Latest news with #centrist
Reuters
4 days ago
- Business
- Reuters
South Korea presidential hopeful Kim turned from activist to right-wing maverick
SEOUL, May 29 (Reuters) - South Korea's conservative presidential candidate Kim Moon-soo came to prominence as a maverick right-wing politician but it was only the latest metamorphosis in a life that saw him espouse liberal causes as a labour activist when he was younger. Now the nominee for the People Power Party (PPP) is putting himself forward as a moderate, aware that it is the centrist vote he needs to attract if he is to have a chance against liberal frontrunner Lee Jae-myung in the June 3 election. "I've done the left and I've done the right. To go from the left to the right, you have to pass the centre," Kim, 73, said when he declared his plan to run in April. "I have known people who struggle at the lowest level and I've known chaebol people," he said, referring to South Korea's family-owned conglomerates such as Samsung and Hyundai. "A person who understands and embraces the whole is the centrist." Unlike Lee, who is running in his second straight campaign for president, Kim will barely have two months for his shot at leading Asia's fourth-largest economy, having thrown his hat in the ring only after Yoon Suk Yeol was ousted for his ill-fated attempt to impose martial law. If elected he will have to leverage his centrist position to bridge divisions in a country polarised by Yoon's martial law while managing burgeoning economic concerns and negotiating trade tariffs with U.S. President Donald Trump's administration. Kim is hardly a new face on the national stage. When South Korea was run by military strongmen, he was a charismatic leader in the labour movement at a time when workers were expected to sacrifice their rights for the sake of economic development. Shim Sang-jung, former leader of the Justice Party who had been part of a student labour movement in the 1980s, remembers Kim as a fighter who endured prison torture, refusing to disclose the whereabouts of fellow members who were on the run. "When we were comrades, Kim Moon-soo was a legend," Shim said. "He was the prince of the activist movement, a towering mentor." Born to a humble family in the country's rural south, Kim was a bright youngster who went on to enrol at the prestigious Seoul National University but was expelled for his involvement in activism and went to work in a factory for the purpose of setting up a union. After serving a two-year prison term over democracy protests, Kim joined fellow activists who believed the best way of trying to improve the lives of workers was to launch a progressive party in the hope of being accepted by the public. Repeated failure pushed him toward mainstream politics, starting with being elected to parliament in 1996 for what was a precursor to today's People Power Party as a member of a reform-minded faction in the conservative party. He served three terms, then two terms as governor of Gyeonggi province, the most populous region in the country that surrounds the capital, Seoul, where he honed his administrative drive and sharpened political instincts. Over a 10-year hiatus, Kim shifted increasingly to the right, clashing with the left and often critical of the country's labour unions for being complacent and corrupt, no longer viewing them as serving the public good in a country that had developed into an economic powerhouse. By the time then President Yoon tapped him as labour minister last year, Kim had come to be known as a hardliner who often opposed unions and spoke out against advancing women's and LGBTQ rights. When Yoon was impeached in December and then removed from office, Kim was one of the few politicians who openly opposed his ouster, saying the decision to declare military rule may have been ill-conceived but was not grounds to strip him of the presidency.
Bloomberg
19-05-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
Romania Will Need to Move Quickly on Reforms, Finance Chief Says
Romania's finance chief said a new government will need to move quickly to fix state finances even after the election of Bucharest Mayor Nicusor Dan as president helped soothe market turmoil that's engulfed the Black Sea nation. Finance Minister Barna Tanczos said Romania is 'under scrutiny practically ever day' by investors and ratings agencies. They'll be satisfied by the victory of a centrist candidate over a far-right party leader, but policymakers have their work cut out for them to address the widest fiscal gap in the European Union, he said.
