UN, Taliban talks: Why are Afghan women not invited?

Hussain Sirat | Waslat Hasrat-Nazimi

Rights groups have criticized the United Nations for not having Afghan women at the table with the Taliban in Doha.



Rights groups have criticized the UN for not having Afghan women at the table with the Taliban

Image: Ali Kaifee/DW

A UN-led meeting with Afghanistan's Taliban is being held in the Qatari capital Doha, in which representatives from some 25 countries are taking part.

It is the third such meeting, but the first attended by the Islamic fundamentalist group which has ruled the war-torn nation since it seized power as US-led troops withdrew in August 2021.

The UN political chief who is chairing the meeting said it's not about granting recognition to the Taliban.

"This is not a meeting about recognition. This is not a meeting to lead to recognition... Having engagement doesn't mean recognition," UN Undersecretary-General Rosemary DiCarlo told reporters. "This isn't about the Taliban. This is about Afghanistan and the people."

Achieving sustainable peace, adherence to international law and human rights, as well as counter-narcotics efforts, among other things, are on the agenda of the talks, DiCarlo said.

The Taliban side has said it wants to discuss topics such as restrictions on Afghanistan's financial and banking system, development of the private sector and countering drug trafficking.
Why are rights groups criticizing the UN?

But rights groups have denounced the UN for not having Afghan women at the table with the Taliban in Doha.

Shabnam Salehi, former commissioner of Afghanistan's Independent Human Rights Commission, said the third Doha meeting would be "inconclusive" without Afghan women's participation. She views the UN's approach toward the Taliban as "misguided."

Afghanistan: Girls still banned from secondary school

Faizullah Jalal, a professor at Kabul University, has slammed the exclusion of women from the meeting. "Omitting discussions on human and women's rights undermines the United Nations' credibility," he said.

His view is shared by Tirana Hassan, executive director at Human Rights Watch. She warned that excluding women "risks legitimizing the Taliban's misconduct and irreparably damages the United Nations' credibility as a defender of women's rights and meaningful participation."

But the UN's DiCarlo said the two-day meeting, which started on Sunday, is an initial engagement aimed at initiating a step-by-step process with the Taliban.

The goal is to see the Taliban "at peace with itself and its neighbors and adhering to international law," the UN Charter, and human rights, she stressed.

"I want to emphasize — this is a process. We are getting a lot of criticism: Why aren't women at the table? Why aren't Afghan women at the table? Why is civil society not at the table? This is not an inter-Afghan dialogue," said DiCarlo. "I would hope we could get to that someday, but we're not there."

After drawing much censure, the UN has decided to hold a separate meeting with Afghan civil society in Doha this week.

Worries grow for mental health of Afghan girls under Taliban

Taliban banish women from almost all public life

Since seizing power, the Taliban have rolled back progress achieved in the previous two decades when it came to women's rights.

They have banished women and girls from almost all areas of public life.

Girls have been barred from attending school beyond sixth grade, and women were prohibited from local jobs and nongovernmental organizations. The Taliban have ordered the closure of beauty salons and barred women from going to gyms and parks. Women also can't go out without a male guardian.

'It is painful': Afghan hairdressers react to Taliban ban

In a decree issued in May 2022, women were also advised to wear a full-body burqa that showed only their eyes.

The oppression of women's rights means no country has so far officially recognized the Taliban as Afghanistan's government. The United Nations has said recognition is almost impossible while bans on female education and employment remain in place.
No recognition for the Taliban

Countries around the world have made any engagement with Afghanistan conditional on the Taliban improving things such as girls' access to education, human rights and inclusive government.

But the militant regime has so far not shown any signs it is willing to drop the hard-line policies.

Activists have said that achieving any meaningful progress at the meeting hinges on fair and transparent representation of all relevant groups, including women.

They also stress that the international community needs to immediately address the Taliban's grave rights violations.

Agnes Callamard, secretary-general of Amnesty International, said of the Doha meeting that "sidestepping critical human rights debates is unacceptable."

"Afghans, especially women, must be given spaces at the table to advocate on their own behalf," Rina Amiri, US special envoy for human rights and women's affairs in Afghanistan, wrote on the social media platform X. "Afghanistan's peace, security, and sustainability challenges cannot be resolved without their inclusion."

What's the situation like in Afghanistan?

The situation in Afghanistan remains dire. While initial fears of widespread violence have subsided, the country faces a multitude of challenges, from a crippled economy and restricted education to ongoing human rights concerns and a divided population.

The Afghan economy, already fragile before the Taliban takeover, has taken a significant hit. Frozen bank accounts and international sanctions, coupled with the exodus of skilled professionals, have plunged the country into a deep recession.

Poverty has soared, and international efforts to incentivize reforms based on improving human rights have yielded limited results, especially regarding women's rights.

Providing international aid still requires engagement with the Taliban, which most organizations and governments are reluctant to do.

