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All posts tagged Europe of Freedom and Democracy Group

20
Jun

Europe Decides Weekly – 20 June

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Read more in Europe Decides Weekly, 20 June 2014

Top stories: 14-20 June 2014

  • Schulz elected to head Socialists for top jobs talks: The Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament have elected Martin Schulz as their new President. Schulz will lead the group in talks over the election of a new Commission President and stated that he foresees a “tandem” with the frontrunner from the European People’s Party, Jean-Claude Juncker. However, sources in Berlin told Der Spiegel that Schulz’s Social Democrats would not claim the Commission job in the face of opposition from Chancellor Angela Merkel and her Christian Democrats party, but would look to secure the presidency of the Parliament for Schulz with centre-right backing as part of an overall package. Schulz stepped down as Parliament President before the vote in the S&D Group, with Gianni Pittella taking over as acting President until the Parliament reconvenes on 1 July. Europolitics; Deutsche Welle; EUObserver; S&D news; PES news; The Parliament; EurActiv; Der Spiegel
  • Stubb to toe economic line as Katainen heads to Brussels: Alexander Stubb has been elected as the leader of Finland’s centre-right National Coalition Party and will become Finland’s prime minister, replacing Jyrki Katainen. Stubb will lead a coalition government that includes the Social Democrats but has pledged to maintain the core elements of the austerity programme of his predecessor. Meanwhile Katainen has been nominated to replace Olli Rehn in the European Commission. Rehn will become an MEP. A hearing for Katainen is set to be held before the summer recess. Bloomberg; Economic Times; EurActiv; EUObserver; European Voice; Europolitics
  • Flemish separatists snub ALDE as ECR becomes third-largest group: The New Flemish Alliance (N-VA) has chosen to join the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) Group in the European Parliament, rejecting an invitation from the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) group, led by Guy Verhofstadt, who was re-elected to his post this week. The N-VA’s decisionmakes the ECR the third-largest party in the European Parliament. It has 68 seats to ALDE’s 67. Both groups added further members this week as the formation of political factions continues. EUObserver; European Voice; De Standaard; EurActiv; New Europe; Europolitics

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06
Jun

Europe Decides Weekly – 6 June

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Read more in Europe Decides Weekly, 6 June 2014

Top stories: 31 May to 6 June 2014

  • Merkel backs Juncker but EU member states still at odds: National leaders are still discussing who should lead the new European Commission following the European elections. While the EPP Group is the strongest in the Parliament, it is still unclear as to whether the EPP candidate for Commission presidency, Jean-Claude Juncker, will be nominated by member states, after several of them expressed misgivings about his appointment. The UK’s Prime Minister, David Cameron, has allegedly indirectly threatened British exit from the EU should Juncker become President, telling Germany’s Chancellor, Angela Merkel, that the move may force him to bring forward his planned referendum on EU membership. Meanwhile, Juncker has received support from the rival candidate of the European Socialists, Martin Schulz, and Greek left-wing leader Alexis Tsipras. They say that the EPP’s win in the elections means Juncker should be first in line to attempt to win a majority. EurActiv; Gulf News; New Europe; EUObserver; European Voice; Guardian; Euronews; Tagesschau; FAZ; Bloomberg; Irish Times; KTVL news; Deutsche Welle; Europolitics; Sunday Times; Twitter
  • Leaders and contenders consider Juncker alternatives: With question marks hanging over the candidacy of Jean-Claude Juncker, Angela Merkel has reportedly asked French President François Hollande whether he would consider nominating the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, Christine Lagarde, to be the next President of the European Commission. French sources say that Hollande did not support the idea. Also in France, the name of Michel Barnier, who Juncker defeated to the EPP nomination, still circulates as a possible compromise candidate. Meanwhile Olli Rehn’s expected departure to the European Parliament is likely to see Finland’s current Prime Minister, Jyrki Katainen, head to Brussels as a commissioner. He is also under consideration as a possible successor to José Manuel Barroso, although Katainen is still backing Juncker’s candidacy. EurActiv; Reuters; Le Monde
  • Le Pen and Farage compete to attract MEPs as ECR numbers surge: Despite his victory in Britain’s European Parliament election, the leader of the UK Independence Party (Ukip), Nigel Farage is struggling to secure the existence of his Europe of Freedom and Democracy (EFD) group. Farage is being squeezed by France’s far-right leader, Marine Le Pen, who is trying to cobble together a far-right group called the ‘European Alliance for Freedom’ and has already wooed Italy’s Northern League away from the EFD, and the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) Group. The ECR this week added ten members (going to 55 MEPs), including former members from the Danish People’s Party and the Finns, both parties having been previously aligned to the EFD. Slovakian, German and Greek members also joined the ECR, with decisions pending on Bulgaria Without Censorship and the Alternative for Germany (whose admission to the group of David Cameron’s Conservatives could anger Germany’s Chancellor, Angela Merkel, at a sensitive time in negotiations on the Commission presidency). Meanwhile Farage is trying to forge links with Italy’s Five Star Movement, but risks not having enough nationalities to re-form the EFD. European Voice; EUObserver; Novinite; Europe Decides; Twitter; Reuters; EurActiv

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02
Jun

Who’s going where? Tracking the musical chairs in the European Parliament

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Latest update on Monday 23 June at 13:04 CEST – see comments section for changes made. Note that parties that may switch groups are counted as remaining in their existing groups until the switch is confirmed.

