Baku, December 15, AZERTAC
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said that dissolving the House of Representatives for a snap general election “should not be ruled out” amid speculation that national elections for both chambers of parliament may be held simultaneously next summer, according to Kyodo news agency. “Generally speaking, dissolution (of the lower house) should not be ruled out. But I’m not considering it for now,” Abe said in a speech in Tokyo. With rumors about a so-called “double election,” lawmakers have been making efforts to correct disparities in the weight of votes in lower house elections in the wake of a Supreme Court ruling in November that the 2014 election was held “in a state of unconstitutionality.” Referring to the ruling that cited disparities in the weight of votes of up to 2.13-fold, Abe said he “takes it seriously.” Abe said his governing coalition will increase efforts so that the envisaged electoral reform will become law.