Although the Taliban have shown no sign of changing their ways, the UN conference can still draw global attention to the ongoing crisis in Afghanistan.

Edited by: Srinivas Mazumdaru

Gaza hospital chief says after release he was tortured by Israel

Deir el-Balah (Palestinian Territories) (AFP) – The head of the Gaza Strip's biggest hospital said on Monday after being freed from more than seven months of detention that he had been "tortured" by Israel.

Issued on: 01/07/2024 - 

A released Palestinian is welcomed by family and well-wishers at the Al-Aqsa hospita

l © Bashar TALEB / AFP



Al-Shifa hospital director Mohammed Abu Salmiya was among more than 50 Palestinians released and returned to Gaza for treatment, according to an Israeli minister and a medical source in the besieged territory.

Salmiya said he was put through "severe torture" during his detention, which left him with a broken thumb.

"Prisoners are subjected to all kinds of torture," he told a press conference. "Several inmates died in interrogation centres and were deprived of food and medicine."

"For two months no prisoner ate more than a loaf of bread a day," said Salmiya.

"Detainees were subjected to physical and psychological humiliation."

The medical chief said no charge had ever been made against him.

Israeli forces detained Salmiya during one of a number of raids on Al-Shifa.

Three of the freed Palestinian prisoners arrive for a check-up at the Al-Aqsa hospital 

© Bashar TALEB / AFP

The hospital has largely been reduced to rubble by successive raids since Israel launched its assault on Gaza after the October 7 Hamas attacks.

Salmiya and the other freed detainees crossed back into Gaza from Israel just east of Khan Yunis, a medical source at the Al-Aqsa hospital in Deir al-Balah told AFP.

Five detainees were admitted to Al-Aqsa hospital and the others were sent to hospitals in Khan Yunis, the source added.

An AFP correspondent at Deir al-Balah saw some detainees in emotional reunions with their families.

Israel's military said it was "checking" reports about the release.

However, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir confirmed the operation when he posted on X, formerly Twitter, that Salmiya's release "with dozens of other terrorists is security abandonment".

Israel's military has accused Hamas of using hospitals in the Gaza Strip as a cover for military operations. It has raided Al-Shifa and other hospitals, and says it has found tunnels and other infrastructure.

The militant group, which has run the territory since 2007, denies the allegations.

The Gaza European hospital in Khan Yunis said the head of its orthopaedic unit, Bassam Miqdad, was also among those freed on Monday.

In May, Palestinian rights groups said a senior Al-Shifa surgeon had died in an Israeli jail after being detained. The Israeli army said it was unaware of the death.

The war started with Hamas's October 7 attack which resulted in the deaths of 1,195 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli figures.

Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed at least 37,877 people, also mostly civilians, according to data from the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza.

© 2024 AFP

China's adopted children return from overseas to seek their roots

Dianjiang (China) (AFP) – At an empty concrete lot in southwest China, Loulee Wilson scoops a handful of stones into a bag –- a memento from the site where she believes she was abandoned as a baby.


Issued on: 01/07/2024

Loulee Wilson, an American college student, was born in China but given away by parents presumed fearful of violating the country's one-child policy 

© Jade GAO / AFP

Wilson, an American college student, was born in China but given away by parents presumed fearful of violating the country's one-child policy, under which families were punished for having additional children until the strategy was ended from 2016.

Soon after her birth, she was found outside a now-demolished factory in the town of Dianjiang, brought to an orphanage and later adopted by a couple in the United States.

Now 19, she is among a growing number of Chinese adoptees returning to their birth country to trace their biological parents and understand where they came from.

"If I (find them), that would be incredible. But I don't know if I'll be able to," she told AFP.

"It'll help me to find out more of my story."

Over 82,000 children born in China have been adopted by American families since 1999, according to State Department figures –- mostly girls, owing to a Chinese cultural preference for boys.

Corinne Wilson (R), Loulee's adoptive mother, founded The Roots of Love, an organisation set up to reconnect adoptees with relatives in China 

© Jade GAO / AFP

Many were handed over in the 2000s when Beijing more tightly enforced birth restrictions and laws around overseas adoptions were comparatively lax.

As those children reach adulthood, they are creating "very, very big demand" for reunions with their birth families, said Corinne Wilson, Loulee's adoptive mother.

She is the founder of The Roots of Love, one of a cluster of organisations set up in recent years to reconnect adoptees with relatives in China.

"There is a part of them that is proud to be Chinese," she told AFP.
Traumatic past

In June, the Wilsons set out to search for birth families in rural Dianjiang, about 150 kilometres (93 miles) from the megacity of Chongqing.

They handed out flyers bearing Loulee's and other adoptees' names, ages and photographs, and urged people who gave away children to provide DNA samples.

The Wilsons in June handed out flyers bearing adoptees' names, ages and photographs, and urged people who gave away children to provide DNA samples 

© Matthew WALSH / AFP

Finding a match is unlikely due to patchy record-keeping, language barriers, fading memories and local vigilance against potential scams.

