• Sergey Dolzhenko / EPA

    Brawl breaks out during Ukrainian parliament session

    Opposition lawmakers clash with deputies of the pro-presidential majority during a parliament session in Kiev, Ukraine, on Tuesday. Opposition lawmakers demanded the use of the Ukrainian language, not Russian, by all parties as they speak in parliament.

    The use of the Russian language is a contentious issue in the Ukraine, where millions consider it their mother tongue while many others see its use as an insult to national pride.

    Fistfights have become a relatively common occurrence in parliament since the October 2012 election, which gave the opposition party Svoboda representation and weakened the president's Regions party, though they still command a majority together with traditional communist allies.

    --EPA, Reuters

    Previously on PhotoBlog:

  • Ukraine lawmakers brawl in parliament for second day running

    Sergey Dolzhenko / EPA

    Opposition and pro-presidential lawmakers scuffle on the podium during a session of the Ukrainian parliament in Kiev on December 13, 2012.

    Sergei Supinsky / AFP - Getty Images

    Deputies of the opposition fight with deputies of the majority for a second time in two days on December 13, 2012.

    Seconds out, Round 2! Fights broke out in the Ukrainian parliament for a second time in two days on Thursday, Agence France-Presse reports.

    The opening session of the Verkhkovna Rada on Wednesday began in a typically raucous fashion (as seen on PhotoBlog yesterday) as a fight erupted in the chamber between opposition MPs and two deputies whom they accused of defecting to the pro-government camp. Several lawmakers from the opposition nationalist Svoboda group chased two men they called "turncoats" — a father and a son — to prevent them from taking the oath.  

    Ukraine's parliament has seen several physical confrontations in recent years amid bitterness between opposition and pro-government camps. 

    Sergei Chuzavkov / AP

    Ukrainian lawmakers fight around the rostrum on Dec. 13, 2012.

    Sergei Supinsky / AFP - Getty Images

    Deputies of the opposition fight with deputies of majority party during the opening of the newly elected parliament on December 12, 2012.

    Sergei Supinsky / AFP - Getty Images

    Deputies fight for a second time in two days, during the second session of the newly elected parliament on December 13, 2012.

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    Scuffles between lawmakers from Ukraine's ruling party and the opposition broke out in the country's parliament once again on Thursday morning over the election of parliamentary officials. NBCNews.com's Alex Witt reports.

  • Ukraine parliament convenes amid protest, shoving

    Pool via AFP - Getty Images

    Ukrainian deputies push and shove on December 12, 2012 before the opening ceremony of the newly elected Ukrainian parliament in Kiev.

    Sergei Chuzavkov / AP

    Heavyweight Champion boxer Vitali Klitschko, center, talks to members of his group during the first session of the new parliament on Dec. 12, 2012.

    The first session of Ukraine's newly elected parliament was marred by a protest and a skirmish between deputies.  

    President Viktor Yanukovych's Party of Regions secured a slim majority in parliament after an election criticized by the West as unfair over the jailing of ex-premier Yulia Tymoshenko.

    A group of opposition deputies took their places in parliament wearing matching sweaters featuring a portrait of Tymoshenko.

    New opposition faces taking the oath on Wednesday included world heavyweight boxing champion Vitaly Klitschko, who heads the UDAR (Punch) party, and Oleh Tyahnybok, leader of the Svoboda far-right nationalists who made a surprisingly strong showing in the October poll.

    -- The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse, Reuters

    Sergei Supinsky / AFP - Getty Images

    Ukrainian opposition deputies wear sweaters featuring a portrait of jailed former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko and reading on the reverse "Free political prisoners!".

    Anastasiya Sirotkina / Pool via Reuters

    Members of parliament scuffle with colleagues elected from their party but who later refused to join a faction, at the first session of newly-elected Ukrainian parliament on December 12, 2012.

    Andrew Kravchenko / Pool via Reuters

    Members of parliament scuffle with colleagues elected from their party but who later refused to join a faction, at the first session of parliament on December 12, 2012.

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  • Aung San Suu Kyi takes her seat in Myanmar parliament

    Nyein Chan Naing / EPA

    Aung San Suu Kyi, center, attends the Pyithu Hluttaw (lower house of parliament) in Naypyitaw, Myanmar, on July 9, 2012.

    Agence France Presse reports — Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi made her historic parliamentary debut Monday, marking a new phase in her near quarter century struggle to bring democracy to her army-dominated homeland.

    Suu Kyi appeared calm as she arrived to take her seat as an elected politician for the first time in the capital Naypyidaw.

    "I will try my best for the country," she told AFP. Read the full story.

