About: European elections 2019
Will UK hold EU elections if Article 50 is extended? EU institutions differ
The European Commission indicated on Friday (18 January) that Britons would need to choose their representatives to the next European Parliament if the country were to stay in the European Union beyond the first sitting of the new assembly on 2 July.
Germany security agency steps up watch of far-right AfD
Germany's domestic intelligence will step up monitoring for political extremism of the far-right AfD party, sources said Tuesday (15 January), a blow to the party in a busy election year.
Salvini calls for ‘Italian-Polish axis’ to replace Paris-Berlin
Italy's far-right Interior Minister Matteo Salvini on Wednesday (9 January) said populists from Italy and Poland should spark a "European spring" to replace the centre-right influence of Germany and France, ahead of key EU elections.
Belgium’s Charles Michel to stay on heading caretaker government
Belgian King Philippe accepted the resignation of Prime Minister Charles Michel on Friday (21 December) and requested his government stay on in a caretaker capacity for the coming months after his coalition split following an argument over migration.
Parliament calls for Selmayr’s resignation in landslide vote
The European Parliament yesterday (13 December) adopted a resolution, with a majority of 71%, that calls for the resignation of Martin Selmayr, the former right-hand man of Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker whose rushed promotion earlier this year was criticised as "a coup-like action".
Socialists entrust Timmermans to replace Juncker at EU helm
Europe’s socialist parties on Saturday (8 December) chose Dutch politician Frans Timmermans to lead them in May elections and to succeed his boss Jean-Claude Juncker as head of the European Commission. Delegates voted in Timmermans, currently first vice president of the EU’s powerful...
Vlaams Belang hosts Steve Bannon, Marine Le Pen in Flemish parliament
French far-right leader Marine Le Pen and Steve Bannon, a former advisor to US President Donald Trump, denounced the UN migration compact at an event hosted by Vlaams Belang in the Flemish parliament in Brussels on Saturday (8 December).
Experts lament underfunding of EU task force countering Russian disinformation
Experts and MEPs from more than 20 countries have published today (23 November) an open letter lamenting that the East STRATCOM team established within the European External Actions Service remains understaffed and underfunded.
Tusk lashes out at Trump stance on Europe
European Union chief Donald Tusk on Saturday (10 November) accused US President Donald Trump of being averse to a "strong and united" Europe and also warned against the emergence of a "brownshirt" nationalist front in EU elections next year.
Eurobarometer survey: Jourová rings ‘alarm bells’ ahead of EU Elections
EU Justice Commissioner Věra Jourová has delivered a stark message to member states ahead of the European elections in 2019, warning on Tuesday (6 November) that "the risk of interference and manipulation has never been so high."
Fragmentation of French left in European elections sharpens appetites
From Ségolène Royal to Benoît Hamon and citizens’ pressure groups, the ambitions of the French left are multiplying in the run-up to the May 2019 European elections, with the risk of cancelling each other out. EURACTIV France reports.
Merkel’s move poses risk of paralysis for the EU, analysts say
As Europe's most powerful leader, Angela Merkel's decision to quit as German chancellor in 2021 spells uncertainty and possibly paralysis for the EU as populists rally, diplomats and analysts warn.
Jourova: EU expects Romania to manage its presidency without hiccups
Justice Commissioner Věra Jourová made it clear today (26 October) that the EU is worried about government attempts in Bucharest to violate the independence of the judiciary, also in the perspective of the upcoming Romanian EU Presidency.
EU candidate Alex Stubb calls for net-zero carbon by 2045
Should he be picked as the European People's Party (EPP) lead candidate for the European Commission’s top job, Alexander Stubb vows to “work towards a carbon neutral Europe by 2045”. EURACTIV's media partner Climate Home News reports.
Salvini gets ready for Spitzenkandidaten battle
Italy's far-right Interior Minister Matteo Salvini is considering running for the presidency of the European Commission if a coalition of nationalist groups wins the next EU elections, he said in an interview Thursday (18 October).
Greens turning into the new political centre force, says European Greens co-chair
The rise of the Greens is not to be confused with a shifting majority within the left-wing political spectrum. Instead, it shows that the traditional left-right political divide is getting outdated, European Greens co-chair Reinhard Bütikofer told EURACTIV.com in an exclusive interview.
Margrethe Vestager’s uncertain future in Brussels
Four years spent fighting against the monopoly of the US digital giants have given Margrethe Vestager political prominence. But due to a lack of support from Copenhagen for a second mandate, the competition Commissioner is expected to leave Brussels after the elections. EURACTIV France reports.
Will Weber take a hammer to Facebook’s social media monopoly?
EPP MEP and lead candidate for Jean-Claude Junker's job as the next European Commission president, Manfred Weber, threw down the gauntlet on Friday (28 September), suggesting that he may support a breakup of Facebook and Whatsapp.
Austrian ex-chancellor Kern to run for centre-left Spitzenkandidat
As expected, opposition leader Christian Kern said yesterday (18 September) he would run as top candidate for the Austrian Social Democrats in the European Parliament elections next year, aiming to help build a strong counterweight to growing nationalist forces.
Czech MEP: I want to be ECR’s lead candidate, not an EU top job candidate
Czech MEP Jan Zahradil has recently announced his intention to become the ECR's lead candidate for the 2019 European Elections. He is a supporter of a multi-speed Union, with freedom for member states to pursue a foreign policy that best suits their own interests.
EPP unsure about retaining or expelling Orbán’s party
The European Parliament's vote to censure Hungary presents the assembly's dominant centre-right bloc with a dilemma over whether to retain its populist Hungarian allies or expel them months before elections.
Macron’s party neck-and-neck with far-right in 2019 EU election opinion poll
French President Emmanuel Macron's centrist LREM party is neck-and-neck with the far-right Rassemblement National, formerly the National Front, for the May 2019 European Parliament elections, according to poll results published on Thursday (13 September).
Poland worried by EU vote to censure Hungary
Poland on Wednesday (12 September) said it was very worried by the European Parliament's rare decision to launch a procedure against Hungary for posing a "systemic threat" to the EU's founding values.