Ana Fuentes | In Spain, the results have been very markedly pro-European and the Socialist Party is the one that will contribute the most MEPs in Strasbourg. For some analysts, it is a golden opportunity that the government of Pedro Sánchez should take advantage of to increase the Spanish weight in the decisions, instead of having to be always subordinated to the Franco-German axis.
Tatiana Coutto via The Conversation | The European Parliament elections are not unlike cricket. Both can last for quite a few days and it can be pretty hard to understand the rules.
Ana Fuentes (Strasbourg) | Where should the EU look in the future? What are the priorities? At a time of rapid change, protectionism and nationalist populism, the European Parliament has approved a document of minimums called The Future of Europe. As inevitably happens in such plural institutions, it is neither binding nor completely satisfies anyone, but sets out the challenges the still 28 members have to confront together if the European project is not to diluted. We discuss it with Ramón Jáuregui, socialist MEP and rapporteur of the text.
Ana Fuentes (Strasbourg) | Member of the European Parliament from the S&D group, Miroslav Poche is also the rapporteur for the energy file, which is supposed to help reduce bills for Europeans. We spoke about targets, investment and why the emissions market does not seem to be working.
George Soros via Caixin | Europe’s leaders must seize the moment to push forward reforms that can reshape the EU into an organization that people want to be a part of. Until the British public voted to leave the European Union, the refugee crisis was the greatest problem Europe faced. Indeed, that crisis played a critical role in bringing about the greater calamity of Brexit.
BRUSSELS | By Alexandre Mato | The EU parliament needs to reinforce its economic policy co-ordination to achieve a common fiscal consolidation between Member States. These are the main tasks facing Jean-Claude Junker and his team in the months ahead. EU policymakers must now chart a cohesive strategy to combat growing policy divergences in Eurozone member states.
MADRID | By Álex García.
BERLIN | By Alberto Lozano | The upcoming EU elections (May 22-25) arrive in a moment of enormous challenges for the Union. What happens in the next months can change definitely the political and economic landscape. Again, Germany plays the main role with its 67 million of voters and the two ‘frontrunners’ supported by the two big parties from the German Coalition. However, 72% of its citizens have low or no interest in the polls.
MADRID | By The Corner | The European Parliament is giving green light to the Single Resolution Mechanism (SRM) this week for ailing banks as well as the €55 bn fund to finance bankrupcies and restructurings. Amid claims that the Euro zone’s banking sector is now safer and better supervised, some international lawmakers point out that banks are still weakly capitalized. “Europe should be careful no to make promises that it won’t be able to hold afterwards,” they say.
ATHENS|By Nick Malkoutzis at The Agora|After almost four years of monumental decisions being taken behind closed doors, without consultation and outside the legal framework of the European Union, the European Parliament is conducting an investigation into how the eurozone bailouts have been constructed and implemented. This will include visits to the countries affected as well as hearings with people involved with Troika decisions.