Ramaphosa’s nomination was unopposed Thursday in the 400-seat National Assembly after the opposition Economic Freedom Fighters walked out of the chamber, arguing that early elections should be called and the president’s appointment would be illegal. “Corruption, how we can straighten out SOEs and how we deal with state capture is on our radar screen,” Ramaphosa said after Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng had declared him the president, referring to state-owned companies. Source Bloomberg
The U.S. State Department has approved a possible foreign military sale of the Patriot air and missile defense system to Turkey for an estimated total of $3.5 billion, the Pentagon said on Dec. 18. Source: Hürriyet Daily News
Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel has offered his resignation just days after one of his main coalition partners quit in a row over migration. Source: BBC
U.S. President Donald Trump urged his Kosovan counterpart Hashim Thaçi to seize the chance to seal a permanent peace deal with Serbia. In a surprise intervention in faltering talks between the Balkan states, Trump held out the prospect in a letter of a White House meeting with Thaçi and Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić if they reach a deal. Vučić received a similar letter from Trump, his media adviser said. Source: Politico
