Elections
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.
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.
Austria says it will stop any migrants trying to rush its border
Austria will stop any migrants attempting to rush its border if measures to halt them in Greece and through the Balkans fail, conservative Interior Minister Karl Nehammer said on Sunday (1 March).
Slovak political map redrawn by unorthodox opposition leader’s victory
The conservative movement Ordinary People (OĽaNO) party won Saturday’s (29 February) parliamentary elections in Slovakia and will be the dominant player in a likely government coalition of opposition parties. Its leader Igor Matovič promises zero tolerance for corruption.
Four main players in Slovakia’s general election
Slovaks vote on Saturday (29 February) in a pivotal general election which sees the populist-left coalition trying to cling on to power ahead of centre-right party OLaNO.
Italy’s coronavirus outbreak spreads south, death toll rises
Italy's coronavirus crisis spread south on Tuesday (26 February) beyond its original epicentre in the north, as the death toll from the worst outbreak in Europe rose to 11 and the number of new cases jumped above 320, officials said.
Janez Jansa, admirer of Viktor Orban, to be nominated PM of Slovenia
The centre-right Slovenian Democratic Party (SDS), led by former prime minister Janez Janša, late on Tuesday (25 February) agreed on a future government coalition with three other parties, the four parties said.
Crisis-ridden SPD wins state parliamentary elections in Hamburg
Voters in Hamburg gave the SPD one of their best election results in recent years in a regional election on Sunday (23 February). With 38,9% of the vote, Peter Tschentscher (SPD) will continue as the city’s mayor, while the Greens doubled their share of the vote to reach 24,4%. Chancellor Angela Merkel's CDU, however, performed poorly.
Rightwing anti-migrant petition in Serbia sparks opposition unease
An anti-immigration campaign launched by a Serbian rightwing nationalist party has sparked unease within the disparate opposition coalition to which it belongs.
Ireland’s Fianna Fáil to step up efforts to form a government
Ireland's Fianna Fáil will step up efforts to form a government by starting formal engagement with other parties, except Sinn Féin, after marginally winning the most seats at an inconclusive 8 February election.
Hamburg elections, pose (another) crash test for Germany’s mainstream parties
Voters in the city state of Hamburg will elect their new parliament on 23 February, the first elections to take place after the Thuringian political turmoil broke out earlier this month. This is yet another test for Germany’s traditional parties that could seal the end of the country's traditional political landscape.
Macron picks minister to lead Paris mayor battle after sexting scandal
French President Emmanuel Macron picked his widely respected health minister on Sunday (16 February) to reinvigorate a campaign to win over Paris City Hall that fell apart when his previous candidate pulled out over a sexting scandal.
Merkel succession contender calls her out over slow EU revamp
A leading contender to succeed German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Sunday (16 February) criticised her for taking too long to respond to a French push to strengthen the EU after Brexit.
Pull yourselves together for EU’s sake, German Greens urge CDU
Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats (CDU), embroiled in a leadership crisis, must unite and keep their ruling coalition stable as Germany takes on the rotating European Union presidency this year, Greens leader Annalena Baerbock said on Saturday (15 February).
The Brief – A divided isle
There’s never a good time to have a political crisis but the one when your country is about to work out a complex new border arrangement with its closest neighbour must be among the worst.
Hungary plans citizen survey against court compensations for Roma
Hungary’s right-wing government plans next month to survey its citizens to determine whether the courts should stop financially compensating Roma for discrimination and prisoners for mistreatment. Critics say the government survey will pave the way for Prime Minister Viktor Orbán...