EPP S&D ALDE G/EFA ECR EFD GUE/NGL NI/new
221 191 67 50 70 48 52 52
27 countries 28 countries 21 countries 17 countries 15 countries 8 countries 14 countries 10 countries

The 2014 European elections brought 34 new parties or independent candidates to the European Parliament.

Now, many of those new MEPs are seeking to join political groups to strengthen their voice in the Parliament, while a battle goes on between the groups to attract new members that help ensure their survival and maximise their influence, speaking time and funding.

One new group – the European Alliance for Freedom – has also been mooted as a way to bring together anti-EU parties on the radical right. To form this and other groups, a minimum of 25 MEPs are needed, representing at least seven member states.

At the same time, other parties are considering changing groups or allying themselves to a group for the first time.

Take a look at our table listing the parties up for grabs, based on the vast array of information from intelligence we have gathered and media reports – and contribute via the button below or the comments box at the bottom of the page.

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20
May

PollWatch 2014: EPP to remain largest party in new European Parliament

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For detailed results per country and methodology, go to pollwatch2014.eu

The Group of the European People’s Party will be the largest formation in the new European Parliament according to the final PollWatch 2014 prediction.

With voting due to begin in less than 48 hours, PollWatch 2014, a project developed by VoteWatch Europe in partnership with Burson-Marsteller and Europe Decides, puts the centre-right group on 217 seats, taking just under 29 per cent of the seats in the new European Parliament.

The centre-left Socialists & Democrats Group, which led in our initial predictions in February and last week narrowed the gap to just three seats, is set to be 16 seats short of the EPP number. With 201 seats, the Socialists are set to gain only a handful of seats in comparison to their current numbers. This is the lowest PollWatch 2014 score for the S&D.

Many EPP member parties have consolidated their positions during the election campaign, especially in Poland, Hungary and Germany, while a number of socialist, social democratic and Labour parties have lost ground in the past few months, notably in France, Hungary, Poland and the UK.

It should be noted that while the gap between the EPP and S&D appears wide, there is still a 15% chance that the Socialists will be larger than the EPP, taking into account margins of error. Read more

14
May

PollWatch 2014: gap at top narrows while Greens drop to seventh

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For detailed results per country and methodology, go to pollwatch2014.eu

In the penultimate PollWatch 2014 predictions, the gap between the centre-right Group of the European People’s Party and the centre-left Socialists & Democrats Group has narrowed to just three seats. 

The EPP is on 212 seats and the Socialists on 209 in this week’s forecast by PollWatch 2014, a project developed by VoteWatch Europe in partnership with Burson-Marsteller and Europe Decides. The narrowing of the difference from eleven seats last week to three this week will reassure the Socialists, who had led in the initial PollWatch predictions in February and March.

The Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) Group are set to take 63 seats, according to the latest prediction, while the radical left European United Left / Nordic Green Left (GUE/NGL) Group would win 52 seats in the next European Parliament.

The three-way battle for fifth place among the current groups continues, with the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) Group taking the edge, with 43 seats. What will also please the ECR Group is that these members are forecast to come from seven member states – the minimum threshold to form a group – and with the possibility of securing new members from the Alternative for Germany (AfD) or Belgium’s New Flemish Alliance (N-VA), the future of the group looks brighter.

Overall prediction – 14 May

Click the slices to see the group names, predicted number of MEPs and share of total representation in the Parliament

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09
May

Europe Decides Weekly – 9 May

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Read more in Europe Decides Weekly, 9 May 2014

Top stories: 1-9 May 2014

  • EPP extends lead as smaller groups scramble for seats: The latest PollWatch 2014 puts the European People’s Party (EPP) in an 11-seat lead over the Socialists and Democrats (S&D). The EPP’s projected haul of 216 seats re-opens the gap with the S&D, who had looked to be narrowing the difference between the two parties in previous forecasts. The Green, Conservative and Eurosceptic groups are in a tight battle for fifth place behind the Liberals (63 seats) and radical left (which fell under the 50-seat mark for the first time in a PollWatch 2014 prediction). PollWatch 2014; Europe Decides
  • Slovenia PM Bratušek formally resigns, urges snap election: Slovenia’s Prime Minister, Alenka Bratušek, handed in her resignation on Monday 5 May and called for an early election to be held in June. She said it would be the best way out of the political crisis, which was triggered by her removal as leader of Positive Slovenia by the party’s founder. Meanwhile, ex-PM and current opposition leader Janez Janša was sentenced to two years in prison for bribery related to a 2006 arms deal. Janša’s conviction, delivered last June, was upheld by an appeal court. New Europe; EUObserver; Bloomberg; Reuters; Daily Journal; Washington Post; EurActiv
  • Oettinger frontrunner as next German Commission nominee: The Energy Commissioner Günther Oettinger, is set to be named as Germany’s nominee to the European Commission for a second time, according to a report in Der Spiegel. Since the German Social Democrats (SPD) are expected to lose support in the European election, it is reported that the Chancellor, Angela Merkel, will send a Christian Democrat to the Commission. Oettinger’s only competitor for the post is reported to be David McAllister, former prime minister of Lower Saxony and lead candidate for Merkel’s Christian Democrats (CDU). Der Spiegel

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07
May

PollWatch 2014: EPP extends lead as smaller groups scramble for seats

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For detailed results per country and methodology, go to pollwatch2014.eu

The centre-right Group of the European People’s Party has restored its double-digit seats lead over the centre-left Socialists & Democrats Group according to the latest PollWatch 2014 predictions.  

