Concern has been voiced about the impact on Taiwan of the coronavirus and serious questions have been asked about the country’s exclusion from taking part in international efforts to tackle the deadly disease. The virus has killed more than 210 people and more than 9,000 confirmed cases mainly in China. There have also been 9…
Marcel Ciolacu, President of the European Social Democratic Party, has complained about changes to the Romanian electoral legislation. The letter was sent to the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, as well as to the President of the European Parliament,Davin Maria Sassoli; the President of the Venice Commission, GianniBuquicchio; to the Secretary General of the European Council,…
From the columns of the New York Times to news articles in Tokyo, the stand taken by European judges in defence of the rule of law in Poland has made headlines across the world. Judges, lawyers and civil society activists from across Europe joined their Polish peers in a silent march in Warsaw to protest against systematic attacks…
The news from Lebanon in recent weeks has been grim. As street protests in Beirut and other cities intensify, so does the country’s economic suffering, writes Charles Tannock. A political, economic, and social crisis has taken hold, leading to hard-currency shortages that hinder imports of vital daily commodities such as wheat, medicine, and fuel. Moreover,…
The Taipei Representative Office in Brussels organised a reception today at their Embassy to share the results of Taiwan’s election as they came in live, including a TV broadcast of President Tsai’s victory speech. The event helped to deliver a strong impression to the audience of international journalists, academics and lawmakers that Taiwan’s young democracy…
Like Edinburgh’s Fringe Festival, civil society should occupy the influential fringe of European politics says a prominent EU civil rights campaigner. Former Labour MP Roger Casale, who heads up civil rights organisation New Europeans, made the calls at Volonteurope’s annual conference attended by leading civil society organisations. He said: “Like Edinburgh’s Fringe festival which has…
The 35 000 member strong trade unions of Energoatom, Ukraine’s state owned nuclear power generating company voted over the weekend to step up their demonstrations in central Kyiv. They have issued 3 demands to Ukrainian President Zelensky:- Dismiss Energy Minister Oleksiy Orzhel. Cut out the Ministry of Energy from the chain of command so that…
Conservative MEPs have blasted the European Union’s “hypocrisy” in claiming to combat climate change while maintaining the dual seat system for the European Parliament. They are challenging member state Governments to scrap the so-called travelling circus that sees the legislature and its staff shuttle back and forth every month between parliament buildings and suites of offices hundreds of…
The Conference of Presidents (President Sassoli and political groups’ leaders) closed the hearings process today. Parliament will vote on the new Commission on 27 November. After the meeting, European Parliament President David Sassoli said: “During the last two months, the European Parliament has played its democratic role, scrutinising the performances of the proposed Commissioners closely….
The EPP Group has “wholeheartedly congratulated” Donald Tusk on his election as new President of the European People’s Party at the EPP Congress in Zagreb, Croatia. “Donald Tusk is the face of a modern Poland. A true Christian Democrat, he stands for a democratic Europe that is united from North to South and East to…
