Keynote Zuma speech disrupted as lawmakers brawl, walk out

The neoliberal FDP will be the smallest party in Germany's new government but it has landed key ministries and the all-important finance chief job. How much influence will the Free Democrats really have in the end?

He's a relative political novice, but Péter Márki-Zay believes he can unseat one of Europe's longest-serving leaders: Viktor Orban. For the first time ever, all of Hungary's opposition parties have united to choose one candidate for the spring 2022 election via a primary. Márki-Zay, the mayor of Hódmezővásárhely (population 44,000), emerged as the winner in the second round run-off. He tells FRANCE 24 why he is standing and how he would lead Hungary.

Gambian President Adama Barrow has comfortably won re-election, the electoral commission said on Sunday, though he may face a legal challenge from opposition candidates who rejected the results because of unspecified irregularities. Barrow received around 53% of Saturday's vote, far outstripping his nearest rival, political veteran Ousainou Darboe, who won about 28 percent.

The leaders of the Social Democrats, Greens and the Free Democrats met in Berlin to officially sign their three-party coalition deal.

Chinese private investment in Uganda is growing while Westerners are losing appetite to put money to work in the country, President Yoweri Museveni told Reuters, pledging to step up efforts to tackle corruption which has made slow progress. Museveni, in power since 1986 and one of Africa's longest-serving leaders, said Uganda was working to sign a number of deals with Chinese private sector lenders in sectors from agro- and fertilizer-processing, minerals processing or textiles.

The new German parliament has elected Olaf Scholz as chancellor as Angela Merkel departs after 16 years at the helm of Europe's largest economy. He is now scheduled to be sworn in, along with a new Cabinet.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson apologised on Wednesday for a video showing his staffers joking about reports of a party in Downing Street during the COVID lockdown, saying he was furious but that he had been assured there was no party.

Jedidia Ojo Kayode, a primary 5 pupil of Treasure Trove Montessori, Ogbomosho has became an internet sensation shortly after his campaign speech video for the role of the head boy of his school went viral.

The leader of the UK's opposition Labour party said on Sunday (December 12) that British Prime Minister Boris Johnson had broken the public's trust over COVID-19 regulations, making him "unfit for public office." Speaking on the BBC's Andrew Marr Show, Keir Starmer said Johnson posed a risk to public health following reports that parties were held at Downing Street during a 2020 Christmas lockdown when such festivities were banned.

Lawmakers in the United States have voted to raise the government's borrowing limit by $2.5 trillion, narrowly avoiding a catastrophic default. The Senate passed the measure 50-49. The new debt ceiling will give the US government enough space to borrow until 2023, after the midterm elections. Focus in Washington will now return to whether President Joe Biden can get his $1.75 trillion social spending plan, "Build Back Better", passed by the end of the year.

Will Jacob Zuma return to prison? South Africa's highest court orders the former president to be re-incarcerated after setting aside an earlier decision to release him on medical parole. Meanwhile, the country records close to 27,000 new Covid-19 cases, an all-time record. Plus, European football clubs say they may not release their African players to take part in the Africa Cup of Nations, amid fears surrounding the tournament's Covid-19 health protocol.

Ahead of Chile's presidential run-off on Sunday, FRANCE 24's Cole Stangler takes a closer look at the country's economy and the contrasting visions of far-right candidate José Antonio Kast and left-wing contender Gabriel Boric.