Protesters gather in Jerusalem, Israel
Credit: © UPI/Alamy Images

Protests across Israel have led to a delay in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plans to reform the country’s judicial system. Leaders in various sectors, including the military, called for Netanyahu to stop the reform after the protests led to airport, hospital, and school closures. The sea of blue and white flags carried by determined protestors succeeded in pausing the reform this week. Israel’s Supreme Court and judicial checks and balances will remain strong at least until May.

Netanyahu, a Likud Party politician, became prime minister of Israel in December 2022. Likud is a conservative political party in Israel. Netanyahu held the position before from 1996 to 1999 and 2009 to 2021. In November 2019, Israel’s attorney general announced criminal charges against Netanyahu for alleged fraud, bribery, and breach of trust. Netanyahu denied any wrongdoing. Despite facing criminal charges in 2020, Netanyahu remained in power in a unity government with his opponent, Benny Gantz of the moderate Blue and White Party, as an alternate prime minister.

In March 2021, Netanyahu’s Likud Party failed to win a parliamentary majority. Netanyahu became the new opposition party leader. However, in the elections in November 2022, Netanyahu won the most seats in the Knesset (Israeli parliament). Israel’s president, Isaac Herzog, asked Netanyahu to form a new government. Netanyahu formed a coalition government with a number of right-wing parties, including the far-right Religious Zionism party.

Shortly after donning the title of prime minister again, Netanyahu proposed the judicial reform plan. On January 4th, Justice Minister Yariv Levin announced the plans. The plan gives the government more control over appointing Supreme Court judges and would allow Netanyahu to escape the corruption charges against him. The plan also limits the power of the Supreme Court. The reform eliminates one of the few checks on parliament in Israel, allowing them to override decisions made by the Supreme Court.

Protests first broke out across Israel on January 7th. On January 14th, officials estimate nearly 80,000 people gathered in Tel Aviv, with protests occurring in other cities. Weekly protests continued and received international attention. United States  Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Israel on January 28th, meeting Netanyahu.

Leaders in the Constitution committee voted on February 13th, on the judicial reform as workers in several industries went on strike opposing the plan. Nearly 100,000 protesters gathered in Jerusalem during the vote. The Consitution committee voted in favor of the judicial reform plan 9 to 7.

Demonstrations continued through March, with more than 630,000 people gathering on March 25th, in the largest protest in the country’s history. On that same day, Israel’s defense minister Yoav Gallant called for postponing the judicial overhaul stating the turmoil was a threat to the country’s national security. He was the first minister to break from the coalition and call for a pause. Gallant mentioned the plan should pause so the country could celebrate Passover and Independence Day in peace. The next day, Gallant was removed from his position, sparking more protests that blocked major highways and started fires.

Due to the extent of the protests, hospitals stopped non-emergency care, schools closed, and all flights in and out of the main airport were grounded. Banks and malls were shuttered as the country shut down. On March 27th, Israeli President Isaac Herzog called for Netanyahu to stop the legislative process. Netanyahu agreed to delay the reform until the next Knesset session in a month.

The opposition to the plan worked because it united key figures in the military, universities, and unions. Fighter pilots in the military refused a day of training in early March, leading military leaders to call for a solution to the crisis. The country’s military reserves dropped in numbers as the protests progressed, leading military leaders to suggest scaling back operations.

If Netanyahu pivots from his plan, he could lose his slim majority in Parliament, which could lead to Israel’s sixth election since 2019. If he reignites the battle to approve the judicial reform legislation, protests could continue further dividing the country.

Jacinda Ardern became prime minister of New Zealand in October 2017.
Credit: © Hagen Hopkins, Getty Images

An icon for women and girls around the world, Jacinda Ardern served as prime minister of New Zealand for a little over five years. Assuming the role in October 2017, she responded to a tragic mass shooting and managed the country through the COVID-19 pandemic. Within her first year in office, she had her daughter, becoming the second elected head of government in modern history to give birth while holding office. Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto was the first, in 1990. Ardern is a strong leader who skillfully led her country through tragedies.

On January 19, 2023, Ardern announced that she would resign as prime minister and as leader of the Labour Party. She officially stepped down as prime minister on January 25. Ardern said that her resignation was part of a decision to help the Labour Party find a new leader before the 2023 general election, as well as to protect her own mental health. She also announced her intention to carry out the rest of her term as a member of Parliament.

