Politics - Page 4 of 8

Hungarian PM raises eyebrows after talk of reinstating the death penalty

On 28 April, Prime Minister Viktor Orban came out in favour of reinstating the death penalty. “The death penalty should be put on the agenda in Hungary,” the Hungarian leader boldly stated. “Hungary will stop at nothing when it comes to protecting its citizens.” The statement quickly drew criticism from both home and abroad with a harsh reproval from the President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Junker. He called on the Hungarian leader to respect the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union which forbids the death penalty in all of its member states

Eurogroup talks stall as Greece dithers on its promises

At the Eurogroup meeting on Friday, 24 April, all eyes were on Greece. The embattled Eurozone country got hammered for backtracking on much needed fiscal reforms. Eurogroup officials stated that such measures are vital in helping the Greek government secure its debt repayments. Without the remaining €7.2 billion in the bailout package, Greece will run out of money in a matter of weeks. The stark warning came as Mr. Varoufakis, Greece’s Finance Minister, tried to calm fears over his country’s ability to raise

The EU accuses Google of abusing its dominant position and opens up an investigation on Android

After five years of research, the European Commission has today accused Google of abusing its dominant position by promoting its products in Internet searches, where it control 90% of the market share in Europe. In parallel, the Commission has formally opened an antitrust investigation against Google’s Android mobile operating system, including its applications and services. This opens up a new front against Google, which could affect its aspirations of gaining ground in the mobile market.

Turkish President visits Slovenia, Slovakia and Romania

Turkey’s diplomatic relations with Slovenia, Slovakia and Romania have seen a boost this week as President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan paid official visits to the three countries. Turkey’s accession to the EU, bilateral trade and the fight against ISIL / ISIS were among the issues discussed between Mr. Erdoğan and the respective country leaders. Mr. Erdoğan’s visit had to be cut short because of terrorist incidents in Istanbul.

Elections in Andalusia signal end of two-party system in Spain

Elections on Sunday for the Parliament of the Autonomous Region of Andalusia, in the South of Spain, provided a first reality check of the strength of the new political party Podemos. In the Andalusian Parliament, Podemos will start its journey as the third force, with 15 deputies out of 109. The question remains what will happen in Spain´s general election due at the end of 2015.

Saudi Arabia Recalls its Ambassador to Sweden over Human Rights Row

This week Saudi Arabia decided to recall its Ambassador to Sweden after Margot Wallström, the Swedish Foreign Minister, critized Saudi “human rights and democracy” standards. Wallström had been particularly vocal about the case of Raif Badawi, a Saudi blogger and activist sentenced to 10 years in prison and 1000 lashes for setting up a website called “Saudis Free Liberal Forum”. The Swedish Foreign Minister had described Badawi´s punishment as “medieval methods”.

Mogherini speaks at the UN in New York

The first official visit of the European Union High Representative to New York on 8 and 9 March included a statement made at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) regarding cooperation between the EU and the UN. The speech reflected the current European foreign policy priorities: putting Libya “back on track”, fighting terrorism in all its forms and across regions, and saving the lives of migrants crossing the Mediterranean into Europe.

Increasing Iberia’s energy interconnection

The energy isolation of the Iberian Peninsula from the rest of Europe is hopefully coming to an end, or at least progress is expected to be made in that direction, following the 4 March 2015 signing of the Madrid Declaration by the Prime Ministers of Spain and Portugal, the President of France and the President of the European Commission. They met in Madrid and agreed to expedite energy interconnection efforts in South-West Europe and ensure timely implementation of ongoing and planned projects.

Ms. Merkel visits Brussels

German Chancellor Angela Merkel paid a one-day visit to Brussels on 4 March, and met with the European Commission President and the entire College of Commissioners. One wonders whether that would have happened if any of the other 27 EU member state leaders had been visiting. Of course, nobody doubts the prominence that Ms. Merkel has, because of the special weight that Germany carries in the European economy and politics, but also because of her own personality and leadership skills.

Governing coalition wins Estonia elections

The liberal, pro-European and pro-NATO Estonian Reform Party led by Prime Minister Taavi Roivas and his partners in government, the Social Democrats, won the 1 March 2015 parliamentary elections, although they will need to seek the support of a third political force to stay in power. The Centre Party, led by Edgar Savisaar, has garnered more votes among Russian speakers. The elections were marked by security concerns and fears of a repeat of the Ukraine conflict in the Baltic region.