Elections
Former Italy PM Conte vows new start for 5-Star
Italy's co-ruling 5-Star Movement has resolved a long-running internal legal battle, paving the way for former Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte to take over as leader of the divided party and try to revive its fortunes.
Conservative win in German state election boosts Laschet’s chancellery hopes
Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives won a resounding victory in a state election in Eastern Germany on Sunday, in a boost to Armin Laschet, who hopes to succeed her in September's national election.
German conservatives brace for strong far-right showing in regional election
Germany conservatives are bracing for what is likely to be a bruising result in Sunday's regional election in the eastern state of Saxony Anhalt, with polls suggesting the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) are set to gain more than a fifth of the vote.
MEPs reluctantly pack for first pandemic Strasbourg session
Hundreds of European lawmakers and staff travel to Strasbourg next week for the European Parliament's first session since the COVID-19 pandemic struck, though many think it is too early to return.
Czechs forward Babiš case to new EU prosecutor’s office
A Czech prosecutor said Thursday (3 June) that the case of the billionaire prime minister's conflict of interest as an entrepreneur and politician has been forwarded to the new EU prosecutor's office.
Top EU court dismisses Hungary’s complaint over democracy probe
The top European Union court dismissed on Thursday (2 June) Hungary's challenge against the opening in 2018 of a disciplinary procedure against Budapest for undermining democracy in the formerly communist country.
Catalan ex-leader Puigdemont regains MEP immunity
Former Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont and two fellow pro-independence allies on Wednesday (2 June) regained provisional political immunity as members of the European Parliament, an EU court ruled.
Communist candidate in French 2022 election: ‘We are very different from Mélenchon’
In an interview with EURACTIV France, Communist Party candidate in the upcoming presidential elections, Fabien Roussel, said he wants to be the candidate for the youth and the working man and criticised Europe for pitting the French worker against the Polish one.
Cyprus votes for new parliament amid anger over golden passports scandal
Cypriots voted Sunday (30 May) in parliamentary elections amid simmering public anger over the "golden passports" corruption scandal on the Mediterranean island.
Germany’s AfD lurches further to the right with new top candidate duo
Germany's far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) has selected two hardliners from the extreme right-wing of the party, Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla, as its top candidates for September's election.
Would-be German leaders agree EU unanimity is overrated
The three candidates vying to succeed German Chancellor Angela Merkel have squared up for their first public debate ahead of September’s election, presenting varying positions on the EU, defence policy and the controversial Nord Stream 2 pipeline. The three would-be...
No leader, no purpose? The crisis of Italy’s Five Star
Italy's Five Star Movement (M5S) once threatened to upend the political order, but today the party founded by a stand-up comedian has little to laugh about as it risks imploding.
Germany’s Laschet to follow Merkel’s footsteps on Russia, China
The leader of Germany's Christian Democrats (CDU) Armin Laschet, who hopes to succeed Angela Merkel as Chancellor, is largely expected to keep his predecessor's diplomatic line, with little nuance on foreign and security policy.
Race to succeed Merkel wide open as German election nears
With veteran German Chancellor Angela Merkel set to leave the political stage after the September election, many are wondering what's next for the globe's fourth-largest economy. The race for Germany's top job is hotting up, EURACTIV Germany reports.
Pro-independence parties form regional government in Catalonia
After five months of tough negotiations, pro-independence parties in Catalonia have announced they have formed a new coalition government in the northeastern region that staves off the need for fresh regional elections, EURACTIV’s partner EFE reports.
Northern Ireland’s unionists elect Poots, a creationist, as new DUP leader
Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) on Friday (14 May) elected Edwin Poots as new leader, handing the hardliner the immediate task of choosing a new first minister in the British-ruled province.
Spain eyes fresh elections in Catalonia to tackle political crisis
A new regional election could be a possible way to unblock the political crisis in Catalonia after separatist parties were unable to reach an agreement and form a pro-independence executive, the Spanish government has said. EURACTIV’s partner EFE reports.
More than 1,400 migrants arrive on Italy’s Lampedusa
Fifteen boats packed with hundreds of migrants landed on the southern Italian island of Lampedusa on Sunday (9 May), and officials said they were expecting numbers to increase as the weather improved.
Indyref 2 is ‘will of the country‘, says Scottish first minister following poll win
The pressure for a second referendum on Scottish independence will step up after the Scottish National Party secured 64 of the 129 seats following Thursday’s (6 May) Scottish parliament elections and declared that an independence poll was “the will of...
The Brief, powered by GIE – Wind of change over Berlin
German federal elections are rarely fought on foreign policy. But if they were to be, the Greens – we now know – could be more than a safe contender. Knowing that Germany’s incumbent chancellor is stepping down for good in...
German Greens leader Baerbock signals post-pacifist shift on foreign policy
The German Greens' candidate for chancellor Annalena Baerbock on Thursday (6 May) said her country must be more active on foreign policy and "take more responsibility for its own security", in a sign the party is shifting from its pacifist stance towards the centre.
Spain’s Popular Party wins Madrid regional election
Spain's conservative Popular Party (PP) has won a snap regional election in Madrid, in a victory for the incumbent regional president, Isabel Díaz Ayuso. However the party fell short of an absolute majority and must form a coalition or rely on the abstention of far-right Vox to govern. EURACTIV’s partner EFE reports.
Macron’s party teams up with conservatives for regional elections in south
French President Emmanuel Macron's party, affiliated to Renew Europe, has formed an alliance with Les Républicains (EPP-affiliated) for regional elections in June in the southern Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, the prime minister was cited as saying on Sunday (2 May).