CBC News is projecting that Justin Trudeau’s Liberals will form a minority government in Canada.
Trudeau will serve another term as prime minister.
CBC News is projecting that Justin Trudeau’s Liberals will form a minority government in Canada.
Trudeau will serve another term as prime minister.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu returned the mandate for forming a government to President Reuven Rivlin after failing to cobble together enough support for a coalition within the 28-day time frame that Rivlin had granted, the Jerusalem Post reports.
Axios: “This is the second time in six months that Netanyahu has failed to form a government after an election. Benny Gantz, leader of the center-left Blue and White Party, will now get an opportunity to form a coalition, but he’s also unlikely to succeed. The chances are growing that Israel will be forced to hold a third election this year.”
The Week: “Canadians elect a new Parliament in national elections Monday, and polls suggest that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau could become the first Canadian leader in 84 years to be ousted after one four-year term with a parliamentary majority.”
“Trudeau’s Liberal Party is neck-and-neck with the Conservative Party and its leader, Andrew Scheer, though it seems likely neither party will win an outright majority of Parliament’s 338 seats.”
CBC: It’s Election Day in Canada. Here’s what you need to know.
A Political Wire reader has put together a nice spreadsheet to follow as results come in tonight.
You are reading the free version of Political Wire.
“Former President Barack Obama on Wednesday tweeted his support for Justin Trudeau, urging Canadians to reelect their Prime Minister in Monday’s federal election,” CNN reports.
“Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu began Thursday the daunting task of trying to cobble together a coalition government amid political deadlock that emerged from this month’s repeat elections, which had no clear winner,” the AP reports.
“He now has up to six weeks to attempt to resolve the political impasse, but his odds appear slim. Even with the support of smaller allies, both Netanyahu and his main challenger, Blue and White party leader and former army chief Benny Gantz, lack the support for the required 61-seat parliamentary majority needed to establish a government. That’s including the support of Netanyahu’s traditional ultra-Orthodox and religious-nationalist allies.”
“While weeks of negotiations to form a coalition government lay ahead, conditions set by the parties could hobble the task within the allotted time, prompting a never-before held third election. With nearly all votes counted Thursday, the centrist Blue and White party stood at 33 seats in Israel’s 120-seat parliament. Netanyahu’s conservative Likud stood at 31 seats,” the AP reports.
“Neither party can form a government without the support of the election’s apparent kingmaker, Avigdor Lieberman of the Yisrael Beitenu party. His insistence on a secular government would force out Netanyahu’s traditional allies, the country’s two ultra-Orthodox parties and another nationalist-religious party.”
“Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he’ll still fight to keep power despite exit polls from today’s elections showing his Likud party trailing the center-left Blue and White party and his right-wing bloc falling short of a majority,” Israel’s Channel 13 reports.
“Netanyahu accused the media of biased coverage during the campaign and insisted that after waiting for the final results, he’d attempt to form a governing coalition.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party trails the Blue and White party in 2 of 3 exit polls released as polls closed in Israel today, and the two are tied in the third poll, Axios reports.
All 3 polls show his right-wing bloc falling short of the 61 seats needed for a majority.
“Israelis vote Tuesday in an unprecedented repeat election that will decide whether longtime Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stays in power despite a looming indictment on corruption charges,” the AP reports.
“Netanyahu, the longest serving leader in Israeli history, is seeking a fourth consecutive term in office, and fifth overall. But he faces a stiff challenge from retired military chief Benny Gantz, whose centrist Blue and White party is running even with Netanyahu’s Likud. Both parties could struggle to form a majority coalition with smaller allies, though, forcing them into a potential unity government.”
“President Trump said he had spoken with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about a possible mutual defense treaty between the two nations, a move that could bolster Netanyahu’s re-election bid just days before Israelis go to the polls,” NBC News reports.
“He added that he looked forward to continuing those discussions later this month on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly session in New York.”
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has officially declared the date for Canada’s general election: October 21, Axios reports.
“The election will effectively be a referendum on Trudeau’s first term. That’s not necessarily good news for the telegenic PM — an ethics scandal and unfulfilled expectations mean it’s far from certain he’ll win a new term. Polls show his Liberals neck and neck with the opposition Conservatives.”
