分类： politics

LONDON – Less than two years after securing a landslide general election victory that brought his centre-left Labour Party back to national power, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer now faces an existential threat to his leadership, triggered by catastrophic losses across last week’s local, devolved and regional elections.

The poor electoral showing, widely framed by political analysts as an unofficial public referendum on Starmer’s premiership, has spurred dozens of sitting Labour lawmakers to publicly call for his resignation. With internal party rivals already weighing potential leadership bids, Starmer is gearing up to deliver a make-or-break speech on Monday, where he will attempt to outline a new policy direction and rebuild his government’s flagging political fortunes.

One backbench Labour lawmaker, Catherine West, has issued an explicit ultimatum: if she is unimpressed by the content of Starmer’s address, she will move to formally trigger a party leadership contest. Though West acknowledged she currently lacks the 51 signatures from parliamentary colleagues required to force a contest, her move is widely seen as an effort to pressure higher-profile potential challengers to publicly declare their opposition to Starmer.

Among the most talked-about potential challengers is former Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, who stopped short of directly calling for Starmer’s ouster but acknowledged the party urgently needs to shift course. “The prime minister must now meet the moment and set out the change our country needs,” Rayner said in a statement released after the election results.

Last week’s elections, held across English local councils, as well as devolved legislative bodies in Scotland and Wales, delivered historic losses for Labour. The party was squeezed from both the left and right flanks of British politics, shedding votes to the right-wing, anti-immigration Reform UK party and the left-leaning Green Party – a shift that underscores the growing fragmentation of Britain’s traditionally two-party system, long dominated by Labour and the Conservative Party.

Starmer’s premiership has been plagued by unmet promises and repeated missteps since taking office. His administration has failed to deliver the promised economic growth voters were promised, has struggled to repair underfunded, stretched public services, and has not meaningfully eased the persistent cost-of-living crisis that continues to burden working households across the UK. Repeated policy U-turns and mismanagement on high-profile issues, including welfare reform, have further eroded public trust. The Prime Minister also faced widespread backlash for his decision to appoint Peter Mandelson, a politician long tied to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, as Britain’s ambassador to Washington – a appointment that was ultimately scrapped amid the scandal.

Despite the mounting pressure, Starmer struck a defiant tone in an interview with The Observer newspaper on Sunday, saying he intends to remain in Downing Street for a full decade. He is pinning his political survival on two key upcoming events: his Monday policy speech, and the State Opening of Parliament on Wednesday, where King Charles III will deliver the Labour government’s full slate of upcoming legislative plans.

A central pillar of Starmer’s proposed new policy direction is a push for closer economic and social ties with the European Union, which the UK left in 2016, following a narrow membership referendum. Starmer’s government has already moved to relax some of the post-Brexit trade barriers that have hurt British businesses since the split, and he now plans to negotiate a youth mobility agreement that would allow British young people to work across EU member states for multiple years. “Brexit has held back our young people. We have to be closer to Europe,” Starmer told The Observer. While Labour campaigned to remain in the EU in 2016, Starmer has repeatedly ruled out seeking full re-entry to the bloc, its customs union or single market – policies that business leaders say would deliver major economic benefits.

While no high-profile potential challengers including Rayner, Health Secretary Wes Streeting and Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham have yet to publicly call for Starmer’s resignation, a growing number of backbench MPs are demanding he lay out a clear timeline for stepping down. Unlike many parliamentary democracies, UK political rules allow parties to replace their sitting prime minister mid-term without holding an early general election.

Josh Simons, a previously loyal Labour MP, wrote in The Times of London that Starmer “has lost the country” and “should take control of the situation by overseeing an orderly transition to a new prime minister.” West echoed that sentiment, framing the internal pressure as a response to voter anger. “Working people sent us a message. We have to listen to that, and we have to change and we have to do it quickly,” she said.

