Parliamentary scuffles

"Incoming!" – fighting breaks out in parliament hall in Kiev after eggs were thrown at the podium during a debate on a Russian-Ukrainian agreement to extend the presence of the Russian Black Sea Fleet in Ukraine until 2042. On the far right of the picture a grey-clad Jaws remains impassive Photograph: Aleksandr Kosarev/EPA

A judo chop to the armpit is executed in the middle of the picture, as deputies of the Italian centre-right FLI party fight during the confidence vote to Silvio Berlusconi's government at the Lower house in December. Still, at least no one threw a statuette in the prime minister's face. That was last year. Photograph: Franco Origlia/Getty Images

It's bad luck, you know. Just before the skirmishes seen in the first picture, guards shield parliamentary speaker Volodymr Lytvyn from eggs hurled by opposition politicians in parliament in Kiev, Ukraine, on 27 April. Undeterred, Ukraine's parliament voted to extend Russia's lease of a Crimean naval port for the Black Sea Fleet Photograph: Efrem Lukatsky/AP

Pow! A politician's nose is either punched or pulled as MPs from the ruling Justice and Development party and the opposition Republican People's party scuffle during a debate at a parliamentary session in Ankara. Photograph: Stringer Turkey/Reuters

Members of the Nigerian House of Pain – sorry, Representatives – argue in the parliament chamber in Abuja in June. A fight broke out after a group of MPs was suspended for accusing the speaker of corruption Photograph: Reuters

Opposition Democratic Progressive party politicians scuffle with ruling Nationalist party members in Taipei, Taiwan, in July. Two were taken to hospital after the brawl – presumably not the debonair-looking gent in the top left corner Photograph: Nicky Loh/Reuters

Biff! Argentinian Graciela Camano slapped Carlos Kunkel about the face in congress on 17 November in a disagreement over the budget. Kunkel took the blow well, applauding Camano as she skulked away afterwards Photograph: Youtube

"I'd like to table a motion please" – deputies take to the furniture during a session in the Ukrainian parliament in Kiev this month, while an odd-shaped man is suppressed to the right. As we've seen, it was the second brawl in the Ukrainian government this year – this one was in support of the former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko, who claimed she had been targeted in a criminal investigation Photograph: Reuters