Europe This Week – February 13, 2019

February 13, 2019

Each day, 21votes gathers election and political news from a different region of the world. We explore Europe on Wednesdays. Click the map pins.

Estonia Parliamentary - March 3, 2019

Estonia’s newest party, Richness of Life, unveiled its manifesto, calling for direct democracy and a “return to the natural world.”


The party picketed Estonia’s public broadcaster, ERR, because it was not automatically included in ERR’s pre-election debates because it is not fielding a full slate of 125 candidates.

https://twitter.com/errnews/status/1095693440581623808

Estonia’s parties are participating in a robust debate schedule leading up to the elections, including two debates in English.

Lithuania Local - March 3, 2019 and Presidential - May 12, 2019

112News: “Presidential and local elections will be held in Lithuania in the spring, as well as elections to the European Parliament. The deadline for registration of presidential candidates expires on February 21, and there are already three favorites of the election race. For Ukraine, the United States and the European Union, the election results in this distinctive and small Baltic country are of particular importance.”

European Parliament - May 24-26, 2019

Deutsche Welle: “With elections 100 days away, the European Parliament has teamed up with FIFPro, an organization which represents world footballers, to promote participation. Voter turnout has declined in every EU election since 1979.”

Politico: “Europe hopes to fend off election hackers with ‘cyber sanctions’”

Belgium Parliamentary and European Parliament - May 26, 2019

Dafydd ab Iago in The Brussels Times: “What no government…The current state of Belgian politics and the rocky road ahead”

A general strike brought Belgium to a standstill Wednesday, including Brussels, where a NATO ministerial meeting was scheduled, February 13. France24 notes: “Unions are calling for higher wages, benefits and pensions, and better end-of-career conditions. The movement is putting pressure on the right-of-centre government ahead of general elections in May.”

Croatia European Parliament - May 26, 2019

A new leftist party, We Can, was launched in Croatia this past weekend. Total Croatia News reports: “The party plans to run in the elections for the European Parliament in May and is open to forming a coalition with similar left-leaning groups who share their values, including social democrats and the non-parliamentary far left, but not with the Social Democratic Party (SDP) which they regard as a liberal centrist party.”

France European Parliament - May 26, 2019

Italy’s populist government is wreaking diplomatic havoc, most recently with France, which pulled its ambassador out of Italy after deputy prime minister Luigi Di Maio met with representatives of the Yellow Vests, expressing support for their candidates for the European Parliament.

Germany European Parliament – May 26 2019 and Various State Elections – 2019

Fabian von der Mark in Deutche Welle: “Opinion: Germany’s CDU and SPD need some soul-searching

TheLocal.de: “Germany’s SPD shifts back to leftist roots, straining ties with Merkel”

Los Angeles Times: “Germany’s conservative party shifts away from Chancellor Merkel’s open-borders policy”

Greece European Parliament and Local - May 26 and Parliamentary - due October but snap possible

Rene Maltezou in Kathermini: “How Greece’s PM hopes to solve his election riddle”

Albania Local - June 30, 2019

Albania’s opposition Democratic Party has planned protests for this coming weekend, demanding that Prime Minster Edi Rama resign, alleging fraud in the election that brought Rama’s Socialist Party to power.

Meanwhile, tensions continue between Rama and President Illir Meta over a ring road project in the capital, Tirana. The project has led to protests. The Socialist Movement for Integration (LSI),  to which Meta used to belong and which has at times served as a kingmaker in Albanian politics, is also calling on Rama to resign.

Serbia - Snapwatch

RFE/RL: “Serbian opposition parties say they have begun boycotting the national parliament in a show of solidarity with a wave of protests against President Aleksandar Vucic.”

Spain - Snapwatch

Financial Times: “Spain edges toward early elections as budget deal is rejected”

Washington Post: “Spain: Early election decision expected Friday”

Italy, Abruzzo Regional - February 10, 2019

Reuters: “A centre-right candidate has won a regional vote in central Italy, with the ruling far-right League party surging ahead, while its coalition partner, the populist 5-Star Movement, lost ground, results showed on Monday.”

