Japan’s parliament has begun official deliberations on public pension reform legislation, while also passing a controversial cyber defense bill aimed at strengthening the nation’s digital security posture.
Political instability continues as centre-right Democratic Alliance (AD) wins parliamentary Portugal Election, but falls short of majority.
Maldives Parliament impeached two Supreme Court judges, intensifying a political crisis linked to President Muizzu’s anti-defection measures.
Philippines midterm elections concluded on May 12, over 68 million voters participated for the selection of more than 18,000 representatives.
Friedrich Merz has officially been elected Germany’s 10th chancellor since World War II, following a tense two-round vote in the Bundestag that exposed cracks in the newly formed ruling coalition. Merz secured 325 votes in the second round—just above the 316 needed for a majority.
Re-elected Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese declared that voters had chosen “unity rather than division” after his center-left Labor Party secured a rare second-term victory, gaining additional seats in a result not seen in decades of Australian politics.
Bart De Wever is a Belgian historian, author, and politician who has served as the Prime Minister of Belgium since February 3, 2025. He is the leader of the New Flemish Alliance (N-VA), a right-wing nationalist party advocating for greater regional autonomy for Flanders. De Wever is also the first Flemish nationalist to hold the office of Prime Minister in Belgium.
Mark Joseph Carney (born March 16, 1965) is a Canadian politician and economist who is serving as the 24th prime minister of Canada and the leader of the Liberal Party.
A general election must be held by October 2025, but is likely to come earlier given the precarity of the Liberals’ parliamentary minority. A federal budget that is expected to be voted on next spring could be a trigger if Justin Trudeau cannot rally support to pass it.
The 14 Vice-Presidents and five Quaestors, together with the President, comprise Parliament’s Bureau. In a secret vote by paper ballot, 11 Vice-Presidents were elected in the first round of voting, and three in the second and final ballot. The vote on Parliament’s Quaestors took place on Wednesday, in two rounds by secret electronic vote.