On Russia’s annual World War II Victory Day, Moscow’s Red Square hosted a significantly downsized 2026 parade, marking the first time in nearly 20 years that iconic heavy military hardware such as battle tanks and intercontinental missiles were absent from the traditional display. The scaled-back event was organized in direct response to elevated security fears, with Russian authorities assessing a high risk of Ukrainian drone strikes targeting the central Moscow ceremonial site. That threat was partially mitigated hours before the parade began, when a last-minute ceasefire between Moscow and Kyiv was finalized through brokering efforts by US President Donald Trump, allowing the event to conclude without any security incidents.

Shortly after delivering his formal Victory Parade address, Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke to reporters, offering his most direct public assessment of the ongoing “special military operation” in Ukraine to date: he stated firmly that he believes the conflict is moving toward its conclusion. In his earlier parade speech, Putin had framed Russia’s military action as a morally “just” campaign, characterizing Ukraine as an aggressive faction that receives extensive military backing from the entire NATO alliance. He doubled down on this criticism of Western support for Kyiv during the post-parade press conference, accusing Western powers of deliberately stoking continued confrontation between the two countries, a conflict that he acknowledged remains a serious issue even as it nears resolution.

On the topic of potential diplomatic talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Putin laid out clear conditions for any face-to-face meeting. The Russian leader noted that while he has heard repeated claims that Zelenskyy is eager for a direct summit, he will only agree to such a meeting after a comprehensive, long-lasting peace deal has been finalized through preliminary negotiations. He added that a meeting in a neutral third country could be arranged as the final step to formally sign the agreed-upon treaty, but refused any preliminary meeting before text is settled.

Putin also commented on future negotiations over European security arrangements, stating that he is open to discussing new regional security frameworks and naming his longstanding personal associate, former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder, as his preferred negotiating counterpart for those talks. Schröder’s close ties to Putin have long been controversial across Europe, particularly due to his post-chancellorship work for Russian state-owned energy corporations.

As a core component of the newly agreed US-brokered ceasefire, both Russia and Ukraine committed to a large prisoner of war swap, with each side set to release 1,000 detained service members to the other. However, Putin confirmed Saturday that as of his press conference, Russian officials had not yet received any formal communication from Kyiv outlining next steps for the exchange.

Beyond the absence of military hardware, this year’s Victory Parade also featured restricted media access: far fewer journalists were granted entry to cover the event, with most international media organizations denied accreditation entirely. The parade, which the Kremlin has long used to project Russian military power to global audiences, instead featured only marching troops, reflecting the ongoing strains of the nearly two-year conflict with Ukraine.

