Nancy Pelosi has announced she will not run for re-election to the US Congress in 2026, ending a four-decade career that made her both a progressive Democratic icon and a figure of vilification by the right.

The 85-year-old congresswoman was first elected in 1987 and later became the first woman to serve as the powerful Speaker of the US House of Represntatives.

She made the announcement on Thursday, local time, two days after elections across the US in which Democrats broadly did well. Loading Twitter content

"I will not be seeking re-election to Congress. With a grateful heart, I look forward to my final year of service," Pelosi said in a video posted on X.

Ms Pelosi's seat in the US lower house encompasses the west coast city of San Francisco, which in recent years has been type

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