Bash for questions: the worst parliamentary punch-ups

S AT U R D AY 15 !BRUARY "#1$ Tur%ey&s parliament sees 'iolent scenes as mem(ers of the rulin) an* opposition party clash - not for the first time+ ,e loo% at other *e(ates where the (attle of i*eas has turne* physical+

Members of Turkey's ruling AK party clashed with the opposition Republican People's Party during a debate over a draft law to give the government more control over the appointment of judges !n "anuary a member of parliament was hospitalised during a corruption row that rocked Prime Minister Recep Ayyip #rdogan's government The ugly scenes in Ankara were not isolated incidents $ the parties have repeatedly clashed in recent years !n %ebruary &'(& AK Party MP Muhittin Aksak was pictured pulling on the tie

of his rival Mahmut Tanal from the Republican People's Party )*+P,- and in &''. scenes resembling a bo/ing match were broadcast around the world

0kraine has been rocked by violent protests in recent months- but things have not been much better inside the national parliament in Kiev where disagreements often spill over into punch$ups 1ast March a debate over Kiev's mayoral election descended into chaoswith deputies brawling on the floor of the house !n 2ecember &'('- the speaker of the house produced a chain and crowbar which he says were used in a fight that hospitalised five politicians after a row over former Prime Minister 3ulia Tymoshenko 4atch5 fighting erupts in 0kraine's parliament

The !talian parliament is another scene of heated debates that can spill over into violent clashes 6n "anuary 7' MPs in the lower house broke into fights when the speaker interruped an attempted fillibuster The powers used by the speaker were unprecedented in the debate on boosting the country's commercial banks The far$right opposition 8rothers of !taly party reponded by showering the ruling party with chocolate coins !n &'(( a fist fight )pictured above, broke out during a debate over pension reforms- in which members of the house were seen grabbing each others' throats

Parliamentary violence is not a wholly #uropean phenomena +ere we see 8olivian opposition congressman %ernando Rodrigue9 battling with a rival indigenous deputy of President #vo Morales' party The brawl kicked off during a &'': hunger strike by Morales- who demanded 8olivia's *ongress pass an electoral law that could make it easier for him to win control of the legislature !n neighbouring ;ene9uela there were similar scenes last year- leaving one MP bruised and bleeding 4atch5 %ight breaks out in ;ene9uelan parliament

South -orea Politicians in <outh Korea's parliament are immune from criminal prosecution and there have been a number of punchs$ups over the last decade !n 2ecember &'(' there were chaotic scenes after the ruling =rand >ational Party forced the &'(( budget through- without the opposition parties The opposition then tried to physically prevent =>P MPs from the ?(.@ billion bill- one =>P member was brought to hospital after being struck in the head with a gavel Posted by Thavam