Page 8 - aruba-today-20190910

A8 WORLD NEWS
Tuesday 10 sepTember 2019
Italy’s Conte wins first confidence vote in Parliament

By FRANCES D’EMILIO “That every year a leader
Associated Press can think he can bring the
ROME (AP) — Italian Pre- country to elections is irre-
mier Giuseppe Conte on sponsible,” Conte said.
Monday won the first of two The premier forged a new
mandatory confidence coalition last week out
votes on his four-day-old of rival parties that have
coalition of rival parties, af- sparred nastily for years —
ter a day of fielding insults the populist 5-Star Move-
during a boisterous Parlia- ment that he led in a first
ment session from an op- coalition and the center-
position outraged that Italy left Democratic Party to re-
got a new government in- place the League.
stead of a new election. Each of the two major part-
The 343-263 vote in the ners has been plagued by
lower Chamber of Depu- squabbling, including over
ties, with three lawmakers whether this marriage of
abstaining, was the pre- convenience is a good
amble to Tuesday’s vote in idea.
the Senate. The vote in the More than any policy con-
upper chamber promises vergence, the alliance
to be tighter, since the co- of 5-Stars and Democrats
alition holds only a handful mainly hinges on mutual
votes more than needed determination to keep out
for a simple majority, and Italian Premier Giuseppe Conte shakes hands with Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio after addressing of power Salvini and his an-
any defections in Conte’s parliament ahead of confidence vote later at the Lower Chamber in Rome, Monday, Sept. 9, 2019. ti-migrant League, soaring
unnatural coalition could Associated Press in opinion polls for months.
cost him dearly. eclipsed in the raucous at- Shouts against “robbers of Inside the legislature, the The League was Italy’s big-
Should Conte lose, he must mosphere was any debate sovereignty” and “elec- opposition called out “buf- gest party in European Par-
resign. That would make over Conte’s main policy tions now” rang out in the foon,” ‘’elections, elec- liament elections last May,
elections this fall all but cer- thrust — a government crowd. A few wrapped tions” and “sold” to indi- practically doubling in a
tain. “I’m satisfied,” Conte focused on economic Italy’s red-white-and-green cate Conte had betrayed year its percentage of sup-
said of Monday’s vote. growth and determined to flag around them like a voters in a quest for a new port from voters.
Much of Monday’s 11-hour- keep Europe united. shawl. mandate. Conte outsmarted Salvini in
long session in the Cham- In the square outside the “Inside, there’s the regime Conte lobbed his own forming the alternative co-
ber of Deputies seemed Chamber, Matteo Salvini, that knows it’s about to fall barbs at Salvini, who alition, also with the aid of
more like a soccer stadium leader of the “Italians first,” and is acting like Marie An- abruptly withdrew the a tiny left-wing party which
with frenzied fans than a right-wing League party toinette,” Salvini told the League as a partner in has one Cabinet minister.
hall of lawmakers weigh- who brought down Con- rally, sarcastically likening the previous government Salvini and his allies, includ-
ing whether to confirm te’s first government, rallied Conte’s cobbled-together in a bid for an early elec- ing a far-right party with
Italy’s second government a few thousand supporters coalition to the tone-deaf tion that would make him neo-fascist roots, contend
of mismatched partners who clamored for their say attitude of the French premier and bring him “full Italians deserved to have
in 15 months. Practically at the ballot box. queen. powers.” early elections.q

Moroccan journalist denies charges of illegal abortion

By AMIRA EL MASAITI Raissouni claims she was ar- motivated and that she
Associated Press rested outside a clinic she was targeted because
RABAT, Morocco (AP) — A visited for an “urgent inter- she is a journalist who cov-
judge ruled that a Moroc- vention,” not an abortion. ers a grassroots opposition
can journalist remain in cus- “She was not arrested in fla- movement.
tody after she appeared grante delicto. She didn’t Amnesty International has
Monday in a packed confess to any crime. But called for Morocco to drop
courtroom on charges that this is the state of our coun- charges and release her.
she had an illegal abortion try ... We’ve reached the “Hajar is a victim in all this,”
after becoming pregnant level where women’s bod- her uncle Soulaimane Rais-
while single. ies become the subject of souni, a columnist at the
The case has gained atten- public debate,” said one of paper where she works,
tion among journalists and Raissouni’s lawyers, Fatiha said in an interview.
rights groups. Chtatou. Police reportedly forced
The 28-year-old Hajar Rais- Raissouni didn’t speak in Raissouni into a medical
souni has been jailed since A man carries a banner at a demonstration outside a court court Monday, but was exam at the time of her ar-
Aug. 31. She denies hav- in solidarity with detained journalist Hajar Raissouni, in Rabat, expected to when it con- rest.
ing had an abortion and Morocco, Monday, Sept. 9, 2019. venes again over the case “It is a rape of her body. It
claims she was married to Associated Press on Sept. 16. shows that the state con-
her Sudanese fiancé under ered outside the court- release request. She works for the Arabic- trols the bodies and free-
Islamic law. The fiancé, a house in the Moroccan Abortions are illegal in Mo- language paper Akhbar dom of a woman,” said
gynecologist and two oth- capital, Rabat, chanting rocco as is premarital sex. Al Yaoum, a major daily Ibtissam Lachgar, spokes-
ers also were jailed. “freedoms are in danger.” Raissouni faces up to two critical of the state. Fam- woman for the rights group
They appeared in court as The judge on Monday de- years in prison if convicted ily members maintain that Alternative Movement for
dozens of protesters gath- nied Raissouni’s temporary on all counts. her arrest was politically Individual Freedoms.q