And some communities are wary of dredging up the traumatic past hidden among the sleepy villages and rice paddies, where birth quotas were once zealously enforced.

Under the one-child policy -- in practice, a patchwork of varying birth restrictions -- couples in Dianjiang were often permitted a second child if the first was a girl.

But officials cracked down hard on unsanctioned births, threatening to demolish homes, confiscate farm animals and impose astronomical fines, villagers told AFP.

Under the one-child policy -- in practice, a patchwork of varying birth restrictions -- couples in Dianjiang were often permitted a second child if the first was a girl 

© Jade GAO / AFP

"We were forced into it. We didn't have a choice," said carpenter Yi Enqing, 57, who hoped to track down an infant daughter put up for adoption in the early 1990s.

"I'm scared she wouldn't accept us now. She must have some resentment in her heart," he told AFP at his sawdust-caked workshop.
Identity issues

In one village, a middle-aged man spat into a beaker while his wife tearfully recalled a daughter they last saw as a baby in 1990.

"I've looked for so long but can't find her," she said as a Roots of Love helper carefully sealed and packaged the saliva sample.

"I never wanted to send her away," she added. The couple requested anonymity to protect their privacy.

The samples are sent to a laboratory where their DNA is extracted and compared with existing databases.

If there is a match, The Roots of Love puts long-lost relatives in touch, such as last year when twin girls reconnected with their birth mother after a nearly two-decade separation.

Reunions can trigger complex emotions for adoptees, who experts say often struggle with mental health issues around identity and racial discrimination.

Reunions can trigger complex emotions for adoptees, who experts say often struggle with mental health issues around identity and racial discrimination 

© Jade GAO / AFP

"A lot of Chinese adoptees do express racial (or) cultural dissonance as a result of growing up in very homogeneous, white settings," said Grace Newton, a researcher at the University of Chicago who studies transracial and transnational adoption.

"It is losing your identity, your birth culture, your birth language, your biological family," said Cassidy Sack, an adoptee volunteer with the US-based Nanchang Project, which has matched dozens of birth families since 2018.

"That was the life you were supposed to live. And then out of your control, decisions were made for you, and you were taken to a new country."
Baby bust

China launched the one-child policy in 1979 amid fears its population would grow unmanageably large.

It is estimated to have prevented hundreds of millions of births, but has been condemned for enforcement that in some areas included forced contraception, abortions and sterilisations.

The policy was also blamed for driving up infanticide rates, spurring child trafficking and permanently skewing China's ratio of men to women.

It "caused serious mental trauma to many Chinese people", He Yafu, an independent demographer, told AFP.

Beijing officially eased birth restrictions from 2016, and Chinese couples have been permitted to have three children since 2021.

But the country's birth rate has continued to fall, leaving a diminishing number of young people to look after a soaring elderly population.

For the Wilsons, the search for Loulee's birth parents goes on.

"I just want them to know that I'm happy and healthy, and grateful for the life I'm living," Loulee said.

© 2024 AFP
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REST IN POWER

Albania's Kadare, whose novels defied dictatorship, dies aged 88

Tirana (AFP) – Acclaimed Albanian novelist Ismail Kadare -- an eternal bridesmaid for a Nobel literature prize -- died Monday of a heart attack aged 88, his editor and a Tirana hospital told AFP.


Issued on: 01/07/2024 - 

Survivor of totalitarism: Albanian novelist Ismail Kadare 

© Gali TIBBON / AFP/File
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Doctors tried to revive the writer when he was brought to the hospital with "no signs of life", but he was declared dead at 8:40 am (0640 GMT) local time, the hospital said.

Editor and publisher Bujar Hudhri confirmed his death.

Through the epic sweep of novels like "Broken April" and "The General of the Dead Army", he used metaphor and quiet sarcasm to chronicle the grotesque fate of his country and its people under the paranoid communist dictator Enver Hoxha.

Despite being branded a traitor by Albania's communist leaders when he defected to France in 1990, Kadare was accused by some of enjoying a privileged position under Hoxha, who cut the Balkan country off from the rest of the world.

It was an accusation he dismissed with withering irony.

"Against whom was Enver Hoxha protecting me? Against Enver Hoxha?" Kadare told AFP in 2016.

"The hell of communism, like every other hell, was smothering in the worst sense of the term," Kadare told AFP in one of his last interviews in October.

"But literature transformed that into a life force, a force which helped you survive and hold your head up and win out over dictatorship.

"Which is why I am so grateful for literature, because it gives me the chance to overcome the impossible," said the writer, who despite being visibly frail, was still working.

© 2024 AFP

Ismail Kadare: A bright light in Albania's darkest days

Tirana (AFP) – Novelist Ismail Kadare -- who has died aged 88 -- used his pen as a stealth weapon to survive Albania's paranoid communist dictator Enver Hoxha.


