Browsing Tag

vote

Romanian government collapses after losing no-confidence vote

Romania was plunged deeper into political uncertainty on Monday after the country’s pro-EU government fell in a parliamentary no-confidence vote. Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan, who leads the National Liberal Party (PNL), was defeated in the afternoon ballot, ending a four-party coalition that had been in office for 10 months. Mr Bolojan had been heading a minority government since 21 April, when the Social Democrats (PSD) — parliament’s biggest party — withdrew from the coalition and demanded his resignation. The centre-left…

Somalia sets 2026 regional election timeline, South West state votes first

Sunday May 3, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia’s Independent National Electoral and Boundaries Commission on Sunday unveiled the full calendar for the country’s 2026 regional elections, setting South West State on course to open the voting season later this month. Under the newly announced timetable, South West State will be first to vote. Local council and parliamentary elections are slated for May 10, the election of the state parliament speaker will follow on May 18, and the regional president is due to be chosen on May 23,…

Tusk says Hungary vote deals blow to authoritarian rule

Hungary’s election has delivered a sharp political jolt across Europe, and Polish Prime Minister ⁠Donald Tusk said the result shows the continent is not destined to slide toward authoritarianism after the centre-right Tisza party broke Viktor Orban’s 16-year hold on power. "Everyone feared there was a trend toward authoritarian, corrupt regimes," Mr Tusk said during an official visit to South Korea, according to Polish state-owned news agency PAP. "That's not the case. First ‌Warsaw, then Bucharest, Chisinau, ⁠now Budapest."…

Hassan Sheikh’s 2019 Jubaland Support Recalled Amid Current Southwest Vote Rejection

Somalia: Hassan Sheikh’s 2019 Support for Jubaland Recalled Amidst Current Rejection of Southwest Vote MOGADISHU, Somalia — A political letter from 2019 has reentered Somalia’s public debate, drawing attention to the strikingly different positions President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has taken before and after returning to power. The document, a formal message of congratulations, records Mohamud—then a prominent opposition leader—welcoming the re-election of Jubaland President Ahmed Madobe. At the time, the federal government…

Somalia one person one vote system progress and challenges 2026

Somalia is moving step by step toward one-person, one-vote elections, a shift from decades of clan-based and indirect voting. In 2026, the process is no longer only a political promise: local voting has started, electoral laws have advanced, and Somalia's election institutions are working to widen the model beyond pilot areas. Still, disputes over inclusion, security, and political consensus remain central to whether the 2026 timetable can hold. Somalia's election reform effort has followed a phased approach: building…

Southwest Parliament re-elects Dr. Ali Said Fiqi as former presidents attend vote

Saturday March 28, 2026 BAIDOA (AX) — Southwest State lawmakers convened in Baidoa on Saturday and re-elected Dr. Ali Said Fiqi as Speaker of the regional parliament, underscoring a fresh attempt to restore stability within the state’s political leadership. The electoral commission supervising the vote said Dr. Fiqi won with 67 votes, defeating Diini Sheikh Hassan, who received 11. Commission officials reported that two ballots were rejected as invalid. In total, 80 members of parliament took part in the election. After the…

Joan Laporta Re-Elected FC Barcelona President for Five More Years

Joan Laporta was reelected as FC Barcelona president, securing a new five-year mandate with 68% of the vote in a member ballot that reaffirmed his grip on the club’s future and its most consequential rebuilding effort in a generation. Barcelona announced the result shortly after midnight in the Catalan capital. Víctor Font, Laporta’s only rival, conceded earlier in the evening and congratulated the incumbent on what he called an “unquestionable victory.” The club said more than 48,000 of its 114,000 eligible members cast…

Joan Laporta Re-Elected Barcelona President for Five More Years After Club Vote

Joan Laporta has secured another five-year term as FC Barcelona president, winning a members’ vote that cements his control of the club at a pivotal moment for its finances, stadium rebuild and sporting project. Shortly after midnight in Barcelona, the club announced Laporta’s victory. With the count complete, Barcelona said Laporta received 68% of ballots cast. His only challenger, Víctor Font, conceded earlier in the evening, congratulating Laporta for what he called an “unquestionable victory.” More than 48,000 of Barça’s…

Somalia 2026: Navigating a Proxy Vote to Avert State Collapse

OP-ED: Somalia’s 2026 Transition: Steering Through a Proxy Election Before National Collapse Somalia’s 2026 presidential transition is no longer a contained domestic debate about electoral mechanics. It is an inflection point where a stubborn internal deadlock meets a widening geopolitical contest, raising the risk that the vote becomes a proxy battleground — and that fragile state-building gains unravel. Months from the national vote, there is still no agreed framework for how to elect a president. The long-sought…

EU Court Chastises Hungary for Defying Bloc in UN Cannabis Vote

Europe’s top court has ruled that Hungary violated European Union law by voting against the bloc’s agreed position on cannabis classification during a United Nations meeting, finding Budapest breached the principle of sincere cooperation and the EU’s exclusive external competence. The Court of Justice of the European Union said Hungary “failed to fulfil its obligations under EU law” when, at a 2020 session of the U.N. Commission on Narcotic Drugs, it voted against removing cannabis from a list of substances that also…