Jacinda Kate Laurell Ardern was born in Hamilton, New Zealand, on July 26, 1980. She earned a bachelor’s degree in communications studies from the University of Waikato in 1999.

Ardern became interested in politics at a young age. She joined the Labour Party, a center-left political party that favors socially liberal policies, at the age of 17. From 2003 to 2004, she served as the vice president of the Young Labour Party. She was first elected to New Zealand’s Parliament in 2008. She was soon appointed the party’s spokesperson on youth affairs. She later served as spokesperson for social development; for justice, children, and small business; and for arts, culture, and heritage.

In March 2017, Labour elected Ardern to be the party’s deputy leader. Polls prior to a 2017 general election showed weak support for the party. To improve Labour’s chances in the election, Andrew Little resigned his leadership of the party. Ardern became Labour leader on July 31, 2017.

No party won a majority of parliamentary seats in the September 2017 general election. The National Party won 56 seats, and Labour, together with the Green Party, won 54. The New Zealand First Party, led by Winston Peters, won 9 seats. New Zealand First joined Labour and the Greens, forming a governing partnership with a 63-seat majority. Ardern was sworn in as prime minister on Oct. 26, 2017.

On March 15, 2019, a white supremacist gunman attacked two mosques in Christchurch before being captured by police. The attacker killed 51 people and injured dozens more in the deadliest terrorist attack in New Zealand’s history. Within weeks after the attack, Ardern’s government introduced new laws banning the ownership of most automatic and semiautomatic weapons. The legislation overwhelmingly passed through Parliament and became law on April 12.

In 2020, Ardern won praise for her leadership role in New Zealand’s rapid and effective response to the worldwide public health crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic. The government restricted travel to New Zealand, closed schools and nonessential businesses, and encouraged residents to practice social distancing. It also provided financial assistance for workers and businesses. By late April, some restrictions were eased, following a significant decrease in new cases.

In October 2020 parliamentary elections, Labour won a rare outright majority of seats, and Ardern remained prime minister. Ardern’s handling of the 2019 terrorist attack and the COVID-19 pandemic were credited with voters’ strong support for the Labour Party. The nation’s COVID-19 vaccination program began in February 2021, and a high percentage of the eligible population was vaccinated by the end of the year. Ardern announced an end to most of New Zealand’s strict COVID-19 policies in 2022.

June 15, 2017

Yesterday, on June 14, Leo Varadkar became the new prime minister of Ireland. Varadkar took over as leader of Ireland’s center-right Fine Gael (United Ireland) party on June 2, clearing the way for him to succeed Enda Kenny as prime minister. Kenny, who retired, had led Fine Gael since 2002. At just 38 years old, Varadkar is the youngest prime minister (called the taoiseach <<TEE shok>> in Ireland) in the country’s history. Varadkar is unique in other ways too: he is Ireland’s first prime minister of Indian descent and the country’s first openly gay prime minister as well. Varadkar is now just one of two openly gay heads of government (Prime Minister Xavier Bettel of Luxembourg is the other).

Leo Varadkar became the prime minister of Ireland in June 2017. Credit: © Liam Sweeney, Fine Gael

Varadkar addressed the Dáil Éireann (Irish parliament) after the body voted to confirm him as prime minister, saying, “I’ve been elected to lead but I promise to serve. The government that I lead will not be one of left or right because those old divisions don’t comprehend the political challenges of today. The government I lead will be one of the new European center as we seek to build a republic of opportunity.” Varadkar then visited Áras an Uachtaráin, the president’s residence in Dublin, where President Michael Higgins officially confirmed Varadkar as prime minister.

Varadkar was born on Jan. 18, 1979, in Dublin. His father is from Mumbai, India, and has worked as a doctor in England and Ireland since the 1960’s. His mother is a nurse from southeast Ireland’s County Waterford. Born of mixed Hindu and Roman Catholic faiths, Varadkar was raised Catholic. He joined Fine Gael while studying at Trinity College Dublin, where he earned a medical degree in 2003. Varadkar became a general practitioner in 2010.

Varadkar entered local politics in 2004 and was elected to represent the Dublin West constituency in the Dáil in 2007. He was reelected as a member of parliament (called a teachta Dála, or TD) in 2011, and has since served successively as Ireland’s minister for transport, minister for health, and minister for social protection. In early 2015, Varadkar came out as gay, just a few months before Ireland voted to legalize same-sex marriage.

