Q&A: Gibraltar row What is latest dispute between Spain and Gibraltar about? Between a rock and a hard place: Is Spain breaching EU law by making life difficult for Gibraltarians? The ‘Gibraltar question’ has consistently been the biggest bone of contention in UK-Spanish relations ever since the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht which saw … Read more
MAIN FOCUS: Berlusconi launches election campaign | 12/12/2012 from euro|topics Italy’s ex prime minister Silvio Berlusconi on Tuesday attacked the government of his successor Mario Monti and accused it of being “German-centric”. Some commentators warn of the rise of a new anti-European populism in Italy. Others believe that despite his strong words Berlusconi has no … Read more
Anti-austerity protests sweep Europe from FT.com – World, Europe Unions across Europe stage day of co-ordinated action, with general strike halting public transport, air travel and closing schools in Portugal and Spain MAIN FOCUS: Southern Europe strikes against austerity | 14/11/2012 from euro|topics Employees in Spain and Portugal are protesting against their governments’ austerity policies … Read more
Breivik sentenced to 21 years in prison for Norway attacks from Hurriyet Daily News An Oslo court on Friday found Anders Behring Breivik guilty of “acts of terror” and sentenced him to 21 years in prison… Breivik court verdict: security lessons? from open Democracy News Analysis – by Robert Lambert Now that the legal … Read more
Trust in the EU at an all time low by Open Europe blog team * Plenty for Barroso to contemplate The European Commission has published the results of its latest Eurobarometer survey. Here are some interesting findings: Spanish government vs Spanish regions: Episode 98,640 (and counting) by Open Europe blog team Fresh skirmishes between the … Read more
MAIN FOCUS: Athens to keep the euro | 15/05/2012 from euro|topics The Euro Group finance ministers met on Monday in Brussels to discuss crisis-stricken Greece and spoke out against Greece exiting the Eurozone. But Greece’s withdrawal could help the country’s economy back on its feet, some commentators say, while others fear the move would have … Read more
The German Pirate Party’s national conference was a riot of colour and noise Germany’s Pirate Party riding high from BBC News | Europe | World Edition Germany’s Pirate Party sets sail for a role in national politics Fear grows of Greek euro exit from FT.com – World, Europe ECB council members? comments indicate risk of … Read more
French elections: what normal stands for?, Nilüfer Göle from open Democracy News Analysis – by Nilüfer Göle The vote for Hollande is not so much as a radical desire for change as a possibly illusory desire to go back to the pre-crisis period. The socialists, however, have also opened up a new alternative approach to … Read more
May day protests highlight Europe?s pain from FT.com – World, Europe Tens of thousands of workers take to the streets for annual marches, demonstrating against government spending cuts and rising unemployment How real is Hollande’s veto threat? by Open Europe blog team As has been widely reported, Francois Hollande – the socialist contender for the … Read more
French President Sarkozy Sees Opportunity for Censorship, Seizes It from EFF.org Updates by jillian In the wake of a horrific rampage, in which Mohamed Merah (now dead after a 32-hour standoff with police) reportedly murdered three French soldiers, three young Jewish schoolchildren, and a rabbi, President Nicolas Sarkozy of France has begun calling for criminal … Read more
Massivity: over a million protest labor reforms in Spain from Social Network Unionism by OrsanSenalp From: ROARMAG.org They said the movement was dead. That the indignation had subsided. That rage and frustration alone was never a sustainable motivation for continued resistance against the scourges of financial capitalism and the farce of our so-called representative democracy. … Read more
German president quits in scandal from BBC News | Europe | World Edition German President Christian Wulff announces his resignation, after prosecutors called for his immunity to be lifted amid a home loan scandal. Is the troika punishing Greece? Why? from Blogactiv by Protesilaos Stavrou Ever since September 2011 or even earlier, we have all … Read more
Uncertainty surrounds Greek rescue deal from FT.com – World, Europe The president of the eurozone finance ministers said a decision on the ?130bn bail-out package for Greece would not be agreed until next week The second Greek bailout: Ten unanswered questions by Open Europe blog team We put out a briefing note today outlining the … Read more
Greek parliament approves new austerity bill from Hurriyet Daily News The Greek parliament approved on Monday a deeply unpopular austerity bill to secure.. MAIN FOCUS: Greece economises, Athens burns | 13/02/2012 from euro|topics The Greek parliament on Sunday night approved by a large majority the austerity package that the troikademands as a precondition for the … Read more
Greece will have to be built anew otherwise more of the same malpractices will continue to hinder the country?s prospects. Image source: The Guardian Greek parties agree ?3.3bn austerity cuts from FT.com – World, Europe Eurozone finance ministers poised to work late into the night to structure a bail-out package targeted at cutting Greek debt … Read more