International
The keys to the crucial second round of the legislative elections in France
The French over 18 years old, about 49.5 million in total, are called to the polls tomorrow to vote in the second round of the anticipated legislative elections, in which Marine Le Pen’s far-right is in the lead, although it will be difficult for him to achieve an absolute majority.
These are the keys to the crucial choice for France:
After the historic victory of Jordan Bardella, Le Pen’s right-hand man, in the June European elections and the unexpected dissolution of the National Assembly immediately decided by President Emmanuel Macron, the far-right National Association (RN) was also the great winner of the first round of the legislative elections.
In the general vote of the first round, characterized by a strong participation (67.5%), the RN and its allies achieved 33.15% of the votes, ahead of the union of the lefts of the New Popular Front (27.99%) and macronism (20.04%)
With the absolute majority set at 289 deputies, this second round will put a total of 501 seats at stake, since 76 were already awarded in the first round.
Among them, 39 went to the RN and its allies (such as the one disputed by Marine Le Pen herself); while the left-wing coalition Nuevo Frente Popular (NFP), which includes formations such as the Socialist Party or La Francia Insumisa, secured 32 and Macronism only two.
Unlike in the first round, where the candidate had to get more than 50% of the votes from his constituency – provided that that represents at least 25% of the voters registered in the census – to directly access the seat, in the second round the candidate who is in the lead gets the seat, regardless of the percentages.
In cases where the polls did not define a final winner in the first round, the French system allows you to qualify for the second round to the lists that obtain at least 12.5% of the votes of the total number of registrants in a constituency.
This Sunday, most of the duels will be two, but 89 constituencies will decide between three candidates (the so-called triangular) and two will decide between four (four-square). There will also be elections with a single candidate – Davy Rimane, from the left, in the second constituency of Guyana – after the withdrawal of his rival.
With the results of last Sunday, initially the triangular elections scheduled for the second round were a majority, since in a total of 306 constituencies more than two candidates were classified.
Throughout the week, however, a little more than two hundred candidates withdrew from the contest. Most of them did it to form a sanitary cordon around the extreme right and came from the left-wing coalition NPF (58%) and, to a lesser extent, from macronism (36%).
The impact of the withdrawals of candidates has been noticed in the polls, which have lowered the extent of the victory expected for the RN Lepenist bloc and, consequently, its options of obtaining an absolute majority.
At the end of the campaign this Friday, the eve of today’s day of reflection, the projections give between 175 and 205 seats to the RN and its allies; between 145 and 175 deputies to the NFP; between 118 and 148 seats to Macronism; from 57 to 67 to the conservative right-wing party The Republicans and the rest would be divided by various political formations.
The French polling stations will open at 8:00 a.m. (6.00 GMT in metropolitan France) and will remain open until 6:00 p.m. (16.00 GMT), except in some large cities, where the deadline will be extended by one hour or even two hours.
It will be from 20.00 (18.00 GMT) when the polling companies will disclose the initial estimates of the composition of the new National Assembly, which will unleash the first reactions of the political leaders, while the Ministry of the Interior advances the first partial results.
International
German Authorities Investigate More Than 100 New Cases Against Convicted Nurse
German authorities announced Monday that they are investigating more than 100 additional cases involving a nurse who was sentenced to life in prison in November for the murder of 10 patients.
The man, who was 44 at the time of his conviction, worked in palliative care at a hospital in Würselen, near Aachen. He was also found guilty of 27 attempted murders.
Aachen prosecutors are now examining 121 new cases, a spokesperson for the office said.
Prosecutors leading the investigation are preparing a new indictment that could be filed next year. Nearly 40 bodies have so far been exhumed as part of the investigation, which covers alleged incidents dating back to September 2022.
Meanwhile, prosecutors in the city of Cologne are investigating 18 additional cases. According to a spokesperson, the oldest case dates back to 2010.
Before working at the Würselen hospital, the nurse is believed to have worked at a clinic in eastern Cologne, according to local media reports.
