About: EPP
Macedonia to hold referendum on name change on 30 September
Macedonia's parliament yesterday (30 July) set 30 September as the date for a referendum on changing the country's name to the Republic of North Macedonia, a high-stakes vote aimed at resolving a long-running row with Greece and clearing the path to join NATO and the EU.
Macedonia’s roadmap to NATO accession explained
As expected, Macedonia received an official invitation to join the NATO alliance yesterday (11 July), a month after it reached an agreement with Athens on its new name.
Putting the ‘European’ into the European elections
When the so-called “Spitzenkandidaten” or lead candidate method for designating the Commission president was introduced in 2014, it was celebrated as a democratic revolution. Five years later, it is difficult to find anyone seriously questioning the method - but the enthusiasm has somewhat washed away, writes Christopher Glück.
EPP gets another top job: Finland’s Itala to head OLAF
Finland’s Ville Itälä will be the new director-general of OLAF, the EU’s anti-fraud office. He comes from the Finnish Kokoomus party, affiliated with the centre-right European Peoples’ Party (EPP) and will move to Olaf from his current post with the European Court of Auditors.
Finns Stubb and Katainen leave door open to EU Commission top job
Former Finnish prime ministers Alexander Stubb and Jyrki Katainen left open the possibility on Saturday (9 June) that they would run to succeed Jean-Claude Juncker as the EU executive’s president next year.
Poland’s ruling PiS party considers joining centre-right EPP
Politicians in Poland's ultra-conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party are pushing to join the centre-right European People's Party (EPP) after next year's European elections. EURACTIV Poland's media partner, Gazeta Wyborcza, reports.
EPP silent on Spanish scandal, pledges to do ‘everything’ to fight corruption
The European Peoples' Party (EPP) will set up a committee in November to do “everything” to address “unethical behaviour” but remained silent on whether it would send a warning to its Spanish member following a major sentence against Partido Popular (PP).
European elections in the era of disruption
To some extent the vote next May will be a test of the resilience of the forces of disruption, the main achievement of whom so far being Brexit, writes Geoffrey Harris.
Bulgarian truckers protest against ‘Macron law’
Hundreds of truck drivers blocked roads across Bulgaria on Thursday (17 May) as European Union leaders met in Sofia, protesting against proposed EU rules they say would cost them their jobs and put their firms out of business.
Macron’s party seen outperforming French rivals in 2019 EU elections
French President Emmanuel Macron's party is seen easily outperforming its rivals in next year's European Parliament elections, the first poll on the issue showed on Wednesday (16 May), which could give a boost to his EU reform plans.
Civil organisations in Hungary brace for government crackdown on NGOs
Non-governmental organisations in the crosshairs of Hungary's EPP-affiliated government are seeking new funding sources and legal ways to counter a new law that would allow the interior minister to ban NGOs deemed to pose a "national security risk".
Tens of thousands of Hungarians protest against PM Orban’s rule
Tens of thousands of Hungarians protested on Saturday (21 April) against government control over the media, which they say helped Prime Minister Viktor Orbán to a landslide election victory earlier this month.
LREM’s first step towards the 2019 EU elections
En Marche will launch its “Grande Marche pour l’Europe” on the 24 March, the first step in its roadmap for the 2019 European elections. EURACTIV.fr reports
Pro-Gazprom bias detected in European Parliament vote on PCIs
A motion introduced by the Green group to oppose “projects of common interest” based on fossil fuels was rejected by a large majority of MEPs last week (March 14), but among those who supported it were MEPs who traditionally support Russia.
EP wants to include gender equality in free-trade agreements
The European Parliament has adopted a resolution to better account of gender equality in trade agreements. The commission could follow up in this resolution in its agreement with Chile, which would be the first to integrate such a chapter. EURACTIV.fr reports.
After Bulgaria, Slovakia too fails to ratify the Istanbul Convention
A wave of opposition in Central Europe to so-called “gender ideology” has led Bulgaria on 15 February, and then Slovakia yesterday (22 February) to oppose ratifying the Istanbul Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence.
Ska Keller’s extraordinary Bulgarian experience reverberates in Brussels
The presidents of the European Commission and Parliament have personally expressed support to Ska Keller, co-president of the GREEN/EFA group in the European Parliament, following her extraordinary and unpleasant experience in Bulgaria, the country that holds the rotating EU Presidency.
Trans-Europe Express: Mistrust is gaining ground in Europe
The wind of enthusiasm blown by the victory of President Emmanuel Macron last June has vanished. In a historic vote on Wednesday, the European Parliament rejected the innovative idea of transnational lists.
Seeking answers to euroscepticism
The prospect of Eurosceptic parties performing strongly in European and national elections has exorcised EU officials and pro-Europeans for the last 15 years. Britain’s impending departure from the bloc, coupled with the fact that the slow countdown to the next European elections in May 2019 is now underway, is focusing minds on how to avoid a repeat.
MEPs grill Romania’s government in absentia
Procedural problems prevented Romanian Justice Minister Tudorel Toader from addressing the European Parliament's plenary session on Wednesday (7 February) and explaining the government’s current judiciary reforms, which many MEPs see as a threat to the rule of law.
European Parliament votes against transnational lists
MEPs rejected the idea of a transnational list for the 2019 European elections on Wednesday (7 February), though they agreed to change the composition of the Parliament in light of Brexit. EURACTIV.fr reports.
Alain Lamassoure: Transnational lists – a crazy idea
The European conservatives are opposed to the project of transnational lists for the European elections, but risk losing during the vote on the matter on 6 February
Summit to set rules in race to succeed Juncker
The race to succeed Jean-Claude Juncker as head of the first post-Brexit European Commission begins later this month – and in typical EU style it is starting with a row about how the race should be run.