EP elections 2014

[Beezer]

AfD rules out joining the new right-wing populist EU-caucus.

"We don't want to have anything to do with people like Wilders," said AfD-spokesperson Dagmar Metzger.

http://www.spiegel.de/politik/ausland/rechtspopulisten-wilders-schmiedet-allianz-der-anti-europaeer-a-933127.html

[Steffers]

PerusS also categorically rules out participating in Le Pen's group. Their MEP, Sampo Terho (who is considered to be close to the nationalist faction of the party) states that their goal is the formation of an united eurosceptic group in the next EP (ECR+EFD, I would imagine).

[Leftbehind]

Well at least the Tories will be in the company in which they belong.

[Middle-aged Europe]

Regarding the Green primaries... it just occurred to me that Rebecca Harms is the official candidate of the German Green Party, while Ska Keller is the candidate of the Federation of Young European Greens and as such also endorsed by the German Green Youth.

The German Green Youth's support for Keller is pretty blatant on their website, right in the startpage. Their mother party's suport for Rebecca Harms is certainly more restrained, but still visible: You've got to go to the article on the European primaries and scroll to the bottom of the page to find the endorsement for Harms.

http://www.gruene.de/themen/europa/green-primary-du-entscheidest-europa/rebecca-for-europe.html

http://www.gruene-jugend.de//node/26648#gothere

Somewhat unusual that the Green Party and their youth organization are openly competing with each other in that manner.

[Leftbehind]

I don't know enough about the Green candidates, but it seems GPEW have threw their lot in with the Irish and Estonian Greens for German Ska Keller, and by extension, I can only presume is some harmless liberal? Hopefully someone here can clear it up for me? Seems the direction they've been headed for a while.

I'm not really sure what the definition "harmless liberal" entails?
The Danish Socialist People's Party is one of the most economically liberal green parties, and they supported Monica Frassoni, but I don't know exactly how much to put into that. If you look at the greenprimary-website you can see a few lines from each candidate, but to place them more detailed in an ideological sense is probably quite difficult without an extensive knowledge of the national green parties which they represent.

The key issues for each candidate on the website is broadly like this: José Bové = ecology, Monica Frassoni = democracy, Rebecca Harms = sustainibility and solidarity, and Ska Keller = internationalism and solidarity.

Well I'm thinking Irish and Estonian Greens - they're liberals with an environmental bent; compare that to Bové or SEL's Frassoni and it appeared the liberals were clustering around her. But then I hardly know a thing about any of them, really.

I'm surprised to hear you say SF are the most economically liberal of the green parties? I know the recent coalition has disillusioned their supporters to Enhedslisten, but it was at least built on a socialist base? I'd say they're clearly on the left.

Yeah I seen those. I was hoping for some of the posters of the candidates nationalities (as it appears Old Europe has) to weigh in and better inform us of their stances. 

[Middle-aged Europe]

Well, Rebecca Harms could be seen as the pro-establishment candidate, while Ska Keller is vastly considered the anti-establishment candidate. Harms puts an emphasis on ecology, Keller on human rights/refugees/Frontex etc.

Like I said, Keller is supported by the Green Youth and the Green Youth is generally seen as being a bit more left-wing than its mother party. Personally, I wouldn't say that there are a lot of ideological differences between the two candidates though.

In essence, Harms is the Hillary and Keller is the Obama.

[Diouf]

I don't know enough about the Green candidates, but it seems GPEW have threw their lot in with the Irish and Estonian Greens for German Ska Keller, and by extension, I can only presume is some harmless liberal? Hopefully someone here can clear it up for me? Seems the direction they've been headed for a while.

I'm not really sure what the definition "harmless liberal" entails?
The Danish Socialist People's Party is one of the most economically liberal green parties, and they supported Monica Frassoni, but I don't know exactly how much to put into that. If you look at the greenprimary-website you can see a few lines from each candidate, but to place them more detailed in an ideological sense is probably quite difficult without an extensive knowledge of the national green parties which they represent.

The key issues for each candidate on the website is broadly like this: José Bové = ecology, Monica Frassoni = democracy, Rebecca Harms = sustainibility and solidarity, and Ska Keller = internationalism and solidarity.

Well I'm thinking Irish and Estonian Greens - they're liberals with an environmental bent; compare that to Bové or SEL's Frassoni and it appeared the liberals were clustering around her. But then I hardly know a thing about any of them, really.

I'm surprised to hear you say SF are the most economically liberal of the green parties? I know the recent coalition has disillusioned their supporters to Enhedslisten, but it was at least built on a socialist base? I'd say they're clearly on the left.

Yeah I seen those. I was hoping for some of the posters of the candidates nationalities (as it appears Old Europe has) to weigh in and better inform us of their stances. 

It is the words of the current SF MEP Margrethe Auken. She says that the only areas in which she really has to check the Green Party voting lists are in trade and agriculture as SF is more economically liberal than most other green parties. The reforms they have agreed to while in government are very liberal as well: A lowering of the company tax and income taxes and cuts in unemployment benefits, student grants, early retirement benefits, public spending etc.