A dramatic maritime security incident has unfolded off Greece’s western coast after local fishermen stumbled on an operational explosive-carrying naval drone hidden in a coastal cave near Lefkada in the Ionian Sea, prompting a major bomb disposal operation and reigniting fierce debate over the country’s preparedness for modern, asymmetric maritime threats. The unmanned surface vessel, which was found still running its engine on Thursday, was quickly secured by Greek coastguard vessels, towed to the nearby port of Vasiliki, and handled by specialist bomb disposal teams who safely removed its detonators and power battery before moving the 100 kilograms of estimated explosives to be disposed of via controlled detonation off the coast of Astakos. Multiple independent Greek media outlets have confirmed that the drone matches the design of Ukraine’s domestically produced Magura naval drone, a type of attack uncrewed vessel Kyiv has deployed extensively against Russian military and commercial maritime targets since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022. Reporters also confirm handwritten notes in the Ukrainian language were recovered from the vessel’s onboard storage, though Kyiv has so far declined to issue any official comment on the incident. Greek armed forces specialist technical teams are currently conducting a full forensic inspection of the recovered drone components to trace its origin and intended mission. Two leading working theories have emerged from official and media sources, outlined by Greek newspaper Ta Nea: the drone either fell overboard during transit by sea, or it lost contact with its operators while en route to target Russian commercial shipping in the Mediterranean, a mission that would expand Kyiv’s naval drone campaign far beyond its traditional operating area of the Black Sea. Public broadcaster ERT added that faulty sensors and GPS interference from recent bad weather in the region likely caused the drone to drift off course before it was found by local fishermen. The discovery has triggered intense political backlash in Athens, with opposition figures and minor parties slamming the ruling government for gaps in Greece’s maritime surveillance and defense capabilities. Opposition defense spokesman Michalis Katrinis warned that the incident exposed Greece’s unprotected maritime borders, while the country’s Communist Party issued a series of pointed questions demanding clarity on whether the Greek government was aware the drone was operating in its territorial waters, and if similar uncrewed vessels from allied nations are regularly active in Greek sovereign waters. The pro-Russian nationalist party Hellenic Solution went further, labeling the incursion a deliberate military provocation against Greece. Speaking on Saturday to defuse rising political tension, Greek Defense Minister Nikos Dendias sought to downplay the security risks of the incident, stating that authorities had fully contained the threat and that the government is already moving to modernize Greece’s naval fleet. Dendias confirmed that Athens is pursuing policies to domestically produce advanced drones and deploy cutting-edge anti-drone defense systems to protect Greek territorial waters. The incident has already put Greece’s national intelligence agency, armed forces, and multiple relevant government ministries on heightened security alert. This discovery comes amid already tense context for Greek-Ukrainian defense cooperation: in November last year, the two nations signed a landmark agreement to jointly produce naval drones, granting Greece access to Ukrainian drone technology for its own domestic defense needs. However, just one week prior to this incident, leading Greek newspaper Kathimerini reported that Kyiv has recently demanded a veto over any Greek use of the jointly produced drones, out of concern that Athens could deploy them against Turkey – a NATO member with long-running maritime territorial disputes with Greece and close ties to Moscow. Beyond cooperation, the incident also fits a broader pattern of expanding naval drone activity in the Mediterranean: back in March, Russia accused Ukraine of attacking a Russian LNG tanker carrying sanctioned cargo with uncrewed sea drones in the Mediterranean between Malta and Libya, marking one of the first confirmed attacks of its kind outside the Black Sea. As the investigation continues, Greek authorities are still working to answer core questions about how the drone entered its territorial waters and what its ultimate target was, with the incident serving as a stark wake-up call for Southern European nations to adapt their maritime security frameworks to the growing threat of uncrewed attack vessels.

LONDON – Just 18 months after Keir Starmer’s centre-left Labour Party swept to power ending 14 years of Conservative rule, the British prime minister is fighting for his political future after a catastrophic showing in the UK’s 2025 local and regional elections. The final vote counts, certified Saturday, delivered a string of humiliating defeats for Labour: the party lost more than 1,000 local council seats across England, and was ousted from government in Wales after holding power there for 27 consecutive years. Meanwhile, hard-right anti-immigration party Reform UK, led by veteran nationalist figure Nigel Farage, secured a historic breakthrough, picking up nearly 1,300 seats across England, claiming second place in Wales and making unexpected inroads in Scotland. The elections were widely framed as an informal midterm referendum on Starmer’s leadership, and the final outcome delivered a clear, unforgiving rejection from voters that has sent shockwaves through Westminster. Below are the five most critical lessons emerging from the poll results.

## Starmer’s leadership is hanging by a thread
Despite the overwhelming rejection at the polls, Starmer has repeatedly rejected calls to step down, arguing that his resignation would plunge the UK into unnecessary political instability. So far, the prime minister has avoided an immediate open challenge to his leadership: most senior cabinet members have issued public statements of support, and the party’s most high-profile potential contenders – including Health Secretary Wes Streeting, former deputy leader Angela Rayner and Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham – have all remained publicly silent on any leadership bid. But pressure is building quickly from within the Labour parliamentary party: a growing number of backbench lawmakers are now calling on Starmer to announce a formal timeline for his departure before the end of 2025. Under UK political rules, parties can replace a sitting prime minister mid-term without triggering an early general election, making a leadership transition logistically possible. “There has to be a timetable,” veteran Labour MP Clive Betts told the BBC, while fellow legislator Tony Vaughan called for an “orderly transition of leadership.” To demonstrate a quick shift in direction, Starmer announced two senior appointments Saturday, bringing veteran figures from previous Labour governments back into senior roles: former prime minister Gordon Brown was named a special envoy for global finance, and former deputy leader Harriet Harman was appointed as an advisor on women and gender equity. Starmer is set to deliver a major policy speech Monday in a bid to rebuild momentum, ahead of the government’s upcoming legislative agenda announcement, which will be delivered by King Charles III at the State Opening of Parliament on Wednesday.