Issued on: 01/07/2024 - 

Albanian writer Ismail Kadare used metaphor and irony to reveal the nature of tyranny under the communist dictator Enver Hoxha 

© Gent SHKULLAKU / AFP/File
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His sophisticated storytelling -- often likened to that of George Orwell or Franz Kafka -- used metaphor and irony to reveal the nature of tyranny under Hoxha, who ruled Albania from 1946 until his death in 1985.

"Dark times bring unpleasant but beautiful surprises," Kadare told AFP.

"Literature has often produced magnificent works in the dark ages as if it were seeking to remedy the misfortune inflicted on people," he said.

He was often tipped to win a Nobel prize for his towering body of work which delved into his country's myths and history to dissect the mechanisms of totalitarianism.

Kadare's novels, essays and poems have been translated into more than 40 languages, making him the Balkans' best-known modern novelist.

The prolific writer broke ranks with isolated Albania's communists and fled to Paris a few months before the government collapsed in the early 1990s.

He wrote about his disillusionment in his book "The Albanian Spring -- The Anatomy of Tyranny".

Demanded his death

Born in Gjirokaster in southern Albania on January 28, 1936, Kadare was inspired by Shakespeare's "Macbeth" as a child and counted the playwright, as well as Dante and Cervantes, among his heroes.

Ironically, the dictator Hoxha hailed for the same mountain town.

Kadare studied languages and literature in Tirana before attending the Gorky Institute of World Literature in Moscow.

After returning to Albania in 1960, he initially won acclaim as a poet before publishing his first novel "The General of the Dead Army" in 1963, a tragicomic tale that was later translated into dozens of other languages.

His second novel, "The Monster", about townspeople who live in a permanent state of anxiety and paranoia after a wooden Trojan horse appears outside the town, was banned.

His 1977 novel "The Great Winter", though somewhat favourable towards the regime, angered Hoxha devotees who deemed it insufficiently laudatory and demanded the "bourgeois" writer's execution.

Yet while some writers and other artists were imprisoned -- or even killed -- by the government, Kadare was spared.

Hoxha's widow Nexhmije said in her memoirs that the Albanian leader, who prided himself on a fondness for literature, saved the internationally acclaimed author several times.

Archives from the Hoxha era show that Kadare was often close to being arrested, and after his poem "Red Pashas" was published in 1975 he was banished to a remote village for more than a year.

Kadare, for his part, denied any special relationship with the dictator.

"Against whom was Enver Hoxha protecting me? Against Enver Hoxha," Kadare told AFP in 2016 of the brutal, all-powerful ruler.

- 'Writers don't have to bow' -

Academics have often pondered whether Kadare was a darling of Hoxha or a brave author risking prison and death?

"Both are true," suggested French publisher Francois Maspero, who raised the question in his book "Balkans-Transit".

Writing such work under a government in which a single word could turn against its author "requires, above all, determination and courage", Maspero wrote.

"My work obeyed only the laws of literature, it obeyed no other law," Kadare said.

In 2005 he won the inaugural Man Booker International Prize for his body of work. He was described by chief judge John Carey as "a universal writer in a tradition of storytelling that goes back to Homer".

The father of two reflected on his native Balkans in "Elegy for Kosovo" published in 2000, a year after NATO went to war against Belgrade to end Serbian repression in the predominantly ethnic Albanian province.

Speaking to AFP in 2019, Kadare said he enjoys seeing his name "mentioned among the candidates" for the Nobel, even if the topic "embarrasses" him.

"I am not modest because, in principle, I am against modesty," he said.

"During the totalitarian regime, modesty was a call to submission. Writers don't have to bow their heads."

burs-rob-bme/ljv/gd/fg

© 2024 AFP

Tree-less canopy walkway shines spotlight on Hungary graft

Nyírmártonfalva (Hungary) (AFP) – It should have been a forest canopy walkway -- but instead it is a bridge above an expanse of saplings and open fields.

Issued on: 01/07/2024 - 07:59

The walkway was built under an EU-funded, now corruption-accused programme 

© ATTILA KISBENEDEK / AFP

The project in the Hungarian village of Nyirmartonfalva -- built under an EU-funded, now corruption-accused programme -- showcases the deep-seated problem of graft and waste as the country takes on the bloc's rotating presidency from Monday.

"It is a stunning visual representation of the process, which has been ongoing for more than a decade, of how Hungary has been stealing and squandering EU funds," Akos Hadhazy, an independent MP known for his anti-corruption work, told AFP.

Since nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban's return to power in 2010, Hungary has fallen from 50th to 76th place in Transparency International's corruption perception index, ranking last among EU members in 2023.

During the same period, Orban's inner circle has grown spectacularly wealthy from public tenders -- from his confidant Lorinc Meszaros to his son-in-law Istvan Tiborcz who now control large swathes of the economy.

And Brussels has frozen around 19 billion euros ($20 billion) in EU funds earmarked for Hungary over alleged corruption in public procurement, among other issues.

