Tokyo: Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s political coalition has won the partial legislative election to the upper house of Parliament, though it failed to secure the number of seats needed to push forward the constitutional reform it was hoping for, according to results released on Monday.

Japanese citizens had voted on Sunday to elect half of the House of Councillors, whose member serve for six-year terms and have fewer legislative functions than members of the House of Representatives, of which Abe is a member.

The result leaves Abe with a clear majority in both houses of Parliament, following a landslide win in the lower house in 2017. The ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) won 71 of the 124 seats in the 245-member House of Councillors in the Sunday polls, according to public broadcaster NHK.

However, he failed to achieve the two-thirds majority needed to amend the Constitution — a signature goal for which Abe has set a 2020 deadline.

“I would like to express my gratitude to the voters,” Abe said in a press conference on Monday. “This is a choice about the political stability and chaos. We asked the voters to choose between these two options and many people listened to our speeches on the streets.

“In this election, the constitutional amendment was also a big issue – it will be finally determined by the national referendum,” Abe said, calling the two-thirds requirement “a very tall order”.

“The people of Japan will have a final say on this matter.”

Abe’s goal is to amend the Constitution – which was approved after World War II – to change its pacifist character so that the country’s Self-Defence Forces can play a more active role. The amendment must be approved by both houses and put to a referendum.

He said he wanted to demonstrate his own leadership to be able to discuss the reform and make a draft that can secure two-thirds of the votes between the ruling and opposition legislators.

Voter turnout on Sunday was the second-lowest since the end of World War II, as only 48.8 per cent of the electoral census went to the polls, slightly higher than the record low of 44.52 per cent turnout in the 1995 elections. </s> The Japanese prime minister's political coalition on Monday won the partial legislative elections to the upper house of parliament, though it failed to secure the number of seats needed to push forward the constitutional reform it was hoping for, according to results released Monday.

Japanese citizens had voted Sunday to elect half of the House of Councillors, whose member serve for six-year terms and have fewer legislative functions than members of the House of Representatives, of which Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is a member. </s> July 22 (UPI) -- Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe won a victory Monday as his Liberal Democratic Party took a clear majority of seats in Japan's upper-chamber House of Councillors.

Despite the victory, the party fell short of the two-thirds majority needed to keep a major campaign pledge to amend the Japanese Constitution to clarify its Self-Defense Forces status in Article 9 of its supreme law. Abe said while the party stance has not changed, it's willing to be "flexible."

The vote positions Abe to become Japan's longest-serving prime minister. The Liberal Democratic Party captured 71 seats in Sunday's election and, with its junior partner Komeito, controls 141 seats.

"Although we have provided a basis for debate, which we believe is the best but we want to have flexible discussions without sticking to our proposal," Abe said, dismissing the party's falling short of a two-thirds majority.

"Many said it would be extremely difficult to gain a majority when advocating tax hikes, but we have the public's understanding. This upper house election was not about winning two-thirds of the seats, it was about maintaining stability. We achieved that goal."

Voter turnout for the House of Councillor's election was well below its 2016 election tally. Japan's Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry said 49 percent of eligible voters participated, compared to 55 percent in 2016. Sunday marked the first time since 1995 that fewer than 50 percent voted in an upper house election. </s> Japan went to polls Sunday to elect about half of the seats of parliament's Upper House in which the prime minister's ruling party hopes to re-validate its wide majority.

Polling stations opened across most of the Japanese archipelago at 8am Sunday and will close at 8pm. </s> President Peter Mutharika who is seeking a second term and is being challenged by his deputy, Saulos Chilima, the leader of biggest opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP), Lazarus Chakwer were locked in a neck and neck race Tuesday as exit polls showed no clear winner in an election that was branded watershed.

The nearly seven million registered voters went to the polls on Tuesday, casting their votes to elect a president, members of parliament and local government councillors.

Nyasa Times correspondents with help of Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) stringers, conducted an exit poll covering Lilongwe, Blantyre, Zomba, Mangochi, Mulanje, Chikwawa, Ntcheu, Kasungu, Mzuzu, Mzimba and Karonga.

Immediately after voters exited the polling stations, they shared why they preferred specific candidates.

Most voters considered development agenda, cost of living, education and unemployment while deciding on who to vote for.

Voters feel unemployment and corruption are key issues the President should address immediately after elections.

An election exit poll is one that is conducted immediately after voters have exited the polling stations with an objective of finding out how the respondents voted but more specifically, understand respondents demographics, voters experience at the polling centre, main reasons why they voted for a particular candidate and understand when they made a decision to vote for their favorite candidates.

