January 25, 2023
A weekly review of news and analysis of elections in Europe, usually posted on Wednesdays and occasionally updated throughout the week.
The former Communist Party House, flanked by other government offices, in Sofia, Bulgaria. Photo credit: Wikimedia/Pudelek (Marcin Szala) (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Upcoming Europe Elections
Czech Republic Presidential Runoff: January 27-28, 2023
Controversial former prime minister Andrej Babiš will face off against retired general Petr Pavel in the Czech Republic’s presidential runoff later this month. Incumbent Milos Zeman, who has been in power for 10 years and did not run for re-election, built closer ties with Russia and China.
Pavel, a former chairman of the NATO Military Committee, favors pro-West policies, while populist Babiš has criticized support for Ukraine and the EU more generally.
Reuters (January 24, 2023): Petr Pavel: who is the ex-army chief leading Czech presidential election race?
Peter Laca and Krystof Chamonikolas, Bloomberg (January 22, 2023): Ex-NATO General Leads Polls Before Czech Presidential Run-Off
NK News (January 20, 2023): How the Czech Republic positions itself between hawks and doves on North Korea: Prague both condemns the DPRK’s nukes and embraces cultural exchanges, setting itself up for engagement with Pyongyang
Reuters (January 19, 2023): Czech government survives no-confidence vote
Finland General Elections: April 2, 2023
Henri Vanhanen, Lawfare (January 25, 2023): Finland in 2023: Beyond Military Nonalignment and a Revanchist Putin
Jari Tanner and Karl Ritter, AP (January 24, 2023): Finland’s top diplomat hints at joining NATO without Sweden
Bulgaria Snap Parliamentary Elections: April 2, 2023 (fifth election in two years)
Reuters (January 24, 2023): Bulgaria gears for its fifth election in two years on April 2
Greece Parliamentary Elections: By July 2023
AP (January 25, 2023): Greek government faces no confidence vote over wiretaps
Thanos Davelis and Tom Ellis, Kathimerini (January 24, 2023 – podcast): The message from Davos: Greece is back
Elena Becatoros, AP (January 19, 2023): Greek PM Mitsotakis: ‘We will not go to war with Turkey’
Slovakia Snap Parliamentary Elections: September 30, 2023 (proposed – requires parliament to change constitution to allow)
Reuters (January 25, 2023): Slovak parliament opens way to September early election
Reuters (January 22, 2023): Slovakia’s former coalition heads agree to early parliamentary elections
AP (January 21, 2023): Slovakia holds referendum to enable snap election
Hungary Today (January 19, 2023): Slovak Minister Warns Against a “Hungarian System”
Spain General Elections: December 10, 2023 (due – early elections possible)
AFP (January 21, 2023): Thousands protest against Spanish govt in Madrid
Past Europe Elections
Bosnia and Herzegovina Presidential and Legislative Elections: October 2, 2022
Bosnia now has a government following October 2022 elections. For the first time in over a decade, SDA, the main Bosniak party, will not be part of the government.
The government was formed very quickly by Bosnian standards – typically, it takes more than a year, but this time, only three months. The new prime minister will be ethnic Croat Borjana Kristo.
Denitsa Koseva at bne IntelliNews notes: “When Kristo was nominated in December, she said she would lead the government towards restarting the process of integration in the EU. Since then, in mid-December, Bosnia was granted EU candidate status after years of waiting.”
AP (January 25, 2023): New Bosnian government approved 3 months after elections
RFE/RL (January 25, 2023): New Bosnian Governing Council Under Croat Kristo Approved By Lawmakers
Denitsa Koseva, bne IntelliNews (January 25, 2023): Bosnia appoints new pro-EU government
Sweden Parliamentary and Local Elections: September 11, 2022
Sweden’s 2022 elections brought in a center-right coalition government led by the Moderate Party, with a confidence and supply agreement with the populist Sweden Democrats.
Niclas Rolander and Ott Ummelas, Bloomberg (January 25, 2023): Why Turkey Is Still Blocking Sweden’s NATO Accession
Guney Yildiz, Forbes (January 24, 2023): Turkiye’s Blocking Sweden’s NATO Accession Have Nothing To Do With The Quran Desecration In Stockholm
United Kingdom Local Elections, including Northern Ireland Assembly: May 5, 2022
The United Kingdom held local elections for some local councils, as well as the Northern Ireland Assembly, on May 5.
