Tag: elections

The EU’s transformation into a more integrated bloc centred on the eurozone will be a key part of the German election campaign, according to Karl Aiginger, director of the Austrian Institute for Economic Research (WIFO). But politicians will probably give in to “populist statements”, he warns, saying the debate on Europe is currently “very irrational” in Germany.

Bulgarians voted on Sunday (12 May) to send four parties to the 240-seat parliament, but with preliminary results showing a horse race between the two leading political blocs, analysts doubted that the party of former Prime Minister Boyko Borissov stood little chance of forming a government.

The European Union should brace for “chaos” after the European elections a year from now if the surprise victories by renegade, anti-EU parties in recent Italian and British elections are any sign of what is to come, European liberal leader Graham Watson said.

The arrival of the Alternative for Germany party will be primarily at the expense of the governing coalition and could even spell the end of Angela Merkel's chancellorship, writes Joerg Forbrig.

A draft resolution in the ruling French Socialist leaked over the weekend has revealed deep hostility towards German-led austerity policies in the European Union. The draft text has since been amended but the episode exposes a deep ideological fracture between the eurozone’s two largest economies.

New Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta will seek parliamentary backing in a confidence vote today (29 April), with severe political and economic problems looming that will test the solidity of his three-party coalition government.

Italian President Giorgio Napolitano yesterday (24 April) asked centre-left politician Enrico Letta to form a new government, signalling the end of a damaging two-month stalemate since elections in the eurozone's third largest economy in February.

The leader of Britain's anti-European Union UK Independence Party (UKIP) said yesterday (23 April) his movement was carrying the torch for the late Margaret Thatcher's views on Europe, saying he planned to cause a "political earthquake".

The re-election of Giorgio Napolitano as Italy’s president has ended a two-month political gridlock and paves the way to a possible new government within days.

German chancellor candidate Peer Steinbrück won many converts at the Social Democrat’s recent party conference, bolstering the left’s election push, but the SPD’s turn in fortunes is likely to fade in the home straight, EurActiv Germany and EurActiv France report.

Addressing the European Parliament today (16 April) in Strasbourg, Finnish Prime Minister Jyrki Katainen pleaded for the new concept of “fair integration”, which he said would keep the EU safe from the twin threats of nationalism and populism. Many MEPs saw his speech as a jockeying exercise for one of the EU's top jobs, which will be up for grabs in 2014.

Outgoing Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti and centre-left leader Pier Luigi Bersani moved closer to agreement on Monday (15 April) on choosing a new president, a vital step to ending the stalemate created by an inconclusive election in February.

Croatians voted yesterday (14 April) for 12 members of the European Parliament. The low turnout of 20.74% is explained by voters' perception that the election was "unimportant", analysts said.

Both sides claimed victory in Montenegro's presidential election yesterday (7 April), raising the prospect of a dispute over the largely ceremonial post as the country bids to join the European Union.

Europe's leaders have a veritable Rubik’s cube of political considerations to solve in 2014 in order to appoint a new EU leadership triumvirate, writes Hugo Brady, giving his take on who are the up-and-comers in a changing European balance of power.

Centre-left leader Pier Luigi Bersani has failed in his attempt to find a way out of Italy's political deadlock and President Giorgio Napolitano whose term ends mid-May will now seek another solution, the president's palace said yesterday (28 March).

Pier Luigi Bersani, leader of Italy’s centre-left bloc, is scheduled to meet Silvio Berlusconi’s deputies today (26 March) in an effort to form a coalition government to end a month-long impasse.

European Council President Herman Van Rompuy announced on Belgian television yesterday (17 March) that his EU mandate, which expires on 1 December 2014, will mark the end of his political career.

Political parties should nominate a candidate for European Commission President in the 2014 EU elections and display their European political party affiliation, the EU Executive recommended yesterday (12 March). 

This week's EU summit (14-15 March) will see four new faces, even though just five weeks have elapsed since the 7-8 February summit. Resignations and elections have brought Slovenia and Malta new prime ministers and Cyprus a new president, while Bulgaria will be represented by the president ahead of an imminent poll.

Malta's opposition Labour Party led by Joseph Muscat has won the country's general election for the first time in 15 years. The outgoing premier Lawrence Gonzi conceded defeat for his Nationalist Party. 

Greenland’s general election on Tuesday (12 March) is effectively a referendum on how far the country wants to embrace international mining companies, energy giants, and foreign workers.

More than a third of voters would consider voting for a party that backs Britain's withdrawal from the European Union, a poll published on Tuesday (5 March) showed, adding to growing pressure on Prime Minister David Cameron to address the threat to his support.