[FredLindq]

A joint euroskeptic ECR+EFD group will probably not happen since it would be a suicide for Tories to sit in the same group as UKIP. Sp Perus will probably stay in the EFD if this group survives the elections and drops outs from LN.

Ataka or PRM seems to hold the key to a new extreme right gorup.

[Jens]

I don't know enough about the Green candidates, but it seems GPEW have threw their lot in with the Irish and Estonian Greens for German Ska Keller, and by extension, I can only presume is some harmless liberal? Hopefully someone here can clear it up for me? Seems the direction they've been headed for a while.

I'm not really sure what the definition "harmless liberal" entails?
The Danish Socialist People's Party is one of the most economically liberal green parties, and they supported Monica Frassoni, but I don't know exactly how much to put into that. If you look at the greenprimary-website you can see a few lines from each candidate, but to place them more detailed in an ideological sense is probably quite difficult without an extensive knowledge of the national green parties which they represent.

The key issues for each candidate on the website is broadly like this: José Bové = ecology, Monica Frassoni = democracy, Rebecca Harms = sustainibility and solidarity, and Ska Keller = internationalism and solidarity.

Well I'm thinking Irish and Estonian Greens - they're liberals with an environmental bent; compare that to Bové or SEL's Frassoni and it appeared the liberals were clustering around her. But then I hardly know a thing about any of them, really.

I'm surprised to hear you say SF are the most economically liberal of the green parties? I know the recent coalition has disillusioned their supporters to Enhedslisten, but it was at least built on a socialist base? I'd say they're clearly on the left.

Yeah I seen those. I was hoping for some of the posters of the candidates nationalities (as it appears Old Europe has) to weigh in and better inform us of their stances. 

It is the words of the current SF MEP Margrethe Auken. She says that the only areas in which she really has to check the Green Party voting lists are in trade and agriculture as SF is more economically liberal than most other green parties. The reforms they have agreed to while in government are very liberal as well: A lowering of the company tax and income taxes and cuts in unemployment benefits, student grants, early retirement benefits, public spending etc.

Really, Diouf!
Calling SF an economical liberal party (in the European sense). You might as well claim that Venstre is a leftwing party because their name translate into Left...
What Auken said is that she has to check the voting lists, because some Green parties support agricultural subsidies and has protectionist tendencies. All in all, SF is one of the most leftwing parties in the Green group in EP and in the EGP.

[Tender Branson]

The PVV is on board for the new Far-Right group.

Wilders and LePen held a press conference together a few hours ago in The Hague.

That makes it 5: FN, FPÖ, PVV, VB, SD

2 still needed for a group.

[Steffers]

A joint euroskeptic ECR+EFD group will probably not happen since it would be a suicide for Tories to sit in the same group as UKIP. Sp Perus will probably stay in the EFD if this group survives the elections and drops outs from LN.

Ataka or PRM seems to hold the key to a new extreme right gorup.

It's possible that PerusS will try to move to ECR anyway, especially if EFD does not survive. Soini tried to join ECR in 2009 already.

[Diouf]

I don't know enough about the Green candidates, but it seems GPEW have threw their lot in with the Irish and Estonian Greens for German Ska Keller, and by extension, I can only presume is some harmless liberal? Hopefully someone here can clear it up for me? Seems the direction they've been headed for a while.

I'm not really sure what the definition "harmless liberal" entails?
The Danish Socialist People's Party is one of the most economically liberal green parties, and they supported Monica Frassoni, but I don't know exactly how much to put into that. If you look at the greenprimary-website you can see a few lines from each candidate, but to place them more detailed in an ideological sense is probably quite difficult without an extensive knowledge of the national green parties which they represent.

The key issues for each candidate on the website is broadly like this: José Bové = ecology, Monica Frassoni = democracy, Rebecca Harms = sustainibility and solidarity, and Ska Keller = internationalism and solidarity.

Well I'm thinking Irish and Estonian Greens - they're liberals with an environmental bent; compare that to Bové or SEL's Frassoni and it appeared the liberals were clustering around her. But then I hardly know a thing about any of them, really.

I'm surprised to hear you say SF are the most economically liberal of the green parties? I know the recent coalition has disillusioned their supporters to Enhedslisten, but it was at least built on a socialist base? I'd say they're clearly on the left.

Yeah I seen those. I was hoping for some of the posters of the candidates nationalities (as it appears Old Europe has) to weigh in and better inform us of their stances. 

It is the words of the current SF MEP Margrethe Auken. She says that the only areas in which she really has to check the Green Party voting lists are in trade and agriculture as SF is more economically liberal than most other green parties. The reforms they have agreed to while in government are very liberal as well: A lowering of the company tax and income taxes and cuts in unemployment benefits, student grants, early retirement benefits, public spending etc.

