Matteo Renzi

Fistfight, violent brawl accompanies debate on constitutional reform in the parliament, but President Erdoğan already declared: ‘That referendum will take place’

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CHP’s Fatma Kaplan: To Hell with Your Presidential System, to Hell with Your Ambition  Bianet :: English   Beaten while warning AKP MPs who weren’t complying with voting procedures during discussions on 3rd Article of constitutional amendment talks, CHP MP Fatma Hürriyet Kaplan has protested the incident on parliamentary rostrum. ‘That referendum will take place,’ vows President … Read more

Eurosphere agenda: “EU’s Galileo satellite system goes live after 17 years

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EU’s Galileo satellite system goes live after 17 years  BBC News | Europe | World Edition   Europe launches its long-delayed Galileo satellite system, aiming to be the world’s most accurate. Romania: a social democratic anomaly in eastern Europe? open Democracy News Analysis – by Cornel Ban   Romania should be the ideal playground for right-populist parties, … Read more

Eurosphere agenda: “UK and six other nations face legal action over Volkswagen emissions…

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  Volkswagen emissions: UK and six other nations face legal action  BBC News | Europe | World Edition The EU is taking legal action against the UK and six other nations for failing to take – or consider taking – action against Volkswagen. [Ticker] EU slaps €485m fine on ‘cartel’ banks  EUobserver.com – Headline News The EU … Read more

Eurosphere agenda: “Martin Schulz to run in German election, leaving EU parliament

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Martin Schulz to run in German election, leaving EU parliament  BBC News | Europe | World Edition The head of the European Parliament is to return to German national politics next year. The Brief: Schulz gives up European Parliament to return to politics EurActiv.com by James Crisp Martin Schulz is giving up the European Parliament to return … Read more

Eurosphere agenda: Bosnia and Herzegovina’s membership application… “Fancy Bears hackers…

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EU accepts Bosnia and Herzegovina’s membership application EurActiv.com by Georgi Gotev The European Union’s 28 member states yesterday (20 September) accepted Bosnia and Herzegovina’s membership application and ordered the Commission to prepare an assessment of the Balkan country’s readiness to join the bloc. Fancy Bears hackers: What we have learnt from the leaks  BBC News | Europe … Read more

Eurosphere agenda: “France burkini highest court suspends ban…

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France burkini highest court suspends ban BBC News | Europe | World Edition France’s highest administrative court suspends a ban on controversial full-body “burkini” swimsuits in a town on the Mediterranean coast. The burkini as a mirror  open Democracy News Analysis – by Adam Seligman Unless we are willing to live with the discomfort of what is … Read more

A late tribute to Umberto Eco (and also to Harper Lee)…

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Archival Interview: Umberto Eco on Truth, Fiction, and the Holy Grail “It was a beautiful story. Too bad no one will find out about it.” “You surely don’t believe that you’re the only writer of stories in this world. Sooner or later, someone — a greater liar than Baudolino — will tell it.” — Umberto Eco, Baudolino In Memoriam | Umberto Eco: … Read more

Eurosphere agenda: Tsipras presents reform plan… Russia’s entry ban…

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Obesity map of Europe (Update: and America)  Boing Boing by Rob Beschizza If Turkey and Britain are the happiest nations in Europe, maybe this is why! Read the rest MAIN FOCUS: Tsipras presents reform plan | 04/06/2015 euro|topics Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras on Wednesday presented a reform plan that he describes as realistic. According to media reports, … Read more

Eurosphere agenda: Merkel Pessimistic on Ukraine peace, Germany rules out arming Kyiv….

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MAIN FOCUS: Merkel and Hollande negotiate in Ukraine conflict | 06/02/2015  euro|topics French President François Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel have started a new initiative to find a solution to the Ukraine conflict, presenting a peace proposal in Kiev on Thursday before travelling to Moscow today, Friday. Commentators see the move as the last hope … Read more

Eurosphere agenda: Greek and German ministers meet and clash… “Youth radicalization in Hungary, Bulgaria, and Greece…

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Greek and German ministers meet, to no avail EurActiv.com The first meeting between Greece’s iconoclastic new finance minister from the Marxist left and his 72-year-old conservative German nemesis was never going to be easy. It turned out even worse than expected. Greek, German finance ministers clash in first talks  EurActiv.com The Greek and German finance ministers could … Read more

Eurosphere agenda: “Syriza-led Greek parliament ‘will never ratify TTIP’

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 Syriza-led Greek parliament ‘will never ratify TTIP’  EurActiv.com The newly-elected government in Athens has always been suspicious of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) and will use its Parliament majority to sink the EU-US trade pact, claims a former Syriza MEP now turned minister. EurActiv Greece reports. Greece holds ‘crucial’ meetings to secure new debt agreement … Read more

Eurosphere agenda: Greek elections tomorrow. Syriza is comin’

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VIDEO: Greek campaigning ends ahead of vote  BBC News | Europe | World Edition The BBC’s Chris Morris reports from a Syriza rally in Crete as campaigning in Greece’s general election comes to an end. Syriza ‘to end Greece‘s humiliation’ BBC News | Europe | World Edition The leader of Greek anti-austerity party Syriza says an end … Read more

Eurosphere agenda: #EP2014 results… Anti-semitic attack in Belgium…

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Fascists and ultra-rights @ #EP2014:25% France23% Denmark22% UK20% Austria15% Hungary13% Finland12% Greece8% Germany — Wolfgang Lünenbürger @luebue@norden.social (@luebue) May 25, 2014   MAIN FOCUS: European elections: triumph of the Eurosceptics | 26/05/2014 euro|topics Despite a loss of votes the conservatives remain the strongest force in the EU Parliament, while right-wing populist and Eurosceptic parties made massive … Read more

Eurosphere agenda: “Crimea ? from playground to battleground…

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  Crimea ? from playground to battleground Journalistic speculation about Crimea becoming independent is rife. However, the real dangers lie elsewhere? MAIN FOCUS: Power struggle in Crimea | 28/02/2014   The conflict between Russians and supporters of the new Ukrainian leadership in the Crimean region has escalated after groups of gunmen temporarily seized the regional government and parliament … Read more

Eurosphere agenda: Apocalyptic scenes’ in Ukraine’s Kiev… Bosnia and Herzegovina articles in Open Democracy…

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  France and Islamic feminism: intersectionality in the Republic The fact is that Islamic feminists in western countries, and especially in France, struggle with identity affiliations and fight against multiple forms of oppression that bind them to post-colonial and anti-racist movements. VIDEO: ‘Apocalyptic scenes’ in Ukraine’s Kiev At least nine people, including two police officers, have been … Read more