diff --git a/examples/axisartist/demo_floating_axis.py b/examples/axisartist/demo_floating_axis.py
index 59588a5db0ca..913af97ded23 100644
--- a/examples/axisartist/demo_floating_axis.py
+++ b/examples/axisartist/demo_floating_axis.py
@@ -19,10 +19,8 @@
 
 
 def curvelinear_test2(fig):
+    """Polar projection, but in a rectangular box.
     """
-    polar projection, but in a rectangular box.
-    """
-    global ax1
     # see demo_curvelinear_grid.py for details
     tr = Affine2D().scale(np.pi / 180., 1.) + PolarAxes.PolarTransform()
 
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_qt5.py b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_qt5.py
index eb2248f69fa0..6d4546644aa3 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_qt5.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_qt5.py
@@ -428,7 +428,6 @@ def new_timer(self, *args, **kwargs):
         return TimerQT(*args, **kwargs)
 
     def flush_events(self):
-        global qApp
         qApp.processEvents()
 
     def start_event_loop(self, timeout=0):
@@ -858,5 +857,4 @@ def trigger_manager_draw(manager):
     def mainloop():
         # allow KeyboardInterrupt exceptions to close the plot window.
         signal.signal(signal.SIGINT, signal.SIG_DFL)
-        global qApp
         qApp.exec_()