Northern Ireland’s nationalist Sinn Féin became the biggest party in the Assembly following these elections. However, the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) has been boycotting the assembly, and as a result, Northern Ireland has not had a government for nearly a year.
As a result, snap elections are required and could be called.
Aoife Moore, Times of London (January 22, 2023): Americans added $1m to Sinn Fein coffers in one year
Euronews with AFP (January 20, 2023): Clock ticking on Northern Ireland elections after Stormont stalement deadline passes
Matthew Weaver and Lisa O’Carroll, The Guardian (January 20, 2023): Leo Varadkar admits regrets over Northern Ireland protocol: Ireland’s taoiseach regrets Brexit arrangement imposed without agreement of unionists and nationalists
Regional Analysis
Laura Clancy, Sarah Austin, and Jordan Lippert, Pew Research Center (January 25, 2023): Many countries in Europe get a new government at least every two years
Cain Burdeau, Courthouse News Service (January 25, 2023): Europe’s got a big, creepy spyware problem – and it’s going unchecked
Europe Elections Coming Up in 2023
Several European countries hold elections that determine who runs the government: Cyprus (fun fact: Cyprus is the EU’s only full presidential system), Monaco, Estonia, Andorra, Finland, Greece, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Poland, and Spain.
In addition, Montenegro and Slovakia appear on track to hold snap elections. And Bulgaria could hold its fourth general election in three years.
Moreover, a number of other countries in Europe could hold snap elections at short notice – it happens.
Slovakia Referendum on Early Elections: January 21, 2023
Czech Republic Presidential Runoff: January 27-28, 2023
Austria, Lower Austria State Elections: January 29, 2023
Cyprus Presidential Election: February 5, 2023
Monaco Parliamentary Elections: February 5, 2023
Cyprus Presidential Runoff: February 12, 2023
Germany, Berlin State Elections: February 12, 2023
Italy, Lazio and Lombardy Regional Elections: February 12, 2023
Estonia General Elections: March 5, 2023
albniaLithuania Local Elections: March 5, 2023
Liechtenstein Local Elections: March 5, 2023
Austria, Carinthia State Elections: March 5, 2023
Netherlands Provincial Council and Water Authority Elections: March 15, 2023
Montenegro Presidential Election: March 19, 2023 (snap parliamentary elections possible)
Andorra Parliamentary Elections: March 2023 (due)
Finland General Elections: April 2, 2023
Bulgaria Snap Parliamentary Elections: April 2, 2023 (fifth election in two years)
Austria, Salzburg State Elections: April 23, 2023
Kosovo Partial Local Elections: April 23, 2023
United Kingdom, Local Elections in Some Parts of England: May 4, 2023
Albania Local Elections: May 14, 2023
Germany, Bremen State Elections and Local Elections in Schleswig-Holstein: May 14, 2023
United Kingdom, Local Elections in Northern Ireland: May 18, 2023
Spain Local Elections and Various Regional Elections: May 28, 2023
Latvia Indirect Presidential Election (by parliament): May 2023 (due)
Greece Local Elections: May 2023 (due)
Spain, Regional Elections in Various Regions: June 25, 2023
Luxembourg Local Elections: June 2023 (due)
Greece Parliamentary Elections: July 2023 (due)
Norway Local Elections: September 11, 2023
Slovakia Snap Parliamentary Elections: September 30, 2023 (proposed – requires parliament to change constitution to allow)
Switzerland Federal Parliamentary Elections: October 22, 2023
Luxembourg General Elections: October 2023 (due)
Bulgaria Local Elections: October 2023 (due)
Germany, Hesse and Bavaria State Elections: October 2023 (due)
Finland, Åland Elections: October 2023 (due)
Portugal, Regional Elections in Madeira: October 2023 (due)
Poland Parliamentary and Local Elections (due – earlier elections possible): November 11, 2023
Spain General Elections: December 10, 2023 (due – early elections possible)
Switzerland Indirect Presidential Election (by parliament): December 12, 2023
Andorra Local Elections: December 2023 (due)
21votes does not necessarily agree with all of the opinions expressed in the linked articles; rather, our goal is to curate a wide range of voices. Furthermore, none of the individuals or organizations referenced have reviewed 21votes’ content. That is to say, their inclusion should not be taken to imply that they endorse us in any way. More on our approach here.