    Related content:

    Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi addressed the World Economic Forum in Bangkok saying, "we just want to improve the state of Burma" and urged the international community to not be overly optimistic about her country's reform process. NBC's Ian Williams reports.

  • Scuffle in Ukraine parliament over official use of Russian language

    Reuters

    Deputies scuffle during a session in the chamber of the Ukrainian parliament in Kiev on Thursday. Opposition deputies brought proceedings to a halt inside the Ukrainian parliament on Thursday, when they staged an action against the bill about the basics of the language policy.

    Maks Levin / AP

    Lawmakers from pro-presidential and oppositional factions fight in the parliament session hall in Kiev, Ukraine on Thursday. A violent scuffle has erupted in Ukraine's parliament over a bill that would allow the use of the Russian language in courts, hospitals and other institutions in the Russian-speaking regions of the country.

    Reuters

    Deputies scuffle during a session in the chamber of the Ukrainian parliament in Kiev.

    Maks Levin / AP

    An opposition lawmaker Mykola Petruk receives first aid after fighting between pro-presidential and opposition factions in the parliament session hall in Kiev.

    A fight broke out on the floor of the Ukrainian parliament as lawmakers debated the use of Russian as the official language in certain parts of the Ukraine. NBC's Willie Geist reports.

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  • Egypt parliament opens for the first time following the fall of Mubarak

    Mahmud Hams / AFP - Getty Images

    Crowds gather as secretary general of Egypt's Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) Saad al-Katatni, center, arrives to attend the newly elected parliament's first session in Cairo on Jan. 23, 2012. Egypt's lower house of parliament held its first session since a popular uprising ousted veteran president Hosni Mubarak, with Islamists dominating the assembly for the first time.

    Asmaa Waguih / Reuters

    Human right activist and member of the parliament, Amr Hamzawy, speaks to other parliament members before the start of the first Egyptian parliament session after the revolution that ousted former President Hosni Mubarak in Cairo Jan. 23, 2012. Egypt's parliament began its first session on Monday since an election put Islamists in charge of the assembly following the overthrow of Mubarak in February.

    Asmaa Waguih / Reuters

    A general view for the first Egyptian parliament session after the revolution that ousted former President Hosni Mubarak in Cairo, Jan. 23, 2012.

    Suhaib Salem / Reuters

    Muslim Brotherhood supporters celebrate outside Egypt's parliament in Cairo Jan. 23, 2012. Egypt's parliament began its first session on Monday since an election put Islamists in charge of the assembly following the overthrow of President Hosni Mubarak in February.

    By Phaedra Singelis, NBC News

     Reuters reports:

    Egypt's parliament opened on Monday for the first time since a historic free election put Islamists in the driving seat after years of repression under deposed President Hosni Mubarak.

    The Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) was the biggest winner in the first free vote in decades. It has vowed to guide Egypt in the transition to civilian rule after generals took charge following the popular uprising that began on January 25 and ended with Mubarak's ouster on February 11.

    "I invite the distinguished assembly to stand and read the fatiha (Muslim prayer) in memory of the martyrs of the January 25 revolution ... because the blood of the martyrs is what brought this day," said Mahmoud al-Saqa, 81, a member of the liberal Wafd party, who as oldest member of the house acted as speaker. Full story.

    The parliament's first task is to appoint a speaker. That is likely to be the Muslim Brotherhood's Mohamed Saad el-Katatni, pictured at top being mobbed by crowds.

  • Giuseppe Lami / Ansa via Reuters

    Claudio Barbato, left, a member of the opposition FLI party, fights with Fabio Ranieri. right, from the Northern League in Parliament in Rome October 26, 2011. The Italian deputies exchanged blows in parliament on Wednesday as tensions over a tough economic reform program came to a head.

    Tensions over economic reform lead to blows at Parliament in Rome

    By Phaedra Singelis, NBC News

    You don't see this every day.

    Reuters reports:

    At least two deputies from the Northern League, a member of the ruling center-right coalition, fought with members from the opposition FLI party of speaker Gianfranco Fini. Two deputies grabbed each other by the throat as other parliamentarians rushed to separate them.

    The parliamentary sitting was suspended for several minutes after the fight, which broke out because of sarcastic remarks on television by Fini alleging that the wife of League leader Umberto Bossi had retired at 39.

    Bossi has steadfastly refused to make more than slight concessions to Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi on the League's objections to changing Italy's generous pension system as part of reforms demanded by European leaders.

    "There is a climate of violence and intolerance," said Amedeo Ciccanti from the centrist UDC party. "We need to calm down because Italians are more irritated than us about this." Full story.

    According to the Washington Post a deal was reached.

