Politics Archives
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Borissov suggests expert cabinet after election rout
Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov's centre-right party came first in the weekend's parliamentary elections, partial results showed Monday (5 April), but with protest parties surging it has no clear partner to form a governing coalition.
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Bulgarians vote for change, send three new parties to Parliament
Bulgaria's election on Sunday (4 April) saw three new parties, largely representing the anti-corruption protests of last summer, enter parliament. Prime Minister Boyko Borissov's ruling conservative GERB remained the strongest single party but with slim chances of forming a government and staying in power.
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The Brief, powered by bp – An elusive elixir: how to unite the right
A "European renaissance based on Christian values" is probably not what Emmanuel Macron and others have in mind when they think about the EU’s future. But that was top of the agenda for Europe’s three populist musketeers on Thursday. After …
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The Brief, powered by bp – Dress rehearsal elections
As Bulgarians are gearing up for a general election on Sunday (4 April), the crucial issue - or risk, for some - is whether Boyko Borissov, who has run the poorest EU country with small interruptions since 2009, will get another mandate.
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The EverGiven effect and the ‘controlled vote’ in Bulgaria
This week on EURACTIV’s Yellow Room, we are talking about the EverGiven cargo ship blocking Egypt’s Suez Canal for nearly one week, the impact this had on transport and the economy before it was freed on Monday.
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‘Falling like flies’: Hungary’s Roma community pleads for COVID help
Coronavirus infections are ravaging Hungary's 700,000-strong Roma community, according to personal accounts that suggest multiple deaths in single families are common in an unchecked outbreak fuelled by deep distrust of authorities.
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On his last day with the Commission, Barnier says Brexit reality starts hitting
The European Union's former Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, said on Wednesday (31 March) the reality of Britain's decision to leave the bloc was only now being felt, years after the British 2016 referendum on membership.
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Vulnerable adult victims of hate crime struggle to file complaints
Portugal's minister of justice has said the main difficulty for vulnerable adult victims of hate crime or gender violence in Europe lies in making a complaint to the formal instances, as "fear" is the main barrier to overcome.
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Rise of nationalist parties threatens to stall progress on race discrimination in Belgium
In 2021, Belgium will mark 40 years since the national Anti-Racism Act was passed. However, despite efforts to combat racism and ethnic discrimination, complaints of racism rose by almost 50% in 2020.
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EU takes Poland to court over law ‘undermining’ judges
The European Commission said on Wednesday (31 March) it is taking Poland to the European Court of Justice over a reform it says undermines the country's judicial independence. Poland brushed it off, saying it had "no legal or factual justification".
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Netflix, ‘Lupin’ and EU rules spark a TV revolution
"Lupin", a French reboot set in postcard Paris, has made Omar Sy a global star and fulfilled a long-lost dream for Europeans: the confidence to take on Hollywood.
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Czech government defies intelligence warnings over Russia’s Rosatom
In today's edition of the Capitals, find out more about Hungarian and Polish PMs Viktor Orban and Mateusz Morawiecki, as well as Italy's League leader Matteo Salvini meeting in Budapest Thursday to discuss a “political alliance at European level”, Slovakia's PM resigning, and so much more.
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UK calls for end to ‘pernicious’ trade practices, in apparent swipe at China
Britain said it will push G7 allies to do more to ban "pernicious practices" in trade, such as forced labour and intellectual property theft, in an apparent call for a tougher line towards China at the World Trade Organization.
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Airbnb welcomes common tax framework for digital platforms
Airbnb has welcomed the agreement reached among EU member states to create a common tax reporting framework for digital platforms, which will require sales to be reported to the tax authorities.
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The Brief, powered by bp – Vanity before victory
At the start of the year, Scottish independence looked more likely than ever before. Opinion polls consistently suggested that a majority of Scots would vote for independence should a second referendum be held. The EU, meanwhile, might soon be restored …
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Facebook urges Ireland to hold off on political ads rules until EU legislation
Facebook has told Irish lawmakers that proposed new rules in the country to regulate online political advertising should be held off until the European Commission presents its own legislation in the field.
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MEPs call for greater regulation of AI discrimination
The European Parliament's culture and education committee endorsed on 15 March an opinion calling for a framework to regulate artificial intelligence (AI) in order to "reduce gender, social or cultural bias in technology", and the European Commission is expected to propose a legislative framework for the matter in April. EURACTIV France reports.
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Commissioner supports modernising, expanding EU railways
European Commissioner for Cohesion and Reform Elisa Ferreira has expressed her support for expanding railways in the European Union, calling for investment in modernisation and regional connections.
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Orbán’s influence on the media is without rival in Hungary
The state of Hungary’s media has become the focus of intense public debate at home and across Europe after the national Media Council, run exclusively by people from the ruling Fidesz party, revoked the opposition Klubrádió’s frequency in February. EURACTIV's media partner Telex takes stock of the country's media landscape.
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German school system still holds back children of migrants, experts say
In Germany, how well a child does in school is closely linked to their parental background, with immigrants and their children worst affected by structural inequalities. Opposition politicians are calling for reforms, but experts fear there is a lack of political will for the necessary overhaul.
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A serving Europe, or serving Europe?
Brussels should serve the people, not the other way around.
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Portuguese EU Presidency vows to adopt new Erasmus+ in June
Portugal's minister of education, Tiago Brandão Rodrigues, has welcomed the European Commission's launch of its proposed Erasmus+ exchange programme for the period 2021-2027, pledging to work towards its formal adoption and announcing its official launch on 18 June in Viana do Castelo, in northern Portugal.
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Merkel presses German states to get tough with COVID curbs
Chancellor Angela Merkel pressed Germany's states on Sunday to step up efforts to curb rapidly rising coronavirus infections, and raised the possibility of introducing curfews to try to get a third wave under control. Merkel expressed dissatisfaction that some states were …