Europe This Week: January 25, 2023
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Last Updated: February 10, 2023 by 21votes
January 25, 2023
A weekly review of news and analysis of elections in Europe, usually posted on Wednesdays and occasionally updated throughout the week.
Upcoming Europe Elections
Czech Republic Presidential Runoff: January 27-28, 2023
Controversial former prime minister Andrej Babiš will face off against retired general Petr Pavel in the Czech Republic’s presidential runoff later this month. Incumbent Milos Zeman, who has been in power for 10 years and did not run for re-election, built closer ties with Russia and China.
Pavel, a former chairman of the NATO Military Committee, favors pro-West policies, while populist Babiš has criticized support for Ukraine and the EU more generally.
Reuters (January 24, 2023): Petr Pavel: who is the ex-army chief leading Czech presidential election race?
Peter Laca and Krystof Chamonikolas, Bloomberg (January 22, 2023): Ex-NATO General Leads Polls Before Czech Presidential Run-Off
NK News (January 20, 2023): How the Czech Republic positions itself between hawks and doves on North Korea: Prague both condemns the DPRK’s nukes and embraces cultural exchanges, setting itself up for engagement with Pyongyang
Reuters (January 19, 2023): Czech government survives no-confidence vote
Finland General Elections: April 2, 2023
Henri Vanhanen, Lawfare (January 25, 2023): Finland in 2023: Beyond Military Nonalignment and a Revanchist Putin
Jari Tanner and Karl Ritter, AP (January 24, 2023): Finland’s top diplomat hints at joining NATO without Sweden
Bulgaria Snap Parliamentary Elections: April 2, 2023 (fifth election in two years)
Reuters (January 24, 2023): Bulgaria gears for its fifth election in two years on April 2
Greece Parliamentary Elections: By July 2023
AP (January 25, 2023): Greek government faces no confidence vote over wiretaps
Thanos Davelis and Tom Ellis, Kathimerini (January 24, 2023 – podcast): The message from Davos: Greece is back
Elena Becatoros, AP (January 19, 2023): Greek PM Mitsotakis: ‘We will not go to war with Turkey’
Slovakia Snap Parliamentary Elections: September 30, 2023 (proposed – requires parliament to change constitution to allow)
Reuters (January 25, 2023): Slovak parliament opens way to September early election
Reuters (January 22, 2023): Slovakia’s former coalition heads agree to early parliamentary elections
AP (January 21, 2023): Slovakia holds referendum to enable snap election
Hungary Today (January 19, 2023): Slovak Minister Warns Against a “Hungarian System”
Spain General Elections: December 10, 2023 (due – early elections possible)
AFP (January 21, 2023): Thousands protest against Spanish govt in Madrid
Past Europe Elections
Bosnia and Herzegovina Presidential and Legislative Elections: October 2, 2022
Bosnia now has a government following October 2022 elections. For the first time in over a decade, SDA, the main Bosniak party, will not be part of the government.
The government was formed very quickly by Bosnian standards – typically, it takes more than a year, but this time, only three months. The new prime minister will be ethnic Croat Borjana Kristo.
Denitsa Koseva at bne IntelliNews notes: “When Kristo was nominated in December, she said she would lead the government towards restarting the process of integration in the EU. Since then, in mid-December, Bosnia was granted EU candidate status after years of waiting.”
AP (January 25, 2023): New Bosnian government approved 3 months after elections
RFE/RL (January 25, 2023): New Bosnian Governing Council Under Croat Kristo Approved By Lawmakers
Denitsa Koseva, bne IntelliNews (January 25, 2023): Bosnia appoints new pro-EU government
Sweden Parliamentary and Local Elections: September 11, 2022
Sweden’s 2022 elections brought in a center-right coalition government led by the Moderate Party, with a confidence and supply agreement with the populist Sweden Democrats.
Niclas Rolander and Ott Ummelas, Bloomberg (January 25, 2023): Why Turkey Is Still Blocking Sweden’s NATO Accession
Guney Yildiz, Forbes (January 24, 2023): Turkiye’s Blocking Sweden’s NATO Accession Have Nothing To Do With The Quran Desecration In Stockholm
United Kingdom Local Elections, including Northern Ireland Assembly: May 5, 2022
The United Kingdom held local elections for some local councils, as well as the Northern Ireland Assembly, on May 5.
