Sunday 25 May 2014

European Elections 2014: Super Sunday Vote Part II

Following on from Part I, lets take a look at some of the other countries vting today.


Spain:

Spain is the biggest of the crisis-hit countries. While not bailed out in the same way as Ireland, Portugal and Greece, its banks still needed access to credit. Spain has now exited the bail out, but its economy is still struggling with 55% youth unemployment and a general level of around 25% unemployment. The Popular Party (EPP) replaced the ruling Socialists (PES) in 2011 advocating austerity as the solution to the crisis. With popular discontent visable through movements like the Indignados, austerity and the economic crisis is clearly a central issue.

Catalonian independence and regional governance is also an issue: Catalonia's parliament voted to hold a referendum on independence, which it doesn't have the power to do, and which the Spanish government refuses to recognise.

According to the polls, it looks like the PP will win the election, with the Socialists coming second.

Current polls:

PP (EPP): 35%
PSOE (PES): 29%
CEU ("Coalition for Europe" - pro-European regionalist parties; NI): 6-8%
United Left (UEL): 10-14%
Union, Progress and Democracy (pro-European, centre-left, Spanish nationalism; NI): 4%
EPDD (social democrats, pro-Catalonian independence; NI): 4%
Citizens (centre-left, anti-Catalonian separatism; NI): about 2%
Vox (Pro-European/economic liberalism; NI): about 2%
Podemos (anti-capitalist; NI): about 2%


Poland:

Poland last had a general election in 2011, when Donald Tusk's Civic Platform (EPP) was re-elected to government. Civic Platform had topped the poll in the last European elections, but this time around the opposition Law and Justice Party is leading in the polls.

Current polls:

Civic Platform (EPP): 29%
Law and Justice (AECR): 30%
Democratic Left Alliance (PES): 12%
Polish People's Party (EPP): 5.6%
Poland Together (AECR): 3.3%
Europa Plus (PES): 5.1%
Congress of the New Right (NI): 8.8%
United Poland (EFD): 3.9%


Portugal:

A bail-out country, Portugal is struggling with austerity. The Social Democratic Party (EPP - despite the name it is a centre-right party) is the main party of government at the moment (the last general election being in 2011), and the left wing parties look likely to take the biggest share of the vote between them.

Current polls:

Social Democratic Party/Alliance Portugal (EPP): 30%
Socialist Party (PES): 36%
Left Bloc (UEL): 5.8%
Democratic Unitarian Coalition (UEL): 11-12%
Earth Party: 3.4%


Croatia:

Croatia is the newest Member State to the European Union, having only joined in 2013, so its also had its European Parliament elections very recently as well, when HDZ (EPP) topped the poll. History looks like it's going to repeat itself, but this time around the Kukuriku Coalition (PES) is likely to perform better and win more seats.

Current Polls:

HDZ (EPP): 30%
Kukuriku Coalition (PES): 25%
Labour Party (UEL): 7%
Croatian Sustainable Development (Intends to join a Greens): 9%
Savez za Hrvatsku (NI): 6%
Nacionalni forum (ALDE): 3%


Bulgaria:

GERB (EPP) is the current governing party in Bulgaria at the moment. Elections were held in 2013 over widespread protests about electricity prices. A number of political and corruption scandals have left politics in Bulgaria very damaged, though it looks like the two main parties or coalitions of parties will gain a majority of the vote between them.

Current polls:

GERB (EPP): 26%
Socialist Party (PES): 30%
Movement for Rights and Freedoms (ALDE): 10%
Attack (NI): 5.5%
Reformist Bloc (EPP): 5%
National Front for the Salvation of Bulgaria (EFD): 3.6%
Alternativa za Bulgarsko Vuzrazhdane (NI): 4.6%
Bulgaria bez Cenzura (NI): 12%
Bulgaria bez Cenzura


Denmark:

The last Danish election, in 2011, swept a left-wing coalition headed by Helle Thorning-Schmidt into power. The popularity of the government has waned, and there is a danger that the far-right People's Party will win the European elections with over a quarter of the vote.

Current Polls:

People's Party (EFD): 27%
Venstre (ALDE): 22%
Social Democrats (PES): 21%
Socialist People's Party (Greens): 7%
The Conservative People's Party (EPP): 5%
Radical Venstre (ALDE): 6%
Liberal Alliance (NI): 3%
People's Movement against the EU (UEL): 9%

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