Elections
Polish health minister denies wrongdoing in mask procurement spat
Polish Health Minister Lukasz Szumowski denied on Monday (25 May) any wrongdoing as he reacted to accusations of inadequate supervision over procurement of equipment to help combat the coronavirus pandemic.
Poland’s president loses grip on election win: polls
Poland's President Andrzej Duda appeared to have lost his grip on victory in an upcoming election, fresh opinion polls showed, threatening a political upset for the allied right-wing government.
Polish opposition threatens to block plans for rescheduled election
Poland's main opposition grouping threatened on Tuesday (12 May) to block planning for a delayed presidential election, accusing the ruling coalition of rushing a voting plan through parliament for political gain.
Hungary summons Nordic diplomats over rule-by-decree row
Hungary summoned the ambassadors of four Nordic countries on Monday (11 May) over their countries' criticism of a controversial law that empowers Prime Minister Viktor Orbán to act by decree against the novel coronavirus.
Croatia’s ruling conservatives target summer election
Croatia's conservative ruling party will seek a parliamentary election during the summer depending on the evolution of the coronavirus outbreak, one of its top officials said on Tuesday (5 May).
Poland’s Senate leader accuses ruling PiS of election-by-post ‘trickery’
The head of Poland's opposition-led Senate accused the ruling nationalists of "procedural trickery" on Tuesday (5 May) to force through a 10 May presidential election by postal ballot during the coronavirus pandemic.
Poland set to hold elections in midst of pandemic
Despite the coronavirus pandemic, a negative Supreme Court opinion, and criticism from the OSCE, Poland's ruling Law and Justice (PiS) seems determined to hold the presidential elections by postal voting in May.
Slovenian media fear fallout from government virus campaign
The new government of Slovenia's conservative Prime Minister Janez Janša has so far kept the coronavirus under control -- but critics fear he will exploit the crisis to bring to heel the media he brands "presstitution".
Will Italy’s coronavirus epidemic fuel the far right?
Italy is staring down the barrel of the worst recession since World War II, which could bolster the far-right and damage the country's love affair with the European Union, analysts say.
Poland’s PiS seeks constitutional change to extend president’s term
Poland's ruling nationalists have proposed changing the constitution to extend President Andrzej Duda's term by two years because of threats related to the coronavirus pandemic, a draft bill filed with the parliament showed late on Wednesday (15 April).
Poland to begin easing coronavirus curbs from Sunday with eye on 10 May vote
Poland will gradually lift lockdown measures imposed to contain the new coronavirus from Sunday, the government said on Tuesday (14 April) as the nation prepares for a presidential election on 10 May.
Poland debates abortion rights curbs, coronavirus limits protests
Polish lawmakers are to debate a proposal to tighten already restrictive abortion rules on Wednesday (15 April), while rights activists protested on social media as coronavirus limits public gatherings.
Polish parliament backs postal ballot to pick president despite rights groups’ concerns
Poland's parliament has backed a plan to conduct the presidential election on 10 May by postal ballot because of the coronavirus pandemic, raising concerns among democracy advocates that the vote will not be fair or fully transparent.
Keir Starmer elected new UK Labour leader
Pro-European centrist Keir Starmer was on Saturday (4 April) unveiled as new Labour party leader, heralding a shift in Britain's main opposition party after a crushing election defeat under veteran socialist Jeremy Corbyn and years of ideological infighting.
Orban has ‘no time’ for EU allies’ criticism
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said Friday (3 April) he has "no time" for scathing criticism by EU allies of sweeping powers he took on this week to tackle the coronavirus threat.
Von der Leyen warns against democratic backsliding without mentioning Hungary
European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen warned on Tuesday (31 March) that coronavirus emergency measures by EU countries must be "limited", in a veiled reference to Hungary's nationalist leader Viktor Orbán, who used the pandemic to take on sweeping powers.
Coronavirus to father EU’s ‘first dicatatorship’?
A "dictatorship" at the heart of the EU? A draft law to grant anti-coronavirus emergency measures set for adoption by Budapest has alarmed observers who fear it will hand Prime Minister Viktor Orbán unlimited power.
‘We are at war’: France postpones second round of elections, pension reform
French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday (16 March) ordered stringent restrictions on people's movement to slow the spread of the coronavirus, and said the army would be drafted in to help move the sick to hospitals.
Record abstention at French local election, second round hangs in doubt
With a record abstention estimated between 53.5% and 56%, the French deserted the polling stations Sunday (15 March) during the first round of municipal elections, held during a coronavirus pandemic.
Britons in Europe are disenfranchised while their EU counterparts’ rights hang in the balance
The French municipal elections which will take place on 16 March are the first since President Macron was elected and an important test of his popularity. They are also the first set of municipal elections in which British citizens in France will be unable to vote.
Beyond human toll, coronavirus could shake up global politics
Thousands of people have died, the US response has infuriated European allies, and China has gone on a propaganda offensive. The new coronavirus is shaping up to be a cataclysmic event with far-reaching consequences in global politics.
Two-thirds of Germans may get coronavirus, Merkel says
Germany will spend what it takes to tackle the coronavirus which is likely to infect up to 70% of the population in Europe's largest economy, Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Wednesday (11 March).
For Germans, which US presidential candidate is more economically literate?
With Michael Bloomberg and Elizabeth Warren dropping out of the Democratic primaries, Bernie Sanders and Joe Biden are the only Democrats front-runners left in this year's presidential race. But do Germans thinks they are more economically literate than Donald Trump? EURACTIV's partner WirtschaftsWoche reports.