All articles tagged with #european parliament election
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, recovering from an assassination attempt, has made his first public appearance, stating he feels no hatred towards his attacker and hopes to return to work in several weeks. The incident has underscored the deep political polarization in Slovakia, with Fico suggesting his controversial views on issues like Russia's war on Ukraine made him a target.
Tens of thousands marched in Budapest in support of Prime Minister Viktor Orban ahead of the European Parliament election, which he frames as a choice between peace and war. Orban, who has been in power for 14 years, criticized his opponents as warmongers and called for a ceasefire in Ukraine, a stance seen as favorable to Russia. He urged voters to support his party to keep Hungary out of the conflict and hinted at forming a "transatlantic peace coalition" with a potential Donald Trump administration.
European Commission Vice President Margaritis Schinas is urging Taylor Swift to help boost youth voter turnout for the upcoming European Parliament election, citing her influence on young people. Swift has previously encouraged voter registration in the US, resulting in a significant increase in registrations. With the EU election approaching, Schinas hopes Swift's influence will help mobilize young Europeans to participate in the democratic process, especially as she is set to perform in Paris on "Europe Day."
The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) declared the European Union a "failed project" at its party convention in Magdeburg, Germany, adopting its program for the upcoming European Parliament election. While the party stopped short of demanding Germany's exit from the EU, it called for the EU to be re-founded as a "federation of European nations." The program emphasizes the protection of external borders, strategic autonomy in security policy, and the preservation of "different identities" in Europe. Recent polls show support for the AfD at 19-22%, and the party has recently won elections in eastern Germany. The convention also finalized the AfD's list of candidates for the European Parliament election.