Upcoming Elections in the News
Greece Parliamentary, Regional, Local – October 2019
Kyriakos Mitsotakis is energized by a new poll finding his center-right New Democracy party 16 points ahead of the incumbent left-wing Syriza. Mitsotakis has proposed ambitious plans to cut taxes, reduce corruption, and restore confidence in the market (unfortunately but unsurprisingly, he’s also urging Greek parties to vote against the name-change deal with Macedonia that would allow it to join NATO and the EU). Meanwhile, Syriza’s executive committee met this weekend to plot their own campaign strategy. The parliamentary, regional, and local elections are scheduled for October, but early elections could happen, possibly even before the European elections in May. Politico Playbook has in in-depth piece this week on the state of politics headed into European and national elections.
Finland, County – Fall 2019
The Helsinki Times reports that the Finnish government has postponed the country’s first county elections, originally scheduled to coincide with the European elections in May, to the fall.
Recent Elections in the News
Spain Andalucia Regional
The far-right Vox party entered the region’s parliament, the first time a far-right party has had any type of legislative representation since Spain became a democracy. The Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE), who had governed Andalucia for 36 years, will not be able to form a government, even with the support of other left-wing parties. It’s possible that the center-right Popular Party and the liberal Ciudadanos could form a government with Vox in order to remove the socialists from power.
Slovenia Local
Total Slovenia News reports on Sunday’s local election runoffs.
Latvia
Two months after elections, Latvia still has not formed a government. Meanwhile, Latvia plans to release a set of KGB files before the end of the year. LSM, the Latvian state broadcaster, reports that the files will be published online, without edits or commentary.
Sweden
A new round of talks to form a government has started in Sweden. The Social Democrats are negotiating with the Center Party and Liberals, who had previously been in alliance with the center-right Moderates, and their historic coalition partner, the Greens.
Other Regional News and Views
Germany
Germany’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU) will hold its annual congress on Friday and Saturday in Hamburg, where they will decide who will succeed Angela Merkel as chancellor. The Financial Times looks at the three very different candidates who are considered frontrunners in the twelve-candidate race. Of the 1,001 delegates who will vote, only 269 told the newspaper Bild their voting intention – meaning many could be undecided. This type of robustly competitive leadership contest is unusual for CDU, and much uncertainty remains about what will follow. Bloomberg posits potential scenarios. The only sure thing is that this will be a deeply consequential leadership contest.
Italy
The left-leaning Guardian and center-right Spectator both this week offered takes on Italian populism.
Macedonia
On Monday, the Macedonian parliament approved the name-change deal with Greece that would finally allow Macedonia to join NATO and the EU.
Montenegro
NATO’s newest member has been cracking down on the opposition. Protests have been planned in response.
Leaders
Politico released their Politico 28 roundup of 28 Europeans to watch in 2019.
Eurobarometer
The 2018 Eurobarometer came out in late November. See the results here.
21votes does not necessarily endorse all of the views contained in all of the linked articles.
Europe – December 5, 2018
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Last Updated: December 31, 2018 by 21votes
Each day, 21votes gathers election and political news from a different region of the world. We explore Europe on Wednesdays. Click the map pins.
Greece
Kyriakos Mitsotakis of the center-right New Democracy Party is already deep into campaign mode, energized by a new poll finding ND 16 points ahead of the incumbent left-wing populist Syriza. Mitsotakis, a McKinsey alum, has proposed ambitious plans to cut taxes, reduce corruption, and restore confidence in the market (unfortunately but unsurprisingly, he’s also urging Greek parties to vote against the name-change deal with Macedonia that would allow it to join NATO and the EU). However, Greece presents many political and governance challenges. Meanwhile, Syriza’s executive committee met this weekend to plot their own campaign strategy. The parliamentary, regional, and local elections are scheduled for October, but early elections could happen, possibly even before the European elections in May. Politico Playbook has in in-depth piece this week on the state of politics headed into European and national elections.
Finland
The Helsinki Times reports that the Finnish government has postponed the country’s first county elections, originally scheduled to coincide with the European elections in May, to the fall.
Spain, Andalucia
The far-right Vox party entered the region’s parliament, the first time a far-right party has had any type of legislative representation since Spain became a democracy. The Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE), who had governed Andalucia for 36 years, will not be able to form a government, even with the support of other left-wing parties. It’s possible that the center-right Popular Party and the liberal Ciudadanos could form a government with Vox in order to remove the socialists from power.
Slovenia
Total Slovenia News reports on the local election runoffs that happened Sunday.
