Latest news with #politicalStability
The Independent
02-06-2025
- Business
- The Independent
South Korea election: The leading candidates, key dates and top issues
The people of South Korea are heading to the polls for their 21st presidential election. Voters will be hoping to restore political stability after months of turmoil. The election aims to fill the power vacuum left by former leader Yoon Suk Yeol's failed attempt to impose martial law. In this single-round election, the candidate with the most votes will be declared the winner and serve a five-year term. Results are expected on the evening of Tuesday, 3 June or early on Wednesday, 4 June. Here's what you need to know about the leading candidates, key dates, and other important details. Leading candidates The top three candidates based on a Gallup Korea poll a week ago were the liberal frontrunner Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party, with 49 per cent public support, followed by his main conservative rival Kim Moon-soo of the People Power Party with 35 per cent and another conservative candidate, New Reform Party's Lee Jun-seok, on 11 per cent. All of the candidates remaining in the race are men, with no women in the final lineup for the first time since 2007, according to the National Election Commission (NEC). South Korea has only had one female leader, Park Geun-hye. One of the six candidates, independent Hwang Kyo-ahn, quit the race on Sunday to back Mr Kim, media reports said. The youngest candidate is Lee Jun-seok, who is 40, and the oldest is Kim Moon-soo at 73. Number and makeup of voters There are 44.39 million eligible voters, with women accounting for 50.5 per cent of voters, according to data on the electoral roll from the interior ministry. South Korea is one of the world's fastest ageing societies and the number of voters aged above 60 accounts for about a third of the electorate, outstripping the 28 per cent share of those in their 20s and 30s. Gyeonggi Province is home to the largest number of voters, accounting for 26.4 per cent, followed by Seoul at 18.7 per cent and Busan at 6.5 per cent. A total of 205,268 people overseas voted between 20-25 May in 118 countries, the NEC said. Election security South Korea's acting President Lee Ju-ho has said the government was "transparently disclosing the entire process of the presidential election", according to his office. The National Election Commission will air CCTV surveillance footage of rooms storing ballots from early voting, with their entrances sealed before counting starts and transported ballots given police escorts, Lee said. After votes are cast, ballots will be initially sorted by machines and then election workers will count them, the NEC said. Election schedule The official election campaign is relatively short in South Korea in a bid to contain costs. It started on 12 May. There were 3,568 polling stations across the country open for early voting that was allowed between 29-30 May. Eligible voters could cast their ballots at any of the polling stations without pre-registration between 6am and 6pm. Turnout for early voting has generally increased over the years, with more than a third voting early in recent presidential elections. In the latest election, 15.4 million, or 34.74 per cent of the total, voted during early ballots between 29-30 May, compared to the 2022 election's proportion of 36.9 per cent. Election day on 3 June is a public holiday and voting will run from 6am until 8pm with an indication of the results likely to start emerging that evening or early the next day. On 4 June, the National Election Commission is expected to verify the results and the inauguration of the new president will be held.
Bloomberg
14-05-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
German Bank PBB Reviews US Business Citing Political Instability
German real estate lender Deutsche Pfandbriefbank AG said it has put its US business under review as a result of the country's lack of political stability. 'A prerequisite for our business activities is the stability of economic and political conditions. Neither is currently the case in the USA,' Chief Executive Officer Kay Wolf said in an earnings statement on Wednesday.
Free Malaysia Today
11-05-2025
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
Anwar says Hajiji has ‘full support' to lead talks on election pact
Pakatan Harapan chairman Anwar Ibrahim (right) said he had several discussions with GRS leader Hajiji Noor on an electoral pact among PH, BN and GRS. (Bernama pic) PETALING JAYA : Pakatan Harapan has given Gabungan Rakyat Sabah chairman Hajiji Noor its full support to lead discussions on an election pact between GRS, PH and Barisan Nasional, says PH chairman Anwar Ibrahim. Anwar expressed optimism that PH, GRS and BN would be able to reach an agreement for the coming state assembly elections, the Daily Express reported in Kota Kinabalu. He said early discussions between PH and BN at the national level led to the shared agreement that unity was essential, both at the national and state levels. Anwar, who was in Sabah today to hold talks with Hajiji, said he had discussed further bolstering the cooperation between PH and GRS. He said discussions between GRS and Sabah BN would be left to the leaders of the two coalitions, who have been fierce rivals over the past two years since BN retracted support for Hajiji as chief minister. However, Anwar said PH fully supported Hajiji's role in leading the discussions. Anwar said he had several discussions with Hajiji 'so that this alliance can be further widened and we would be open (to working with other parties). The priority is political stability nationally and in Sabah,' Sinar Harian quoted him as saying. On Friday, GRS threatened to go solo at the state polls if PH and BN finalised an electoral pact. Hajiji contended that local Sabah parties should be the backbone and head of the state government.
