United Government Affairs’ Post

📖 Our European Parliament 2024 book is out! #EP2024 We have joined forces with CIDOB (Barcelona Centre for International Affairs) & CEPS (Centre for European Policy Studies) to publish a monograph titled ‘European Elections 2024. A turning point for EU integration?’.   This monograph comes at a time of paramount relevance, right before the upcoming European Parliament (EP) elections from June 6 to 9, 2024.   As the monograph shows, the further politicisation of European integration and clashing views on the future of the Union are shaping the debate prior to the elections.   ==> Much is at stake in these elections: the outcome will shape potential coalition configurations in the Parliament upon which legislative progress and the composition of the new European Commission will rest. ==> Hence, the election results will impact the future of the green agenda, the EU's further enlargement, defence policy, and the budget, to state the most important.   The monograph is divided into two sections: The first part delves into ‘The Impact of the Elections on the Political Agenda’. The second section, ‘Europe in Campaign: A Geographical Tour’ provides a country perspective on the campaigns. It includes an analysis of the EP election campaigns in Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Poland, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Austria, Finland, Ireland, and Estonia - authors are from the EPIN network.   I had the honour of being one of the editors of the monograph together with great colleagues Carme Colomina Saló, Héctor Sánchez Margalef and Sophia Russack. Additionally, we have a chapter titled ‘Will the European Parliament election have an impact on the EU’s enlargement agenda?’, together with Luis de Lossada i Gallart   In this chapter, we analyse how Parliament’s potential configurations could affect the EU's enlargement policy, arguing that the predicted rise of far-right parties’ representation in parliament is likely to pose challenges to the enlargement policy moving forward.   You can find the full monograph here: https://lnkd.in/dicgfk4m Grateful to the authors: Saló Francesco Pasetti Ana García Juanatey, PhD Andrea Noferini Marta Galceran Vercher Agustí Fernández de Losada Passols Victor Burguete Vidal Daniel Fiott Javier Carbonell Castañer Max Becker Nicolai von Ondarza Georgina Wright Matteo Bonomi Nicoletta Pirozzi Raquel García Llorente Melchior Szczepanik Tomasz Zając Benjamin Bodson Ward Den Dooven Jan Kovář Liljana Cvetanoska Bulcsú Hunyadi Manuel Müller Barry Colfer Manuel Muñiz Angel Alonso Arroba Celsa Susino Angeles Figueroa Alcorta Aitziber Onaindia Riesco Alejandra Carolina Acedo Samaniego ROSA ARANDA Barrio Kerry Parke Cristina Vicente Ruiz Pol Morillas Bassedas

Very insightful reading. According to research conducted by the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR), the EU legislature will become more fragmented than ever before, with the “old guard” center-left liberal coalition struggling to retain the majority that currently enables it to dominate the agenda. The European parliamentary elections to be held in June could be the most explosive yet, with new polling suggesting a considerable shift in its composition to right-wing populist parties. “The main winners in the elections will be the populist right.... https://lnkd.in/eb7-is4Z

Check out my recent article in The Geopolitics where I have covered a major shift in the political landscape of the European Union (EU) coincided with the June 6–9, 2024, European Parliament elections. #EU #Geopolitics #Election #HardRight

South Africa’s record number of political parties which share ideologies, policies, and outlooks, but operate as stand-alone parties, should form pre-election coalitions and fight elections together as one entity, similar to how ideological like-minded parties did in France during the country’s just past snap legislative elections. South Africa desperately needs a consolidation of parties. Many of the current parties should ideally close down, fold into bigger parties or smaller parties should merge. If a consolidation of parties is not the route taken, then SA parties should like in France, form coalitions whereby they almost operate as one party, but retain their individual identity. In the recent legislative elections in France, parties with similar ideological outlooks, constituencies and policies combined ahead of the elections, participating under joint umbrellas. French President Emmanuel Macron called snap elections in June after he was defeated by the far-right National Rally (RN) led by Marine Le Pen, when France voted for the European Parliament. The New Popular Front (NFP) formed 3-weeks before French President Emmanuel Macron called snap elections, brought together a coalition of Socialists, Greens, and the hard-left, France Unbowed, that were previously deeply divided, to prevent the National Rally to secure power.   During the French elections, more than 200 candidates from the Left and centre withdrew from the second round of legislative elections, allowing rivals with a better chance of winning to take on the ultra-right in the elections.  Most of South Africa’s parties share the same policies, ideologies, slogans and even colours, which rarely can be distinguished from one another, beyond having different leaders. Despite the many parties, South African voters have little choice, as parties are all the same. This is one of the reasons why so many parties get few votes in elections, and why many South Africans stay away from voting and say parties very truly little to them.

