EU Elections 2014

Replacing Juncker: A centre-left struggle

French Commissioner Pierre Moscovici’s name has been linked with the EU executive’s top job once the current president’s mandate ends. If Juncker’s successor is chosen in the same way he got the job, then how good are Moscovici’s chances? Nicholas Whyte explains.

European elections: Careful what you promise, citizens are watching

Members of the European Parliament made a number of big promises ahead of the last election, it is time they were held accountable for the pledges they made, write Allan Päll and Petros Fassoulas.

Martin Schulz’s rapid rise from Brussels man to chancellor candidate

Martin Schulz is known in Germany mainly as a European politician and an ally of Chancellor Angela Merkel. But later this year they will face off in the country's leadership race. EURACTIV’s partner Der Tagesspiegel reports.

ALDE president: ‘We can be the strongest European party’

The Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) is traditionally the third strongest political group in the European Parliament, but in the 2014 elections, it suffered big losses, dropping below the ECR. Now it looks like the liberals are back. EURACTIV Germany reports.

France and the UK as influential as Lithuania in the European Parliament

Germany, Italy and Poland have far more influence over EU legislation than France or the UK, which suffer from the lack of involvement of many of their MEPs. But three women preserve France’s dignity. EURACTIV France reports.

EU centre-right says unlikely to back Trump in US elections

EXCLUSIVE / Breaking with tradition, the centre-right European People’s Party (EPP) said it was reluctant to support Republican candidate Donald Trump in the US presidential race because of his rejection of strong ties with the EU, EURACTIV.com has learned.

EU politicians convert to ‘big data’ as campaign weapon

US politicians are the acknowledged forerunners when it comes to using digital technologies in election campaigns. But Europeans are making strides in their attempt to catch up, with the 2014 EU election providing a testing ground for big data analysts.

Analysts: 2019 EU elections will be transformative for European democracy

The Spitzenkandidaten process was never going to be the magic wand, creating a new sense of engagement. But it will in 2019, if we are able to learn the lesson of 2014, said Julian Priestley and Nereo Peñalver Garcia, in an interview with EURACTIV.

National Front undermines French influence in Brussels

The meteoric rise of the French National Front in the 2014 elections has further undermined France's ailing influence in the European Parliament, according to a report by the Schuman Foundation. The French positions in the Council and the Commission have not deteriorated to the same extent. EURACTIV France reports. 

Wrap-up: first 100 days of #TeamJunckerEU

EURACTIV looks back at the first 100 days of the new European Commission led by Jean-Claude Juncker, showing how the new team progressed.   

French Socialists inspired by Syriza victory

After observing the rise of the radical left in Greece with suspicion, France's Socialists have extended a warm welcome to Alexis Tsipras following his election victory. EURACTIV France reports. 

Italy’s Northern League calls for EU to be ‘demolished’

In a European political landscape increasingly populated with insurgent, anti-system parties, Italy's extremist Northern League is the latest to profit from a groundswell of hostility to the European Union.

European Parliament agrees on new intergroups

Intergroups have no legislative power, but are formed to promote exchange of views - on subjects as diverse as animal rights or youth - and are often used as a single point of contact by lobbyists. EURACTIV France reports. 

The EU needs to stop playing hardball with Turkey

A more inclusive EU would symbolize a new era of global cooperation, validating Turkey’s record as a meaningful partner, writes Yusif Babanly.

MEPs face loss of legitimacy if they fail parliamentary reform

If the European Union lacks somewhat in terms of popular legitimacy, the electoral procedure of the European Parliament must have something to do with it. Fortunately, Parliament is itself responsible for initiating electoral reform, although like all parliaments it must overcome the vested interests of serving deputies that provide an in-built bias towards the status quo, writes Andrew Duff.

Juncker emerges stronger from Luxleaks censure motion

The European Parliament rejected a motion of censure against Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker’s team today (27 November), the result being better than the one he obtained when the Commission was initially voted on, two weeks before the Luxleaks scandal erupted.

Juncker: Christmas has come early, here is my big plan

“I promised to present an ambitious Investment Plan before Christmas. One month later and Christmas has come early – I am here to deliver on my promise”, Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker told MEPs, presenting his €315 billion investment plan.

Juncker set to survive censure motion as MEPs trade insults

A no-confidence motion in the EU's new chief executive Jean-Claude Juncker had no chance of success after the Eurosceptic lawmakers who brought it traded insults with the bigger parties in the European Parliament on Monday (24 November).

Socialists slam extreme right’s censure motion against Juncker

The centre-left appears strongly supportive of Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker ahead of today’s (24 November) debate on a motion of censure against him, lodged by the National Front of Marine Le Pen, UKIP of Nigel Farage and other anti-EU MEPs.

Juncker faces censure motion over Luxembourg tax deals

The European Commission faces a censure motion in the European Parliament next week after right-wing, and far-right Eurosceptic lawmakers united to condemn the role its president, Jean-Claude Juncker, played in Luxembourg tax evasion schemes.

French National Front plagued by anti-Semitism

A recent study published by the Foundation for Political Innovation has dealt a blow to the legitimacy of France's National Front, establishing a strong relationship between the NF and anti-Semitism in France. EURACTIV France reports. 

Juncker out of the woods after Parliament stunt

Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker made an unexpected appearance in the European Parliament hemicycle yesterday (12 November), and apparently succeeded in defusing tensions following the “Luxleaks” revelation of secret deals granting preferential tax treatments to multinational companies in his home country, Luxembourg.

Juncker breaks cover on Luxleaks

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker made a surprise appearance in front of the Brussels press on Wednesday (12 November) to address the 'Luxleaks' scandal, rejecting all accusations of masterminding corporate tax evasion as Prime Minister of Luxembourg and announcing a new EU initiative to clamp down on tax avoidance.

Leftist group gathers MEP signatures to oust Juncker Commission over Luxleaks

The leftist GUE/NGL group has started gathering signatures from MEPs for a motion of censure against the commission led by Jean-Claude Juncker over his involvement in widespread tax evasion while he was Finance Minister of Luxembourg, revealed by the so-called Luxleaks.