Photo by Diogo Palhais on Unsplash The former Irish Minister for Europe Dick Roche has voiced real concerns over how the European Parliament has exercised its powers in the last five years. Speaking in Brussels, the Irishman, an avowed and committed Europhile, said it was clear the Commission “always has a little thumb on the scales.” His comments come just ahead…
Photo by Manny Becerra on Unsplash Leading European footballers, including Belgian Red Flames captain Tessa Wullaert, are helping to promote the EU elections. She is among other stars of the women’s game who have signed up to the campaign urging people to vote on 6 to 9 June. Turnout is seen as key in the election in the…
Photo by Tobias Rademacher on Unsplash The European People’s Party, and the Liberals have been accused of “openly courting the far right.” The accusation follows last week’s debate in Brussels between the candidates vying for the job of the EU Commission President. One of the candidates Terry Reintke, representing the European Greens, took part in the debate and…
The upcoming European elections are “crucial” to stop the far right from seizing power and dismantling the Green Deal. That is according to the European Greens, who took part in a high profile Eurovision debate between the candidates vying to be the next president of the Commission. The live debate, from parliament’s main chamber, took…
Photo by Martin Katler on Unsplash The electoral campaigns before the upcoming EP election in Slovakia have been running calmly mainly on social networks, billboards with rather vague messages listed on them and also in regions in party-organized meetings. Discussion sessions with citizens, contrary to the original intent are often attended mostly by the already-decided electors of each…
Photo by Manny Becerra on Unsplash Leading European NGOs met in Berlin on Wednesday (22 May) calling to “put reproductive rights on the ballot paper” in the forthcoming European Parliament elections. On the heels of the recent government commissioned report calling for abortions to be legalised within the first 12 weeks of pregnancy in Germany, activists from across Europe gathered…
Photo by Matt Brown on Unsplash There is something fundamentally depressing about the forthcoming Euro elections, writes Lord Richard Balfe. The first that the UK will not be involved with. Yet in a way we will be involved because the outcome will shape our relations with each other. The EU Commission has recently outlined a youth mobility programme…
Photo by Andres Bartelsman on Unsplash The European Green Party has demanded that the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats in Europe (ALDE),”take measures” towards the liberal party VVD, following the Dutch government coalition deal the VVD concluded with Geert Wilders’ “far-right” PVV. Last week, the Volkspartij voor Vrijheid en Democratie (VVD), the party of incumbent Dutch PM Mark Rutte, agreed to…
Married to an Italian for over 30 years and with two children who are dual nationals, I did not until recently seek an Italian passport, writes Sir Graham Watson. My UK passport was headlined ‘European Union’ and gave me a right to work and reside anywhere in the EU. Since Brexit, the number of UK…
Photo by Julie Ricard on Unsplash In some countries, emigration outweighs immigration as a concern. according to a new survey. It comes just ahead of the keenly awaited EU elections this June. Ahead of the poll, the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) tested public attitudes towards key themes of the political campaigns – including migration, the performance…