The central European country claims Brussels is withholding the funds to pressure it over its self-described "illiberal" transformation and denies corruption accusations.
'No need' for a forest

The Nyirmartonfalva 80-metre (90-yard)-long walkway became infamous overnight last year after a report by investigative site Atlatszo went viral.

The report sparked a graft investigation and led to journalists, opposition politicians and even US Ambassador David Pressman to descend on the remote 2,000-people village near the Romanian border.

"Quite a view!" Pressman -- who has warned of corruption's "corrosive effect on democracy" and urged Hungary to address it -- wrote on X in January, posting photos of him at the site.

One of the whistleblowers, pensioner Zoltan Palfy, told AFP that some villagers still refuse to greet him on the streets, angry about their village's sudden notoriety.

Whistleblower, pensioner Zoltan Palfi, says some are angry about the village's sudden notoriety 

© ATTILA KISBENEDEK / AFP

The structure's saga started when entrepreneur Mihaly Filemon applied for an EU grant under a Hungarian rural development programme to build a canopy walkway on his land.

After winning a pledge in 2021 to get 64 million forint (160,000 euros or $170,000), Filemon -- by then elected mayor with the support of Orban's Fidesz party -- proceeded with the construction.

But as inflation pushed up prices, Filemon decided to cut down the forest and sell the wood to finance the work -- resulting in the canopy-less walkway.

"There was no need to have a forest here. The forest will grow. As you can see, it has already grown," he told AFP when met at the walkway last week, pointing at the tree saplings now planted around the site and blaming the tender for not specifying a minimum height for the surrounding trees.

A 10-month-long corruption investigation, meanwhile, found serious irregularities -- including signs of collusion, overpricing and favouritism -- in the EU-funded, Hungary-managed development programme, under which the walkway and other projects have sought funds.

The probe was led by the country's anti-graft watchdog, the Integrity Authority, which was set up in late 2022 under EU pressure to prevent misuse of the bloc's funds.

The organisation has filed a criminal complaint, as it does not have the competency to wrap up the case itself. No money has as yet been given to Filemon.

Besides the financial losses, Filemon attributed his defeat in June's municipal elections to the scandal.

- 'Dummy institution'-

Graft fighter Hadhazy accuses authorities of "covering up" cases of top-level "systematic" corruption under Orban.

"In practice, only very exceptional corruption cases are prosecuted in Hungary," the opposition politician noted, adding that Fidesz's dominance over media limits potential electoral consequences on a national level.

"The propaganda machine can conceal 'inconvenient facts' from millions of people, or divert attention from them," he said.

Critics say few corruption cases are prosecuted in Hungary 

© ATTILA KISBENEDEK / AFP

Hadhazy also dismissed the Integrity Authority as a "dummy institution" as it does not have power to prosecute.

Its president, Ferenc Biro, recently requested an extension of the agency's legal powers.

"I consider it imperative for the authority to be able to investigate corruption cases independently and to impose sanctions," Biro told AFP.

But critics think this is unlikely to happen.

Instead, investigative site Atlatszo and the Hungarian branch of Transparency International have both come under probe by a controversial new agency set up to curb foreign influence.

© 2024 AFP

UK govt, British Airways sued over 1990 Kuwait hostage crisis

London (AFP) – Passengers and crew of a British Airways flight who were taken hostage in Kuwait in 1990 have launched legal action against the UK government and the airline, a law firm said Monday.

Issued on: 01/07/2024

Hundreds of passengers on British Airways Flight 149 were taken to Iraq as human shields after Saddam Hussein's forces invaded Kuwait in August 1990 

© / IRAQI TV/AFP

People on BA flight 149 were taken off the Kuala Lumpur-bound plane when it landed in the Gulf state on August 2 that year, hours after Iraq's then leader Saddam Hussein invaded the country.

Some of the 367 passengers and crew spent more than four months in captivity, including as human shields against Western attacks on the Iraqi dictator's troops during the first Gulf war.

Ninety-four of them have filed a civil claim at the High Court in London, accusing Britain's government and BA of "deliberately endangering" civilians, said McCue Jury & Partners.

"All of the claimants suffered severe physical and psychiatric harm during their ordeal, the consequences of which are still felt today," the law firm added.

The action claims that the UK government and the airline "knew the invasion had started" but allowed the flight to land anyway.

They did so because the flight was used to "insert a covert special ops team into occupied Kuwait", the firm added.

"We were not treated as citizens but as expendable pawns for commercial and political gain," said Barry Manners, who was on the flight and is taking part in the claim.

"A victory over years of cover-up and bare-faced denial will help restore trust in our political and judicial process," he added.

British government files released in November 2021 revealed that the UK ambassador to Kuwait informed London about reports of an Iraqi incursion before the flight landed but the message was not passed on to BA.

There have also been claims, denied by the government, that London knowingly put passengers at risk by using the flight to deploy undercover operatives and delayed take-off to allow them to board.

The UK government refused to comment on ongoing legal matters.

