Perhaps the knottiest conundrum of Brexit are the competing dynamics of movement and blockage represented by exits and borders. Though the UK is the only member-state to activate Article 50, it is not the first to seek to leave the EU, e.g. Algeria (1962), Greenland (1985) and St. Barthélémy (2012). Significantly however, none of these…
After five exciting days of counting, the 13 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) elected by people in Ireland have not yet been fully confirmed, and might not be for up to another month. This is because a full recount will be carried out in the Ireland South constituency, since only 327 votes separated two…
Lithuania held two rounds of voting in May to replace Dalia Grybauskaitė, the seventh and first female President since its Restoration of Independence in 1990. On 26 May, the ‘independent candidate’ Gitanas Nauseda was elected as the country’s new President. Background Lithuania operates under a ‘semi-presidential’ system, whereby executive control is split between the President and…
No one can be sure who will be the next European Commission President, replacing the current incumbent Jean-Claude Juncker. But this is not only because of uncertainty about the results of the forthcoming European Parliament elections across the EU from 23-26 May (Ireland votes on 24 May). It is also because the procedure for appointing…
The weekend just gone was supposed to be Brexit weekend. But the UK government and the EU agreed at a recent summit to shift the Brexit date to at least April 12, and perhaps longer depending on what happens at Westminster. Even so, it is worth reflecting on the lessons of Brexit since the 2016…
Have you ever noticed, when posters for Member of European Parliament (MEP) candidates appear on lampposts around the country, not only do they bear the logo of their national party, but usually also that of their European political grouping too? Ahead of the European Parliament elections on 23-26 May (Ireland votes on 24 May), it…
In 100 days, citizens in Ireland and across Europe head to the polls to elect a new European Parliament. However, “Brussels” can seem very far away to many voters, and European elections are often understood to be much less important than national votes. As Tip O’Neill, the great Irish-American politician used to say: “all politics…
Reflections on Salzburg They say a week is a long time in politics. It’s easy to forget that it was only this time last week that Theresa May was making a speech from 10 Downing Street re-stating her commitment to the UK government’s ‘Chequers proposal’. It came after EU leaders had met in Salzburg as…
Riksdag Runners and Riders The Swedish electorate will go to the polls on Sunday, 9 September to elect a new Parliament, or ‘Riksdag’. The Swedish system is unicameral, meaning there is one legislative house which is made up of 349 representatives elected through a proportional representational system. Much attention in the lead up to the…
Reflections on Salzburg The Hungarian electorate will go to the polls on Sunday, 8 April to elect a new Parliament. The Hungarian Parliament is unicameral, i.e. it is made up of one house, the National Assembly. Pre-election polls show that the current ruling party, Fidesz, is likely to emerge as the winners for a third…