parliament

Somalia’s parliament erupts in chaos over constitutional amendments, session suspended MOGADISHU — A joint session of Somalia’s bicameral parliament collapsed into disorder Wednesday as opposition legislators disrupted plans to debate sweeping constitutional amendments, triggering scuffles on the floor and forcing leaders to suspend proceedings. Opposition lawmakers protested proposed changes to five chapters of the Provisional Federal Constitution Clashes broke out between rival MPs; the session was suspended without…

CAIRO — The Arab Parliament said it will pursue regional and international political measures to support the security, stability and sovereignty of Somalia and Yemen, and rejected any foreign interference in their internal affairs, in a statement issued Saturday at the opening of its second general assembly session of the second cycle at the Arab League’s headquarters. Framing respect for state sovereignty and territorial integrity as a cornerstone of international relations, the body called for peaceful solutions to ongoing…

EU lawmakers will vote this morning on whether to ask the bloc’s top court to review the European Union’s newly signed free trade agreement with South America’s Mercosur, a move that could delay the pact by about two years and potentially derail it. The parliamentary vote is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. The EU finalized its largest-ever trade pact last weekend with Mercosur members Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. The agreement still requires approval before it can take effect, setting off a fresh political fight over…

MOGADISHU — Somalia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation has welcomed an appellate ruling that clears the way for the country’s elected representatives to take their seats in the East African Legislative Assembly, ending months of legal uncertainty over Somalia’s participation in the regional body. In a statement issued Tuesday, the ministry congratulated the nine lawmakers chosen by Somalia’s Federal Parliament to represent the country in EALA, calling the court’s decision a key step toward…

NAIROBI, Kenya (AX) — A regional appeals court on Monday cleared Somalia’s representatives to take their seats in the East African Legislative Assembly, overturning earlier rulings that had blocked their participation and ending a months-long legal dispute over the country’s nomination process. The decision paves the way for Somalia’s full engagement in the East African Community’s legislative body and removes a significant obstacle to Mogadishu’s regional integration efforts since joining the bloc. Somalia’s ambassador to…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia’s lower house of parliament on Monday overwhelmingly approved a national tobacco control framework, a landmark move aimed at curbing tobacco use and tackling what lawmakers and health officials describe as a growing public health threat. The House of the People backed the measure with 139 votes in favor, three abstentions and none against, signaling rare cross-party consensus on the need to rein in tobacco consumption and marketing across the country. Speaker Sheikh Aden Mohamed Nur, widely known…

Greenland’s entire political spectrum closed ranks to reject U.S. President Donald Trump’s threats to take control of the Arctic island, issuing a rare joint statement asserting the territory’s right to self-determination and demanding respect for international law. “We will not be Americans, we will not be Danes, we are Greenlanders,” the leaders said in a statement released late Tuesday. The five party chiefs — including Prime Minister Jens Frederik Nielsen — said they “strongly oppose” any U.S. takeover of Greenland and…

Irish members of the European Parliament from Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael say they will oppose the EU–Mercosur trade agreement in any European Parliament vote, signaling fresh headwinds for a pact that has stalled for years over environmental and agricultural concerns. The coordinated stance by MEPs from Ireland’s two dominant centrist parties underscores persistent resistance to the agreement, which would lower tariffs and open markets between the European Union and the Mercosur bloc of Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and…

Somalia’s Parliament Passes Medicine Bill to Tackle Counterfeit Drugs; Lawmakers Weigh Tobacco Control Pact MOGADISHU — Somalia’s lower house of parliament on Saturday approved the Medicine Bill, a landmark piece of health legislation aimed at tightening oversight of pharmaceuticals after years of weak regulation and widespread concerns over counterfeit and substandard drugs. The House of the People passed the bill during the 25th meeting of its seventh session, with 141 lawmakers voting in favor, one abstention and no…

MOGADISHU — The Speaker of the Arab Parliament, Mohammed bin Ahmed Al-Yamahi, has welcomed the direct elections for the Banadir Regional Council, calling the vote a historic milestone and the first of its kind in Somalia since 1969. In a statement issued Thursday, Al-Yamahi said the Mogadishu ballot represents a significant step in Somalia’s state-building process, strengthening democratic governance and citizenship while widening public participation in decision-making. He said the direct elections are expected to deliver…