May Rule of Law Highlights

A look around the world at the latest rule of law events in May.

World Press Freedom Day: May 3rd

Stay tuned for our latest Index Data Spotlight dedicated to Freedom of Speech. For more information on the newly launched Index Data Spotlight, please click here. 

Greece parliament approves job cuts

The Greek parliament has voted to adopt a law that provides for the dismissal of 15,000 civil servants as part of austerity measures imposed by the country's international creditors.Shrinking the public service is a condition set by Greece's so-called troika of creditors - the International Monetary Fund (IMF), European Union (EU) and European Central Bank (ECB) - to unlock loans amounting to $11.4bn. Greece needs that money to pay wages, pensions and bonds held by the ECB Bank that mature on May 20. Read more.

Italy enforces plastic bag law

A year after passing a nationwide plastic bag ban, the Italian government has identified the technical characteristics of plastic bags that can legally be used in a decree published in the Official Journal in March. Sanctions for non-compliance with the law will be enforced effective May 27, 2013. The fines for non-compliance range from €2,500 to €25,000 and may be increased for large quantities of bags. Read more.

The first steps towards establishing South Africa's fourth democratic Parliament gets underway May 6

Following successful democratic elections, South Africa's Parliament's National Assemply will meet for the first time to swear in its 400 new members, elect Presiding Officers, as well as elect the President of the Republic of South Africa. Once formally inaugurated, the President will announce his deputy or deputies and his new cabinet to help him govern the country in terms of the constitution. Read more.

The role and experiences of National Parliaments in the fight against organized crime, corruption and money laundering, Brussels, May 7

National parliamentarians and members of the European Parliament will meet in Brussels on May 7, 2013 in order to exchange views on the role and the experiences of national Parliaments in the fight against organised crime, corruption and money laundering. One of the objectives of this meeting will be to look for convergences and synergies allowing parliamentarians on both national and European levels to contribute to the fight against the phenomena in question. Read more.

Malaysian General Election

The next Malaysian general election will be held on May 5, 2013, following the dissolution of the Parliament announced by the Prime Minister on April 3, 2013.Following the dissolution of the Federal Parliament, 12 out of 13 state assemblies, (with the exception of Sarawak) have been dissolved, paving the way for simultaneous elections for the federal and state assemblies. While any State may dissolve its assembly independently of the Federal Parliament, the practice since 2004 is for all state assemblies (except Sarawak's) to be dissolved quickly after Parliament dissolution to allow simultaneous elections to be held for the Parliament and State Assemblies. Read more.

Election in Pakistan

The Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Ashfaque Pervez Kayani said that elections will be held on its scheduled date of May 11 and that the Army will cooperate to best of its capacity, and within its constitutionally prescribed roll to ensure elections are held. On the army's role in the upcoming elections, he said that "I assure you, that we stand committed to wholeheartedly assist and support in the conduct of free, fair and peaceful elections; to the best of our capabilities and remaining within the confines of the Constitution." Read more.

Mogadishu displaced to move from dangerous camps in July

Donor countries are working with Somalia's new government to reform the judiciary, the police and the army. Britain will host an international conference in London on May 7 on ways to bolster security and the rule of law after two decades of anarchy. Read more.

Central African Republic peace talks: May 3

Following a military coup that claimed the lives of 13 South African soldiers, President Jacob Zuma on Sunday met the Central African Republic opposition leader and Prime Minister Nichols Tiangaye in Pretoria in what appeared to be the beginning of a process by the two countries to patch relations. Asked if the South African government recognized the governments derived from coups such as the one in the CAR, Maharaj said SA would honour the agreements reached at the extraordinary summit of the Economic Community of Central African States (Eccas) held in Chad on April 18, which recognised the current transitional government in CAR. Read more.