維新・前原新党、統一会派結成へ　教育無償化、政治改革で連携

　日本維新の会の馬場伸幸、教育無償化を実現する会の前原誠司両代表は１５日、衆参両院で統一会派を結成することで合意し、政策協定に署名した。教育無償化や政治改革の実現で連携。将来的な合流も視野に入れている。
　会派名は「日本維新の会・教育無償化を実現する会」（略称・維教）で、勢力規模は衆院４５人、参院２１人となる見通し。今後、教育側が維新側の党会合に参加する形で、予算案や各法案への賛否を調整する。（2024/01/15-18:14）

Nippon Ishin no Kai (Japan Innovation Party) and a new political party created by lawmaker Seiji Maehara on Monday agreed to form unified groups in both chambers of the Diet, Japan's parliament.
   Nippon Ishin leader Nobuyuki Baba and Maehara, who heads the new party for realizing free education after leaving the opposition Democratic Party for the People last year, signed a policy accord. They will consider merging their parties eventually.
   The unified Diet groups are set to have 45 lawmakers in the House of Representatives, the lower chamber, and 21 in the House of Councillors, the upper chamber.
   The accord calls for jointly realizing political reform through a change of government. It lists free education, a constitutional revision, the development of self-reliant defense capabilities and a labor law review among key policies.
   Baba told a press conference he has felt that his party is closer to Maehara's in policy directions than any other party.