Bloomberg
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Bloomberg
Trio of European Elections Keep Center Intact With Right on Rise
Welcome to the Brussels Edition, Bloomberg's daily briefing on what matters most in the heart of the European Union. The Donald Trump factor rippled through European elections on Sunday. Surging turnout helped a centrist candidate fend off a far-right victory in Romania's closely watched presidential election. Nicusor Dan, an independent candidate, won with 54% of the vote, defeating George Simion, leader of the Alliance for the Unity of Romanians. The result was closer in the first round of Poland's presidential election, with the centrist Warsaw mayor on track for only a narrow victory over a pro-Trump nationalist to face a runoff in June. Portuguese Prime Minister Luis Montenegro's center-right coalition clung to power in a snap election, though still fell short of a majority. Far-right party Chega was projected to strengthen its position, with results indicating it could overtake the Socialist Party to become the second largest group in parliament. All told, the results were a sigh of relief for the center, though the far right continues to strengthen its grip in opposition.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Attorney John Morgan continues push for new political party, eyes 2026 governor's race
The Brief Orlando attorney John Morgan is moving forward with forming a centrist political party in Florida. He says the move could support a potential 2026 gubernatorial run amid rising voter frustration with partisan extremes. Morgan believes the state needs a political "vehicle" for compromise. ORLANDO, Fla. - Prominent Orlando attorney John Morgan is advancing efforts to form a new political party, positioning it as a centrist alternative to what he calls the extremes of the Republican and Democratic parties. What we know Orlando attorney John Morgan is moving forward with plans to form a new political party in Florida, aimed at offering a centrist alternative to the current two-party system. Known for founding the Morgan & Morgan law firm, Morgan has previously hinted at a gubernatorial run and is now laying the groundwork for a possible campaign in 2026 through this new political vehicle. What we don't know Morgan has not formally announced his candidacy for governor, nor has he provided details about the structure, name, or leadership of the proposed political party. It remains unclear whether the party will field additional candidates or focus solely on supporting his potential campaign. The backstory Morgan has been a well-known figure in Florida's political and legal circles for years, occasionally signaling interest in public office. His frustration with partisan politics has been a recurring theme, but this marks his most concrete step toward political organization. The move comes amid increasing polarization and dissatisfaction among voters not aligned with either major party. Big picture view Florida's political landscape is sharply divided, with Republicans holding 40% of registered voters and Democrats at 31%. However, the rise of voters with no party affiliation — now at 26% — points to an opportunity for a new political movement. Morgan's initiative appears to be tapping into that demographic, which could reshape the state's political dynamics if successful. What they're saying "I don't believe there's any compromise in our political system anymore — anywhere, on both sides," Morgan said. "You have to make a sacrifice for the common good. I don't care if it's me, but I think we need a vehicle to make it possible." STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 35 ORLANDO: Download the FOX Local app for breaking news alerts, the latest news headlines Download the FOX 35 Storm Team Weather app for weather alerts & radar Sign up for FOX 35's daily newsletter for the latest morning headlines FOX Local:Stream FOX 35 newscasts, FOX 35 News+, Central Florida Eats on your smart TV The Source This story was written based on information shared by John Morgan and the Florida Division of Elections.
