华媒：希腊华侨华人热议二十大 愿做好“双向桥梁”******
中新网10月17日电 据希腊《中希时报》报道，在中国共产党第二十次全国代表大会召开之际，多位旅居希腊的华侨华人表达了他们的期盼、祝福和对未来的展望。
希腊中国和平统一促进会会长吴海龙表示，热烈庆祝中共二十大胜利召开。我们华侨华人虽然身处异国，却始终与祖(籍)国心连心、同频共振，我们高度关注并祝贺中共二十大圆满成功。希腊中国和平统一促进会坚定不移地维护一个中国原则。今后将更紧密地团结各界侨胞，加强与希腊主流社会沟通，为实现中华民族伟大复兴贡献力量。
希腊《中希时报》总编辑汪鹏表示，《中希时报》将客观详实地宣传报道中共二十大，向当地社会讲好中国故事，发好中国声音，全面搭建“双向桥梁”，进一步展示真实、立体、全面的中国。同时，也希望中希两国以建交50周年为契机，巩固传统友谊，拓展务实合作，深化人文交流。
希腊中国福建总商会会长陈华美表示，中共二十大召开，我倍感欢欣鼓舞。今年又喜逢中希建交50周年。我们将借这个巨大的契机，为中华民族伟大复兴，为促进中希两国经贸合作、文化交流贡献侨智侨力。
希腊华侨华人总商会会长徐伟春表示，中共二十大报告中，提到加强和改进侨务工作，形成共同致力民族复兴的强大力量。这样有力量的语句，深深温暖海外侨胞的心，让我们和祖(籍)国荣辱与共。在今后的日子里，我们会在各自的专业领域和能力范围内，助力祖(籍)国建设发展。
希腊华侨华人总商会执行会长李昂表示，中共二十大在北京召开，是一件大事、喜事、盛事，我们海外侨胞都非常激动、非常关注。中国的飞速发展让我们感到特别的自豪。海外侨胞要发挥好自身优势，做好桥梁纽带，让世界更好地了解中国。
希腊华人华侨福建联合总会会长陈锋表示，中共二十大的召开，让中国迈出的步伐更稳健，让世界看到了一个更加强大的中国，也让世界看到了中国决心和心怀包容的气度。我们将一如既往发挥海外侨团的独特优势，进一步促进国与国之间民间交流，讲好中国故事，传播中国声音，共同发展、合作共赢，为推动构建人类命运共同体而努力。
中希友好华侨华人协会廖贤钰指出，在国际局势复杂动荡的大背景下，中共二十大意义更显特殊和重大，也因此举世瞩目，万众期待。中国将坚持以中国式现代化实现中华民族伟大复兴，继续积极推动构建人类命运共同体，以中国新发展给世界带来新机遇，为世界和平与发展和人类文明进步贡献智慧和力量。这是中国之福，也是世界之幸。
希腊闽商总商会会长陈千枝表示，中共二十大指明了未来的发展方向。当今世界正经历百年未有之大变局，中国的发展势不可挡，中华民族伟大复兴的梦想比任何时候都更加接近。
中新网评：美国众议长选举“连续剧”暴露美式民主痼疾******
中新网北京1月9日电(蒋鲤)在15轮投票表决后，美国众议院议长选举这场“连续剧”终于落下帷幕，众议院共和党领袖凯文·麦卡锡最终成功当选第55任美国众议院议长。这是美国国会过去164年来耗时最久的一次议长选举记录，将美国“对抗式民主”的弊端暴露无遗。
资料图：美国众议院共和党领袖麦卡锡。中新社记者 沙晗汀摄
由于两党对立加剧、党派内斗、利益分配不均等因素，众议长选举陷入一场拉锯战。在此次众议长竞选中，美国民主党议员继续抱团，多轮投票中，一票不投麦卡锡，共和党右翼“强硬派”领头的约20人小团体也拒绝投票麦卡锡。
麦卡锡的当选之路一波三折，除了本人的“政治投机派”角色在国会不受欢迎外，与共和党内部政治分歧关系密切。
一方面，共和党党内反对者认为，麦卡锡对民主党态度过于软弱，无力对抗民主党控制的参议院和拜登政府，另一方面，因为共和党的多数优势微弱，党内一些影响力较小的派系的政治力量则被放大，有利于他们巩固自己的选票。
此外，党内反对者也认为，自己的选票没有换取更多利益，希望以此作为筹码换取麦卡锡更大的让步，比如让他们获得众议院重要委员会中的职务。
作为仅次于美国总统、副总统的政坛三号人物，众议院议长通常由众议院多数党领袖担任，选举几乎没有悬念。然而，麦卡锡此次为当选，不得不做出多个关键让步，其中可能包括恢复一项罢黜议长动议机制，使得众议长的权力被削弱，难以掌控众议院。
美国有线电视新闻网CNN称，麦卡锡在这场不合时宜的政治勒索中作出让步，这种绥靖政策只会让极端主义势力更加强大。
这场引发全世界围观的尴尬选举暴露出美国政治存在严重的对立和分化。在权力博弈思维的裹挟下，党派利益凌驾于国家和人民利益之上，美国两党相互拆台，陷入“为反对而反对”的无脑对垒。而即便是一党内，也会因为利益分配问题产生不同的小派系，相互对抗，选票变成了谋利益的工具。
从国会山骚乱到打破记历史记录的15轮众议长选举，“对抗式民主”让美国政治陷入瓶颈，长期对抗势必会让政客们丧失客观公正的判断能力，其政治阶层是否有能力治理国家也会引发质疑。
两党之争和党派内斗进一步放大了美国政治体制弊病，美国所谓的“民主”形象，让全世界大跌眼镜。鼓吹以选民利益为先的美式选举，变成了政客们利益置换的游戏，进一步彰显出美国“民主政治”日渐失能，不断极化的党争已使美国政治制度陷入死循环。
House speaker election reveals deep-rooted problems in U.S. democracy
(ECNS) -- The Republican leader Kevin McCarthy was elected as the 55th speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives after 15 ballots. As the most grueling House speaker election in the past 164 years, the election has highlighted the defects of the country’s "confrontational democracy".
The election once reached a stalemate due to intense partisan strife, inner-party struggle among the Republicans, uneven distribution of interests, and more. Democratic Party members forged a close alliance, refusing to vote for McCarthy, while about 20 Republicans also declined to cast ballots for the GOP leader.