President Mutharika is seen – in the Nyasa Times exit polls – to be way head of the Chakwera and Chilima and chances are he will most certainly be given a new mandate to govern.

However, the exit polls are notoriously imprecise, meaning the final results could still swing in either direction.

Malawi’s electoral commission (MEC) has since pledged to deliver a credible results with its chief, Dr. Jane Ansah asking the 6.9 million registered voters to trust that their will will be respected. </s> For new councillors, nothing inspires dread more than getting your head around local government finance.

Many will have started their political careers as local campaigners and will know more than most about council budgets. They know about the trade-offs involved and are familiar with a number of the principles that underpin how councils manage their money.

But the scope and complexity of local government finances, in a world where councils plan, manage and deliver services in increasingly different ways, can take even the well-prepared by surprise.

New members are often likely to find themselves on scrutiny committees. It is through involvement in such committees that new councillors will have their first full-on encounter with the inner workings of their authority’s budget. Tomorrow’s cabinet members and leaders will cut their teeth on this work, and it is never too early for new members to begin developing an awareness of the key issues with the support of officers and their fellow members.

That isn’t to say that we only need to give new members the rundown on financial issues because some of them will one day sit on the cabinet.

There is an increasingly vital role for scrutiny councillors to play across the piece. Cipfa and the Centre for Public Scrutiny, along with the support of the Local Government Association will, in the coming weeks, be publishing a comprehensive guide for councillors on these issues.

However, there are particular steps that the newest councillors can take now that will stand them in good stead for the longer term. Such learning will eventually lead to a mastery of all things local government finance.

With that in mind, here are our top five tips for those new to the business of local democracy in town and county halls around the country, now that local election fever is over:

1.Don’t be afraid to ask stupid questions. This is perhaps one of the most common things that a new councillor will be afraid of doing. In truth, no question is stupid. But to new members, coming into what can be an unfamiliar and intimidating environment, it may seem so.

2.Get a sense of the current context. How are the council’s finances looking right now? Is there cause for concern? What are the big national and local trends which may influence your financial position in the future? Officers will be able to support this thinking, but councillors, fresh from an intense round of local campaigning, are likely to have immediate insights into the local psyche. How do you make that insight and perspective meaningful? What does it mean for the budget?

3.Don’t get overwhelmed. As your understanding develops, you’ll begin to recognise just how much information is out there. This begs the need to be discriminating. It’s not possible to absorb absolutely everything, so consider what information and data will help you to get to the heart of an issue.

4.Take your time. Demand the time and resources you need to be comfortable in your understanding of these issues. The budget cycle can feel like a steamroller, but the sense shouldn’t be that the process will continue irrespective of the members that may come and go. Councillors need time to understand, to digest, to reflect and consider – in order to play an active role. It’s wholly right to challenge finance officers to reflect on whether the way that they work meets these needs.

5.Don’t underestimate yourself. Don’t underestimate the vital democratic role that you can play in your community. In many councils, the process by which councillors other than the cabinet have an opportunity to review and influence the budget before it is formally agreed, can seem like a limited and perfunctory affair. The budget can appear to emerge, fully formed, from nowhere in the new year. The inscrutability of the process that surrounds this can put members off and give them a sense that there’s nothing constructive they can do. But there is. The period after elections, with the turnover of members and the political resetting of the council’s policy and budget cycle, is the perfect time to think practically about how financial systems and processes can be opened out.

While we’ve pitched these tips for new councillors, they also form the fundamentals for councillors returning to their positions after elections. There is always scope to keep learning, which is why, in the coming weeks, Cipfa and the Centre for Public Scrutiny will launch the Councillor Advisor Service. The aim of this service is not only to improve the financial knowledge of councillors, but to strengthen dialogue and mutual understanding between councillors and officers.

So congratulations to all councillors, both new and returning, following local elections. Take pride in your participation in our democracy and know that we stand ready to support you in the service of your communities.
• Cipfa is running two workshops to help new members understand councils’ financial reporting requirements in London (30 May) and Leeds (5 June). </s> • Europeans from 21 countries have started voting on the fourth and final day of the EU parliamentary elections.
• The results should be clear late on Sunday, with exit polls in Germany expected at 1600 UTC.
• The Netherlands, the UK, Ireland, the Czech Republic, Latvia, Malta and Slovakia have already voted.

07:45 The election will hopefully strengthen anti-immigration political forces across Europe, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said after casting his vote in Budapest. "I hope that there will be a shift in the European public arena in favour of those political parties who would like to stop migration."

