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21. Autonomía estratégica abierta europea y ciclo electoral: Opciones frente a EEUU y China

Author:
Raquel Carretero, Lisa Garcia Bedolla, Vicente Palacio, Agueda Parra, and Ana Olmedo
Publication Date:
06-2024
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Fundación Alternativas
Abstract:
La UE debe contar con capacidades propias que le permitan reducir sus dependencias frente a EEUU y China. Pero Europa afronta dificultades e incertidumbres derivadas de factores políticos y económicos internos a Europa y EEUU. Dos grandes procesos electorales en 2024 (elecciones al Parlamento Europeo el 6-9 de junio, y elecciones presidenciales en EEUU el 5 noviembre) tendrán importantes implicaciones para la llamada “autonomía estratégica europea abierta”. Teniendo cuenta este contexto político, este documento aborda varios aspectos. Primero, las dinámicas de continuidad y de cambio del nuevo ciclo político. Segundo, las tendencias actuales de las relaciones UE-EEUU en tres ámbitos principales: tecnológico-digital; política energética y nueva política industrial del Pacto Verde; y defensa y seguridad. Tercero, la necesidad de la UE de resetear y fortalecer las relaciones económicas con Beijing. Cuarto, las posibles opciones de la UE y escenarios respecto a EEUU y China. Finalmente, algunas propuestas para avanzar en la dirección de una relación estratégica más equilibrada y “abierta” respecto a EEUU, China, y el Sur Global.
Topic:
Foreign Policy, Elections, European Union, Economy, and Strategic Autonomy
Political Geography:
United States, China, and Europe

22. General elections 26 October in Georgia: a referendum on Europe?

Author:
Elise Bernard and Vincent Godbillon
Publication Date:
10-2024
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Robert Schuman Foundation (RSF)
Abstract:
The general elections in Georgia on 26 October will clearly determine the autocratic or democratic future of the country. President Salome Zourabichvili[1] considers these elections to be a referendum for a “European, democratic, independent Georgia, or a Georgia led by an authoritarian, isolated Russia”. Meanwhile, Georgian Dream, which holds a small majority in the Assembly and presents itself as ‘social-democratic’, is increasingly seen as Russia's Trojan horse[2]. Led by Bidzina Ivanishvili[3], it appears to be implementing a strategy of systematically blocking Georgia's accession to the European Union, despite its supposedly favourable label. The prospect of these elections appears to have accelerated this methodical undermining, especially since Georgia was granted candidate country status by the European Council in December 2023. On 9 October, at the start of the new legislature, the European Parliament adopted, a resolution by 495 votes, calling on the European Union and its Member States to hold to account and impose personal sanctions on all those responsible for undermining democracy in Georgia[4], including Bidzina Ivanishvili. The European Union has already frozen 30 million € of the European Peace Facility.
Topic:
Elections, European Union, Referendum, and Foreign Influence
Political Geography:
Russia, Europe, and Georgia

23. A push to the right, but the outgoing majority coalition is expected to be renewed

Author:
Pascale Joannin
Publication Date:
06-2024
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
Robert Schuman Foundation (RSF)
Abstract:
The European elections were held from 6 to 9 June in the 27 Member States of the European Union. Turnout was higher than in 2019, demonstrating that people feel more concerned by European issues.
Topic:
Elections, European Union, Democracy, and Citizenship
Political Geography:
Europe

24. Manifestations of corruption in local government elections in Albania. Implications for the process of its accession to the European Union

Author:
Renata Podgórzańska
Publication Date:
12-2024
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Nowa Polityka Wschodnia
Institution:
Faculty of Political Science and International Studies, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń
Abstract:
One of the key values on which the European Union is based is the rule of law that also includes efficient mechanisms for counteracting and combating corruption. What is more, it is a key condition for countries aspiring to membership in the European Union. An example here comes from Albania’s accession aspirations. Their progress is determined by the dynamic changes in the transformation processes of this country, including progress in counteracting and eliminating corruption in the political and economic space. Explanation of the specific characteristics of Albanian reality and the exegesis of the impact of corruption on the process of the country’s closer EU cooperation are the aims of the research taken up here. Special focus will be given to electoral corruption in local government elections that took place on 14 May 2023. At the same time, these elections are only a background to a broader discussion on the essence of corruption in the Albanian reality as a factor that determines its accession process.
Topic:
Corruption, Elections, European Union, Rule of Law, and Local Government
Political Geography:
Europe and Albania