Except for his unpopular role as a "political speculator" in Congress, McCarthy’s hard-won election can be attributed to turmoil within the Republican Party.
On the one hand, opponents in the Republican Party believe that the GOP leader's attitude toward the Democrats is too weak to confront the Senate controlled by Democrats and the Biden administration.
On the other hand, the political power of some less influential factions in the Republican Party has been amplified due to the Party’s weak majority advantage in the House of Representatives, which is conducive to consolidating their ticket warehouses.
Meanwhile, these opponents believe that their votes failed to win them more benefits, hoping to use this as a bargaining chip for McCarthy's further concessions, such as getting them positions in important House Committees.
As the third political figure after the President and Vice President of the U.S., the speaker, by tradition, is the head of the majority party in the House of Representatives.
But McCarthy has made many concessions in order to bring the ultra conservatives along, involving what’s known as the “motion to vacate,” a mechanism by which members can force a vote to depose the speaker. The reported concessions will empower individual members at the expense of McCarthy’s sway as speaker.
CNN thought the concessions he made during this unseemly political shakedown would only make the extremist faction more powerful.
This embarrassing election, which has drawn global attention, exposed the serious opposition and polarization in American politics. Both Democrats and Republicans put their interests before that of the country and its people, attacking and opposing each other irrationally.
Besides, different factions arise within a single party and confront each other because of the distribution of interests. Votes have become a tool to win more benefits.
From Capitol riots to the House Speaker election with record-breaking ballots, "confrontational democracy" has become a bottleneck of American politics. Long-term confrontation will surely impede politicians to think objectively and fairly while their capacity of governing the country will also raise doubts among the public.
Both parties’ struggle and infighting among the Republicans have further amplified the defects of the American political system, with its "democratic" image shocking the world.
The U.S.-style election, which advocates putting voters' interests first, has become a game of interest exchange among politicians. In addition, it further demonstrates the malfunction of American "democratic politics" and the constantly polarized party struggle that has trapped the American political system into an infinite cycle.
