Parliament

• Romanian parliament rejected center-right politician Adrian Veștea as prime minister after he failed to secure the required 233 favorable votes. • President Klaus Iohannis must now select a third candidate to form a government following this failed investiture. • The President is scheduled to meet with representatives from all Romanian political parties on Tuesday afternoon to discuss a new designate.

MPs return to Canberra for two weeks of haggling over tax and NDIS reforms before the winter break. Follow today’s news liveGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastSearch begins for new Nacc commissioners The attorney-general, Michelle Rowland, has opened applications for the new leaders of the National Anti-corruption commission, following the resignation of Paul Brereton.The government is committed to strengthening the Nacc, including by continuing to make appointments through an open, competitive and merit-based selection process.This is an opportunity for the Nacc to refresh and reset, and I look forward to working across the Parliament to appoint the best possible candidates for these roles. Continue reading...

• The EU Parliament has passed new legislation to reform the bloc's deportation processes, which includes the establishment of dedicated "return hubs." • The move is seen as a significant victory for Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, whose previous efforts to tighten migration rules were hindered by judicial challenges in Italy and the EU. • This reform matters as it provides a legislative framework to bypass previous legal roadblocks and implement stricter migration controls across member states.

• The European Parliament has approved the toughest deportation policy in the history of the European Union. • Right-wing MEPs celebrated the decision with cheers of "send them back," sparking a heated confrontation within the chamber. • Progressive groups, including Liberal, socialist, green, and far-left MEPs, condemned the celebrations as disgraceful and accused supporters of using racist rhetoric.

Waiting period before receiving medication was included in draft law to gain support for abortion ban in 2018 referendumIreland’s parliament has voted to remove a mandatory three-day wait for abortion during early pregnancy after campaigners said the rule was an unnecessary restriction.The Dáil passed the bill on Wednesday night, clearing a path for the legislation to go to a parliamentary committee and become law later this, or next, year. Continue reading...

MPs who sponsor lobbyists’ entry to halls of power will also be listed online under new transparency rulesPolitical lobbyists with unfettered access to the halls of Parliament House – and the MPs who sponsor their passes – will soon be publicly identified in an online register, under a major shake-up of the pass system.Under the new rules, two MPs will need to sign for a lobbyist to register for a pass, with the primary sponsor responsible for their behaviour. It will also introduce fees for lobbyist and commercial passes. Continue reading...

• The European Parliament and another legislative body have reached an agreement on a trade deal with the United States, though critics argue the terms may leave the EU subservient to U.S. interests. • Separately, European Commission officials rejected a proposal by Kaja Kallas to implement new restrictive trade measures against illegal Israeli settlements. • The rejection of the Israel sanctions is seen as a significant setback for Kallas, despite support for the measures from France, Spain, Sweden, the Netherlands, and Belgium.

• The European Parliament has officially passed a transatlantic trade deal with the United States after months of delays and political tension. • The approval follows a period of hesitation led by top trade lawmaker Bernd Lange, who demanded additional safeguards after President Donald Trump threatened to annex Greenland and impose a trade embargo on Spain. • This agreement is significant as it stabilizes trade relations between the EU and U.S. following a series of aggressive diplomatic threats from the Trump administration in January.

• The European Parliament has approved a long-delayed trade agreement with the United States, granting tariff-free access for US industrial goods and preferences for agricultural products. • The deal includes a safeguard allowing the European Commission to suspend these tariff preferences if the US maintains tariffs exceeding 15% on EU steel and aluminium derivatives. • This agreement aims to strengthen economic ties and reduce trade barriers between the two major global markets.

MEPs agree to implement deal almost 12 months after it was proposed and just days before deadline of US threat to raise tariffsThe European parliament has given its final approval to implement last July’s tariff agreement with Donald Trump.Facing a threat of increased tariffs if the deal was not sanctioned by 4 July, MEPs agreed to approve the deal, with two main provisos. Continue reading...

Gabriel Raimondo, who put his studies on hold to run in Channel Islands, is one of world’s youngest politiciansMost politicians who win an election in Jersey are probably satisfied with a pat on the back from their supporters and a mention in the local newspapers.But after becoming one of the youngest politicians in the world, Gabriel Raimondo received a message of congratulations from Donald Trump. Continue reading...

• The provided text offers a comparative overview of various political parties within the European Parliament, detailing their specific ideological alignments and manifestos. • Key examples include Sweden's Moderate Party, which focuses on free-market economics and national security, and Denmark's Moderaterne, which positions itself as a pragmatic, centrist force. • The content also highlights parties formed to combat corruption and restore the rule of law, specifically in the context of overcoming political polarization in Hungary.

• The European Parliament announced on Wednesday that it will replace Google with the French search engine Qwant. • This transition is part of a broader strategic effort to enhance "tech sovereignty" by reducing the European Union's reliance on U.S.-based technology. • The move highlights a growing trend of favoring local alternatives to mitigate the dominance of American tech giants in the region.

• The European Parliament is reviewing its reliance on Google and exploring the adoption of alternative search engines for its internal operations. • This shift aims to enhance digital sovereignty and prioritize user privacy within the EU's legislative framework. • Officials argue that diversifying search options will create market friction, providing European tech startups and local developers better opportunities to scale.

• Germany has introduced a proposal titled “Paper on the Further Development of Public Value” aimed at curbing misinformation on social media. • The plan would require social media news feeds to prioritize "reliable" news sources, which would be identified by a government-designated “public value” label. • This initiative is significant because it allows politicians in power to indirectly determine which media outlets are deemed credible and visible to the public.

