Word: parliament
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...Toronto Election, Again Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper dissolved Parliament on Sept. 7 and called for an early election--the third national vote in four years. A ballot had been scheduled for 2009, but analysts said the new Oct. 14 date benefits Harper's Conservative Party by getting voters to the polls before they can be influenced by the outcome of U.S. elections or a continuing slump in the economy...
...about to launch her political career. In time, Zardari became Bhutto's political partner, taking posts in her Cabinet and smoothing the ruffled egos the sometimes haughty Prime Minister left in her wake. "He was the fence mender," says Aftab Khan Sherpao, a veteran politician. "If someone [in parliament] had grievances, she sent Zardari in. He was the back channel. He knew how to build relationships...
That will not be easy. Zardari became President without ever having to face a popular vote (the President is chosen by parliament, which is currently dominated by his party), and he assumes an office bloated with powers bequeathed by his dictatorial predecessor. The constitution, as amended by Musharraf, grants Zardari immunity from prosecution and enables him to choose--and dismiss--the Chief of Army Staff, personally select Supreme Court judges and dissolve parliament. Under Pakistan's original constitution, these powers belonged to the elected members of parliament; the President was supposed to be a neutral national leader. With few democratic...
...military and embassy staff will no longer enjoy immunity. But even if the Americans hold firm on the final two sticking points (which is likely) al-Maliki can grudgingly approve the deal and still ultimately get his way. That's because the agreement must be ratified by the Iraqi parliament, which is unlikely to occur without the U.S. conceding on the immunity and arrest issues. Whether he makes the stand himself or leaves it to the legislature, the end result will most likely be the same: no concessions, no deal...
...standing up to Washington and annoying key constituencies in Baghdad, what's the source of al-Maliki's confidence? Who has his back? "I would like to know that as well," says Abdul-Karim Samerrai, a Sunni MP who is the deputy chairman of parliament's defense and security committee and a member of the opposition Tawafuk bloc. "A number of hot issues remain that can come to the boil at any time. Al-Qaeda is still here; the Sahwa [Awakening] issue; there are many wanted militia leaders who remain at large...