It wasn’t the much-trumpeted wave of red – no, not socialism, but the US Republicans’ traditional colour – but the ripple was enough. It flipped a few more than the five seats needed to change the balance of power in the House of Representatives.
Although Democrats retained the Senate, glee erupted widely in the GOP at the prospect of making Democrat President Joe Biden’s remaining time in office difficult when the House resumes in January. Of course, it’s never that simple, even if the Republicans now have the numbers to nix the House’s probe into ex-president Donald Trump’s role in the 6 January 2021 Capitol insurrection – and the Democrat-House-initiated inquiry into Trump’s tax affairs, even if courts now have ordered the handover of six years of ex-presidential tax returns.
Meanwhile, Berlin is ordered to rerun its 26 September 2021 poll that combined elections for Germany’s parliament, state legislature and council – alongside a vote on “socialising” private housing companies.
“A complete rerun of the election is the only way to ensure the composition of the parliament and councils meets the constitutional requirements of democratic elections,” the Financial Times quotes from the constitutional court judgment.
Election day was a shambles. Long queues had voters throwing in the towel, or polling stations staying open beyond the 6pm cutoff, with shortages of ballots. Berlin authorities now have 90 days to rerun constitutionally compliant elections.
The clock is also ticking on the Finnish parliament moving new legislation on the Sámi parliament. It’s not a law-making or veto body but, like similar institutions in Norway and Sweden, represents Sámi indigenous people.
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Not everyone is on the same page in the governing coalition of five parties with some five months before the April 2023 parliamentary elections. Prime Minister Sanna Marin’s pledge on the new Sámi Parliament Act has ruffled feathers of coalition partner the Centre Party. It’s played into coalition tensions, and others such as spending plans and controversial health reforms. In March 2019 then Prime Minister Juha Sipilä resigned over his administration’s key failure, overhauling Finland’s health system.
The Sámi parliament vote issue has simmered for years, and got Finland criticised on the global stage. On 1 February 2019 the UN Human Rights Committee recognised “violations” of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights in how the Finnish legislation determines eligibility to vote for the Sámi parliament.
Effectively, non-Sámi have been registered to vote as criteria include descendants of those who are on the tax register as “a mountain, forest or fishing Lapp”, while limiting eligibility to anyone whose parents or grandparents spoke Sámi as a first language.
The UN Human Rights Committee decided Finland was obligated to review the Sámi Parliament Act “with a view to ensuring that the criteria for eligibility to vote in Sámi parliament elections are defined and applied in a manner that respects the right of the Sámi people”.
On 17 November the draft law that would clarify the voters’ roll was approved for submission to the Finnish parliament, with a vote of 11 ministers for and all three from the Centre Party against.
Never mind the tensions, it’s rolling.
As is December’s ANC elective national conference – and the 2024 electioneering expected from early in the new year with the usual smears and whispering campaigns.
Perhaps the millionaire president whose cattle-trading side hustle got him into Phala Phala troubles should publish his tax returns – taking a leaf from independently wealthy British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
In Finland, tax authorities publish who paid what tax, including private businesses, with more detail for politicians.
It’s about transparency, and supporting good conduct and integrity in office. Actually, everyone getting to Parliament in 2024 should release their tax info. DM
This story first appeared in our weekly Daily Maverick 168 newspaper, which is available countrywide for R25.