British Airways has always denied accusations of negligence, conspiracy and a cover-up.

The airline did not respond to a request for comment from AFP but said last year that the records released in 2021 "confirmed British Airways was not warned about the invasion".

McCue Jury & Partners had announced in September its intention to file the suit, saying then that the hostages "may claim an estimated average of £170,000 ($213,000) each in damages".

In 2003, a French court ordered BA to pay 1.67 million euros to the flight's French hostages, saying it had "seriously failed in its obligations" to them by landing the plane.

© 2024 AFP

'Sad', 'angry', 'scared': Hundreds protest against far-right in Paris after election results

Issued on: 01/07/2024 -

Hundreds of people take to the streets of Paris to demonstrate against the far right, which came out on top in the first round of early parliamentary elections. The demonstration follows a rally organised by the New Popular Front (NFP, Nouveau Front Populaire), the left-wing coalition that came in second.

01:16  Video by :FRANCE 24

Macron isolated as legislative third-place finish prompts rethink of his legacy

French President Emmanuel Macron's camp saw an embarrassing third-place finish in the first round of snap legislative elections on Sunday, behind both the far-right National Rally party and a new leftist alliance. With the National Rally now poised to secure the largest block in parliament, Macron's shock decision to dissolve the National Assembly after European elections in June has detractors calling out his "hubris" and prompted a reconsideration of his legacy.


Issued on: 01/07/2024

01:44

France's President Emmanuel Macron adjusts his tie after a meeting with NATO'S Secretary General at the Elysee Presidential Palace in Paris on June 24, 2024. © Bertrand Guay, AFP

Emmanuel Macron has taken many risks in a political career marked by countless crises but his decision to call snap elections may be one too many, marring his legacy and ushering in an era of extremes.

The tremors from Macron dissolving the National Assembly after his centrist party suffered a drubbing in European polls remain strong, with even figures close to the president acknowledging unease over the political turmoil.

The far-right National Rally (RN) on Sunday won the first round of legislative elections.

Next week's second-round results on July 7 could give the party of Macron's longtime rival Marine Le Pen the post of prime minister for the first time, forcing a tense "cohabitation".

Read moreLe Pen’s far-right party wins first round as Macron’s snap elections gamble backfires

Macron's popularity has sunk to the extent that allies suggested he take a back seat in the campaign, with Prime Minister Gabriel Attal leading the way.

For one of Macron's most loyal supporters, some of the resentment stems from his unexpected rise to the presidency.

"There's a desire for revenge on the part of politicians who resent his success," said Francois Patriat, head of the pro-Macron deputies in the upper house Senate.

Always defiant, Macron insisted in a statement as the first results were published on "the importance of this vote for all our compatriots and the desire to clarify the political situation".

'Hopeless optimist'

Born in Amiens to two doctors, Macron met his future wife Brigitte when she was his teacher and 25 years his senior.

"He fell in love with his drama teacher when he was 16, and he said he was going to marry her, and then he married her. That's pretty strong stuff," said a former classmate from the elite graduate school ENA.

With that same self-confidence, he quit the government of former president Francois Hollande in August 2016 to prepare his run for the presidency, a risky move at the time.

04:14

He went on to create En Marche (On the Move), a political movement with the same initials as its leader and won the presidential election in 2017 at the age of 39.

Calling himself a "hopeless optimist," Macron later said he was able to break through "because France was unhappy and worried".

Optimism over the former Rothschild investment banker, who once promoted "Revolution" in his book, quickly soured over his economic policies once in office.

The former economy minister under a Socialist government earned the reputation as "president of the rich" after announcing early in his tenure that he would abolish a tax on high earners.

Then, last year, his move to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64 sparked mass protests and reinforced the perception that Macron is out of touch with public opinion.

Read moreA dog day afternoon in French politics as Macron uses 'nuclear option' to raise retirement age

"There are a lot of people who think I'm haughty," he said. Early quips haunted him, including one when he said the unemployed only needed to "cross the street" to find a job.

The now 46-year-old is convinced that his economic track record speaks for itself, with France considered Europe's most attractive country for foreign investment and an end to mass unemployment.

But for many, Macron's promise of centrism has not withstood pressure from a wave of domestic and international crises -- or from the far right.
'Lack of humility'

The anti-government "yellow vest" movement, the Covid-19 pandemic, and the war in Ukraine are just a few of the challenges Macron has faced during his tenure.

Even as his support buckles at home, Macron has remained a key voice in European politics.

"We shouldn't quibble. He's the great European of his time," said Franco-German ecologist Daniel Cohn-Bendit, while adding that Macron's problem was that he was "convinced of being right".

Macron aligned with allies offering support to Ukraine after Russia's 2022 invasion, but he irritated many by continuing to engage with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

03:53

Two years later however, some criticise him for his hawkish stance. Macron refuses to rule out sending troops to Ukraine, a move criticised by other Western countries as unnecessarily inflammatory.

