International news in seven languages
Topic
Irish lawmakers voted Wednesday to scrap a requirement for UN approval before deploying military peacekeepers overseas, approving the controversial legislation by 79 votes to 71. Opposition lawmakers warned the move threatened Ireland’s longstanding military neutrality. Ireland is not a NATO member but has traditionally participated in international peacekeeping missions.
The Canadian province has voted overwhelmingly to remain part of Canada, though deep political divisions endure.
Voters in oil-rich Alberta overwhelmingly backed remaining in Canada in the province's first-ever referendum on separation, with early results on Tuesday delivering a boost to Prime Minister Mark Carney’s push for national unity amid US President Donald Trump’s trade war and annexation threats.
Canada's oil-rich western province of Alberta is not deemed likely to vote in favor of a real breakaway plebiscite. Nevertheless the separatist movement hopes to gain leverage over Mark Carney's government.
France’s National Assembly is set to vote on a comprehensive bill to tackle sexual and gender-based violence. The proposed legislation would create specialised police units to investigate sexual crimes, broaden the definition of incest, and introduce penalties for stalking and sending unsolicited explicit images. It also includes school interviews aimed at detecting abuse and violence. If adopted, the law would come into force in 2032. While the bill has broad political support, some NGOs have expressed disappointment with the final draft, arguing that key measures have been weakened or remove
Hungary's parliament passed a bill amending the 2021 "child protection law." The move is considered the first significant reversal of Orban's curbs targeting the LGBTQ+ community.
France’s National Assembly is voting on a comprehensive bill to tackle gender-based and sexual violence, following public outrage over the rape and murder of 11-year-old Lyhanna. The proposed law includes stronger investigations, specialised police units and courts, and dedicated support for child victims. However, campaigners and lawmakers warn that funding remains uncertain, while several measures have been dropped over budget concerns.
President Azcón, Madrid deputies and official accounts continue to question the electoral procedure, despite the dismantling of spokesman Borja Semper
Quebec separatists eyed a return to power in Canada's majority French-speaking province Monday in an election that could test Prime Minister Mark Carney's message of national unity to confront the United States. Carney is popular in Quebec, and the possible success of the separatist Parti Quebecois (PQ) is not seen as a repudiation of his stance toward President Donald Trump, whose trade war and annexation threats have infuriated Canadians. FRANCE 24's Christopher Guly reports from Ottawa.
The UK’s Green Party has voted to define Zionism as a form of racism.
Voters will decide whether to raise or lower taxes on the wealthy in multiple states next month, with California leading the way with a potential wealth tax.
Britain's Green Party voted on Sunday to class Zionism as a form of racism, drawing criticism from British Jews and from the Israeli government which said it now viewed the party as "a body that gives legitimacy to terrorism".
Close race expected as left-wing leader Lula seeks fourth nonconsecutive term against right-wing Flavio Bolsonaro.
Polls have opened in Bosnia and Herzegovina, where voters are taking part in parliamentary, presidential and local elections.
Bosnia is heading to the polls on Sunday after a general election campaign dominated by parties that identify closely with the ethnic divisions of its 1990s war. Voters will elect a vast number of officials across multiple tiers of government, in a complex system that has held the partitioned country together since the 1995 peace deal. FRANCE 24's correspondent in Belgrade Laurent Rouy has more.
Voters cast their ballots for a dizzying number of officials across multiple tiers of government.
Around 1.5 million Latvians are eligible to vote in an election which has been dominated by national security concerns and rising living costs. Four Eurofighter jets are on NATO deployment over Latvia during the poll.
Brazil will hold a knife-edge vote as its presidential race kicks off — but the election's outcome is likely to be felt far beyond the country's borders.
As other neutral countries such as Austria and Ireland increase defence spending and strengthen ties with NATO, Swiss voters are taking part in a referendum on whether to enshrine a stricter definition of the country’s centuries-old neutrality in the constitution. Switzerland has not fought a military conflict since neutrality was established in 1815, but some argue that measures such as sanctions can undermine that principle. The vote also raises questions about how neutrality can be maintained amid Europe’s changing security landscape, with Russia at war with Ukraine and the US putting press
The vote came weeks before the midterm election, where President Donald Trump's fellow Republicans are trying to retain their majorities in Congress.