Northern Ireland’s nationalist Sinn Féin became the biggest party in the Assembly following these elections. However, the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) has been boycotting the assembly, and as a result, Northern Ireland has not had a government for nearly a year.
As a result, snap elections are required and could be called.
Aoife Moore, Times of London (January 22, 2023): Americans added $1m to Sinn Fein coffers in one year
Euronews with AFP (January 20, 2023): Clock ticking on Northern Ireland elections after Stormont stalement deadline passes
Matthew Weaver and Lisa O’Carroll, The Guardian (January 20, 2023): Leo Varadkar admits regrets over Northern Ireland protocol: Ireland’s taoiseach regrets Brexit arrangement imposed without agreement of unionists and nationalists
Regional Analysis
Laura Clancy, Sarah Austin, and Jordan Lippert, Pew Research Center (January 25, 2023): Many countries in Europe get a new government at least every two years
Cain Burdeau, Courthouse News Service (January 25, 2023): Europe’s got a big, creepy spyware problem – and it’s going unchecked
Europe Elections Coming Up in 2023
Several European countries hold elections that determine who runs the government: Cyprus (fun fact: Cyprus is the EU’s only full presidential system), Monaco, Estonia, Andorra, Finland, Greece, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Poland, and Spain.
In addition, Montenegro and Slovakia appear on track to hold snap elections. And Bulgaria could hold its fourth general election in three years.
Moreover, a number of other countries in Europe could hold snap elections at short notice – it happens.
Slovakia Referendum on Early Elections: January 21, 2023
Czech Republic Presidential Runoff: January 27-28, 2023
Austria, Lower Austria State Elections: January 29, 2023
Cyprus Presidential Election: February 5, 2023
Monaco Parliamentary Elections: February 5, 2023
Cyprus Presidential Runoff: February 12, 2023
Germany, Berlin State Elections: February 12, 2023
Italy, Lazio and Lombardy Regional Elections: February 12, 2023
Estonia General Elections: March 5, 2023
albniaLithuania Local Elections: March 5, 2023
Liechtenstein Local Elections: March 5, 2023
Austria, Carinthia State Elections: March 5, 2023
Netherlands Provincial Council and Water Authority Elections: March 15, 2023
Montenegro Presidential Election: March 19, 2023 (snap parliamentary elections possible)
Andorra Parliamentary Elections: March 2023 (due)
Finland General Elections: April 2, 2023
Bulgaria Snap Parliamentary Elections: April 2, 2023 (fifth election in two years)
Austria, Salzburg State Elections: April 23, 2023
Kosovo Partial Local Elections: April 23, 2023
United Kingdom, Local Elections in Some Parts of England: May 4, 2023
Albania Local Elections: May 14, 2023
Germany, Bremen State Elections and Local Elections in Schleswig-Holstein: May 14, 2023
United Kingdom, Local Elections in Northern Ireland: May 18, 2023
Spain Local Elections and Various Regional Elections: May 28, 2023
Latvia Indirect Presidential Election (by parliament): May 2023 (due)
Greece Local Elections: May 2023 (due)
Spain, Regional Elections in Various Regions: June 25, 2023
Luxembourg Local Elections: June 2023 (due)
Greece Parliamentary Elections: July 2023 (due)
Norway Local Elections: September 11, 2023
Slovakia Snap Parliamentary Elections: September 30, 2023 (proposed – requires parliament to change constitution to allow)
Switzerland Federal Parliamentary Elections: October 22, 2023
Luxembourg General Elections: October 2023 (due)
Bulgaria Local Elections: October 2023 (due)
Germany, Hesse and Bavaria State Elections: October 2023 (due)
Finland, Åland Elections: October 2023 (due)
Portugal, Regional Elections in Madeira: October 2023 (due)
Poland Parliamentary and Local Elections (due – earlier elections possible): November 11, 2023
Spain General Elections: December 10, 2023 (due – early elections possible)
Switzerland Indirect Presidential Election (by parliament): December 12, 2023
Andorra Local Elections: December 2023 (due)
21votes does not necessarily agree with all of the opinions expressed in the linked articles; rather, our goal is to curate a wide range of voices. Furthermore, none of the individuals or organizations referenced have reviewed 21votes’ content. That is to say, their inclusion should not be taken to imply that they endorse us in any way. More on our approach here.
Category: This Week Tags: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Finland, Greece, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom