British broadcasters have threatened to embarrass Prime Minister David Cameron by proposing to “empty chair” any political party leader who refuses to take part in live televised debates planned for the general election campaign.

Independent candidates from none of the established parties were among the biggest winners in the local elections, attracting the greatest share of the vote last night.

Micháel Martin is batting off an apparent challenge to his leadership.

Australia’s leader faces her toughest political test to date as she tries to sell the nation on a carbon tax that would lead to higher power prices while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

The main political parties are to hold their final news conferences in Dublin today ahead of Friday's local and European elections and the by-elections in Dublin Central and Dublin South.

THE Greens launched their Vision for Dublin strategy yesterday, but insisted progress had been made since they launched documents of the same name before the 2004 and 2007 elections.

The Greens have embraced Barack Obama-style technology to woo tech-savvy voters in June’s local and European elections.

EUROPEAN Affairs Minister Dick Roche has backed away from calls for an early vote on the second Lisbon referendum despite growing support for a yes vote.

I VOTED to get rid of a tiny, unrepresentative, extremist political party — the PDs — and had presumed it would not be joined by another — The Greens.

A total of almost 470 candidates have been nominated to contest the upcoming election in the 43 constituencies nationwide.

WHAT happens today in relation to the leadership of the Progressive Democrats could have enormous implications for the next general election.

GERMANY’S Greens have agreed to hold talks on forming a new government with Angela Merkel’s conservatives after a leading member of Merkel’s party called a link with the environmentalist group “a realistic option”.

The Government preparing to ram its contentious Disability Bill through the Dáil before the summer recess.

The Greens, Sinn Fein and the Independents are forming a new group, which could make them the second largest opposition alliance in the Dail.

The Green party have launched their manifesto from Dublin.