Marianne Björklund: Hardline Duterte on the way to strengthen the power of the Philippines

During Monday held a mellanårsval in the Philippines, where over 18,000 political places were at stake. Attention was directed above all against which candidates get the voters ' support in parliament's upper house, where half of the 24 seats were up for election.

the controversial president Rodrigo Duterte until now been a minority. It has made the house of lords has been able to act as a brake for the Dutertes most contentious proposal.

But now speaks a lot to Duterte will win the most seats in the house of lords, and thereby also get an advantage there.

It would in such cases pave the way for Duterte to run the whole rope out with its controversial policies. Duterte during his time as president brought strong international criticism for its drogkrig where thousands of have died outside the legal system. Shortly after he was elected president in 2016, he called on the police to kill drug addicts and droghandlare with the promise that they could do it without risking any punishment. The policies he has implemented.

President Rodrigo Duterte after visiting the polling station in his hometown of Davao in the southern Philippines on Monday. His fingertip, which is covered by the lilafärgat ink, he shows up as a proof that he has voted. Photo: Manman Dejeto/AP

he Wins a majority in the both houses, he can without restrictions to go ahead with a series of controversial proposals. These include, among other things, that he wants to reintroduce the death penalty. Rodrigo Duterte also have plans to rewrite the constitution and to tear up the rule that a president only gets to sit in a term. In addition, he wants to lower the criminal age from 15 to 12 years.

Duterte has been condemned by human rights groups for killing people ruthlessly. During his time as president has, moreover, the media had been increasingly difficult to examine the power and the critics to Duterte has been jailed. But at home, he enjoys great popularity. A poll conducted in early may showed that over 70 percent of those polled supporting him. In Rodrigo Duterte, they see a man who takes deal with serious crime and corruption.

that the hard-line policy affects the poor who cannot afford lawyers. The liberal huvudoppositionspartiet in the Philippines accusing him of bringing a rättslöst war against drugs. They are also concerned that Duterte ties too close ties to China and that in the long run, will worsen the Philippine relationship with the united states, traditionally the country's allies.

Duterte is known to express little diplomatic. During the election campaign, he has mocked opponents and among other things, made fun of their teeth. He has also commented on the data on vote buying is that it is okay as long as the money goes to pay for their transportation to and from the polling station.