The Independent
16-05-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
You don't speak for middle England, Mr Farage, and here's why
How many people, I wonder, seriously think that Keir Starmer has much in common with Enoch Powell? It's true that whoever came up with the phrase 'island of strangers' was, at best, naive. But those three words don't do justice to his whole speech. Powell was a (proud) racialist. Starmer is not. But, somehow, in modern Britain as elsewhere, we are more comfortable with pigeonholes. Not so long ago, Starmer was typecast as weak-kneed and woke-minded on the issue of immigration. Now he apparently spies the River Thames foaming with much blood. Maybe his views aren't so extreme, but he has simply been persuaded to nudge a little to the right to undermine the threat from Reform. In other words, perhaps Starmer is, at heart, that most ridiculed of creatures: a centrist dad. But aren't most of us somewhere in the middle on most of the big issues of the day? The common wisdom is that we're living in an age of great polarity, which is true up to a point. But, increasingly, I suspect, most of us aren't attracted to extremes. We are repelled by pigeonholes and huddle for warmth somewhere in the middle instead. I am no John Curtice, so what follows is a gut feeling rather than a psephological revelation. But that feeling, when it comes to immigration, is that most people appreciate that, as a country, we do benefit from migration, and that we also need controls on who – and how many people – should be allowed in. In other words, we do buy the argument that migrants bring considerable benefits and are probably necessary for growth, but we also understand those who fear that, wrongly handled, there could be a risk to social cohesion – and that unskilled workers, in particular, feel threatened by the lower pay rates that an excessive number of foreign workers can cause. In other words, Starmer was right two years ago when he spoke up in favour of migration and also right today in wanting to set boundaries. He's more or less in tune with most people, who are not in favour of uncontrolled migration any more than they share a cruel obsession with denying sanctuary to those most in need. See also Israel-Palestine. Most people surely agree that Israel had to defend itself after the barbarous 7 October attacks by Hamas. But many, if not most, people now consider that Israel's response has been wildly, possibly criminally, disproportionate. By holding these two thoughts, they are not siding with either the Islamist radicals or the ethno-nationalist hardmen propping up Benjamin Netanyahu. Stop the killing, end the famine, and get around a table and talk. That's where most people are. On trans issues, the majority probably feel sympathy and understanding towards people who feel trapped in the wrong body. They probably believe that such people should be free to live whatever lives they want – including self-identifying in terms of gender. They simultaneously acknowledge that, in a tiny proportion of cases, there might be issues to resolve sensitively around toilets, prisons and sport. Anyone with any personal knowledge of trans people will know that 99.9 per cent are not in prison, don't compete in sport and quietly resolve any issues around bathrooms. The obsessive vitriol and noise about the 0.1 per cent leaves most of us cold. And then Brexit. Most people could see there were some sovereignty issues with 'rule from Brussels', but that there were also huge economic benefits from being part of a trading bloc. It was, literally, a trade-off: freedom of movement brought advantages as well as disadvantages. Self-evidently and by a small margin, it transpired that we were relaxed about a form of decoupling. But support for the most extreme version of severance was limited and is declining now the economic (and security) consequences are becoming icily apparent. That leaves climate change. Most people accept that it is very real – and that we need to move fast to try and mitigate the damage that a significant rise in warming will cause. Most support an energy transition, though they are up for a constructive argument about how fast and at what cost. The majority of people don't want to go back to coal or maintain our reliance on fossil fuels for longer than we have to. If there's a cleaner way of generating energy, bring it on. Moderation in all things. But contrast that instinctive moderation with how most of these issues are presented and discussed as either/or rather than a bit of both. When did we lose the art of nuance and reasonable discussion? The easy response is to blame it all on social media algorithms, which do, indeed, favour the shouters and the polarisers. But is that the only explanation? Some argue that a fairer voting system would change the nature of the debate so that we could discuss in shades of grey rather than the prevailing black and white. We're tired of the adversarial approach to everything. Does the mainstream media have to accept some responsibility for the way we force people to take more eye-catching positions than those they actually believe in? Or have we simply lost the art of nuance? Keir Starmer as Enoch Powell – really? Our instinct for moderation was once considered a defining British – or, at least, English trait. We didn't fall for fascism or communism in the Thirties because we – well, because we huddled somewhere in the middle. George Orwell, famously writing under the hail of Nazi bombs in February 1941, said: 'Like all other modern people, the English are in process of being numbered, labelled, conscripted, 'coordinated'. But the pull of their impulses is in the other direction, and the kind of regimentation that can be imposed on them will be modified in consequence. No party rallies, no youth movements, no coloured shirts, no Jew-baiting or 'spontaneous' demonstrations. No Gestapo either, in all probability.' And so it turned out. Which makes it all the stranger that Nigel Farage, with his Mr Toad flat cap and yellow cords, has managed to brand himself as the epitome of Englishness. Speak for England, Nigel? I don't think so. Let's hear it for the neglected middle.