🗳 🇪🇺 What was the outcome of the European Elections in Spain? Who were the winners and who didn't fair so well? Our colleagues in 🇪🇸 Madrid have summarised the key outcomes from Sunday's elections and what they say about the politics in Spain ⬇ In a highly polarised campaign where the fight was primarily between Sánchez and Feijóo, the European elections took on a national significance, overshadowing individual candidates.  ➡ The People’s Party emerged as the most voted, reclaiming the top spot from the Socialist Party (PSOE) and bolstering Alberto Núñez Feijóo's leadership. ➡ The PSOE, only two seats behind, interprets the results as an endorsement of Pedro Sánchez's government policies. Meanwhile, despite internal turmoil earlier this year, Vox has solidified its position among Europe's leading far-right parties. ➡ The main loser of these elections has been Vice-President Yolanda Díaz. Despite being established only a year ago, her left-wing platform has failed to satisfy the demands of all the factions within it. 💡 It will be an interesting week as the results of the EP election slowly start to shape our work. As the week goes on, our colleagues across our European (and non-EU) offices will be providing expert insights into the potential ramifications of the election, both in their own region as well as EU-wide. #PublicAffairs #EuropeanUnion

It is the right time for international partners to put their weight behind the new agreement and seize the moment to support civil society and political actors in holding peaceful and fair elections.  https://ow.ly/8kkC50RA4Y5

#FiscalNoteLive Webinar: April 9, 4PM CET — Join us for a deep dive into the EU elections and the European policy environment. Our expert panel will share insights and answer your most pressing questions on topics such as the nuances of the EU electoral process, key timelines and developments, and how to navigate the dynamics of the EU policy landscape. Whether you are seeking to understand the impact of the elections on policymaking, anticipate regulatory changes, or cultivate effective advocacy strategies, this webinar will equip you with the knowledge and tools you need to thrive in the before-, during, and after-election environment. Speakers will discuss: — Key policy issues that will shape the upcoming EU Parliamentary elections — The timeline of events — What factors may shape the EU's legislative agenda going forward — How public affairs teams can plan strategically in an election year Speakers: 🗣️ Sebastián Rodríguez, campaign strategist and founder of the european campaign playbook 🗣️ Geraint Edwards, managing director of FiscalNote Europe Register now! https://fnlink.co/3ITV3ok #EU #europeanunion #europe #election2024 #EUelections

Debate on the "Spitzenkandidat" process: democratic legitimacy in the EU 👉 With the 2024 European Parliament elections now over, attention will turn to the selection of the European Commission leadership. Ursula von der Leyen, supported by the European People's Party, will continue the tradition of the "Spitzenkandidat", although the impact on democratic legitimacy is debated. This process, while influential, is not legally binding and raises questions about the true nature of democratic representation in the EU. Read the full article by Árpád Lapu here⬇⬇ https://lnkd.in/dN9bS8qa #EuropeanElections #EUCommission #Spitzenkandidat #Democracy #Leadership #EuropeanUnion #EUPolitics #Governance #EUIntegration #PoliticalLegitimacy #EUDemocracy #EuropeanCouncil #ElectionProcess #PoliticalReform

Your primer on the European Parliament elections and how they will shape the EU

Remember the European Parliament elections - they matter for the sea! On 6-9 June, EU citizens will elect their representatives to the European Parliament. And if you care about the sea and the climate, you should care about who you elect to the Parliament. The majority of environmental issues in our countries are governed by EU policies. Read about the Parliament's organisational structure and work processes: https://lnkd.in/dDr2AKH2