Herald section
The latest politics reporting from The Belfast Herald.
The Global Sumud Flotilla, carrying humanitarian aid and activists including Greta Thunberg, departed Barcelona on 31 August 2025 to challenge the Israeli blockade of Gaza but turned back due to stormy weather, according to organizers.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage stated that leaving the European Convention on Human Rights would be necessary to deport 600,000 asylum seekers, potentially requiring renegotiation of the Good Friday Agreement which incorporates the ECHR.
Caspar Veldkamp resigned as Dutch foreign minister after failing to secure agreement on additional sanctions against Israel. His departure triggered a mass exit of NSC ministers from the coalition government.
Bolivians vote to elect a president, vice president, 130 members of the Chamber of Deputies, and 36 members of the Chamber of Senators. Preliminary results indicate a run-off between Senator Rodrigo Paz Pereira and former president Jorge Quiroga, ending the Movimiento al Socialismo's 20-year political dominance.
Rushanara Ali steps down from her role as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Housing and Homelessness amid controversy over increasing rent at a property she owns in east London to force tenants out.
The UK government confirms that 16 and 17-year-olds will be able to vote in future UK general elections, but implementation is unlikely before the 2027 Northern Ireland Assembly election.
The Shas party has exited the Netanyahu-led cabinet due to disagreements over exemptions for Haredi Jews from military service, though it remains in the governing coalition.
The UK government has committed £50m towards the £260m redevelopment of Casement Park in west Belfast, part of the 2025 Spending Review. The funding aims to support the stadium's construction for potential use in the Euro 2028 football tournament.