Elections

Ireland to unveil bumper pre-election budget, Apple windfall plans

Ireland will hand voters billions of euros of tax cuts and spending increases and outline plans to use a whopping Apple back tax windfall to improve the country's creaking infrastructure in Tuesday's (1 October) bumper pre-election budget.

‘New era’ in Austria as far-right Freedom Party (FPÖ) wins general elections

Austria's far-right Freedom Party (FPÖ) secured victory in the general election for the first time in its history with 29% of the vote in Sunday’s elections

EU nomination shows up Hungary’s struggling health service

The European Union's decision to name a Hungarian as its health commissioner has raised eyebrows in his country, which itself has crumbling hospitals and no health minister.

EU elections: what’s next

Following the European elections in May, MEPs and EU member states will shape the transition into the new term. These are the next steps towards the formation of the Parliament and the Commission.

How the Spitzenkandidaten process will work ahead of 2019 elections

The European elections are looming ever closer but how will the Parliament's main political groups choose their candidates for the EU's top jobs in the lead-up to May 2019?

Quiz: Who should you vote for in the French election?

Answer EURACTIV’s 10 questions and see which candidate you should back on 23 April.

Referendums, France’s new election fad

Since Brexit, many of the candidates for the 2017 French presidential election have been campaigning to leave the EU or renegotiate the treaties. Some hope to validate these positions with referendums.

INFOGRAPHIC: EPP is third largest party at EU summits

As EU leaders gather today (17 March) for yet another summit, trying to fix the migrant crisis, successive elections in member countries have dwarfed the largest political force in the EU following the 2014 European elections.

The European Peoples’ Party, who is the largest in the European Parliament with 251 MEPs out of the total of 751, is now the third force, by the number of its heads of state and government sitting at the summits. The most influential leader of the EPP is without any doubt the German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

The Socialists and Democrats, who have 190 MEPs, are now the number one force at summits.

But perhaps more surprisingly, the liberals, who have only 70 MEPs in the European Parliament and are the fourth largest political group there, are now the second largest force at EU summits.

EU executive voices concern over planned Polish media law

The European Commission sent a letter to two Polish ministers yesterday (30 December) expressing concern over a proposed law on control of the country's state-run media, a spokesman for the EU executive said, another sign of disquiet in Brussels over Poland's new political path.

Bulgarian politician dumped for siding with Turkey

The leader of Bulgaria's ethnic Turkish party has been ousted from his post and expelled from the party yesterday (24 December), officially for declaring support for Turkey in its row with Moscow over the downing of a Russian warplane.

Croatian president nominates pharmaceutical exec as next PM

Croatia's president yesterday (23 December) designated pharmaceutical executive Tihomir Oreškovi? to become prime minister, nominating a technocrat put forward by conservatives and a reformist party after weeks of talks following an inconclusive election.

EU warns Poland to protect ‘rule of law’ over judicial crisis

The European Union warned eastern European powerhouse Poland to avoid endangering the rule of law with controversial reforms that former president Lech Wa??sa said undermined democracy and made the country a laughing stock.

Polish parliament passes controversial amendment to top court law

Poland's lower chamber of parliament passed a constitutional court law amendment yesterday (22 December) that the supreme court and activists said would undermine the separation of power and paralyse the constitutional court.

Spain’s left-wing parties reject new Rajoy government

Spain's two biggest left-wing parties ruled out supporting a government led by the ruling People's Party (PP) on Monday, complicating Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy's efforts to build a coalition to stay in power after a tight general election.

Splintered Spanish vote heralds arduous coalition talks

A historically fragmented vote in Spanish elections on Sunday (20 December) heralded weeks of talks to form a coalition government, with neither Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy's conservatives nor left-wing parties winning a clear mandate to govern.

Croatia hopes for new government by Christmas

Nearly a month on from its parliamentary elections, Croatia may finally be a step closer to having a government, with the third party option destined to decide the country’s future political landscape.

Election failure a potential springboard for Le Pen presidential campaign

The French regional election campaigns were fought largely on national issues, which has given the mainstream parties a foretaste of the battle to come in the presidential 2017 elections. EURACTIV France reports. 

Poland demands apology after Schulz calls judicial changes ‘coup’

European Parliament chief Martin Schulz yesterday (14 December) compared the political situation in Poland to a "coup", drawing the anger of the Polish government which is locked in a battle against the country's top court.

Corruption takes centre stage in heated Spanish election debate

A debate before Sunday's Spanish general election (20 December) exploded into an angry row yesterday (14 December), when the opposition leader accused Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy of not being a "decent" man.

National Front’s record scores a ‘defeat for all’

The extreme right party collected 6.8 million votes in Sunday's regional elections (13 December). With 27.39% of all votes cast, it beat its performance in the 2014 European elections by 2%. EURACTIV France reports. 

Hungary to honour WWII anti-Semite

A US envoy said yesterday (13 December) Washington was shocked by plans to erect a statue of Bálint Hóman, who contributed to murderous anti-Semitism in Hungary in the 1930s and 40s.

French far-right fails to win any regions in upset for Le Pen

Marine Le Pen's far-right National Front did not win any region in French elections on Sunday (13 December), in a setback to her hopes of being a serious presidential contender in 2017.

Gabriel raps Merkel for boosting France’s National Front

The leader of Germany's Social Democrats (SPD) accused Chancellor Angela Merkel today (11 December) of fuelling support for France's far-right National Front by insisting on tighter budgets during the eurozone crisis.

Marine Le Pen caught in voting fraud scandal

After the French regional elections last Sunday (13 December), the National Front’s leader will have to answer to accusations of voting fraud in the European Parliament, according to information acquired by the French daily Les Échos.