Politico: “The contest in Abruzzo, a small mountainous region to the east of Rome was the first in which the 5Stars and the League have competed against each other since they teamed up to form the national government last June.”

The Telegraph: “The anti-establishment Five Star Movement, which governs with The League at the national level, performed dismally, winning just 20 per cent of votes – half of what it garnered in the region during last year’s general election.”

There had been speculation that because those two parties were running separately in Abruzzo, the regional vote could sufficiently stoke tensions at the national level to collapse the government and trigger new elections. However, both Premier Giuseppe Conte of the League and Deputy Premier Matteo Salvini of Five Star say that nothing will change for the government in Rome.

Bloomberg: “Italian Assets Rally as Regional Vote Stokes Political Optimism”

Bosnia and Herzegovina General - October 8, 2018

Reuters: “Delays in the formation of governments in Bosnia since October’s elections may slow structural reforms needed to spur economic growth, affecting the country’s rating and investment, the central bank governor said on Monday.”

Zeljko Trkanjec in Euractiv: “The new EU executive may for the first time have Commissioners appointed by nationalists, who will be influenced by Russia. Therefore, a solution for the simmering tensions in Bosnia and Herzegovina should be found before the EU elections in May, to avoid wider risks for the Balkans, a senior diplomat said.”

Czech Republic Presidential - January 2018

Deutche Welle: “Andrej Babis — The anti-migrant Czech premier and his migrant workers”

Estonia Parliamentary – March 3, 2019
Estonia’s newest party, Richness of Life, unveiled its manifesto, calling for direct democracy and a “return to the natural world.”

The party picketed Estonia’s public broadcaster, ERR, because it was not automatically included in ERR’s pre-election debates because it is not fielding a full slate of 125 candidates.

Estonia’s parties are participating in a robust debate schedule leading up to the elections, including two debates in English.

Lithuania Local – March 3, 2019 and Presidential – May 12, 2019
112News: “Presidential and local elections will be held in Lithuania in the spring, as well as elections to the European Parliament. The deadline for registration of presidential candidates expires on February 21, and there are already three favorites of the election race. For Ukraine, the United States and the European Union, the election results in this distinctive and small Baltic country are of particular importance.”

European Parliament – May 24-26, 2019
Deutsche Welle: “With elections 100 days away, the European Parliament has teamed up with FIFPro, an organization which represents world footballers, to promote participation. Voter turnout has declined in every EU election since 1979.”

Politico: “Europe hopes to fend off election hackers with ‘cyber sanctions’”

Belgium Parliamentary and European Parliament – May 26, 2019
Dafydd ab Iago in The Brussels Times: “What no government…The current state of Belgian politics and the rocky road ahead”

A general strike brought Belgium to a standstill Wednesday, including Brussels, where a NATO ministerial meeting was scheduled, February 13. France24 notes: “Unions are calling for higher wages, benefits and pensions, and better end-of-career conditions. The movement is putting pressure on the right-of-centre government ahead of general elections in May.”

Croatia European Parliament – May 26, 2019
A new leftist party, We Can, was launched in Croatia this past weekend. Total Croatia News reports: “The party plans to run in the elections for the European Parliament in May and is open to forming a coalition with similar left-leaning groups who share their values, including social democrats and the non-parliamentary far left, but not with the Social Democratic Party (SDP) which they regard as a liberal centrist party.”

France European Parliament – May 26, 2019
Italy’s populist government is wreaking diplomatic havoc, most recently with France, which pulled its ambassador out of Italy after deputy prime minister Luigi Di Maio met with representatives of the Yellow Vests, expressing support for their candidates for the European Parliament.

Germany European Parliament – May 26 2019 and Various State Elections – 2019

Fabian von der Mark in Deutche Welle: “Opinion: Germany’s CDU and SPD need some soul-searching

TheLocal.de: “Germany’s SPD shifts back to leftist roots, straining ties with Merkel”

Los Angeles Times: “Germany’s conservative party shifts away from Chancellor Merkel’s open-borders policy”

Greece European Parliament and Local – May 26 and Parliamentary – due October but snap possible
Rene Maltezou in Kathermini: “How Greece’s PM hopes to solve his election riddle”

Albania Local – June 30, 2019
Albania’s opposition Democratic Party has planned protests for this coming weekend, demanding that Prime Minster Edi Rama resign, alleging fraud in the election that brought Rama’s Socialist Party to power.