25. Unloved but indispensable: Political parties in Europe

Author:
Paul McCarthy, Thibault Muzergues, and Patrick Quirk
Publication Date:
08-2024
Content Type:
Policy Brief
Institution:
Atlantic Council
Abstract:
The rise of political parties in their modern form in Europe has historically been associated with the coming of age of mass politics, and the subsequent need for representation of sectional interests (in other words, the interests of specific social classes). Following the end of World War II in Western Europe, and the end of the Cold War in Central and Eastern Europe, political parties became a central component of European democracies. Scholars often describe the 1960s and 1970s as the golden age of (Western) European democratic parties. However, the honeymoon did not last beyond this period. A long decline has made political parties much less relevant to modern politics, as they were often replaced by personalized politics and the politicization of one-issue social movements throughout the 1990s and 2000s. Political parties today are generally unpopular and distrusted by the wider public. Yet what is remarkable is that despite their decline and a crisis that many had described as terminal, European parties have remained at the center of the game in most countries’ political systems. Perhaps even more importantly, they have proved indispensable for the functioning of democracy in Europe: in the Netherlands, despite an extremely atomized party system and a global rejection of parties, no agreement on a coalition government can be passed without negotiations among them. In Italy, the Five Star Movement soon understood that it needed to convert into a much more classical political party to implement its political program: it built more traditional structures and adopted a clear positioning on the very left-right divide that it had claimed to supersede a few years before. The experience of the past decade has shown that despite their unpopularity, political parties remain indispensable for the functioning of democracies in Europe—when they are present, plural, and organized, democracy is doing well. When they are not, or when the party system is unbalanced, democracies suffer and even backslide. To prove this assertion, this paper will look at four telling examples in recent European history, taking from the experiences of Romania, Spain, France, and Hungary.
Topic:
Politics, Reform, Elections, Political Parties, and Democratic Transitions
Political Geography:
Europe

26. A beginner’s guide to general elections

Author:
Stephanie Luke and Sophie Stowers
Publication Date:
06-2024
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
UK in a Changing Europe, King's College London
Abstract:
This second instalment of UK in a Changing Europe’s series of ‘beginner’s guides’ covers UK general elections. ‘A beginner’s guide to general elections’ unpacks how they work, from prorogation to polling day. You will find everything you need to know about the dissolution of Parliament, the drawing up of constituencies, how candidates are selected, what they can and cannot do on the campaign trail, the laws which govern party spending, and what to expect on polling day – right down to how polling stations are set up. There’s even a section on what to expect in the days following the election, from government formation to the selection of the Speaker and the State Opening of Parliament. This guide is perfect for those who are learning about British politics and institutions for the first time, or those who, unfamiliar with the details, are being asked to write about them. The UKICE beginner’s guides aim to provide an accessible yet thorough overview of the most pressing issues, institutions and debates in politics and society today.
Topic:
Governance, Elections, Domestic Politics, and Institutions
Political Geography:
United Kingdom and Europe

27. Minorities report: the attitudes of Britain’s ethnic minority population

Author:
Zain Mohyuddin, James Kanagasooriam, and Sophie Stowers
Publication Date:
10-2024
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
UK in a Changing Europe, King's College London
Abstract:
Research suggests that ethnic minority voters often have political and social views at variance with those held by the population as a whole, and indeed by other ethnic groups. Yet we often lack the data to examine these attitudes and how they differ. This report aims to set that right. It attempts to look at the diversity of political opinion, social values and economic preferences not just between Britain’s white and non-white population, but between different ethnic and religious groups. The report looks not just at voting and elections, but more broadly at questions of identity, tolerance, and experiences of race and discrimination. It covers political views and values at both the 2019 and 2024 elections, questions of identity, being ‘British’, discrimination and prejudice, and economic preferences and social values. Report co-author James Kanagasooriam identifies 10 key takeaways: We are at an inflection point in terms of how ethnic minorities vote. We should not overstate how poorly the right performs, and how well the left does, amongst ethnic minority Britons. The demography of right and left is vastly different between white and non-white voters. There is a large degree of disagreement between ethnic minorities- to some degree larger than that between the white and non-white population- on the role of the state. There are a clutch of issues – immigration and multiculturalism – where ethnic minorities are much more positive than the rest of Britain. At future elections, Labour cannot rely on ethnic minority voters as a ‘bloc’ of support. There is evidence of some prejudice among certain ethnic minority voters toward other minority groups. The degree of importance placed amongst minority respondents on their personal religion is out of step with the growing secularism of white Britain. There is a wide difference between minority groups on their experience of racism and of representation. Ethnic minority and white Britons share common diagnoses about what is politically important, what they want out of a government, which cultural institutions are important, what British culture is, and what it means to be British.
Topic:
Public Opinion, Minorities, Elections, Ethnicity, Discrimination, and Voting
Political Geography:
Britain, United Kingdom, and Europe

