Sebastian Mariz’s Post

We have to wait until Sunday also for the results in 🇳🇱 but in the meantime, lots of food for thought in the exit poll by NOS/Ipsos in yesterday’s #EuropeanElections24 📈 Likely the highest voter turnout since 1979 ((47%) which is 5 percentage points higher compared to 2019 🗳️ Top five reasons to vote: 1. To make my voice heard 2. I find it a democratic duty 3. Because I find European politics important 4. Because I’m in favour of the EU 5. To exercise influence on a certain theme Surely a sign of the times and thanks to the efforts of so many, who have focussed on explaining how ‘Europe is the candidate’ and why the people should #UseYourVote these past months. For those we’ve been working with most - I really believe that what you’ve done has made a a real difference. 👏👏👏👏 And I already look forward to keep working together, since truly explaining why #EveryVoteMatters is best done each and every day of the next 5 year mandate. 🙏 ProDemos - Huis voor democratie en rechtsstaat Matthijs Van Tuijl Eric Stokkink | De Kiesmannen Dylan Ahern Jochem Jordaan | De Haagse Hogeschool / The Hague University of Applied Sciences Mendeltje van Keulen Tibor Hargitai Remmelt de Weerd | City of The Hague Niesje Barreveld Maryse Boonstra | The Clingendael Institute Louise van Schaik Nienke van Heukelingen | Europese Beweging Nederland Godelieve Van Heteren | Pakhuis de Zwijger Sebastiaan Hennink Dutch Council for Culture Simon de Leeuw | Hajar Yagkoubi Mert Kumru | Europe Direct Almere Jacques Giesbertz Studio Europa Maastricht Job Zomerplaag Marloes Meijer Dave van Toor Source https://nos.nl/l/2523338

😎😎😎 It's official now but you read it first in LaVanguardia last week: Spanish Socialist Party PSOE proposes VP Teresa Ribera to lead their list for the European elections on June 9th. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez wants to spearhead the defense of the Green Deal and its social pillar, and Ribera might as well become the commissioner for Spain at the next European Commission. The upcoming European elections will be tough for the governing parties in Spain but the Socialists will attempt to exploit again their stance on the risk of alliances between conservative and extreme right parties, and also confront them with their more ambiguous views on climate policies. Read more in La Vanguardia... https://lnkd.in/ep4X6QVQ #europa #europe #eu #ue #greendeal #climatepolicies #clima #comisioneuropea #europeancommission #periodismo #journalism #scoop #lavanguardia #eutopjobs

From Marine Le Pen in France to Geert Wilders in the Netherlands, Giorgia Meloni in Italy, and Tom van Grieken in Belgium, the leaders of the far-right are eagerly anticipating the European Parliament elections on June 9. Polls predict a historic result for them, reflecting their growing presence in national parliaments and governments (and a bit more, as this election is often considered irrelevant, leading to a larger protest vote). Yes, the extremist tide will continue to rise and gain seats in the European Parliament, but it will not become a wave and the pro European grand coalition will resist. Experience shows that, so far, extreme right parties have not been able to translate their electoral success into political influence in the European Parliament. But what will happen now, will that change? What will the political groups look like in the next European Parliament? And where will Viktor Orban's Fidesz go? Besides the rise of the extreme right, another novelty in the upcoming political cycle may be that, for the first time, the European People's Party (EPP) will have an alternative majority to its right with which to push through laws in the European Parliament, instead of teaming up with S&D (Social Democrats) and Renew (Liberals). What will that mean for the legislative process? And politically? You can read my long, detailed analysis from yesterday’s paper here. Thank you, Eric Maurice from European Policy Centre and Sophia Russack from CEPS (Centre for European Policy Studies), for the insights! https://lnkd.in/efbE9iij #europeanelections #eleccioneseuropeas #Électionseuropéennes #9j #europeanparliament #parlamentoeuropeo #parlementeuropéen #europe #europa #eu #ue #journalism #eupoliticaltrends #extremeright

Check out our article about the presidential debates in Mexico! #EmbajadoresTR #WorkingAtTR