The late Gerard Collomb, former mayor of Lyon, was more direct in his criticism, calling out Macron's "hubris" and a "lack of humility" in the government.

The perception that Macron is increasingly isolated is part of the problem, said one former advisor.

04:20



"He has no grassroots network... the people around him are the same, they don't express the mood of the times," they added.

While the first lady is seen as a moderating figure, Macron has shifted rightward, with some accusing the president of opportunism.
'Shifting opinion'

On the evening of his 2017 victory, Macron pledged in front of the Louvre museum to do "everything" in his power to ensure the French "no longer have any reason to vote for the extremes".

For many, though, the young centrist whom they voted for has shifted further and further right, opening the door for other extremes to take hold.

The same man who drew inspiration from an anti-capitalist party slogan to win re-election in 2022 later adopted the words of extreme right-wing figure Eric Zemmour "so that France remains France".

03:50

For Le Pen, who senses a chance to take the presidency in 2027, Macron has "a plasticity, an incredible self-confidence which is both his strength and his weakness".

A former special advisor sees that plasticity differently.

"He's turning his back on ... 2017 and humanist values," said Philippe Grangeon. "There is no right-wing turn... the president is adapting to shifting opinion."

Macron dismisses these criticisms, saying he ultimately relies on himself. "You make the toughest decisions on your own," he said.

(AFP)

'Unprecedented': French far right almost doubles share of votes from 2022 legislative elections

Issued on: 01/07/2024 - 

19:49

Marine Le Pen's far-right National Rally (RN) party scored historic gains to win the first round of France's parliamentary election, but the final outcome will depend on days of alliance-building before next week's run-off vote. The RN and allies had 33% of the vote, followed by a leftwing bloc with 28% and President Emmanuel Macron's centrists with just 20%, official results from the interior ministry showed on Monday. That was a huge setback for Macron who had called the snap election after his ticket was trounced by the RN in European Parliament elections last month. But whether the anti-immigrant, eurosceptic RN will be able to form a government will depend on next week's decisive round and how successfully other parties manage to thwart Le Pen by rallying round the best-placed rival candidates in constituencies across France. Leaders of both the leftwing New Popular Front and Macron's centrist alliance made clear on Sunday night they would withdraw their own candidates in districts where another candidate was better placed to beat the RN in next Sunday's runoff. A longtime pariah for many in France, the RN is now closer to power than it has ever been. For in-depth analysis and a deeper perspective on this historic win for the French far right, FRANCE 24 is joined by Dr Anna McKeever, Lecturer in Political Sciences at the University of the West of Scotland.

 

French legislative elections results could have 'major implications' for the EU

Issued on: 01/07/2024

01:45

Marine Le Pen's anti-immigrant and eurosceptic far-right National Rally (RN) party scored historic gains to win the first round of France's parliamentary election. Reporting from Brussels, FRANCE 24's Pierre Benazet explains what a far-right victory in France could mean for the European Union.

Tens of thousands protest far right party convention in Germany

Emanuel Xhindi | U. Tirana Faculty of Law, AL

JUNE 30, 2024 0

Tens of thousands of people marched Saturday in Essen, Germany against an ongoing convention by the far-right Alternative for Germany party (AfD).

The protest was reported to be generally calm and violence-free, although several arrests were made and police said two officers were hospitalized after clashing with protestors. The A25 highway was also temporarily blocked. In response to the protests, the mayor of Essen Thomas Kufen emphasized that a clearer framework for a party’s selection of a host city for its convention must be established.

The AfD won a legal battle more than two weeks ago about an administrative contract between the Essen municipality and the venue-offering entity, which was to condition the public facility’s usage with a declaration by the AfD to not make any criminal statements. Since the AfD has not been declared as unconstitutional by the federal constitutional court, it was decided that this condition should be strictly assessed.

The Alternative for Germany came second in the last European Parliament Elections with about 15.90% of the votes, right after the Christian Democratic Union, which got around 30%. It first entered the German Parliament in 2017, placing third in that year’s elections, rising in popularity ever since. There have been previous demands to ban the AfD, and its opponents say they are a threat to Germany’s democracy. The German Federal Youth Association has previously stated that the AfD should be banned to confront fascism in Germany.

Samsung’s chip workers on verge of all-out strike

Samsung’s first-ever strike called for fair wages, transparent bonuses and better work conditions – and more disruption is in the pipeline

By PRANJAL PANDEY

JULY 1, 2024

Samsung workers want a bigger piece of the profit pie. 

Image: Asia Times Files / AFP

On June 7, Samsung workers in South Korea embarked on their first-ever strike, organized by the Nationwide Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU). This historic event involved approximately 28,000 union members, representing about one-fifth of Samsung’s workforce in South Korea.

The strike targeted Samsung’s chip division, which manufactures a variety of critical components such as RAM, NAND flash chips, USB sticks, SD cards, Exynos processors, camera sensors, modems, NFC chips, and power/display controllers.

