EXPLAINER: How do other democratic nations select leaders?
SPAINIn Spain, the Congress of Deputies elects the prime minister. In 1996, this led to an awkward situation for the would-be prime minister. As votes were being counted, Jose Maria Aznar's conservative Popular Party thought it won enough seats to make him prime minister. Then, the party that wins the largest number of the 650 constituencies generally takes power, with the party leader becoming prime minister. That means the prime minister must officially be approved by the Queen’s representative in New Zealand, the governor-general.
Poles voice fears of 'Polexit' as govt defies EU over budget
The flags of the European Union, Poland and the city of Warsaw hang in Warsaw, Poland, on Wednesday Dec. 9, 2020. Trzaskowski said the city wants to show to the rest of the EU that the Polish government's tough position "is not the position of the whole of Poland". The fears of a hypothetical Polexit are fueled by Brexit, Britain's messy divorce from the EU, which is seen as accidental. “I cannot imagine Poland outside of the European Union remaining a democratic and liberal country,” Buras said. On the eve of the EU summit, Warsaw city hall ordered EU flags, along with national and city flags, to be displayed in many places.
Why an abortion law ruling triggered mass protests in Poland
So why has a court ruling restricting abortion sparked more than a week of angry protests across the central European nation of 38 million? Lawmakers with the ruling Law and Justice party were among those who sought the court's review. The ruling Law and Justice party won a second term in 2019 and President Andrzej Duda, a party ally, was re-elected this summer. The protests of the past week have been dominated by young people, who believe that the abortion ruling infringes on their liberties. Protest organizers are now pushing for the government to resign and a liberal abortion law to be passed — though neither seem like realistic prospects now.