German centre-right politician Jens Spahn resigned as parliamentary group leader after facing hypocrisy accusations for using a US surrogate mother, a practice prohibited in Germany and previously opposed by him and his party. Chancellor Merz deemed the decision "right" and "inevitable."
Sweden's parliament has approved new laws allowing residency permits to be revoked for "bad behaviour" and requiring public sector workers to report undocumented individuals. Critics decry the measures as arbitrary and harmful to human rights.
Italy's centre-right coalition has advanced its electoral law reform, the 'Bignami bis', by adopting it as a base text in a parliamentary committee. Opposition parties, including the Democratic Party, Five Star Movement, and others, have united in strong opposition, criticizing both the substance and the process, and are strategizing to block the reform.
China has imposed a one-year travel ban on four New Zealand lawmakers for visiting Taiwan, accusing them of violating the one-China principle. The Chinese embassy in Wellington stated the MPs crossed a "red line," while the NZ and Australian governments condemned the ban and plan a formal protest.
Bolivian President Rodrigo Paz announced a 50% salary cut to quell anti-government protests, but the move was rejected by demonstrators who continue to demand his resignation and clash with police in La Paz.
With a year until France's presidential election, former PM Edouard Philippe is seen as the only candidate capable of preventing a run-off between far-right and far-left contenders, according to polls. His campaign is gaining momentum, though challenges remain.
Protests in Bolivia enter second week, with four deaths and dozens of injuries, as president Rodrigo Paz Pereira faces diplomatic crisis and economic turmoil
Hungary’s Peter Magyar took his oath of office on Saturday to become the country’s new prime minister, ending Viktor Orban’s 16 years of autocratic rule. Magyar’s centre-right Tisza party defeated Orbán’s nationalist-populist Fidesz in a stunning blow last month, gaining more votes and seats in Parliament than any other party in Hungary’s post-Communist history. The win, which gave Tisza a two-thirds parliamentary majority, will allow it to roll back many of the policies that gave Orbán a...
The Tisza Party's landslide victory in Hungary, ending Viktor Orban's 16-year rule, is expected by Chinese experts to have minimal impact on Hungary's relationship with China or broader China-EU ties.