Meanwhile, tensions continue between Rama and President Illir Meta over a ring road project in the capital, Tirana. The project has led to protests. The Socialist Movement for Integration (LSI),  to which Meta used to belong and which has at times served as a kingmaker in Albanian politics, is also calling on Rama to resign.

Serbia – Snapwatch
RFE/RL: “Serbian opposition parties say they have begun boycotting the national parliament in a show of solidarity with a wave of protests against President Aleksandar Vucic. The Alliance for Serbia, a grouping of opposition parties and organizations, said on February 11 that its lawmakers won’t take part in parliament sessions until the protesters’ demands are met and ‘conditions are created for free and fair elections.’”

Spain – Snapwatch
Financial Times: “Spain edges toward early elections as budget deal is rejected”
Washington Post: “Spain: Early election decision expected Friday”

Past Elections
Italy, Abruzzo Regional – February 10, 2019
Reuters: “A centre-right candidate has won a regional vote in central Italy, with the ruling far-right League party surging ahead, while its coalition partner, the populist 5-Star Movement, lost ground, results showed on Monday.”

Politico: “The contest in Abruzzo, a small mountainous region to the east of Rome was the first in which the 5Stars and the League have competed against each other since they teamed up to form the national government last June.”

The Telegraph: “The anti-establishment Five Star Movement, which governs with The League at the national level, performed dismally, winning just 20 per cent of votes – half of what it garnered in the region during last year’s general election.”

There had been speculation that because those two parties were running separately in Abruzzo, the regional vote could sufficiently stoke tensions at the national level to collapse the government and trigger new elections. However, both Premier Giuseppe Conte of the League and Deputy Premier Matteo Salvini of Five Star say that nothing will change for the government in Rome.

Bloomberg: “Italian Assets Rally as Regional Vote Stokes Political Optimism”

Bosnia and Herzegovina General – October 8, 2018
Reuters: “Delays in the formation of governments in Bosnia since October’s elections may slow structural reforms needed to spur economic growth, affecting the country’s rating and investment, the central bank governor said on Monday.”

Zeljko Trkanjec in Euractiv: “The new EU executive may for the first time have Commissioners appointed by nationalists, who will be influenced by Russia. Therefore, a solution for the simmering tensions in Bosnia and Herzegovina should be found before the EU elections in May, to avoid wider risks for the Balkans, a senior diplomat said.”

Czech Republic Presidential – January 2018
Deutche Welle: “Andrej Babis — The anti-migrant Czech premier and his migrant workers”

The Year Ahead: Europe
Italy, Sardinia regional (February 24); Andorra parliamentary (March); Estonia parliamentary (March 3); Lithuania municipal (March 3); Slovakia presidential (March 16); Netherlands provincial councils, island councils, and water boards (March 20); Macedonia presidential (April); Finland parliamentary (April 14); United Kingdom local (May 2); Lithuania presidential (May 12)

European Parliament (May 23-26), and coinciding with those elections: Ireland local (May 24); Malta parliamentary (May 25); Belgium regional and parliamentary (May 26); Germany, Baden-Würtemberg, Brandenburg, Hamburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Thuringia Municipal, Bremen State (May 26); Greece local (May 26); Italy, nationwide local and Basilicata regional (May 26); Spainregional in Aragon, Asturias, Balearic Islands, Canaries, Cantabria, Castilia-Leon, Castilia-Manchego, Extremadura, Madrid, Murcia, Navarra, Rioja, Valencia, and nationwide local (May 26)

Denmark parliamentary (on or before June 17); Albania local (June 30); Germany, Brandenburg and Saxony state (September 1); Portugal, Madeiran regional (September 22); Greece parliamentary (October but snap possible); Hungary local (October);  Switzerland Federal Assembly (October 20); Poland parliamentary (November); Croatia presidential (December)


Less than 100 days until the European Parliament elections.
Photo credit: Wikimedia/MPD01605

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