Latest news with #StephanievandenBerg
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Populist Wilders breaks Dutch coalition to push immigration agenda in elections
By Stephanie van den Berg and Bart H. Meijer AMSTERDAM (Reuters) -Dutch far-right leader Geert Wilders toppled the ruling coalition on Tuesday, gambling that a snap election focused on immigration will bring victory at the polls and secure his decades-old ambition of holding the highest political office. "We had agreed that the Netherlands would become the strictest (on immigration) in Europe, but we're trailing somewhere near the bottom," he told journalists, speaking after his Freedom Party (PVV) ditched Prime Minister Dick Schoof's coalition, just weeks before a major NATO summit in The Hague. "I intend to become the next prime minister. I am going to make the PVV bigger than ever." Some analysts said that despite a European shift to the right as seen in Poland with the election on Sunday of a conservative nationalist as president, his plan could still backfire. Polls indicate declining popularity for the PVV since it joined the government. Even if it remains the largest party, fashioning a coalition will be difficult in a deeply polarised nation. Opposition parties rule out working with Wilders and his sudden move on Tuesday angered and baffled political partners. Wilders, the longest serving Dutch lawmaker, gradually climbed to power after entering parliament in 1998, running on an anti-Islam platform that called for zero immigration and expelling asylum seekers. He tapped concerns of voters disillusioned with established politics and concerns about housing costs and healthcare that he has associated with immigration. His euroseceptic Freedom Party joined a power-sharing, right-wing coalition in 2024 after a record win in general elections, but Wilders said the government failed to make good on promises to clamp down on immigration. Immigration has slowed significantly since a peak in 2022. The Netherlands received almost two first-time asylum applications per 1,000 inhabitants in 2024, slightly below the European Union average, according to Eurostat data. Ten EU countries had a higher relative number of asylum seekers last year, including neighbouring Germany and Belgium. Junior coalition government members, including the conservative VVD party of ex-prime minister Mark Rutte, were reluctant to embrace some of Wilders' harshest ideas, including closing the borders to asylum seekers, returning Syrian refugees and closing asylum shelters. Those proposals also flew in the face of European Union obligations and a Dutch humanitarian tradition since World War Two of taking in people fleeing conflict. Focusing attention on immigration is a critical electoral strategy for the PVV, said Simon Otjes, assistant professor for Dutch politics at Leiden University. "Wilders is trying to return the focus back to immigration in the hopes that that will be the main theme in the coming elections," Otjes said. "A lot can happen in the next six months and it will be very unpredictable." Political ambition has not been enough to secure Wilders the top job, even after winning multiple elections. He had to give up his claim to the top job last year to strike a coalition deal with three other conservative parties. Wilders' anti-Islam rhetoric has prompted death threats and travel bans to Muslim nations that trade with the Netherlands. His 17-minute film "Fitna" enraged the Muslim world in 2008 for linking Koranic verses with footage of terrorist attacks. He was convicted of discrimination after he insulted Moroccans at a campaign rally in 2014. Wilders also called the prophet Mohammad a "paedophile", Islam a "fascist ideology" and "backward religion", and suggested banning of mosques, headscarves and the Koran. The central question now will be whether Wilders can turn a future election into a referendum on immigration policy that effectively undercuts his opponents, said Joep van Lit, political researcher at Radboud University in Nijmegen. "But it's hard to tell how voters will react."
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Sudan tells World Court UAE fuels Darfur genocide
By Stephanie van den Berg THE HAGUE (Reuters) - Sudan on Thursday told the International Court of Justice that the United Arab Emirates was violating the Genocide Convention by supporting paramilitary forces in Darfur and asked judges to issue emergency preventative orders. Sudan's complaint to the Hague-based ICJ - known as the World Court - is in connection with intense ethnic-based attacks by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces and allied Arab militias against the non-Arab Masalit tribe in 2023 in West Darfur, documented in detail by Reuters. The UAE has repeatedly dismissed the filing of the case as a political game. "The genocide against the Masalit is being carried out by the Rapid Support Force, believed to be Arab from Darfur, with the support and complicity of the United Arab Emirates," Sudan's acting justice minister Muawia Osman, told the United Nations' top court. Attacks against the Masalit were determined to be genocide by the United States in January. Sudan accuses the UAE of arming the RSF which have been fighting the Sudanese army in a two-year-old civil war - a charge the UAE denies but U.N. experts and U.S. lawmakers have found credible. "This is not a legitimate legal action; it is a cynical and baseless PR stunt, designed to distract from the Sudanese Armed Forces' own appalling record of atrocities," Reem Ketait, a top official at the UAE ministry of foreign affairs, told journalists on Thursday. The justice minister asked the court to order the UAE to prevent genocidal acts against the Masalit. As cases before the ICJ can take years to reach a final conclusion, states can ask for emergency measures which are meant to ensure the dispute between the states does not escalate in the meantime. ICJ experts have said that the UAE signed the genocide treaty but made reservations to the court's legal power to rule on disputes, making it likely the court will eventually throw out the case because it lacks jurisdiction.
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Exclusive-ICC prosecutor Khan accused of retaliation for sexual misconduct allegation, sources say
By Stephanie van den Berg and Anthony Deutsch THE HAGUE (Reuters) - U.N. investigators examining allegations of sexual misconduct by International Criminal Court Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan are also looking into alleged retaliation for the accusations, five sources briefed on the matter have told Reuters. The allegations being examined are that Khan retaliated against staff who reported allegations of sexual misconduct towards a female lawyer reporting to him or were critical of his handling of the matter, said three sources with direct knowledge of the U.N. investigation. The five sources, all of whom asked not to be named due to concerns of reprisals, said Khan, who is British, had demoted at least four staff in his office. In a written statement, Khan's attorneys rejected all allegations of wrongdoing and said he "looks forward to cooperating fully and transparently with the external investigation". "We refer you to what our client has said previously in this regard, including his firm denials. You will appreciate that our client cannot be expected to provide a running commentary on these matters," law firm Carter-Ruck said. "He has not engaged in sexual misconduct of any kind and nor, to be clear, has he engaged in any 'retaliatory behaviour' as alleged." Carter-Ruck did not comment on whether the U.N. probe included examining allegations of retaliatory conduct. Khan has vowed to continue working while cooperating with the inquiry, and said that the original allegations, made last October, coincided with a campaign of misinformation against his office. ICC prosecutors are investigating several high-profile figures including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Russian President Vladimir Putin. The court has issued an arrest warrant for Putin on suspicion of deporting children from Ukraine, and for Netanyahu for alleged war crimes in Gaza. Neither country is a member of the court and both deny the accusations and reject ICC jurisdiction. The ICC's investigation into Israel's conduct led the U.S. to impose sanctions on Khan, which the ICC president says have put the court itself at risk. Khan has not yet been questioned for the inquiry, which is being conducted by the U.N.'s Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS), the sources said. The ICC and an OIOS official declined to comment on the inquiry into Khan. The court's governing body, which commissioned the U.N. inquiry, declined to comment on its scope, saying that further information could only be shared once the investigation was finished. The ICC is a permanent court that can prosecute individuals for war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide and the crime of aggression in member states or by their nationals. Its 125 members include all European Union countries, Japan, Britain, Canada and Brazil, but not the United States, China or Russia.
Yahoo
14-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Philippines' Duterte to have first court appearance in The Hague
By Stephanie van den Berg and Anthony Deutsch THE HAGUE - Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte makes his first appearance at the International Criminal Court in The Hague on Friday, where he faces murder allegations stemming from his "war on drugs". Duterte arrived in the Netherlands on a flight from Manila on Wednesday and was taken into ICC custody after being arrested by authorities on an International Criminal Court warrant. Prosecutors have accused him of crimes against humanity for what they call a systematic attack on the civilian population. Thousands of purported drug dealers and users were killed during the crackdown, when death squads he allegedly created and armed carried out widespread extrajudicial killings. The 79-year-old arrived at Rotterdam airport on a chartered plane Wednesday and was transferred to a detention unit on the Dutch coast up the road from the ICC building. In video message on social media, Duterte took responsibility for his actions. Duterte, who led the Philippines from 2016 to 2022, is set to be the first Asian former head of state to go on trial at the ICC, a court of last resort created more than two decades ago to prosecute individuals for war crimes, crimes against humanity, aggression and genocide. During an initial appearance, judges usually summarise the allegations against a suspect, who will not be asked to enter a plea. Duterte will be represented by a court-appointed defence council and his former executive secretary Salvador Medialdea. The ageing former president will also be asked about his condition and the conditions in detention. Duterte has said that he suffers from a series of ailments including a chronic neuromuscular disorder, back problems, migraines and a condition that can cause blockages in the blood vessels. Duterte's surrender to the court marks a big victory for Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan, who faces U.S. sanctions over his arrest warrant for Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu. After the initial appearance, the court will likely set a confirmation of charges hearing in several months, when prosecutors can present part of their evidence and judges decide what charges can be in the indictment. A trial would not be expected to start until early 2026.
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
What happens next to ex-Philippine president Duterte?
By Stephanie van den Berg and Anthony Deutsch THE HAGUE (Reuters) - Philippine ex-President Duterte, who faces murder charges at the International Criminal Court over his war on drugs, will be taken to a coastal detention unit near The Hague where several infamous war crimes suspects were held. The Scheveningen prison facility, built in 1882, is where some former leaders prosecuted by international courts or U.N. tribunals spent years during legal proceedings. See for yourself — The Yodel is the go-to source for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories. By signing up, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy. Upon arrival Duterte would generally receive a medical examination and then be taken to a private cell with a sink, toilet, bed, desk and bookshelves. Duterte will join Kosovo's former president Hashim Thaçi, who is awaiting his war crimes trial, and convicted Bosnian Serb war criminal Ratko Mladic, who was found guilty of genocide in Bosnia. Other inmates include militia leaders from Sudan, Mali and the Central African Republic. COOKING, YOGA AND CRAFTS Because it's technically a detention unit and not a prison, detainees have access to more facilities than they would after a possible conviction. Among privileges are conjugal visits, an outdoor exercise space, unmonitored communications with legal team and visits by a minister or spiritual advisor. During trials in the aftermath of the bloody Balkan wars of the 1990s, for which more than 160 suspects were prosecuted, inmates were known to hold sports matches. The detainees for the U.N. and Kosovo tribunals are in separate wings but share some facilities with the ICC detainees. Inside there are basic medical facilities and an onsite nurse, but defence lawyers for some suspects have raised concerns that it is difficult to get care after hours. Suspects have access to a gym, a library and a kitchen where they can prepare their own meals, as a dislike for Dutch cuisine is shared by most detainees, lawyers said. Inmates can also take yoga and music classes, some get materials for crafts and painting and have access to a computer for legal research. They can receive treatment under the Dutch medical system and have the right to a second opinion by a doctor of their choosing. INITIAL APPEARANCE The ICC's warrant for Duterte says that as president he created, funded and armed "death squads" as part of the war on drugs. Prosecutors have accused him of crimes against humanity and pre-trial judges say there are reasonable grounds to prosecute Duterte based on the evidence before them. In coming days, Duterte will be brought before a judge for an initial appearance, during which the allegations will be detailed in court. Represented by a court-appointed defence council or a lawyer of his picking, he will not be asked to enter a plea. Among the most well-known former defendants are the late Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic, who died in 2006 during his genocide trial, and former Ivory Coast president Laurent Gbagbo, who was acquitted in 2019 of responsibility for post-election violence in 2010. Liberia's Charles Taylor is serving a 50-year sentence in Britain after being convicted by a special tribunal.
