parliament

Former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has sharply condemned the recent expulsion of Representative Yekeh Kolubah from the House of Representatives, characterizing the action as a serious infringement on free expression. She emphasized the importance of upholding the Liberian Constitution, calling on lawmakers to adhere to the rule of law, which she highlighted as vital for "good governance." This contentious expulsion stemmed from allegations against Kolubah, including breach of duty, official misconduct, and a violation…

Tuesday April 28, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — North Western State of Somalia’s Guurti, the upper house of elders, has voted to extend the mandates of the local councils and the House of Representatives by 27 months, a decision that is expected to intensify arguments over the region’s election timetable and political direction. The measure passed on Tuesday with overwhelming support, as 71 of the 72 members present backed the extension. The move pushes the terms of the two institutions out by more than two years. Under North…

Tuesday April 21, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia’s constitutional watchdog has moved to force a long-simmering political question into the open, telling cabinet ministers who also sit in parliament that they must give up one of their posts. In a statement released Monday, the Independent Constitutional Review and Implementation Commission (ICRIC) said the instruction is grounded in the new federal constitution, which requires a strict separation between the executive and legislative branches. According to the commission, no…

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who led Iran’s delegation in the latest talks with the United States in Islamabad, said on X that Donald Trump had "made seven claims in one hour, all seven of which were false". "They did not win the war, and they will certainly not get anywhere in negotiations either with these lies," Ghalibaf added. Turning to the Strait of Hormuz, he warned that if the "continuation of the blockade" persisted, the waterway "will not remain open". His comments echoed earlier remarks…

Friday April 17, 2026 Garowe (AX) — Puntland State’s Cabinet has called on President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud to work toward a broad political settlement on Somalia’s elections, warning that a prolonged standoff could deepen the country’s instability. The appeal came after a Cabinet session chaired by Puntland State President Said Abdullahi Deni, during which ministers examined the national political climate following the official expiration of the federal parliament’s four-year mandate on April 14, 2026. “The Council calls on…

Hungary is moving swiftly toward a political handover after Peter Magyar’s sweeping election win ended Viktor Orban’s 16-year grip on power, with the country’s new parliament expected to meet in early May to formally choose its next prime minister. Mr Magyar, who decisively defeated Orban in Sunday’s vote, said lawmakers could gather as soon as 4 May or around 6-7 May after he met President Tamas Sulyok to discuss the timetable. He also urged the president, seen as an Orban ally, to step down as part of what he cast as a…

Wednesday April 15, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia’s opposition Himilo Qaran party on Tuesday raised alarm over the country’s political and constitutional direction after the federal parliament’s term expired. In a statement, the party said the House of the People’s mandate officially ended on April 14, 2026, in line with Article 60 of the Provisional Constitution, describing the date as a defining test for governance and respect for the rule of law. “Protecting the term limits of government institutions is the most…

Somalia: Ex-President Warns of Leadership Vacuum as Parliament Mandate Expires MOGADISHU, Somalia — Former Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo on Tuesday said the Federal Parliament’s constitutional mandate expired on April 14, 2026, warning that Somalia is sliding into a period of "rising political uncertainty." Farmaajo said parliamentary business "can only resume after new elections are held," pushing back against a one-year extension announced by the leadership of the House of the People. His intervention gives…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia was thrust into a constitutional deadlock on Tuesday after the Federal Parliament’s mandate formally lapsed, prompting a string of resignations from lawmakers even as President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud began his final 30 days in office. The four-year terms of both the House of the People and the Upper House expired on April 14. Yet Speaker of the House Adan Madobe had already announced that Parliament would remain in place for another year, a decision meant to support the federal government’s push…

Somalia’s federal parliament has been at the center of major political decisions in 2026, as lawmakers debated constitutional rules, the timetable for elections, and the government’s spending priorities. The actions taken in parliamentary sessions—sometimes orderly, sometimes marked by unrest—shape how political power is set to change later in the year. With Somalia still working under a provisional constitutional framework and facing ongoing security and governance challenges, parliamentary votes in Mogadishu carry…