07:15 Support for the Green Party surged in Ireland — where the vote was held on Friday — putting the Greens on course to win as many as three European seats, according to an exit poll for broadcasters RTE/TG4. European Greens co-lead candidate Bas Eickhout spoke of a "green wave" rolling on to Irish shores from the Netherlands, where an exit poll put GroenLinks' (GreenLeft's) share of the vote up to 10.5%.

06:40 The European Parliament forms the democratic basis of the European Union. It plays a key role in electing the president of the European Commission and ensures EU institutions are working democratically. The Parliament shares power over the bloc's budget and legislation with the Council of the European Union, which represents the governments of member states. Elections to the Parliament take place every five years and voter turnout has been steadily declining. In 2014 it was the lowest ever — just 42.5%.

06:25 Around 400 million people are eligible to vote for 751 MEPs who will serve for the next five years and help shape Europe’s future. There's a lot at stake. The issues of Brexit, immigration and the rise of right-wing parties across the bloc could bring some surprises and make these polls the most important since the first direct elections 40 years ago.

06:00 Polling stations in 21 EU countries, including major EU states of Germany, France, Italy, Spain and Poland, have opened.

Read more: EU election: Europeans head to the polls across the continent

Voting is also taking place in Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia and Sweden.

The Netherlands and the UK headed to the EU polls on Thursday — the first day of election — followed by Ireland and the Czech Republic on Friday and Latvia, Malta and Slovakia on Saturday.

A total of 420 million EU citizens are eligible to cast their ballot in these elections.

According to exit polls, the Netherlands' center-left party of EU Vice President Frans Timmermans won the most votes and added two seats to the Socialists and Democrats (S&D) bloc in the EU Parliament.

In Britain, hundreds of non-British EU citizens were turned away from polling stations on Thursday after being told they were not registered to vote in the UK for the election. The British government is now facing a potential legal challenge over the denial of votes to EU citizens.

As Germany, France, Italy, Spain and Poland send almost half of all MEPs to the European Parliament – 348 out of a total 751 – the Sunday vote is dubbed the most crucial of all rounds. Opinion polls suggest that far-right groups and Euroskeptics could gain more strength in the European Parliament, with populist parties such as Marine Le Pen's National Rally in France and Matteo Salvini's Northern League in Italy are expected to perform well in the polls.

Read more: Opinion: The EU's future and the European Parliament vote </s> Malawians are voting in 5,006 poling centres across the country to elect a president, Members of Parliament and local councillors.

Polling centres have opened at 6am to allow 6.8 million registered voters to choose their leaders.

vice president Saulos Chilima and Lazarus Chakwera are the main challengers to President Peter Mutharika who is seeking reelection in the presidential election which has seven candidates.

The other four are Atupele Muluzi of United Democratic Front, Peter Kuwani of Mbakuwaku Movement, John Chisi of Umodzi Party and independent candidate Hadwick Kaliya.

The presidential candidate with the largest share of the votes cast will win Malawi’s sixth election since the return of multiparty democracy in 1994.

The Malawi Electoral Commission has eight days to announce the result but the winner could be officially announced by the end of the week.

Meanwhile, Chairperson Dr. Jane Ansah says voting has started well and the commission has not reported any challenge so far and all centres have opened across the country.

The MEC Chair was on the ground in Blantyre as polls opened. </s> Australian taxpayers will soon for footing a $7.6 million bill for four by-elections sparked by four MPs failing to understand how being dual British citizens made them ineligible to sit in federal parliament.

Labor MPs Susan Lamb, Justine Keay and Josh Wilson all dramatically resigned from the House of Representatives on Wednesday afternoon.

Minor party MP Rebekha Sharkie, who was elected in 2016, also quit after the High Court found Labor senator Katy Gallagher was ineligible to sit in federal parliament because she is a dual Briton.

The resignation of those four MPs will cost taxpayers $7.6 million for by-elections that could have easily paid for 101 registered nurses or 115 teachers, even though a general election is likely to be held by May next year.

The four first-term MPs, who failed to realise being dual British citizenship disqualified them from sitting in parliament, had base salaries of $203,000.

A fifth by-election is also set to be held in coming months, after first-term Labor MP and Opposition frontbencher Tim Hammond resigned so he could spend more time with his young children.

His resignation from parliament, less than two years after being elected, means Australian taxpayers will be spending $9.4 million on half a dozen by-elections, which could pay for 127 registered nurses or 144 teachers.

By-elections in Australia are typically expensive, costing an average of $1.9 million, figures from the Australian Electoral Commission show.

In another insult to voters, the federal MPs who signalled they would quit over their dual citizenship will be able to use their taxpayer entitlements until they formally resigned in writing.

Leader of the House Christopher Pyne asked Speaker Tony Smith on Wednesday to ensure the four MPs who declared they were resigning did not use their travel and other entitlements any longer.

