After decades of electing leaders through a complex, clan-based system, Somalia's government is set to embrace direct universal suffrage ahead of the next year's vote.

US President Joe Biden has announced that an agreement has been brokered with Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy to raise the government's debt ceiling This pivotal piece of legislation, now poised for a vote in Congress, requires a simple majority for its enactment. If passed, it would circumvent an unprecedented debt default potentially looming as early as June 5. President Biden characterises the proposed legislation as a "compromise", outlining a two-year budget plan which, in essence, holds non-defence spending steady for 2024.

Germany's center-left government wants to lower the voting age for nationwide elections from 18 to 16. Many young people support the idea, but the majority of the population has expressed skepticism.

In this week's Focus, we turn to the tense frontier between Russia and Finland. The rapport between these neighbouring nations has soured significantly in the wake of Russia's large-scale invasion of Ukraine.

A new bill prohibiting gender reassignment has passed its first reading in the Russian lower house. It’s a further attack against LGBTQ rights in Russia.

Prime Minister-designate Petteri Orpo announced that he struck a deal with other right-wing parties. His incoming government will include the far-right Finns Party.

After the military seized power in Mali three years ago, people are now being called upon to vote on a new constitution. According to the authors of the draft, it will re-establish democracy in Mali and help prevent the insecurity and corruption that once led to the military coup.

The Finnish parliament has elected the conservative politician as the head of the government. Promising a shift to the right, the new prime minister has pledged deep spending cuts and a "paradigm shift" on immigration.

The threat of not being eligible for office for the next two decades hangs over the opposition lawmakers who were considering a boycott of the national ballot.

The tally is being disputed by the opposition party, which accused the election commission of lacking transparency. Bio is running for a second term against 12 opponents, including his biggest rival Samura Kamara.

The Nature Restoration Act had become a contentious issue within the European Parliament, but climate activists welcomed the acceptance of the bill. Farmers fear they could lose valuable agricultural land.

The run-up has has been dominated by concerns over corruption, and the exclusion of a leading candidate.