Foreign Affairs Scope: rise of the Filipino Trump
The Philippines elect their Trump and Brazil's confusion. On Foreign Affairs Scope with Nathan Smith. With special feature audio.
The Philippines will soon have a new leader following a boisterous election this month. Although votes are still being counted, the Davao city mayor Rodrigo Duterte is set to secure victory after May 11 in Manila. The mayor was highly popular among the southern city’s residents, eliminating pools of crime, negotiating with communist and Islamist insurgents and increasing the efficiency of public services.
However, Mr Duterte’s politics have attracted criticisms of unprofessionalism. Although he draws support from a Filipino middle class frustrated with corruption amongst incumbent officials and leaders, he has also been called a “Trump-like” figure for his many anti-establishment comments. Yet, with a history of extrajudicial executions in Davao as mayor, Mr Duterte may not be entirely law-abiding, he nevertheless represents a salve for corruption, which is deeply important for voters.
In Brazil, the looming impeachment process against President Dilma Rousseff fell into confusion this week when the interim president of the lower house Waldir Maranhao alleged procedural irregularities in the April Senate vote which organised the impeachment process. Mr Maranhao attempted to annul the proceedings on May 9.
The Brazilian Senate blocked the lower house decision, confirming it will continue with the impeachment proceedings. A decision is expected on May 11 in Brasilia. Should Ms Rousseff be removed, even temporarily, her vice president Michel Temer will replace her. However, he too is subject to corruption investigations. Brazil will not return to political stability until at least 2017. This will have some effect on the country’s hosting of the Olympic Games and hurt the country’s foreign investment prospects.
Correction: a comment in the audio refers to a separatist group in the southern Philippines. The correct name of the group is the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.
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Wed, 11 May 2016
Wed, 11 May 2016
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Foreign Affairs Scope: rise of the Filipino Trump
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