The EPP is on 216 seats, 11 seats ahead of the Socialists, in this week’s forecast by PollWatch 2014, a project developed by VoteWatch Europe in partnership with Burson-Marsteller and Europe Decides.

The shift will be a blow for the Socialists, who had begun to narrow a gap with the EPP that first opened up three weeks ago.

The Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) Group have further consolidated their position as the likely third force in the next European Parliament. The Liberals are set to take 63 seats, according to the latest prediction, while the radical left have fallen under the 50-seat mark for the first time in a PollWatch 2014 prediction. The European United Left / Nordic Green Left (GUE/NGL) Group is in fourth place on 49 seats.

Meanwhile, there is a three-way battle for fifth place among the current groups, according to the latest prediction. The Greens / European Free Alliance Group is on 41 seats, with the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) Group on 39 seats and the Europe of Freedom and Democracy (EFD) Group also on 39 seats.

Overall prediction – 7 May

Click the slices to see the group names, predicted number of MEPs and share of total representation in the Parliament

The ECR Group is forecast to win members from only six member states – one below the required threshold – but could well pick up new members from the Alternative for Germany (AfD) or Belgium’s New Flemish Alliance (N-VA). The latter is currently a member of the Greens/EFA Group, so a defection to the ECR could both secure the Conservative group and see it move ahead of the Greens.

As well as the ECR Group and EFD Group, a third group is set to emerge from among the 99 non-attached members, led by Marine Le Pen‘s National Front (France) and Geert Wilders‘ Party for Freedom (PVV) and also featuring parties from Austria, Belgium, Italy, Slovakia and Sweden.

Other parties classed as ‘non-attached’ are likely to join other groups in the Parliament – the result on 25 May is likely only to be the start of the story in terms of the Parliament’s composition and the choice of President of the European Commission.

Here’s our overview of the evolution of the PollWatch 2014 forecasts:

David O’Leary

For more information on PollWatch 2014, go to pollwatch2014.eu

30
Apr

PollWatch 2014: EPP lead over Socialists narrows in latest polls

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For detailed results per country and methodology, go to pollwatch2014.eu

There is little change in the latest PollWatch 2014 predictions with the centre-right Group of the European People’s Party maintaining a narrow – and narrowing – lead over the centre-left Socialists & Democrats Group. 

The EPP is on 213 seats, just five ahead of the Socialists, in the latest forecast by PollWatch 2014, a project developed by VoteWatch Europe in partnership with Burson-Marsteller and Europe Decides.

With less than a month to go to the European Parliament elections, the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) Group remain in third, the European United Left / Nordic Green Left (GUE/NGL) Group in fourth, and the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) Group and the Greens / European Free Alliance Group are tied on 42 seats.

The Europe of Freedom and Democracy (EFD) Group is set to win 36 seats, and the latest forecast suggests that 97 MEPs will come from parties not currently affiliated to a group in the European Parliament.

It remains to be seen what – if any – impact the First European Presidential Debate will have on the scores.

Overall prediction – 30 April

Click the slices to see the group names, predicted number of MEPs and share of total representation in the Parliament

Here’s our overview of the evolution of the PollWatch 2014 forecasts:

David O’Leary

For more information on PollWatch 2014, go to pollwatch2014.eu

23
Apr

PollWatch 2014: EPP maintains lead as campaign enters final month

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For detailed results per country and methodology, go to pollwatch2014.eu

As the countdown to the European Parliament elections enters its final month, the centre-right Group of the European People’s Party maintains its lead over the centre-left Socialists & Democrats Group. 

The EPP is on 217 seats, nine ahead of the Socialists, in the latest forecast by PollWatch 2014, a project developed by VoteWatch Europe in partnership with Burson-Marsteller and Europe Decides.

EPP parties in Finland, France and Poland have seen their support dip a little while support for the centre-left has remained generally stable.

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16
Apr

PollWatch 2014: EPP ahead for first time with five weeks to go

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For detailed results per country and methodology, go to pollwatch2014.eu

After weeks of slowly making up ground on the centre-left Socialists & Democrats Group in the PollWatch 2014 predictions, the centre-right Group of the European People’s Party has now surged into the lead.

The EPP is now 13 seats ahead of the Socialists, leading by 222 seats to 209 in the latest forecast by PollWatch 2014, a project developed by VoteWatch Europe in partnership with Burson-Marsteller and Europe Decides.

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