- Friedrich Merz: millionaire conservative on verge of German chancellery
- Trump's return darkens mood as Germany heads to elections
- Pochettino happy after 'amazing' USA beat Costa Rica
- Most Asian markets extend AI-fuelled rally
- Bangladesh student revolutionaries' dreams dented by joblessness
- S. Korea investigators recommend Yoon be charged with insurrection, abuse of power
- Solar power surpasses coal in EU for first time
- Musk, Wikipedia founder in row over how to describe 'Nazi salute'
- Axel Rudakubana: troubled teen whose knife rampage shocked Britain
- Sasaki vows to 'give best' to fire-torn LA at Dodgers unveiling
- UK teen faces sentencing over murders that sparked riots
- Larry Ellison, tech's original maverick, makes Trump era return
- Trump push to 'drill, baby, drill' may hit industry roadblock
- Instagram courts TikTok stars during turbulent times
- Political crisis hits South Korea growth: central bank
- Elephants are not people, US judges say
- Sinner aiming to be 'better, stronger' in Australian Open semi
- Mass evacuations after explosive new fire erupts near Los Angeles
- Guardiola concedes Man City 'could not cope' with PSG as European hopes flicker
- PSG push Man City to brink with stunning Champions League comeback
- Arteta wants sunshine break as Arsenal move towards last 16
- PSG comeback floors Man City as Arsenal near Champions League last 16
- Trump toughens crackdown on immigration and diversity
- Celtic make 'little bit of history' with Champions League progress
- As Trump declares 'Gulf of America,' US enters name wars
- Celtic make Champions League progress thanks to Young Boys own goal
- Trump's tariff threats are 'leverage,' says informal economic advisor
- Trump halts refugee arrivals in crackdown
- Gangs could overrun Haiti capital if aid falls short: UN chief
- PSG sink Man City with stunning Champions League comeback
- Leao sinks Girona and pushes Milan into Champions League top eight
- Feyenoord stun toothless Bayern in Champions League
- Arsenal on course for last 16 after beating Dinamo
- Real Madrid thrash Salzburg to get back on Champions League track
- Les Paul owned by guitar god Jeff Beck auctioned for over £1 mn
- Colombia moves to arrest guerrilla leaders behind wave of violence
- New explosive wildfire erupts near Los Angeles
- Valladolid say Man City tapped up young star
- Fear abounds as M23 fighters close in on DR Congo's Goma
- Sabalenka, Swiatek eye final showdown at Australian Open
- Musk bashes Trump-backed AI mega project
- Hundreds to wed as Thai same-sex marriage law comes into force
- Musk seeks Trump pardon for 'Bitcoin Jesus,' charged with fraud
- Shakhtar deal blow to Brest's Champions League last-16 ambitions
- What would Trump tariffs mean for key trade partner Mexico?
- Does China control the Panama Canal, as Trump claims?
- Trump tells Putin to make Ukraine deal 'now' or face tougher sanctions
- Yemen's Huthis say freed detained ship's crew after Gaza truce
- Mel B, Trump and Milei: What happened at Davos Wednesday
- Spain's Sabadell bank to move HQ back to Catalonia
RBGPF | 0.26% | 62.36 | $ | |
SCS | -1.9% | 11.58 | $ | |
GSK | -1.05% | 33.43 | $ | |
NGG | -2.56% | 60.05 | $ | |
CMSD | -0.17% | 23.96 | $ | |
CMSC | -0.26% | 23.49 | $ | |
RELX | -0.59% | 49.26 | $ | |
AZN | 0.35% | 68.2 | $ | |
RIO | -1% | 61.12 | $ | |
BTI | -0.44% | 36.57 | $ | |
BP | -1.25% | 31.13 | $ | |
BCE | -1.04% | 23.15 | $ | |
RYCEF | 2.02% | 7.42 | $ | |
VOD | -2.03% | 8.38 | $ | |
BCC | -0.94% | 127.92 | $ | |
JRI | -0.32% | 12.53 | $ |
Philippines kicks off chaotic election campaign season
The race to lead the Philippines kicked off Tuesday, with the son and namesake of former dictator Ferdinand Marcos the favourite to succeed authoritarian firebrand Rodrigo Duterte and return his clan to the presidential palace they once fled.
Candidates hit the hustings for the three-month campaign season in a chaotic and colourful charm offensive aimed at wooing millions of voters typically more interested in personality than policy.
More than 35 years after the country emerged from his father's dictatorship, polls showed Ferdinand Marcos Jr heading towards a landslide victory in the May 9 elections.
Boosted by a massive social media campaign and a formidable alliance with first daughter and vice-presidential candidate Sara Duterte, Marcos Jr -- one of the most polarising figures in the Philippines -- has vowed to "unify the country".
"This is not the time and place to be arguing about the history of the Philippines," Marcos Jr told broadcaster GMA on Saturday.
"We need to talk about and discuss what we need to be doing in the next few years in order to give back jobs to people so that they will have money in their pockets."
Incumbent Vice President Leni Robredo -- a former lawyer for the disadvantaged and a rival of Marcos Jr and Duterte -- is a distant second in voter surveys.
Kicking off her pink-coloured campaign in Lupi town in the central province of Camarines Sur, Robredo told supporters she was "filled with courage because you are with me".
Robredo is ahead of celebrity mayor Francisco Domagoso, boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao and ex-police chief Panfilo Lacson.
"The overwhelming presidential favourite remains Marcos," said Eurasia Group analyst Peter Mumford, giving the former senator "70 percent odds" of winning.
"Many of Duterte's 'pro-authoritarian' supporters see Marcos as the continuity 'strongman' candidate," Mumford said.
- Ultimate comeback -
Victory for Marcos Jr would be the ultimate comeback for the controversial family, which was chased into US exile after the patriarch's humiliating downfall in 1986.
The dictator oversaw widespread human rights abuses to maintain his control of the country and enable his massive plundering, with thousands of people killed or tortured, according to previous Philippine governments.
Opponents seeking to block another Marcos presidency have filed petitions with the Commission on Elections to have the son thrown out of the race over a previous conviction for failing to file income tax returns.
He has already beaten one of the challenges, but a key ruling on several disqualification cases has been delayed.
Even if Marcos Jr were kicked out of the race, election rules would allow another member of the Marcos family to take his place.
He has tried to defend his father's rule by citing economic growth, and minimised the human rights abuses during that regime.
But questions over his family's past and alleged ill-gotten wealth have become a source of irritation.
He has snubbed invitations to participate in interviews or forums with rivals, and told a journalist he would no longer "return to 35-year-old issues".
Robredo, who narrowly defeated Marcos Jr in the 2016 vice-presidential race, reluctantly entered the presidential contest following pressure from supporters and opposition groups.
While her volunteer-driven campaign has struck a chord with progressives, her mild-mannered personality is hurting her appeal in the deeply macho country.
B.Finley--AMWN