Godknows Igali picks PDP nomination form ahead of Bayelsa governorship elections

On May 15, parliamentary elections will take place nationwide in Lebanon. The Lebanese diaspora, estimated to be double the size of the domestic population, already cast their ballots last week. Around 60 percent of people across 58 countries turned out, slightly more than in 2018. We bring you a special edition of Middle East Matters on Lebanon's first elections since the mass protests of 2019.

There's political upheaval in Nigeria after ten government officials step down, signalling their interest in the 2023 elections. And Somalia prepares for a presidential poll this weekend, after months of delays. Sunday's winner will have no shortages of challenges, as the country faces an Islamist insurgency, famine, and drought. Finally, in Niger, anti-corruption NGOs file a legal complaint over the government's accounting. They allege that over 95 million euros of state funds are missing.

Find these stories and much more when you grab a copy of The Guardian on Friday.

Guardian Nigeria's Political Editor, Muyiwa Adeyemi speaks to GuardianTV on the coming PDP and APC Presidential primaries.

A deadly attack on churchgoers has highlighted the failure of Nigeria's leaders to end the conflicts wracking the country. As campaigning gears up ahead of elections in February 2023, the violence could worsen.

This week, we explore the upcoming French legislative elections, the so-called "third round" of the presidential race. This time, French voters are electing 577 MPs to the Assemblée nationale, the lower house of parliament. Though arguably just as important as the race for the Élysée Palace, turnout tends to be lower. So do these elections work? We tell you more in this edition of French Connections.

Emmanuel Macron's alliance is in a tight race with the new left-wing union NUPES according to initial projections. Macron is predicted to win a greater number of districts which could grant him a parliamentary majority.

A new left-wing coalition wants to win a majority in France's upcoming legislative elections and challenge Emmanuel Macron's hold on parliamentary power. Their chances are slim but not impossible.

Colombians will choose between construction magnate Rodolfo Hernandez and former guerilla Gustavo Petro in the upcoming presidential election on June 19. But Hernandez had so far refused to debate Petro.

Voters in Colombia decided between leftist Gustavo Petro and businessman Rodolfo Hernandez, whose sudden rise prompted comparisons with Donald Trump.

French papers look at the political bombshell for President Emmanuel Macron, whose centrist bloc emerged from Sunday's second round of the legislative elections well short of an absolute majority in parliament. Libération, the main left-wing daily, describes the results for his group as a "slap", while Le Parisien and Le Figaro headline that France is now "ungovernable". Macron will be unable to push on with his legislative agenda without significant opposition support.

French papers look at the political bombshell for President Emmanuel Macron, whose centrist bloc emerged from Sunday's second round of the legislative elections well short of an absolute majority in parliament. Libération, the main left-wing daily, describes the results for his group as a "slap", while Le Parisien and Le Figaro headline that France is now "ungovernable". Macron will be unable to push on with his legislative agenda without significant opposition support.