At the time of his November conviction, the court ruled that the severity of his crimes was particularly serious, a finding that would make it difficult for him to obtain early release after 15 years in prison.
Between December 2023 and May 2024, the nurse administered overdoses of sedatives or painkillers to terminally ill patients, most of them elderly, according to the indictment in the original case.
His alleged motive was to sedate patients who required care so that he could minimize his workload during night shifts, prosecutors said.
According to the indictment, the nurse worked «without enthusiasm» and «without motivation». When faced with patients requiring extensive care, he allegedly became «irritated» and showed a lack of empathy.
The case has revived painful memories in Germany of Niels Högel, a former nurse and serial killer who was sentenced to life imprisonment in June 2019 for the murders of at least 85 patients.
International
Venezuela Raises Earthquake Death Toll to 6,301
The death toll from the earthquakes that struck Venezuela on June 24 has risen to 6,301, while relatives continue searching for missing people among the rubble of collapsed buildings, parliamentary leader Jorge Rodríguez said Monday.
So far, the Venezuelan government has not released an official figure for the number of people missing after the magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes, which caused around 190 buildings to collapse, most of them in the coastal state of La Guaira, about 25 miles (40 kilometers) from Caracas.
The latest figure represents an increase from the 6,125 deaths reported by Venezuelan authorities on August 3.
According to statements made to local media by La Guaira Governor José Alejandro Terán, around 1,400 people were still missing just over a week ago.
Thousands of homes remain at risk
In addition to buildings that completely collapsed, authorities have classified another 9,567 structures as being at «high risk». Meanwhile, 12,411 homes remain under a «restricted» classification.
As a result, many families who lived in these properties have been relocated to temporary shelters or have sought accommodation with relatives and friends.
Nearly 24,000 people left homeless by the disaster are currently living in camps in Caracas and La Guaira, a popular tourist destination whose economy has been severely affected by the earthquakes.
The situation sparked renewed concern among Venezuelans on Monday after a magnitude 7.4 earthquake, with its epicenter in Colombia, was felt across several regions of Venezuela.
The earthquake in Colombia left at least 111 people dead and dozens injured, according to preliminary figures released by authorities in that country.
International
CEAPI Backs Colombia’s New Government and Calls for Greater Public-Private Cooperation
The Ibero-American Business Alliance Council (CEAPI), led by its president, Núria Vilanova, participated in the inauguration ceremony of Abelardo de la Espriella as Colombia’s new president. The events were held on August 7 in Cali and brought together heads of state and institutional representatives from numerous countries.
CEAPI maintains a strong relationship with Colombia as part of its mission to serve as a meeting point between Ibero-American business leaders and the region’s main institutions and governments. The organization has more than 25 members in Colombia, including Jaime Gilinski, Luis Carlos Sarmiento, Omar González and Diego Urrea. In addition, Colombia hosted the seventh CEAPI Ibero-American Congress, held in Cartagena de Indias in 2024.
During his inauguration speech, President De la Espriella identified confidence and economic stability as key pillars of his administration and emphasized the role of private enterprise in Colombia’s future.
He also reaffirmed his intention to govern for all Colombians and strengthen institutional dialogue, while referring to Spain’s democratic transition and the leadership of former Prime Minister Adolfo Suárez.
Vilanova said she has seen this commitment firsthand during meetings with members of the new government, who have expressed their willingness to work closely with business leaders and the private sector to promote economic growth.
According to CEAPI, the government is considering measures aimed at strengthening legal certainty and business confidence, encouraging investment and promoting formal employment.
For Vilanova, Colombia’s new political and economic stage represents an opportunity to demonstrate that «when the public and private sectors are aligned, they can achieve more».
«Colombia has everything it needs to make it happen. And Ibero-American business leaders are ready to support it», she said, adding that CEAPI is already working with the government to organize a future investment delegation to the country.
The organization said the planned visit would seek to strengthen business ties and identify new investment opportunities in Colombia, reinforcing the role of the private sector in the country’s economic development.
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