Gloves are off in the competition to become the next European Commission president… In an interview with La Vanguardia , Socialist candidate Nicolas Schmit ramps up criticism against Ursula Von der Leyen for the nature of some migration agreements recently signed by the EC and accuses her of not consulting its signature with the college of commissioners. "Von der Leyen never consulted us about the Tunisia and Egypt agreement. There was no discussion at the college of commissioners. If there was, I would have absolutely voted against it. I can not agree with this way of managing the college... We are not a presidential system", says Schmit. "I would manage the college in a very collegial way. Certainly, the President has to have a certain authority. But we have 26 Commissioners... with all their knowledge, with their sensitivity, and they have to be listened to... We have a political democratic legitimacy, not just the president, but the whole college. So I would absolutely not do it that way. By the way, I would not either adopt a lot of things without having deep and serious dialog with the stakeholders. Why is there now this opposition, critiques, against the Green Deal? Because there was not really a discussion with the stakeholders." And much more about the defense expenditure ("We need to do both. We cannot just now skip social policies or other policies"), the farmers protests, Costa and the EU top jobs race... #europeanelections #eleccioneseuropeas #europe #eu #europeanelection2024 #spitzenkandidaten https://lnkd.in/e7yQnEHN https://lnkd.in/e7yQnEHN

Spain has been one of the few countries that has dodged the wave of the far-right that is growing strongly in much of the European Union in these elections. #democracy # justice # diversity # equality The PP won the elections (34.2% of the vote) but narrowly, by two seats (22-20) and four points, and the PSOE showed great resistance at a time of extreme weakness for European social democracy as a whole, making Pedro Sánchez the leader of a kind of progressive Spanish Gala village - along with Portugal, where the Socialists are winning - in the midst of a conservative whirlwind that could bring down several European governments. The PSOE is holding on to 30% of the vote, a record in a European Union where the once all-powerful SPD, which governs in Germany, has not reached 14%. The ultra-right in Spain, adding Vox and Alvise Pérez, stands at 14.21%, a figure even lower than the 15% that Vox obtained in the general elections of November 2019 and well below that of its European allies, who in France have reached 33%.

Today is one of those days that mark our history as #Europeansociety. It is up to us to decide a #future for the #nextgenerations. #UseYourVote  Your vote is non-transferable. We build #democracy together. #EUelections #EuropeanParliamentElections #UsaTuVoto

Yesterday, Portugal held its legislative elections, and the anticipated outcome suggests a forthcoming period of instability. Once regarded as an exception in its resistance to far-right influence in Parliament, Portugal's political landscape has shifted dramatically since 2019. What was once a single far-right MP has now 48 MPs, constituting the third-largest party in Parliament. Pedro Nuno Santos, leader of PS, rightly pointed out that those 18% of Chega voters are not fascists or racists (although some show these tendencies). The emergence of such a high percentage underscores deep-rooted societal issues. These include grievances, inequality, and a disillusionment with democratic institutions, particularly the justice system. So my guess is that with the instability of last night results, things will only get worse. The potential for the far-right to gain further traction, particularly among younger voters, seems just a matter of time. Equally troubling is the escalating trend of hate speech and discrimination that has pervaded Portuguese discourse in recent years (namely within mainstream parties). This alarming trajectory, coupled with normalization of violence and the emboldening of extremist movement, proves wrong the theory of Portugal being an exception. And I fear this will only get worse. As an academic who studies extremism for some time now and its psychological underpinnings, particularly within the Portuguese context, I am worried. I feel very pessimistic about the future of a country that used to be seen as an exception. It no longer is and it was a matter of time, sadly. As a native of Porto, I am proud of my city, which once more demonstrated its resilience by registering the lowest votes for CH. But as a Portuguese citizen and woman, I am concerned. #Portugalelections #farright

Is this the end of Catalonia's separatist movement? For the first time, Catalan independentist parties lack a parliamentary majority. In a pivotal election, the Socialist Party secured the most seats, potentially ending their 14-year absence from regional governance. However, it is unclear whether the Junts per Catalunya party, currently led by Carles Puigdemont, will gain momentum despite previous unsuccessful independence attempts and the forthcoming amnesty. Catalonia is facing a political deadlock as the independentist parties try to find common ground. Despite poor election results, they remain potent. Puidgemont's call for unity hints at trouble for PM Pedro Sánchez, reliant on Catalan votes, amidst their history of tactical voting. Despite demobilization, the Catalan independence movement remains vibrant, evident in cultural and linguistic preservation efforts. ✍🏻 Check out the insightful commentary by our journalist Marko Milikić here: https://buff.ly/3L1PJkP

Today EL ESPAÑOL publishes my analysis on the results of the European elections. Here are three key takeaways: 1) Low Turnout (≈50%): This indicates that Spaniards (and Europeans in general) have yet to fully grasp the crucial role the EU will play in the coming years. 2) Rise of Nationalist and Populist Right: Factors like immigration and the impact of the Green Pact have fueled significant gains for these groups, leading to a notable decline in support for Centrist and Green parties. 3) Endurance of the Centrist Coalition: The alliance between socialists, liberals, and conservatives remains the main political force, maintaining enough support to potentially secure a second term for Von der Leyen. For a deeper dive, read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/dSwWtvTJ #EUElections #FTIConsulting #PublicAffairs.