• On Wednesday, May 27, Hungary's parliament approved legislation to maintain the country's membership in the International Criminal Court (ICC). • This move reverses a previous decision by Prime Minister Viktor Orban's government to withdraw from the court, which had been slated for 2025. • The reversal follows claims from Orban's administration that the ICC had become "political," leading to the initial push for exit.

Gerry ‘the monk’ Hutch comes fourth in contest won by Daniel Ennis of Social DemocratsThe Irish gangland figure Gerry “the monk” Hutch has failed in his bid for a parliamentary seat in a Dublin byelection.The 63-year-old came fourth in a contest won by Daniel Ennis of the Social Democrats, a victory for progressive politics after a campaign dominated by concerns over the cost of living and immigration. Continue reading...

• Viktor Orbán lost his position as Prime Minister in the April 2026 Hungarian parliamentary elections, ending a 16-year tenure in power. • The election saw significant international involvement, with US President Donald Trump endorsing Orbán and Vice President JD Vance visiting Hungary to criticize EU interference. • Opposing parties, including Magyar and Tisza, campaigned on platforms to combat corruption and "state-capture" orchestrated by Orbán and the Fidesz party.

Parliamentary rule that only English is allowed has reignited debate about language, legitimacy and postcolonial identityWhen the Jamaican MP Nekeisha Burchell stood up to give her maiden speech, she was keenly aware of how much her country’s parliament mirrored the Westminster version thousands of miles away in London.As in the UK, the session on 12 May had started with the arrival of the ceremonial mace – a 1.7-metre ornamented silver staff representing the British monarch’s authority over parliament – which now rested on a table between the government and the opposition. Despite the heat outside, debate was presided over by the speaker dressed in a ceremonial robe. Continue reading...

• Venezuela’s National Assembly approved a reform on 9 May 2026 to expand the Supreme Tribunal of Justice from 20 justices to 32, saying the change would speed up judicial work. • The Judicial Nominations Committee was installed on 19 May 2026 to fill 24 vacancies on the court, according to the International Commission of Jurists. • The ICJ said the appointment process “must be carried out in compliance with the rule of law,” warning that judicial independence is at stake.

• Britain’s Parliament is scheduled to debate a bill to bring steel undertakings into public ownership as MPs return for a packed week starting 18 May 2026. • The Commons and Lords will also continue debating the King’s Speech, while the Private Members’ Bill ballot will give 20 MPs a chance to introduce the session’s first bills. • The agenda includes a Backbench Business Committee chair election, evidence from Armed Forces Minister Al Carns on undersea cable protection, and a Treasury Committee hearing with the Bank of England governor.

If he stands in Makerfield there will also need to be a mayoral contest to replace him in Greater ManchesterLabour’s national executive committee has approved Andy Burnham’s request to stand in the candidate selection process for the upcoming Makerfield byelection, paving the way for the Greater Manchester mayor to return to parliament.Burnham still has two more years of his term as mayor, meaning that if he stands there will need to be a mayoral byelection. Under Labour rules, sitting mayors need NEC approval to stand for Westminster. He would also need to be formally selected Continue reading...

• Iraqi lawmakers on Thursday approved a new government headed by businessman Ali al-Zaidi, ending months of deadlock in Baghdad. • The prime minister’s media office said parliament granted confidence to Zaidi’s cabinet, while the INA state news agency reported an absolute majority backed 14 ministerial nominations. • Zaidi, described as Iraq’s youngest prime minister at 40, was chosen on April 27 after growing pressure to restore a stable administration.

Greater Manchester mayor seeks to reassure his supporters after potential seats for him fail to materialiseAndy Burnham has told Labour MPs they should hold the line and that he has options to return to parliament after several seats identified by allies of the Greater Manchester mayor failed to materialise.Two seats his backers had described as “nailed on” as recently as Monday night are now out of contention after the MPs concerned got cold feet. Continue reading...

Ceremonial event marks start of new parliamentary year, and outlines government policies and proposed legislationUK politics live – latest updates Continue reading...

Tuesday’s question time seemed more suited to prime time; full of sordid allegations, only the cast seems far less likableFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastQuestion time in the Queensland parliament is not a ratings juggernaut.Nielsen doesn’t publish ratings data about the live stream from Brisbane’s George Street, but one imagines the numbers of voters tuning in to watch our state politicians flagellate on a weekday morning are relatively low: a handful of politics nerds and the odd journo who prefers to work from home. Continue reading...

• Workers' Party MP He Ting Ru highlighted Singapore as one of the most vulnerable economies to AI disruption during a parliamentary motion on AI transition. • She urged recognition of uncomfortable realities beyond the nation's praised infrastructure and upskilling initiatives. • Singapore's approach, cited by BCG, IMF's Kristalina Georgieva, and others, focuses on confronting AI opportunities and risks through worker reskilling.

Davis, 32, arrested on Wednesday and charged with inciting hatred and causing fear. Arrest comes after police criticised at royal commission into antisemitismFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastProminent neo-Nazi Joel Davis has been charged with alleged hate speech following a protest by the National Socialist Network outside New South Wales parliament.About 60 members of the now-disbanded group stood in formation on Macquarie Street on 8 November last year, allegedly holding a large banner that read: “Abolish the Jewish lobby.” Continue reading...