Latvia
Two months after elections, Latvia still has not formed a government. Meanwhile, Latvia plans to release a set of KGB files before the end of the year. LSM, the Latvian state broadcaster, reports that the files will be published online, without edits or commentary.
Sweden
A new round of talks to form a government has started in Sweden. The Social Democrats are negotiating with the Center Party and Liberals, who had previously been in alliance with the center-right Moderates, and their historic coalition partner, the Greens.
Germany
Germany’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU) will hold its annual congress on Friday and Saturday in Hamburg, where they will decide who will succeed Angela Merkel as chancellor. The Financial Times looks at the three very different candidates who are considered frontrunners in the twelve-candidate race. Of the 1,001 delegates who will vote, only 269 told the newspaper Bild their voting intention – meaning many could be undecided. This type of robustly competitive leadership contest is unusual for CDU, and much uncertainty remains about what will follow. Bloomberg posits potential scenarios. The only sure thing is that this will be a deeply consequential leadership contest.
Italy
The left-leaning Guardian and center-right Spectator both this week offered takes on Italian populism.
Macedonia
On Monday, the Macedonian parliament approved the name-change deal with Greece that would finally allow Macedonia to join NATO and the EU.
Montenegro
NATO’s newest member has been cracking down on the opposition. Protests have been planned in response.
Leaders
Politico released their Politico 28 roundup of 28 Europeans to watch in 2019.
Eurobarometer
The 2018 Eurobarometer came out in late November. See the results here.
Upcoming Elections in the News
Greece Parliamentary, Regional, Local – October 2019
Kyriakos Mitsotakis is energized by a new poll finding his center-right New Democracy party 16 points ahead of the incumbent left-wing Syriza. Mitsotakis has proposed ambitious plans to cut taxes, reduce corruption, and restore confidence in the market (unfortunately but unsurprisingly, he’s also urging Greek parties to vote against the name-change deal with Macedonia that would allow it to join NATO and the EU). Meanwhile, Syriza’s executive committee met this weekend to plot their own campaign strategy. The parliamentary, regional, and local elections are scheduled for October, but early elections could happen, possibly even before the European elections in May. Politico Playbook has in in-depth piece this week on the state of politics headed into European and national elections.
Finland, County – Fall 2019
The Helsinki Times reports that the Finnish government has postponed the country’s first county elections, originally scheduled to coincide with the European elections in May, to the fall.
Recent Elections in the News
Spain Andalucia Regional
The far-right Vox party entered the region’s parliament, the first time a far-right party has had any type of legislative representation since Spain became a democracy. The Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE), who had governed Andalucia for 36 years, will not be able to form a government, even with the support of other left-wing parties. It’s possible that the center-right Popular Party and the liberal Ciudadanos could form a government with Vox in order to remove the socialists from power.
Slovenia Local
Total Slovenia News reports on Sunday’s local election runoffs.
Latvia
Two months after elections, Latvia still has not formed a government. Meanwhile, Latvia plans to release a set of KGB files before the end of the year. LSM, the Latvian state broadcaster, reports that the files will be published online, without edits or commentary.
Sweden
A new round of talks to form a government has started in Sweden. The Social Democrats are negotiating with the Center Party and Liberals, who had previously been in alliance with the center-right Moderates, and their historic coalition partner, the Greens.
Other Regional News and Views
Germany
Germany’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU) will hold its annual congress on Friday and Saturday in Hamburg, where they will decide who will succeed Angela Merkel as chancellor. The Financial Times looks at the three very different candidates who are considered frontrunners in the twelve-candidate race. Of the 1,001 delegates who will vote, only 269 told the newspaper Bild their voting intention – meaning many could be undecided. This type of robustly competitive leadership contest is unusual for CDU, and much uncertainty remains about what will follow. Bloomberg posits potential scenarios. The only sure thing is that this will be a deeply consequential leadership contest.
Italy
The left-leaning Guardian and center-right Spectator both this week offered takes on Italian populism.
Macedonia
On Monday, the Macedonian parliament approved the name-change deal with Greece that would finally allow Macedonia to join NATO and the EU.
Montenegro
NATO’s newest member has been cracking down on the opposition. Protests have been planned in response.
Leaders
Politico released their Politico 28 roundup of 28 Europeans to watch in 2019.
Eurobarometer
The 2018 Eurobarometer came out in late November. See the results here.
21votes does not necessarily endorse all of the views contained in all of the linked articles.
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Category: This Week Tags: Finland, Germany, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden