Best parliamentary brawls of 2011
Most Americans probably can't imagine a worse electoral body than their own Congress, as is reflected in its current 9-percent approval rating. "Stalemate" seems to be the operative word for them in 2011.
Even though the two major political parties are so bad at getting along that they appear to get nothing done, at least our congressmen and senators haven't yet come to blows on the floors of Congress.
In many parts of the world, political emotions spill over into fisticuffs and tear gas attacks in legislative chambers. When so much is at stake, some politicians still can't use their oratorical abilities better than their physical ones.
It seems, at least, that there were less violent eruptions between politicians in 2011 than in 2010, as you can see here in our roundup of last year's parliamentary brawls.
In the following pages, find video and photos of some of the lowest moments parliamentary democracy has produced in 2011.
Best parliamentary brawls of 2011
Watch video from the above incident below.
Best parliamentary brawls of 2011
Best parliamentary brawls of 2011
On October 26, 2011, emotions got the better of some Italian lawmakers as they debated austerity measures on the floor of parliament
Best parliamentary brawls of 2011
Above is a video from a dust-up involving two female Afghanistan lawmakers in early July, not in English, and without subtitles. The Afghan parliament had been debating rocket attacks coming from Pakistan when they began to fight. CNN reports General Nazifa Zaki, a former army general, threw her shoe at fellow MP Hamida Ahmadzai. Zaki left her seat to head toward Ahmadzai, who threw a water bottle at Zaki when she got close. Zaki punched Ahmadzai, and the two began to tussle. Arian Yoon, another female member of parliament, said Zaki punched Ahmadzai in the face.
Best parliamentary brawls of 2011
Above is video of the vice speaker of the Ukrainian parliament, Adam Martynyuk, throttling and slamming deputy Oleg Lyashko during a session in the chamber of the Ukrainian parliament in Kiev on Wednesday, May 18, 2011. Boing Boing reports that Lyashko had just asked Martynyuk to let him make a speech, which Martinyuk refused to do on procedural grounds. Ukraine was also the scene of the most outrageous parliamentary brawl in 2010.