The action highlighted deep-seated issues surrounding unionization within Samsung, marking a significant shift in the company’s labor dynamics. Throughout the strike, union members posted visible notices on Samsung facility doors, outlining their grievances and demands.

Lee Hyun-kuk, vice president of the National Samsung Electronics Union, described this action as “largely symbolic, but it’s a beginning.” He emphasized that the union has contingency plans for subsequent strikes if management does not address its grievances. Lee further stated that the possibility of an all-out general strike remains on the table, underscoring the union’s determination to press for their demands.

The union is pushing for a 6.5% salary hike, in contrast to the company’s proposed 5.1% raise, as well as an additional day of annual leave and a more transparent approach to calculating bonuses. Bonuses are particularly important because they make up a significant part of employees’ pay.


In 2023, the method for calculating bonuses, which takes into account both operating profit and cost of capital, resulted in no bonuses being paid to workers. The union argues that bonuses should be based solely on operating profit. Samsung’s chip division reported a profit of US$1.4 billion in the first quarter of this year.

Samsung Group has consistently opposed unionization efforts, resulting in policies that keep wages low, provide minimal benefits and enforce extended work hours.

In December 2013, the Korean Metal Workers’ Union (KMWU), supported by the IndustriALL Global Union, revealed widespread violations of workers’ rights within Samsung. These violations included reports of kidnapping and physical violence against union leaders, alongside targeted training programs for management aimed at preventing union formation.

Samsung’s global reputation in the IT sector is also marred by its challenging working conditions, characterized by long hours and a reliance on precarious employment arrangements. The company actively dissuades workers from joining unions and pressures unionized precarious employees to disengage from their representative organizations.

These tactics involve paying lower wages to union members and subjecting them to intensive monitoring, which raises significant ethical concerns about Samsung’s treatment of its workforce in the technology industry.

Samsung Electronics Co, Ltd operates with a hierarchical workforce structure that reveals significant disparities. At the top are highly paid professionals and research and development personnel critical for innovation and product development.

In the middle tier are skilled tradespeople and manufacturing workers across Samsung’s global factories, including those in South Korea, essential for production but often facing challenging conditions.

At the lower end of Samsung’s labor hierarchy are workers employed by contractors and subcontractors, a group for whom Samsung denies responsibility despite their crucial role in the company’s operations.

The intense work culture at Samsung became evident during the 2012 Samsung-Apple patent trial, which exposed rigorous work conditions among research and development staff. Chief designer Wang Jee-yuen’s testimony vividly depicted the demanding nature of the job, including prolonged work hours that impacted personal well-being and family life.

Women constitute a significant portion of Samsung’s skilled workforce, often recruited from smaller towns to work in semiconductor labs. They endure extended shifts, rotating schedules and exposure to hazardous substances.

Samsung is not alone in exploiting its workers. A study shows that iPhone workers today are exploited 25 times more than textile workers in 19th-century England. The exploitation rate for iPhone workers is incredibly high at 2,458%.

This means that workers spend most of their day producing goods that make the company richer, with only a tiny part of their workday going towards their wages.

Amazon, a major employer in the US, is notorious for its challenging working conditions. Employees in Amazon warehouses face physical strain, workplace injuries and mental health issues as part of their daily job risks.

The company utilizes advanced surveillance systems to closely monitor employee activities. While Amazon asserts these measures enhance safety, workers often feel pressured to maintain an excessively fast pace to meet productivity standards.

Additionally, Amazon has actively opposed unionization efforts among its workforce. In 2021, the company spent $4.2 million on consultants to discourage workers from joining unions.

However, on April 1, 2022, workers achieved a significant breakthrough with the establishment of the Amazon Labor Union (ALU), marking the first union at an Amazon facility in the US. This accomplishment came after a year-long struggle against Amazon’s aggressive tactics against unions and garnered support from dedicated workers and organizers at the Staten Island warehouse.

In 2011, workers at the Maruti-Suzuki Manesar IMT plant in India applied to register a new union, the Maruti Suzuki Employees Union (MSEU), in Chandigarh. Upon discovering this initiative, management allegedly pressured workers to sign documents pledging not to join the MSEU.

In response, 3,000 workers launched a sit-in strike on June 4, 2011, at the Manesar Plant, demanding recognition of the MSEU. To further pressure the workers, management fired 11 employees, including MSEU office bearers, on June 6 of that year, accusing them of inciting the strike.

Over time, Maruti Suzuki has shifted its workforce strategy by increasing the number of contract workers under precarious conditions while maintaining a smaller core of permanent employees.

These labor movements show the ongoing global battle of workers against exploitation by powerful corporations. They underscore the challenges and unfair treatment faced by the workers and emphasize the necessity for systemic reform to ensure fair treatment and the equitable distribution of the benefits of their labor.


Pranjal Pandey, a journalist and editor located in Delhi, has edited seven books covering a range of issues available at LeftWord. You can explore his journalistic contributions on NewsClick.in.

This article was produced by Globetrotter