving worth making in an age of austerity not expected to be over by the time the measures take effect in 2015.”
In Britain, the Boundary Commission has proposed cutting the number of members of parliament (MPs) by 50. The Independent believes “fewer MPs is a good thing.” If approved, the plan to move from 650 MPs to 600 would provide annual cost savings of approximately £12 million “a saving worth making in an age of austerity not expected to be over by the time the measures take effect in 2015.”
Tags: Boundary Commission, MPs, Parliament, UK
Financial Times (June 7)
In Turkey, elections are slated for Sunday. It’s a foregone conclusion that Reçep Tayyip Erdogan’s Justice and Development party (AKP) will win. The AKP has controlled the country since 2002 and Prime Minister Erdogan is extremely popular. A close election would be the better than a landslide. “The big decisions that Turkey’s next parliament will take will carry greater weight if they are shaped by the opposition as well as the AKP.” These decisions include whether to switch from a parliamentary system to a presidential system.
Tags: Election, Erdogan, Opposition, Parliament, President, Turkey