## Reform UK claims a historic political breakthrough
The 2025 local elections marked a turning point for Reform UK, Farage’s hard-right anti-establishment party that has positioned itself as a populist alternative to the UK’s long-dominant major parties. Running on a platform centered on aggressive anti-immigration rhetoric and anti-establishment appeals, the party flipped hundreds of council seats in working-class northern English communities – including Sunderland – that have been solid Labour strongholds for decades. It also made significant gains at the expense of the Conservative Party in traditionally right-leaning areas such as Essex, east of London. Farage hailed the results as a “historic change in British politics,” saying he was confident the voters who switched to Reform were not just casting a protest vote, but making a long-term ideological shift. “Voters who have come to us are not doing it as a short-term protest,” Farage said. The party currently holds just 8 of the 650 seats in the UK House of Commons, and it remains unclear whether it can translate this local success into gains in a future national general election.

## The United Kingdom’s constitutional unity faces growing pressure
The election results also highlighted growing regional divides across the UK, with pro-independence parties set to take power in both of the country’s semi-autonomous regional governments in Scotland and Wales – though neither has placed an immediate independence referendum on their agenda. The Scottish National Party (SNP), which has held power in Edinburgh since 2007, secured another term in government, but fell short of an outright parliamentary majority, making a new independence referendum unlikely in the near term. Labour and Reform UK tied for a distant second place in the Scottish Parliament. In Wales, Plaid Cymru – the Welsh nationalist party that aims to secure full independence from the UK but has no immediate plans to hold a vote – won the most seats in the Senedd, Wales’ devolved legislature. Though it fell short of a majority, it is widely expected to form a new governing administration. Reform UK took second place, while incumbent Labour fell to a disappointing third place, with outgoing Welsh First Minister Eluned Morgan losing her own seat.

## Economic frustrations are at the root of Labour’s collapse
As with most sitting governments facing voter backlash, the state of the UK economy lies at the heart of Labour’s poor showing. After ending 14 years of Conservative rule marked by austerity policies and the upheaval of the COVID-19 pandemic, Starmer’s government has struggled to bring down the cost of living and stimulate growth, hampered by ongoing global economic headwinds from the war in Ukraine and escalating geopolitical tensions involving Iran. Starmer has also alienated many of the party’s core left-wing supporters with proposed cuts to welfare spending, several of which were reversed after open rebellions from Labour lawmakers. Some senior Labour figures argue that the government’s progressive achievements – including new renter protections and an increase to the national minimum wage – have been overlooked by voters, with many pinning the blame on Starmer, who has been criticized as an uninspiring leader whose tenure has been marred by repeated scandals. The most high-profile of these was his failed attempt to appoint Peter Mandelson, a longtime party insider with ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, as UK ambassador to Washington. But outgoing Barnsley Council leader Stephen Houghton, whose Labour administration was ousted by Reform UK in last week’s vote, said the problem ran far deeper than Starmer’s leadership. “This has been coming for 30 years around the country, in post-industrial communities, coastal communities, that have been left behind,” Houghton said. “You can change prime ministers all day long. If you don’t change policy, it’s not going to change.”