    Pressed hard by the EU, Premier Silvio Berlusconi averted a government collapse and reached a deal with allies on emergency growth measures in time for an EU summit on saving the euro.

    Berlusconi and Northern League leader Umberto Bossi reached a compromise on raising Italy’s retirement age in late-night parliament talks Tuesday. Continue reading...

  • Judges donning traditional dress, process from Westminster Abbey in London

    Peter Macdiarmid / Getty Images

    A judge holds on to her wig in a sudden gust of wind as she processes to Parliament from Westminster Abbey on October 3, 2011 in London, England. The start of the legal year is marked with a traditional religious service and procession from Westminster Abbey. The judges arrive from the Royal Courts of Justice for the service followed by a procession to The Houses of Parliament where the Lord Chancellor hosts a reception.

    Peter Macdiarmid / Getty Images

    Judges process to Parliament from Westminster Abbey on October 3, 2011 in London, England.

    More information about the history and tradition of the Lord Chancellor's breakfast.  

    Apparently there have been some who favor jettisoning the wigs which went out of style long ago, but for now, they remain.

    According to the Guardian (2007 article):

    In the late 17th century, during the reign of Charles II, wigs became essential wear in society. The fashion came from the court of Louis XIV. Wig is short for periwig, which derives from the French perruque.

    When wigs went out of fashion during the reign of George III, judges and barristers continued to wear them in court.

  • Raheb Homavandi / Reuters

    Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, center, attends a parliament session during which lawmakers are expected to pass the vote of confidence for four new ministers, in Tehran on August 3. Ahmadinejad's candidate for oil minister, Rostam Qasemi, is seen in a light blue suit at upper right. EDITORS' NOTE: Reuters and other foreign media are subject to Iranian restrictions on leaving the office to report, film or take pictures in Tehran.

    Political machinations in Iran

    Reuters reports:

    Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's candidate to be Iran's new oil minister looked set to win a vote of confidence on Wednesday, easing a power struggle between the president and a hostile parliament.

    Ahmadinejad proposed Rostami Qasemi only after it became clear that a close ally he had installed as caretaker minister in June, Mohammad Aliabadi, was considered by many lawmakers to lack experience. Perhaps more important, he was seen as too close to a president they accuse of trying to grab more power. Read the full story.

    See more images of Iran on PhotoBlog.

  • Parliamentary debate in Kuwait leads to a fistfight

    Yasser al-Zayyat / AFP - Getty Images

    In the parliament, Kuwait City on May 18, 2011, Shiite and Sunni MPs fight during a heated debate over inmates held in the U.S. at the Guantanamo detention center amid rising sectarian tension in the Gulf state.

    Yasser al-Zayyat / AFP - Getty Images

    Kuwaiti Shiite and Sunni MPs fight during a heated debate over inmates at Guantanamo detention center in the parliament, Kuwait City on May 18, 2011 amid rising sectarian tension in the Gulf state.

    Yasser al-Zayyat / AFP - Getty Images

    Kuwaiti security try to stop a fight between Shiite and Sunni MPs that erupted during a heated debate over inmates at Guantanamo detention center in the parliament, Kuwait City on May 18, 2011 amid rising sectarian tension in the Gulf state.

    By Phaedra Singelis, NBC News

    Agence France Presse reports:

    The parliament was holding a debate over two Kuwaiti detainees in the US prison camp in Cuba when Shiite MP Hussein al-Kallaf provoked some Sunni fellow MPs by dismissing the prisoners as "Al-Qaeda" militants.

    Chaos erupted when Jamaan al-Harish representing the Muslim Brotherhood replied to Kallaf saying that the session was not called to discuss Al-Qaeda but Guantanamo prisoners.

    Two Shiite and four Sunni lawmakers were involved in the fight prompting MP Abdullah al-Rumi to adjourn the session.

  • Musadeq Sadeq / AP

    Afghan President Hamid Karzai inspects a guard of honor to inaugurate the new parliament in Kabul, Afghanistan on Wednesday, Jan. 26, 2011. President Hamid Karzai swore in the country's new parliament Wednesday in a ceremony that marked the end of a drawn-out battle over whether the lawmakers would be able to start work despite ongoing investigations into electoral fraud.

    New parliament inaugurated by Afghan president

    By Elena Grothe

    The Associated Press reports:

    KABUL, Afghanistan — President Hamid Karzai swore in the country's new parliament Wednesday in a ceremony that marked the end of a drawn-out battle over whether the lawmakers would be able to start work despite ongoing investigations into electoral fraud.

    It is still unclear whether a disputed tribunal looking into allegations of misconduct will be able to change the results of the September elections, but the 249 members of the lower house will now be able to start work immediately, rather than waiting until late February as Karzai had ordered last week.

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