January 10, 2024

A weekly review of news and analysis of elections in Europe, usually posted on Wednesdays and occasionally updated throughout the week.

Voting in France some years ago. Photo credit: Wikimedia/Rama (CeCILL)

Upcoming Europe Elections

Finland Presidential Election: January 28, 2024

YLE News (January 9, 2024): A really simple guide to Finland’s 2024 presidential election

Portugal Snap Parliamentary Elections: March 10, 2024

Thomas Cabral, AFP (January 7, 2024): Portugal’s Socialists Formalise Costa Successor As Leader

Sergio Goncalves and Catarina Demony, Reuters (January 5, 2024): Portugal’s main opposition seals pre-electoral alliance with right-wing party CDS-PP

Slovakia Presidential Election: March 23, 2024

Raphael Minder, Financial Times (January 8, 2024): Boost for Eurosceptic Slovak leader as ally signals presidential bid: Prime Minister Robert Fico could cement grip on power if coalition partner Peter Pellegrini wins March election

European Union, European Parliament Elections: June 6-9, 2024

Eddie Wax and Barbara Moens, Politico (January 10, 2024): Nicolas Schmit gets German backing to lead Socialists’ EU election campaign

Politico (January 9, 2024): What Charles Michel’s decision to run for EU election means for him and Europe: European Council chief says he will contest June’s vote, which could pave the way for Viktor Orbán to host leaders’ meetings.

Mared Gwyn Jones and Sandor Zsiros, Euronews (January 8, 2024): Charles Michel’s election bid sparks race to stop Orbán from taking European Council reins

Belgium Parliamentary and Regional Elections: June 9, 2024

Clothilde Goujard, Politico (January 6, 2024): Former Qatargate judge Michel Claise may run in Belgian elections: La Libre

Germany State Elections in Saxony and Thuringia: September 1, 2024 and Brandenburg: September 22, 2024 (federal elections due by October 2025)

AP (January 8, 2024): German opposition figure launches a new party that may have potential against the far-right

Ido Vock, BBC (January 8, 2024): Sahra Wagenknecht: German politician launches ‘left-wing conservative’ party

James Rothwell, The Telegraph (January 7, 2024): Olaf Scholz and Germany’s political mainstream facing a miserable 2024: Voters looks likely to be drawn towards fringe movements in approaching European and local elections

Robert Semonsen, European Conservative (January 5, 2024): Germany’s Former Domestic Spy Boss To Found New Party: If it can establish itself as a viable political force before elections in eastern Germany in September, the new conservative party could render the firewall against the AfD irrelevant.

Euractiv (January 3, 2024): German conservatives hope for boost in mini repeat election

United Kingdom General Elections: Due by January 2024 (earlier elections likely)

Jim Pickard and Anna Gross, Financial Times (January 4, 2024): Rishi Sunak signals UK election will be held in autumn

Jill Lawless, AP (January 4, 2024): With 2024 being a UK election year, the opposition wants an early vote. PM Rishi Sunak is in no rush

Ireland General Elections: By March 2025 (earlier elections possible)

Cormac McQuinn, Irish Times (January 7, 2024): Taoiseach dismisses idea of ‘super-election’ in June

United Kingdom, Northern Ireland Assembly Elections: By May 2027 (earlier elections possible)

Claudia Savage, Rebecca Black and Jonathan McCambridge, PA, (January 8, 2024): Fresh Stormont elections or governments must find an alternative – Murphy

Shawn Pogatchnik, Politico (January 5, 2024): Sinn Féin walks immigration tightrope toward power in Ireland: Mary Lou McDonald seeks support on the left as she eyes victory — even as her nationalist party’s grassroots veers right over migration.

Jude Webber, Financial Times (January 4, 2024): Sinn Féin leader eyes power in Ireland after wilderness years: Mary Lou McDonald focuses on economy more than reunification ahead of general election

Past Europe Elections

Serbia Parliamentary Elections: December 17, 2023

Ali Login, Andrew Corkery, and Harry Zahn, AP (January 6, 2024): The wider implications of Serbia’s disputed election results and mass protests

Mirko Dautovic, Balkan Insight (January 5, 2024): Serbia’s Elections – Defeat for Far Right, as well as Moderate Opposition

Lili Bayer, The Guardian (January 4, 2024): Serbia opposition doubles down on election fraud claims as full results released

Netherlands Parliamentary Elections: November 22, 2023

Mike Corder, AP (January 8, 2024): Dutch anti-Islam lawmaker Geert Wilders has withdrawn a 2018 proposal to ban mosques and the Quran

Dutch News (January 5, 2024): Wilders sounds off on social media, ahead of new coalition talks

Bosnia and Herzegovina General Elections: October 2, 2022

Mared Gywn Jones, Euronews (January 9, 2024): Brussels warns of ‘serious consequences’ as Bosnian Serbs celebrate breakaway anniversary

Julian Borger, The Guardian (January 9, 2024): US joins Bosnia in show of support on eve of planned celebration by Serb nationalists

AFP (January 4, 2024): Serb entity in Bosnia-Herzevogina prepares to hold own elections

France Presidential Election: April 10, 2022 (next election due April 2027)

Helen Li, Semafor (January 10, 2024): Macron bets on France’s youngest and first openly gay prime minister to boost popularity

Kim Willsher, The Guardian (January 8, 2024): French PM Élisabeth Borne quits as Macron seeks boost before EU elections

Regional Analysis

Simon Hankinson, Heritage Foundation (January 8, 2024): Border and Immigration Concerns Are Deciding Elections in Europe

Euractiv (January 8, 2024): Michel’s surprise: Is EU starting 2024 on wrong foot?

Aitor Hernández-Morales (January 4, 2024): Living Cities: Elections to watch in 2024