Mr Pyne said the MPs had publicly indicated they were not eligible to be in parliament and 'as a consequence they should not be able to use their entitlements'.

However, Tony Smith said they would continue to be MPs, and allowed to use their entitlements, until they wrote to him with their resignations, which was expected on Friday.

Mr Smith said the Special Minister of State was responsible for entitlements.

'I don't have the power to dismiss members from the House and I don't think the House would like me to have that power,' the Speaker said.

A half-Senate election has to be held by May next year, and Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull on Wednesday hinted that was his plan.

'The next election will be in the first half of next year,' he said.

A series of by-elections would see voters in Queensland, Tasmania, Western Australia and South Australia heading to the polls twice in less than a year.

Former prime minister Tony Abbott's former chief-of-staff Peta Credlin hinted a general election could even by held the end of this year.

'Believe or not, now see why a poll this year is looking more and more likely?’,' she said in The Australian.

That sentiment was echoed by former Labor senator Sam Dastyari, who said Treasurer Scott Morrison had handed down an 'election year budget'.

'This is all makeup. It won’t stay on for too long before the mascara smudges,' he told Daily Mail Australia on Wednesday.

Senator Gallagher, who was disqualified by the High Court, had claimed she took all reasonable steps to renounce her British citizenship before the election, but was still a British citizen when the writs were issued.

The 48-year-old former Australian Capital Territory chief minister, who became the ACT's lone Labor senator in 2015, was born in Canberra in 1970 but her mother was born in Ecuador, which was a British colony at the time of her birth.

Like her, the lower house Labor MPs who resigned from parliament are also dual Britons although their cases hadn't been tested in the High Court in Canberra.

First-term Labor MP Susan Lamb won the outer northern Brisbane seat of Longman by a 0.8 per cent margin, or just 1,390 votes, at the 2016 election by defeating junior minister Wyatt Roy.

She faces a tough challenge to keep her seat although she indicated she would renounce her British citizenship and contest the upcoming by-election.

'I am not done yet. I intend to be back,' Ms Lamb told parliament on Wednesday.

In February, Ms Lamb's stepmother Maureen Cant questioned the MP's tearful claim in parliament she could not renounce her British citizenship because her mother abandoned her at the school gates when she was six, and was 'not around' to provide her marriage certificate to her biological father, who was British.

Fellow first-term Labor MP Justine Keay, who won Braddon in Tasmania's north-west, by a narrow 2.2 per cent margin, has also indicated she will run at the upcoming by-election.

'I want to make it very clear to every member of my community and every member of this house that I am not done working and fighting on behalf of those who sent me here,' she told parliament on Wednesday.

Rebekha Sharkie, who won the Adelaide Hills-based electorate of Mayo off the Liberal Party at the last election, also quit parliament over concern she was a dual Briton.

This will spark a by-election in the Adelaide Hills seat of Mayo, where the Nick Xenophon Team candidate defeated former Liberal minister Jamie Briggs with a massive 17.5 per cent swing.

Ms Sharkie, who is now with the Central Alliance, faces a strong challenge from the Turnbull Government in the previously safe Liberal electorate once held by former foreign minister Alexander Downer.

Her resignation came just six months after her NXT colleague Skye Kakoschke-Moore resigned from the Senate after the High Court found she was a dual British citizen.

In Fremantle, south of Perth, first-term Labor MP Josh Wilson is also a dual Brit, however this seat would be unlikely to be picked up by the Liberals in an upcoming by-election despite the 7.5 per cent margin.

'Until today's decision the reasonable steps test had been accepted for more than 25 years in this country,' Mr Wilson told the House of Representatives.

Senator Gallagher's replacement in the upper house will come from Labor under a 1977 constitutional change, which means her disqualification won't spark a by-election.

The Turnbull Government was returned to power with a bare one-seat majority in July 2016 so a by-election in either in Longman or Braddon could help the Coalition boost its numbers in the House of Representatives.

Since July last year, section 44 of the constitution, which bans dual citizens from being federal members of parliament, has ended the political careers of former Greens senators Larissa Waters and Scott Ludlam.

The citizenship fiasco has also seen crossbench firebrand Jacqui Lambie kicked out of the Senate along with former deputy Nationals leader Fiona Nash and former Liberal Senate president Stephen Parry, for being dual citizens of the United Kingdom by descent.

Former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce and Liberal MP John Alexander, a former tennis champion, resigned from the House of Representatives last year but were returned in December by-elections, after they discovered they had ties to New Zealand and Britain through their fathers.
Japanese citizens head to the polls to elect one half of the members of the country's House of Councillors.