## The UK’s decades-old two-party system is collapsing
Last week’s results confirm what political analysts have warned about for years: the UK’s long-standing two-party system, dominated for more than a century by Labour and the Conservatives, is fracturing beyond repair. The Conservatives also suffered massive losses in the local elections, leaving both major parties bleeding support to smaller, ideologically driven groups. Voters now have a far broader range of options than in previous decades, including the centrist Liberal Democrats and pro-independence nationalist parties in Scotland and Wales. But the biggest gains went to populist insurgent parties: Reform UK and the Green Party. Led by self-described “eco-populist” Zack Polanski, the Greens have expanded their policy focus beyond environmental action to include social justice and support for Palestinian statehood, and the party picked up hundreds of council seats from Labour in urban centers and university towns, taking control of multiple local authorities. Tony Travers, a professor of government at the London School of Economics, said the results make it almost certain that the next UK general election, scheduled to take place by 2029, will not deliver an outright majority to any single party. “So then you’re in the world of, after the election, two or three big minority parties trying to work out how they would govern,” Travers said – an outcome that has long been considered “very un-British.”

BUDAPEST, Hungary — In a historic shift that reshapes Hungary’s political landscape and its role in the European Union, Péter Magyar took the oath of office as Hungary’s new prime minister Saturday, walking through the doors of Budapest’s iconic neo-Gothic Parliament building to formally close 16 years of Viktor Orbán’s nationalist-populist governance.

Magyar’s newly formed center-right Tisza Party delivered a historic upset last month, defeating Orbán’s long-ruling Fidesz in a landslide election that sent shockwaves across Central Europe. Tisza secured a governing majority of 141 seats in the 199-seat national parliament — a result unmatched by any single party in Hungary’s post-Communist era. Orbán’s Fidesz-KDNP alliance, which held 135 seats in the previous legislature, will now occupy just 52 seats, with the far-right Mi Hazánk (Our Homeland) party taking the remaining six. For the first time since Hungary established its first post-Communist parliament in 1990, Orbán will not participate in the inaugural session. Following his election defeat, Orbán announced he would step away from the prime minister’s office to focus on rebuilding his right-wing political base.

The 45-year-old Magyar, a former insider within Orbán’s party who only launched Tisza in 2024, campaigned on a promise of radical systemic change. A core pillar of his platform is rooting out systemic official corruption, which he has repeatedly argued has stifled economic opportunity for ordinary Hungarians for more than a decade.

To mark the end of the Orbán era, Magyar has called on Hungarians across the country to join an all-day “regime-change celebration” outside Parliament on the day of his inauguration. After delivering his oath of office at approximately 3 p.m. local time, Magyar is scheduled to address the gathered crowd to outline his administration’s early priorities. Budapest’s liberal mayor Gergely Karácsony has also organized a public celebration along the banks of the Danube River Saturday evening, inviting all Hungarians to mark the political transition. In a social media post, Karácsony framed the gathering as a tribute to Hungarians who had faced repercussions under Orbán’s rule — including dismissed teachers, targeted journalists, persecuted minority groups and marginalized religious communities. “We can finally leave this era behind us — but first, let us remember the everyday heroes and express our gratitude with a farewell to the system,” Karácsony wrote.

Among the new administration’s most pressing foreign policy priorities is repairing Hungary’s frayed relationship with the European Union, a tie Orbán pushed to the breaking point through years of confrontational rhetoric, repeated vetoes of key EU policy decisions and a gradual geopolitical alignment with Russia. Unlocking roughly €17 billion ($20 billion) in frozen EU development funds, withheld from Hungary during Orbán’s tenure over widespread rule-of-law and corruption violations, sits at the top of Magyar’s policy agenda. The injection of funds is widely viewed as critical to jumpstarting Hungary’s stagnant economy, which has seen little to no growth over the past four years. As a tangible signal of his government’s commitment to realigning with EU institutions, Tisza officials confirmed the EU flag will be raised once again on Parliament’s facade — 11 years after Orbán’s administration ordered it removed.

Political analysts say the election of Magyar and the collapse of Orbán’s long-standing hold on power marks a dramatic shift not just for Hungary, but for the entire European Union. For years, Orbán’s open defiance of EU norms and frequent vetoes of bloc-wide policies on climate, migration and sanctions against Russia gridlocked EU decision-making, and his exit is expected to ease long-running political tensions within the 27-member bloc.