One such moment occurred in Belgium and remains one of the most unusual political gaffes involving a national anthem.

In 2007, Yves Leterme , then Belgium’s prime minister-designate, was asked during an interview to sing the Belgian national anthem, La Brabançonne. Instead, he sang La Marseillaise, the national anthem of France.

The moment was broadcast publicly and quickly spread across international media. What might have been a minor slip became a symbol of deeper political tensions within Belgium.

Why the mistake struck a nerve

Belgium is a country with long-standing linguistic and cultural divisions, primarily between Dutch-speaking Flanders and French-speaking Wallonia. The national anthem itself exists in three official languages and represents a fragile sense of national cohesion.

Singing France ’s anthem, even unintentionally, was seen by some as symbolic rather than merely accidental.

The reaction was swift. Belgian media debated the meaning of the incident, while opposition figures questioned Leterme’s suitability for leadership. Supporters argued it was a human error blown out of proportion.

Leterme later acknowledged the mistake and attempted to downplay it, reportedly joking that it proved how well Belgians know their neighbours. However, the episode remained attached to his political image for years.

Washington’s departure follows a formal notification of intent submitted by President Donald Trump one year earlier, as required under U.S. law. The move makes the U.S. the first country in WHO history to withdraw its membership.

The Trump administration justified the exit by citing disagreements with the WHO’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, accusations of political bias, and dissatisfaction with pandemic policies.

Senior U.S. officials argued the country would continue to engage in global health through bilateral agreements and existing partnerships outside WHO structures.

"The Trump Admin is working to make sure that we have those bilateral agreements in place for that kind of health cooperation — but we don't need the WHO as an intermediary essentially to push Chinese interests on the American people," National Institutes of Health's Director Jay Bhattacharya told Fox News.

That rationale echoes what Argentinian President Javier Milei has stated in his decision to also withdraw Argentina from the WHO , a move scheduled to take effect on March 17, 2026.

The Milei government has framed its exit as a defence of national sovereignty and a response to what it describes as “deep differences” with WHO policies, especially concerning the management of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Argentina’s annual financial contributions to WHO have been comparatively small , and Buenos Aires has claimed that its withdrawal will not disrupt domestic health services.

Critics, however, warn that leaving a global coordination platform could limit access to information sharing, vaccine procurement mechanisms and technical cooperation that support responses to outbreaks and endemic diseases.

Why WHO matters

The World Health Organisation is the specialised health agency of the United Nations. Its core mission includes:

Nearly all United Nations member states have traditionally been members of the WHO. As of early 2026, with the U.S. exit complete, the organisation retains 193 members, the vast majority of the world’s nations.

According to official results from Portugal’s Ministry of Internal Administration, only António José Seguro of the Socialist Party and André Ventura, leader of the right-wing Chega party, finished first or second in every region of the country, locking in their places in the runoff.

Seguro, the centre-left Socialist candidate aligned with the S&D group in Europe, finished first overall with 31% of the national vote , leading in almost every municipality and all but two regions. His support base stretches across much of mainland Portugal, reflecting the continued strength of the Socialist Party in both urban centres and large parts of the interior.

Ventura followed in second place with 24%, marking another breakthrough for Chega. The party won outright in two regions and placed second everywhere else, confirming its transformation from a protest movement into a nationwide political force.

Liberal Initiative candidate João Cotrim Figueiredo also secured 16%, placing third in most autonomous regions, while Henrique Gouveia e Melo, running as an independent backed by the conservative PPM, finished with 12%, also claiming third place in several areas.

Neither came close to challenging the two front-runners nationally, underscoring how polarised the race has become.

The upcoming runoff will determine who succeeds President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, whose role, while largely ceremonial, carries significant influence through veto powers and the ability to dissolve parliament.

With Portugal facing economic pressures and broader European uncertainty, the second round is expected to draw sharp contrasts between Seguro’s institutional continuity and Ventura’s populist challenge.

New figures show China’s population fell for a fourth consecutive year in 2025, alongside the lowest birth rate recorded since the founding of the People’s Republic in 1949.

According to data released by China’s National Bureau, the birth rate dropped to 5.63 births per 1,000 people, while the population decreased by a little over 3 million in 2025. The number of births fell to 7.92 million, while deaths rose to 11.31 million, further widening the gap between new births and ageing-related mortality.

“By the end of 2025, the national population was 1,404.89 million (including the population of 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities and servicemen, but excluding residents of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan and foreigners living in the 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities), a decrease of 3.39 million over that at the end of 2024,” parts of the report read.

The falling birth rate continues to shape China’s long-term economic outlook, even as the country reported stronger-than-expected growth. Novinite reported that China still achieved 5% economic expansion in 2025, in line with the government ’s target of “around 5%”.

Officials have been experimenting with more aggressive measures to lift fertility. China has moved from decades of strict population control to “new measures to encourage larger families”, including policies ranging from education support to new tax rules.

A report by Euronews states that among the most debated steps is the end of a long-standing tax exemption on contraceptives. From 1 January 2026, condoms and other contraceptives are “no longer exempt from taxation ” and will now face a 13% value-added tax. 

At the same time, officials are offering incentives aimed at easing the financial strain of childcare. Euronews says families will receive what the government calls a “fertility bonus” of 3,600 yuan (over €430) per child per year until the age of three.

 For many Chinese couples, however, the decision to have children is shaped less by policy announcements and more by day-to-day realities. It includes housing pressures, job insecurity, and the emotional cost of raising children in an intensely competitive society.

The numbers suggest that for now, Beijing’s birth-rate push remains an uphill battle.