Georgian ruling party reopens parliament despite opposition boycott
Al Jazeera
Opposition parties call the results of the October elections ‘illegitimate’ and refuse to take their seats in the new parliament.
Georgia’s ruling party has opened the first session of parliament after disputed elections and a boycott by the opposition.
Tensions escalated after the governing Georgian Dream party was re-elected in the October 26 elections with almost 54 percent of the vote, according to official results.
Pro-Western opposition parties called the results “illegitimate” and refused to take their seats in the new parliament.
On Monday, Georgian Dream politicians entered parliament and opened the new legislative session with no opposition lawmakers present.
Outside the parliament building, protesters who had pitched tents since Sunday night shouted “Russians” and “slaves” at arriving deputies.
The left-wing Broad Front candidate emerged victorious in a tight race against governing-party candidate Alvaro Delgado.
NATO critic Calin Georgescu on track to face pro-European Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu in run-off vote next month.
Hezbollah fires a heavy barrage of missiles at Israel as Israeli attacks force the closure of schools in Beirut.
The Haaretz news outlet called the decision ‘another step in Netanyahu’s journey to dismantle Israeli democracy’.
Local Sunni and Shia armed groups have clashed for decades, but the most recent fighting has killed more than 30 people.
The meeting follows an IAEA resolution denouncing Iran for what the nuclear watchdog called a lack of cooperation.
School initiatives focusing on diversity, equity, and inclusion are likely to be first on the chopping block.
Social Democrat Marcel Ciolacu and far-right George Simion are the most likely to move on to a run-off on December 8.
Francesca Albanese talks about how the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrants could be expanded.