December 14, 2016

On Monday, December 12, New Zealand‘s Deputy Prime Minister Bill English was chosen to head the ruling National Party and subsequently became the country’s new prime minister. English replaced Prime Minister John Key, whose decision to resign last week came as a surprise to many New Zealanders. Key had served as prime minister since 2008 and had led the National Party since 2006. Key said he hoped the leadership change would breathe new energy into the party ahead of the 2017 general election. Key also expressed the desire to spend more time with his family.

Bill English became prime minister of New Zealand on Dec. 12, 2016. Credit: © Crown Copyright

Upon taking office, English said, “As prime minister, I am committed to building a New Zealand which rewards hard work and enterprise and which cares for our most vulnerable. I recognize the aspiration of all New Zealanders to flourish and this government will work hard to help them do so.”

Simon William English was born in the small Southland community of Lumsden in 1961. He was educated at St. Patrick’s College, Silverstream, and later studied economics at the University of Otago and English literature at Victoria University of Wellington. He worked as a treasury analyst before returning to his family’s farm in Dipton, near Lumsden. English was first elected to New Zealand’s Parliament in 1990. He previously led the National Party from 2001 to 2003, and had served as deputy prime minister and finance minister since 2008.

July 14, 2016

Theresa May became prime minister of the United Kingdom on July 13, 2016. Credit: UK Home Office (licensed under CC BY 2.0)

Yesterday, July 13, British politician Theresa May became prime minister of the United Kingdom. May, who was elected leader of the Conservative Party earlier this month, replaced Prime Minister David Cameron. Cameron’s resignation yesterday followed through on a promise he made to step down after last month’s contentious “Brexit” referendum that will remove the United Kingdom from the European Union. May—who, like Cameron, did not support Brexit—faces a difficult transition period as the United Kingdom begins dealing with the many complications created by the referendum. May is the second woman (after Margaret Thatcher) to serve as prime minister of the United Kingdom.

After being formally invited by Queen Elizabeth II to form a government, freshly minted Prime Minister May addressed the media outside No. 10 Downing Street, her new official London residence. May vowed to fight injustice and improve the lives of working-class families. She said her government’s mission was to work with the people to “build a better Britain,” and create a union “between all of our citizens.” She also said she would follow Cameron’s “one nation” example, praising him as a “great, modern prime minister.”

Theresa Mary Brasier was born in Eastbourne, Sussex, on Oct. 1, 1956. Raised in Oxfordshire, she later studied at St. Hugh’s College, Oxford, and married banker Philip May. She worked at the Bank of England before serving as a local councillor in Merton, south London. After unsuccessful election bids in 1992 and 1994, May entered Parliament in 1997 as representative for Maidenhead in the House of Commons. She was appointed the first woman chairman of the Conservative Party in 2002 and named home secretary in 2010.

British Prime Minister David Cameron resigned from office on July 13, 2016, following his failure to stop passage of the “Brexit” referendum in late June. Credit: © Getty Images/Thinkstock

March 20, 2012

Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom continued the commemoration of her diamond jubilee with a speech before a rare joint session of both Houses of Parliament in Westminster Hall. The Queen is celebrating her 60-year reign, which began in 1952 upon the death of her father, George VI. The only other British monarch to have achieved a diamond jubilee was Elizabeth’s great-great-grandmother, Victoria, who reigned from 1837 to 1901. Queen Elizabeth is the head of state of the United Kingdom as well as of 15 other countries that belong to the Commonwealth of Nations, including Australia, Canada, and New Zealand.

Elizabeth II has been the queen of the United Kingdom and head of the Commonwealth of Nations since 1952. (Courtesy of AP/Wide Wide)

During her speech, the Queen promised to “rededicate” herself  to serving the United Kingdom and its people. She also particularly thanked her husband, Prince Philip, whom she married in 1947,  for being her “constant strength and guide.” Her speech was greeted with a standing ovation by hundreds of dignitaries, including Prime Minister David Cameron and other members of the Cabinet.

In honor of the occasion, the Queen was presented with a stained glass window featuring her Royal Arms. The window, which was designed by British artist John Reyntiens, is to be installed above the north door of Westminster Hall and is a gift from members of both Houses of Parliament.

Additional World Book articles:

• Kings and queens of the United Kingdom
• Royal Family of the United Kingdom
• United Kingdom, History of (The Victorian Age–1840′s-about 1900)