News | 24 October 2017

Kurz seeks a coalition with the FPÖ +++ Germany AfD takes seats in parliament

Kurz seeks a coalition with the FPÖ +++ Germany AfD takes seats in parliament +++ Xi Jinping cements hold on China +++ EU members agree labour market reform +++ Tusk says ‘no Brexit’ an option +++ US punishes Myanmar military +++ The Weather

24. November 2017, 02:00

Infos | 25 October 2017

Joanna King

Kurz seeks a coalition with the FPÖ

The leader of Austria’s conservative People’s party Sebastian Kurz has announced that he is inviting the far right Freedom party to begin negotiations on forming a coalition government. Kurz said he expects coalition talks to begin quickly and that he aimed at a government with a clear pro-European direction. The Freedom party leader Heinz Christian Strache is expected to accept the invitation to coalition talks at a press conference this afternoon.

Germany AfD takes seats in parliament

Germany’s newly elected parliament is holding its opening assembly, with MPs from the far right Alternative for Germany taking seats for the first time. The AfD’s nomination for deputy speaker, Albrecht Glaser, is facing severe criticism from mainstream parties, after he previously called Islam a political ideology and said Muslims should not enjoy freedom of religion. In the opening speech, FDP politician Hermann Otto Solms warned against stigmatizing new members and also appealed to MPs not to express racist and anti-Semitic views.

Xi Jinping cements hold on China

China’s president Xi Jinping has been elevated at a Communist party congress to the same status as founder Mao Zedong. Xi pledged at the congress in Beijing to lead China into a new era of international power and influence. The Communist party’s constitution was amended in the final session to enshrine Xi’s political doctrines. China expert Steve Tsang, says Xi’s philosophy rejects Westernisation: “He also articulated very strong confidence that China has its own model and that model works. It also implies that China is not going to accept any type of democratization or learning more from the West.”

EU members agree labour market reform

A majority of EU member nations have agreed labour market reforms to ensure foreign workers must be paid in line with their host country. The changes enforce work place protections and limit companies to posting workers abroad for a maximum of 18 months. The measures to stop social dumping must still be approved by the European parliament. A number of east European member states have objected to the planned changes.

Tusk says ‘no Brexit’ an option

European Council president Donald Tusk has said it is up to Britain to decide whether talks on its withdrawal from the EU will end with a good deal, or no deal, or a decision not to proceed with Brexit. Speaking to the EU parliament, Tusk said the next stage of Brexit talks would be the EU’s toughest stress test yet and urged unity.

US punishes Myanmar military

The United States says it is imposing limited measures on Myanmar’s military over violence against the Rohingya Muslim minority. More than 600,000 Rohingya have fled violence in Rakhine state for neighboring Bangladesh. The US says it is also considering sanctions against those associated with the abuse.