Elections
Warsaw keeps an eye on neighbouring Czech elections
Czechs will elect their new parliament on Friday and Saturday (20-21 October), with former deputy Prime Minister Andrej Babiš, an anti-migrant Eurosceptic and one of the wealthiest men in the country, set to win the most votes, according to the latest opinion polls.
Only Belgium breaks ranks in EU unity with Madrid
As the Spanish government vowed to take back powers from the Catalan regional government, EU leaders closed ranks behind Madrid on the first day of the EU summit yesterday (19 October), with only Belgium’s Prime Minister Charles Michel urging moderation and dialogue.
Schäuble successor in focus of German coalition talks
This week saw German political parties open talks to form a first-ever four-way coalition, with a successor to respected and feared paymaster Wolfgang Schäuble at the finance ministry one of the top prizes.
Not so fast: Macron and his farmers get trade onto ‘full’ EU summit agenda
French President Emmanuel Macron has succeeded in pushing trade onto the agenda of the EU summit which starts on Thursday (19 October), calling for caution in commercial deals that would bring a surge of beef and other agricultural imports.
EU summit begins with ultimatum day in Catalonia
Spain's political showdown with Catalonia is set to reach a new level on Thursday (19 October) when political leaders in Madrid and Barcelona are expected to make good on pledges made to their supporters to stick to their tough positions over the region's future.
Austria’s far-right stakes claim to interior ministry ahead of coalition talks
Austria's far-right Freedom Party (FPÖ) yesterday (18 October) named control of the interior ministry as its price for joining a future coalition government following its strong showing in a parliamentary election.
EU socialists pledge to turn left to tackle growing extremism
The EU Socialists and Democrats said on Wednesday (18 October) that they have to keep their distance from right-wing parties and be the basis for an alliance with progressive forces in order to counter growing extremism in Europe.
TOGETHER for a stronger, progressive family!
Socialism still has a long way to go. But following recent elections in various European countries, it is clear that progressive forces must regenerate themselves, write Gianni Pittella and Sergei Stanishev. Gianni Pittella is the president of the Socialists and Democrats Group in the European Parliament, and Sergei Stanishev is the president of the Party of European Socialists. Our values of …
Parliament poll: Public confidence in the EU is growing
A clear majority of EU citizens now believe that EU membership is good for their country, according to a survey of how they view the EU and its institutions, released on Wednesday (18 October).
As obstacles to ‘Jamaica’ keep mounting, Europe needs patience with Berlin
For three weeks, Germany’s politics have been frozen while we awaited the result of regional elections in the northwestern Bundesland Lower-Saxony over the weekend. Angela Merkel may now be wishing politics would remain frozen, writes Olaf Boehnke.
Mission impossible? Merkel’s coalition conundrum just got harder
She has earned a reputation as Europe's chief crisis manager. Now Germany's Angela Merkel must forge a government out of an awkward group of allies bent on nailing down a coalition deal so tight it risks limiting her room to act if crisis strikes again.
The EU is not to blame for the rise of the far right
Only a few months ago, experts called it a day on the rise of the far right. The lacklustre performance of populists in France and the Netherlands was taken as evidence of their demise. But this complacency has proved to be misplaced, writes Evgeny Pudovkin.
Catalan leader seeks dialogue with Madrid, stalls on independence bid
The leader of Spain's breakaway Catalonia region has asked to meet the Spanish prime minister, aiming to restore dialogue and avoid further escalation, but has not provided a clear answer on whether he would press ahead with independence.
Ex-football star Weah headed for presidential run-off in Liberia
Former soccer star George Weah was set to win the first round of a presidential election in Liberia after the elections commission said on Sunday he was leading with 39% of votes and less than 5% of precincts still to be counted.
EU holds breath after Austrian vote
Reactions from the European Commission and Council presidents are still pending following the early parliamentary elections held in Austria on Sunday (15 October), the nightmare outcome of which could be a coalition between the centre-right and the far-right.
Local election boosts Macedonia’s pro-Western Social Democrats
Macedonia's ruling Social Democrats claimed victory in municipal elections on Sunday (15 October), signalling large-scale support for the new government that has pledged to speed up the small Balkan country's accession to NATO and the European Union.
Merkel suffers local election setback as Schulz survives to fight another day
German Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives lost a closely-watched regional vote on Sunday (15 October), weakening her hand as she embarks on complex coalition talks following a disappointing showing at last month's general election.
Macron seeks to disrupt European politics ahead of 2019 EU elections
Ahead of the 2019 EU elections, Macron’s Republique en Marche (REM) party is torn between creating a new political group or sitting with the centre. EURACTIV France reports.
Italy lower house passes new electoral law penalising 5-Star Movement
The Italian Chamber of Deputies yesterday (12 October) gave its final approval to a contested electoral law that is likely to penalise the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement in next year's election.
News agency chief denounces ‘political takeover‘ of Romanian state media
The acting director of AGERPRES, the Romanian national news agency, denounced on Wednesday (11 October) new legislation which he described as a “huge step back” in terms of media freedom of media in Romania, and said he was “afraid of what could follow”.
Behind the diplomatic scene: The case of Poland’s outgoing EU ambassador
Last week, Polish Ambassador to the EU Jarosław Starzyk resigned from his post in Brussels. In a portrait, Tomasz Bielecki, the Brussels correspondent of EURACTIV.com’s media partner Gazeta Wyborcza provides insight into the circumstances of Starzyk’s departure.
Czech MEP: ‘We cannot blame Brussels for our own failures’
We have to stop the “us” and “them” rhetoric in which we blame the European institutions, says Martina Dlabajová, a Czech liberal MEP and member of the ANO movement which is heading for victory in the upcoming Czech parliamentary elections.
Spain threatens to suspend Catalonia’s autonomy in crisis
Spain threatened today (11 October) to suspend Catalonia's autonomy if it follows through on its threat to break away as an independent country.
At Frankfurt book fair, Macron urges Merkel to fight for EU revival
French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday pleaded his case for ambitious European reforms, appealing to German Chancellor Angela Merkel to join forces with him and enter the debate.