{"id":24055,"date":"2021-10-04T13:00:27","date_gmt":"2021-10-04T12:00:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.anfocal.ie\/?p=24055"},"modified":"2021-10-04T11:33:57","modified_gmt":"2021-10-04T10:33:57","slug":"the-roundup-3-04-10-2021","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.anfocal.ie\/index.php\/the-roundup-3-04-10-2021\/","title":{"rendered":"The Roundup #3 – 04\/10\/2021"},"content":{"rendered":"

Election in Germany<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"
Green Party Leader Annalena Baerbock<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Last Sunday, Germany went to the polls for the 2021 federal election that elects their Chancellor.<\/p>\n

The Social Democratic Party (SPD), led by Olaf Scholtz was the biggest party, winning 25.7% of votes.<\/p>\n

The Christian Democratic Union (CDU), currently in government, had their worst ever result, receiving 24.1% of the vote.<\/p>\n

Following the vote CDU Leader Armin Laschet said that no party has a democratic mandate to form a coalition.<\/p>\n

Scholtz of the SPD in contrary said, \u201cThey (CDU) have received the message from citizens- They should no longer be in government.\u201d<\/p>\n

However, it is two other parties that will hold the balance of power.<\/p>\n

On Tuesday, leaders of The Greens (14.8%) and The Free Democratic Party (11.5%) met together to discuss the formation of a new government.<\/p>\n

The two leaders posted matching pictures of themselves together on Instagram. Green Leader Annalena Baerbock\u2019s caption said-<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the search for a new government. We explore common ground and bridge over divisive things.\u201d<\/p>\n

The pro-business FPD have stated they would like a centre-right coalition with the CDU along with The Greens.<\/p>\n

The Greens will probably prefer a change-oriented coalition with the SPD along with the FPD.<\/p>\n

After the CDU\u2019s worst ever result, current Chancellor Angela Merkel has received criticism for the nature of her 2018 retirement announcement.<\/p>\n

Critics say that as she stepped down as party leader but stayed as Chancellor, she undermined the authority of the CDU\u2019s next successor.<\/p>\n

Laschet is the second party leader since Merkel\u2019s exit, gaining the position in January.<\/p>\n

It is argued by others that Mr. Laschet is to blame for his own result, claiming he failed to convey a political narrative.<\/p>\n

In the TV debates, the leader acknowledged this issue voters had, and then called for greater \u201cnational security\u201d and a \u201cstable economic policy-\u201d vague at best.<\/p>\n

A video of him laughing in the background of a Merkel press conference after torrential flooding in July is also imprinted in the German psyche.<\/p>\n

Germany politics has a tradition of two-party coalitions. It will be some time more before this three-way coalition comes to fruition.<\/p>\n

Merkel will have to wait a while longer before retiring as the FPD and Greens decide which party\u2019s wing to go under.<\/p>\n

A new government is expected to be formed by Christmas this year.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Former President Condemned to Home<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"
Former French President Nicholas Sarkozy<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

On Thursday, former French President Nicolas Sarkozy was indicted on counts of illegally financing his 2012 re-election bid and sentenced to a year\u2019s home arrest.<\/p>\n

Sarkozy was President of France from 2007 to May 2012 under his Republican Party.<\/p>\n

His American style political rallies held in the 2012 election ran up campaign costs to almost\u00a0\u20ac43 million, nearly twice the amount allowed under French electoral law.<\/p>\n

Public Relations company \u2018Bygmalion\u2019 was proven to have used fake invoices that tell a different price from reality.<\/p>\n

The prosecution failed to prove that Sarkozy knew of the fraudulence but found he \u201cundeniably\u201d profited from it.<\/p>\n

13 others were tried in this case including Bygmalion executives, Republican Party directors and Sarkozy\u2019s former campaign manager.<\/p>\n

All were given sentences of up to three years.<\/p>\n

This is not the first time the corruption spotlight has been under Sarkozy.<\/p>\n

In 2007, he was indicted for \u201cpassive corruption,\u201d \u201cillegal financing\u201d and \u201cconcealment of Libyan public funds,\u201d surrounded by rumours of a\u00a0\u20ac50 million contribution by the then Libyan Chairman Colonel Gaddafi.<\/p>\n

In January this year, Sarkozy was probed by prosecutors about potential \u201cinfluence peddling\u201d after being awarded a\u00a0\u20ac3 million contract with a Russian insurance company.<\/p>\n

His first \u20ac500 thousand payment was after being hired as a \u201cspecial advisor\u201d to the Russian-Armenian Reso-Garantia group.<\/p>\n

Sarkozy holds that he has \u201cnever committed the slightest act of corruption\u201d and has \u201cnever betrayed the trust of the French people.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Fishing Tensions in the Channel<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"
Priti Patel<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

On Friday, French ministers called for the EU to retaliate against Britain\u2019s withholding of fishing permits to French fishermen.<\/p>\n

It is said that Britain is keeping French fishermen from their waters as economic leverage to push France to deal with the current migrant crisis in the English Channel.<\/p>\n

In the last week, Britain has allowed only 12 French boats to fish within 12 nautical miles of UK waters.<\/p>\n

The EU would have several options to retaliate. Newspapers view these as most likely:<\/p>\n