“A week before an election in which he is battling for survival, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel on Tuesday asked voters to return him to power with a mandate to annex the Jordan Valley in the occupied West Bank, a move that could dramatically reshape the Israeli-Palestinian conflict,” the New York Times reports.
“The move would give the nation ‘secure, permanent borders’ for the first time in its history, he said, but it would also reduce any future Palestinian state to an enclave encircled by Israel.”
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson suffered another big loss, with the House of Commons rejecting his motion calling for a general election by 298 to 56.
Because many opposition MPs abstained, it did not receive the two thirds majority required to trigger national ballot.
Axios: “It’s a disastrous start for the new prime minister, who campaigned on a pledge to leave the EU on Oct. 31 with or without a deal. No prime minister has lost their first vote in office since 1783 — let alone their first 3.”
“The opposition Labour Party said it would not back an election until the bill ruling out a no-deal is enshrined in law. It has to pass through Parliament’s upper chamber, the House of Lords, for that to happen.”
Politico: “Johnson’s preference is for an election on Oct. 14, hoping that his Conservative Party will gain seats in the House of Commons and give him more backing for his preferred approach to Brexit.”
“Calling an election would be a big risk, though. It would essentially amount to a second referendum on Brexit in all but name and serve as a first referendum on Johnson. The previous prime minister, Theresa May, called an early election in 2017, only to have it misfire, leaving her with a wafer-thin majority.”
“Parliament could also attempt to remove Johnson without turning to the voters — via a vote of no confidence. But because Johnson succeeded in getting the Queen to suspend Parliament for five weeks starting on Sept. 9, there’s likely no time for Johnson’s Parliamentary opponents to pull off that maneuver.”
Haaretz: “In recent weeks, there have been intensive talks between some of Netanyahu’s advisers and people close to U.S. President Donald Trump over a potential statement by the American president, in which he could commit to protecting Israel in the future from any existential threat.”
“In addition, Netanyahu is also trying to orchestrate some form of gesture from Russian President Vladimir Putin — either in the form of an official Putin visit to Israel or a trilateral meeting of the national security advisers of Israel, Russia and the United States. This would be similar to a meeting that took place in Israel in June.”
“Speculation is mounting that Boris Johnson could call a snap general election if backbench rebels succeed in passing a bill to delay Brexit, with a Downing Street source saying the issue would be treated as ‘an expression of confidence’ in the government,” the Guardian reports.
“Johnson’s cabinet ministers are being summoned for an emergency cabinet meeting on Monday afternoon.. Senior sources among the cross-party group of rebels say they believe Johnson could seek a snap general election as early as Wednesday.”
“Support for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) surged in two state elections in the east of the country as voters disillusioned with Angela Merkel’s government abandoned the center in droves,” Politico reports.
“Though the AfD didn’t win either state as some had feared, it posted its best-ever result in both, sending a strong message to the Merkel’s centrist coalition in Berlin.”
“Italian Premier Giuseppe Conte has told senators he is handing in his resignation because his right-wing coalition partner, the League party led by Interior Minister Matteo Salvini, has decided to yank its support for the populist government,” the AP reports.
“Conte said he will go later Tuesday to officially inform Italian President Sergio Mattarella of his decision. Mattarella, as head of state, could ask Conte to stay on and try to find an alternative majority in Parliament, or accept his resignation and see if some other leader can forge an alternative coalition.”
Taegan Goddard is the founder of Political Wire, one of the earliest and most influential political web sites. He also runs Political Job Hunt, Electoral Vote Map and the Political Dictionary.
Goddard spent more than a decade as managing director and chief operating officer of a prominent investment firm in New York City. Previously, he was a policy adviser to a U.S. Senator and Governor.
Goddard is also co-author of You Won - Now What? (Scribner, 1998), a political management book hailed by prominent journalists and politicians from both parties. In addition, Goddard's essays on politics and public policy have appeared in dozens of newspapers across the country.
Goddard earned degrees from Vassar College and Harvard University. He lives in New York with his wife and three sons.
Goddard is the owner of Goddard Media LLC.
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