Political Roundup: The attempted return of several older politicians to Parliament in 2017 has sparked some debate about the merits of young, middle-aged, or older MPs for democracy. Surely we need them all.

Trump hysteria has become a parody in which the screamiest and stupidest attacks become headlines.

To the sound of 200-300 voices chanting "live, live, Israel, resolution go to Hell", Hawke's Bay pastor Nigel Woodley stood outside

Hawke's Bay protesters travel to Wellington to vent fury at UN resolution.

President-elect Donald Trump's tweeting could prolong one of the most serious incidents between the US and Chinese militaries in recent memory.

The abolition of secret briefings has been labelled dubbed a victory for democracy by re-elected Tauranga city councillor Rick Curach. He

COMMENT: I am still revelling in Donald Trump's victory.

COMMENT: Does the success of outsider Republican nominee Donald Trump signal the time for a political revolution in Godzone too?

How could we have got it so wrong? The pollsters and the politicians, the analysts, theorists and columnists - especially this one

We wrote off Trump's supporters as racist, white men, but they're not.

COMMENT: One of the great joys of politics is being accountable to, well, everyone.

COMMENT: The amazing thing about democracy, when you stop to think about, is that it makes the right decision far more often than not.

NZ First leader Winston Peters was too busy trying to coat-tail on Trump's success to congratulate Trump when Parliament addressed the President-elect's ascendancy.

COMMENT: Irrespective of the platitudes given on the morning after Trump, there will be no healing, no bridge across the divide.

COMMENT: A century ago it was predicted that a moron would one day live in the White House. That prediction has now come true.

COMMENT: This US presidential election is less 'Keeping up with the Kardashians' and more 'Nightmare Neighbour Next Door'.

A Pirate victory in Iceland this week would add to a string of once-impossible election results in the West.

Although no leading politician is likely to claim that "election is rigged", there are numerous problems with democracy and elections that need debating.

COMMENT: Blaming Clinton for her husband's conduct is an example of just how little respect her rival has for women.

Go ahead and sue: New York Times responds to Trump threats over "inappropriate touching" reports from women.

Whanganui has topped the poll in terms of voter involvement in this year's local body elections but at least one observer says councils

COMMENT: Two-thirds of eligible voters chose not to vote in the local government elections. Should we be unimpressed?

Top Republican all but concedes Hillary Clinton will win the presidential campaign.

COMMENT: Almost every country has a written constitution, whereas New Zealand has only 'scraps of legislation' uncodified and largely unintelligible.

mattmartinserious.eps*Rotorua mayoralty results 2013- Steve Chadwick 11,630- Kevin Winters 4789- Rob Kent 2462- Janine RangiMarie

They're not old enough to vote, but schoolchildren are having their say at the ballot box in order to learn more about how elections work.

COMMENT: Journalist Erin Cunningham writes that a boom shook her building near Taksim Square during the attempted coup.

More than 30 people attended two candidate workshops in the Ruapehu area recently for those interested in standing in the local body

COMMENT: There has been some debate among New Zealand political commentators about whether a candidate like Donald Trump could emerge in New Zealand, writes Stephen Mills.

COMMENT: The purpose of democracy is not to win the propaganda battle but to elect a government that is accountable to the whole community - not just a few with money to spend, writes Bryan Gould.