Latest news with #noConfidenceMotion
Japan Times
19 hours ago
- Politics
- Japan Times
No-confidence motion against Ishiba Cabinet could lead to double election
With the current parliamentary session set to end in about two weeks, political tugs-of-war within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and the opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan are intensifying over the question of a snap Lower House election on the same day as next month's scheduled Upper House poll. While CDP leader Yoshihiko Noda has not yet declared whether his party would back a no-confidence motion and Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has not publicly stated he will dissolve the Lower House if one is submitted, a double election could result in more political stability if either party manages to capture both chambers, or continued instability if neither holds a majority, even in a coalition. If the opposition parties in the Lower House, which hold a majority, pass a no-confidence motion against the Cabinet, Ishiba and his Cabinet must resign en masse. A new prime minister can be chosen and form a new Cabinet, unless the Lower House is dissolved within 10 days, according to Article 69 of the Constitution. A Lower House election must then be held within 40 days. The current session of parliament is scheduled to finish on June 22. On the other hand, the prime minister could unilaterally dissolve the Lower House to call a snap election at the time of his choice, even before the motion is voted on. Reports last week indicated Ishiba had not ruled out dissolving the lower chamber if a no-confidence motion were to be submitted. On June 5, Nippon Ishin no Kai co-leader Seiji Maehara, who has a good personal relationship with Ishiba, said the prime minister told him privately parliament would be dissolved in that event. Other members of his party are not denying the possibility. LDP Secretary-General Hiroshi Moriyama told reporters on June 3 he had not discussed this with Ishiba, saying only that the prime minister will make an appropriate decision at the appropriate time. Speaking on Fuji TV on Sunday morning, former Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who backed Ishiba in last September's LDP presidential election, said the decision to dissolve parliament was one of political life or death for any prime minister. 'So I believe that we have no choice but to respect Prime Minister Ishiba's decision,' Kishida said. Dissolution would be risky for the unpopular LDP. A June 7-8 Asahi News Network poll showed the Ishiba Cabinet support rate at 34.4%, a 6.8 point rise over last month, while 72% of respondents approved of agriculture minister Shinjiro Koizumi's efforts to bring down rice prices. The LDP might agree to a quick Lower House election in the hope of utilizing Koizumi's popularity to garner voter support. But the same poll showed that 46.4% of respondents did not support the Cabinet. There is no guarantee that voters, regardless of their views on Koizumi, would cast their ballots for other LDP candidates and once again give the party a majority in the Lower House. As the main opposition party, the CDP's backing of a no-confidence motion would be crucial for it to pass. Yuichiro Tamaki, leader of the smaller Democratic Party for the People, said Sunday he wanted to speak with Noda about the issue before considering the DPP's position. Powerful CDP veteran Ichiro Ozawa strongly supports submitting a no-confidence motion. 'It's only natural that a motion of no confidence should be submitted at the end of the Diet session, and there should be no hesitation in doing so,' he said on his YouTube channel Saturday. The CDP went from 98 to 148 Lower House seats in the October 2024 election, but that's still well short of the 233 minimum needed for a majority. Given the party's struggles to gain traction with voters and a split opposition camp, it, too, faces a political risk by pushing a no-confidence vote, as it's not clear whether the CDP could win an outright majority in a Lower House election or what kind of ruling coalition it could forge if it fell short. Speaking to reporters at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan on Monday morning, Noda continued to give no indication as to when he'd make a final decision about a no-confidence motion. 'I get this question almost every day, and the answer is always the same: I'll make a decision at the appropriate time, in the appropriate way, and after looking at the overall political situation,' he said.
Japan Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Japan Times
DPP eager to discuss no-confidence motion with CDP
Democratic Party for the People leader Yuichiro Tamaki has said the party will decide whether to submit a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's Cabinet jointly with the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan through discussions with the biggest opposition party. "I would like to hear the CDP's thoughts and strategy regarding whether it will or will not submit a no-confidence motion," Tamaki said at a news conference in the city of Osaka on Saturday. "We are not in a situation where we can fully trust the Ishiba administration," he said. Meanwhile, former CDP head Yukio Edano indicated a cautious stance. "If we think only about our party, we should certainly submit (a no-confidence motion)," Edano told reporters in the city of Miyazaki the same day. But he also said, "That will not serve national interests," adding that CDP leader Yoshihiko Noda is probably thinking the same way. Noda told reporters in Tokyo on Saturday that he has yet to decide whether to submit a no-confidence motion against the Ishiba Cabinet.
LBCI
4 days ago
- Business
- LBCI
Coalition on the edge: Netanyahu battles crisis over draft law and Gaza war
Report by Amal Shehadeh, English adaptation by Mariella Succar Racing against time and facing mounting pressure ahead of a potential no-confidence motion and a bid to dissolve the Knesset, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is working to reach understandings with his ultra-Orthodox coalition partners—United Torah Judaism and Shas—to prevent them from moving forward with a proposal to dissolve the Knesset and call early elections. Calls for early elections have been a central demand of the opposition, the families of Israeli hostages, and protest leaders, who continue to voice discontent over the ongoing war in Gaza. The coalition crisis erupted after Netanyahu failed to meet the ultra-Orthodox parties' demand to pass legislation exempting yeshiva students from mandatory military service before the Jewish holiday of Shavuot, which fell last Sunday. As a result, thousands of yeshiva students have become draft dodgers and are now at risk of arrest, while the government failed to enact the law by the agreed deadline. Together, the two parties hold 18 seats in the Knesset. Should they withdraw from the coalition, the government would likely collapse, bringing early elections—possibly in October—closer than ever. Meanwhile, the Israeli military continues to face a reservist crisis, with a significant number of reservists refusing to report for duty in the Gaza war. At the same time, new units are being recruited for possible deployment in Syria. Protests are expected to intensify in an effort to block any concessions Netanyahu might offer to the ultra-Orthodox parties.
ABC News
5 days ago
- Politics
- ABC News
Premier Jeremy Rockliff's future set to be decided in Tasmanian parliament
A no-confidence motion in Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff is threatening his political future as leader of the minority Liberal government. Follow the coverage live in our blog.
News.com.au
5 days ago
- Politics
- News.com.au
Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff is facing a no-confidence vote on Thursday
Tasmanian parliament will resume its debate on the no-confidence motion against Premier Jeremy Rockliff, which could see him toppled or a snap election called. Opposition Leader Dean Winter tabled the motion, citing the Premier's handling of the state's ailing economy, the handing of the Spirit of Tasmania replacement ferries and the AFL stadium project. MPs debated the motion for about 10 hours before parliament was suspended and Wednesday and will resume on Thursday at 10am. A majority of the 35-seat House of Assembly have indicated they will vote in favour of the motion. This would weaken the minority Liberal government which has 14 MPs compared to Labor's 10. Mr Rockliff flagged he was willing to force a snap election, just 15 months after the state went to an early election. The Premier on Wednesday made an impassioned speech in his allocated 30 minutes, calling on crossbenchers to seriously consider the consequences if he was defeated. 'Do they really want to follow a wrecker who has come in day in day out and targeted individual members with disdain who did nothing more than to have the courage to put their hand up to make a difference to the Tasmanian people,' Mr Rockliff said. 'Whatever the outcome is, I implore this parliament to put Tasmanians first. 'They do not want an election. Dean Winter wants an election. 'What the Tasmania people want is stability, certainty and strong leadership.' In introducing the motion, Mr Winter said it gave him 'no pleasure to move this motion'. 'But under our system of government, if the Premier does not have the support of the majority of the House, then they cannot continue,' the Opposition Leader said. 'I don't believe I can in good conscience allow this Premier to continue. Tasmania needs change, not more of the same.' The Greens have indicated they are willing to form a minority government with Labor should Tasmanians head back to the polls just 15 months after the last state election.