28. The UK in a Changing Europe guide to UK-EU relations

Author:
UK in a Changing Europe
Publication Date:
09-2024
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
UK in a Changing Europe, King's College London
Abstract:
The 2019 election was meant to ‘get Brexit done’. But, five years on, Brexit matters as much as ever. Its economic effects are only just becoming clear. We are still grappling with various outstanding issues, ranging from Gibraltar to border controls to implementing new arrangements in Northern Ireland. There are deadlines in the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) which means aspects of the relationship must be renegotiated. EU rules and regulations continue to have implications for UK businesses and consumers. And the UK government is keen to ‘reset’ relations and add new areas of cooperation. Relations with the EU may not have figured much in the recent election, but it will continue to be an important area of public policy for the foreseeable future. This guide is intended as a snapshot of where we have got to with Brexit and what the prospects are for UK-EU relations. It provides a short, accessible assessment of what Brexit has meant for the UK and what options the current government has in terms of ‘resetting’ its relationship with Brussels.
Topic:
Bilateral Relations, Elections, European Union, Brexit, and Trade
Political Geography:
United Kingdom, Europe, and Northern Ireland

29. UK Trade Tracker Q3 2024

Author:
Stephen Hunsaker
Publication Date:
09-2024
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
UK in a Changing Europe, King's College London
Abstract:
The UK in a Changing Europe trade tracker focuses on three key areas: UK trade and its performance relative to historical data; UK trade with the EU and what has changed since Brexit; and UK trade in a global context and how it compares to the G7. This tracker reviews the first half of 2024 using ONS and OECD data. Following the election on 4 July, this data provides a final look at what the now-departed Conservative government achieved with its ‘Brexit freedoms’ on trade, and the situation the incoming Labour government has inherited. In this edition, we examine UK goods and services trade as a percentage of GDP as well as trade trends in the first two quarters of 2024. We then break down the data by goods trade with the EU and non- EU countries; exploring whether the previously puzzling trends of declining non-EU trade and stable EU trade continue to defy Brexit expectations. Additionally, we analyse UK total trade by country and region, including the top 10 UK trade partners, and how trade has changed over the past two quarters compared to the last few years. Lastly, we look at how UK trade fares when compared to its counterparts in the G7.
Topic:
Elections, European Union, Economy, Brexit, and Trade
Political Geography:
United Kingdom and Europe

30. General election 2024: manifesto analysis

Author:
UK in a Changing Europe
Publication Date:
06-2024
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
UK in a Changing Europe, King's College London
Abstract:
Manifestos provide an opportunity for political parties to lay out their plans for government. While not binding in any legal sense, a government is often judged, at least in part, by its success or otherwise in implementing the policies promised in the manifesto. At a time of increasing distrust of politicians, of falling faith in politics, and of concern about the proliferation of false or misleading information, it is more important than ever to ensure that manifestos are subject to scrutiny. This is what we attempt to do in this report. In it, Full Fact and UK in a Changing Europe have joined forces to produce a series of evidence-led, research-based assessments of the policies the Conservative and Labour parties say they will implement if they are to win the next election. The report contains chapters on growth; public spending; tax policy; living standards; housing; education/schools; further and higher education; energy and net zero; environment and farming; health; managed migration; small boats and asylum; security, defence and foreign affairs; the Union; and relations with the EU. The contributors are leading experts from a range of organisations including the Resolution Foundation, the Royal United Services Institute, the Health Foundation, the LSE, the Institute for Fiscal Studies, the Migration Observatory and the National Foundation for Educational Research.
Topic:
Elections, Public Policy, and Manifesto
Political Geography:
United Kingdom and Europe