Word: parliament
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Dates: during 2000-2009
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While the 785 members of the European Parliament rarely miss the opportunity to hammer home their democratic credentials, too often they find themselves ignored or mired in thanklessly complicated legislative procedure. But it can get worse: now the European Union's only directly elected institution is struggling to fend of accusations of widespread fraud among its members...
...Last week details were published on the Internet of a secret report by the Parliament's own internal auditors that revealed a catalogue of scams used by some MEPs to pocket portions of their annual grant of $295,000 per member to hire office staff...
...scandal has been exacerbated by parliamentary leaders' clumsy attempts to cover up the report. Even within the Parliament, only a handful of MEPs on the budgetary control committee were able to see the report - and they were obliged to read it in a guarded room, on condition that they took no notes and signed a pledge saying they would keep its contents secret. Although the Parliament's vice presidents agreed on Monday to review the system of hiring office assistants, they spent two weeks insisting the report was either non-existent or confidential...
...Voters did send Abdullah a message-a strongly worded one. While the National Front maintained a simple majority in parliament, it lost the crucial two-thirds control Abdullah had promised in pre-election campaigning that his coalition would maintain. Even more stunning: the ruling alliance lost power in four of Malaysia's 13 states. Before the polls, only one state, Kelantan, was controlled by the opposition. By the time the dust settled on Saturday, three heartland states-Kedah, Perak and Kelantan-along with manufacturing-based states Selangor and Penang were all in the hands of the opposition. All of these...
...What a difference four years makes. In 2004, Abdullah's party won a record mandate, capturing 64% of the popular vote and 91% of seats in parliament. The overwhelming victory was due, in part, to the attraction of a fresh face-after 22 years in power, former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad handed over the reigns to Abdullah in 2003. Abdullah also scored points by positioning himself as a progressive reformer; he promised to clean up widespread graft and strengthen civil liberties...