Really, Diouf!
Calling SF an economical liberal party (in the European sense). You might as well claim that Venstre is a leftwing party because their name translate into Left...
What Auken said is that she has to check the voting lists, because some Green parties support agricultural subsidies and has protectionist tendencies. All in all, SF is one of the most leftwing parties in the Green group in EP and in the EGP.

Try looking at what I wrote before raging: "The Danish Socialist People's Party is one of the most economically liberal green parties"

[Jens]

I don't know enough about the Green candidates, but it seems GPEW have threw their lot in with the Irish and Estonian Greens for German Ska Keller, and by extension, I can only presume is some harmless liberal? Hopefully someone here can clear it up for me? Seems the direction they've been headed for a while.

I'm not really sure what the definition "harmless liberal" entails?
The Danish Socialist People's Party is one of the most economically liberal green parties, and they supported Monica Frassoni, but I don't know exactly how much to put into that. If you look at the greenprimary-website you can see a few lines from each candidate, but to place them more detailed in an ideological sense is probably quite difficult without an extensive knowledge of the national green parties which they represent.

The key issues for each candidate on the website is broadly like this: José Bové = ecology, Monica Frassoni = democracy, Rebecca Harms = sustainibility and solidarity, and Ska Keller = internationalism and solidarity.

Well I'm thinking Irish and Estonian Greens - they're liberals with an environmental bent; compare that to Bové or SEL's Frassoni and it appeared the liberals were clustering around her. But then I hardly know a thing about any of them, really.

I'm surprised to hear you say SF are the most economically liberal of the green parties? I know the recent coalition has disillusioned their supporters to Enhedslisten, but it was at least built on a socialist base? I'd say they're clearly on the left.

Yeah I seen those. I was hoping for some of the posters of the candidates nationalities (as it appears Old Europe has) to weigh in and better inform us of their stances. 

It is the words of the current SF MEP Margrethe Auken. She says that the only areas in which she really has to check the Green Party voting lists are in trade and agriculture as SF is more economically liberal than most other green parties. The reforms they have agreed to while in government are very liberal as well: A lowering of the company tax and income taxes and cuts in unemployment benefits, student grants, early retirement benefits, public spending etc.

Really, Diouf!
Calling SF an economical liberal party (in the European sense). You might as well claim that Venstre is a leftwing party because their name translate into Left...
What Auken said is that she has to check the voting lists, because some Green parties support agricultural subsidies and has protectionist tendencies. All in all, SF is one of the most leftwing parties in the Green group in EP and in the EGP.

Try looking at what I wrote before raging: "The Danish Socialist People's Party is one of the most economically liberal green parties"

Then tell me how you understand the word "liberal" in English? Or to be more precise, are you using the American understanding of the term (because then your sentence makes sense) or are you using the European understanding?

[Diouf]

I don't know enough about the Green candidates, but it seems GPEW have threw their lot in with the Irish and Estonian Greens for German Ska Keller, and by extension, I can only presume is some harmless liberal? Hopefully someone here can clear it up for me? Seems the direction they've been headed for a while.

I'm not really sure what the definition "harmless liberal" entails?
The Danish Socialist People's Party is one of the most economically liberal green parties, and they supported Monica Frassoni, but I don't know exactly how much to put into that. If you look at the greenprimary-website you can see a few lines from each candidate, but to place them more detailed in an ideological sense is probably quite difficult without an extensive knowledge of the national green parties which they represent.

The key issues for each candidate on the website is broadly like this: José Bové = ecology, Monica Frassoni = democracy, Rebecca Harms = sustainibility and solidarity, and Ska Keller = internationalism and solidarity.

Well I'm thinking Irish and Estonian Greens - they're liberals with an environmental bent; compare that to Bové or SEL's Frassoni and it appeared the liberals were clustering around her. But then I hardly know a thing about any of them, really.

I'm surprised to hear you say SF are the most economically liberal of the green parties? I know the recent coalition has disillusioned their supporters to Enhedslisten, but it was at least built on a socialist base? I'd say they're clearly on the left.

Yeah I seen those. I was hoping for some of the posters of the candidates nationalities (as it appears Old Europe has) to weigh in and better inform us of their stances. 

It is the words of the current SF MEP Margrethe Auken. She says that the only areas in which she really has to check the Green Party voting lists are in trade and agriculture as SF is more economically liberal than most other green parties. The reforms they have agreed to while in government are very liberal as well: A lowering of the company tax and income taxes and cuts in unemployment benefits, student grants, early retirement benefits, public spending etc.

Really, Diouf!
Calling SF an economical liberal party (in the European sense). You might as well claim that Venstre is a leftwing party because their name translate into Left...
What Auken said is that she has to check the voting lists, because some Green parties support agricultural subsidies and has protectionist tendencies. All in all, SF is one of the most leftwing parties in the Green group in EP and in the EGP.

Try looking at what I wrote before raging: "The Danish Socialist People's Party is one of the most economically liberal green parties"

Then tell me how you understand the word "liberal" in English? Or to be more precise, are you using the American understanding of the term (because then your sentence makes sense) or are you using the European understanding?

European sense: As more right-winged, more in favour of free trade etc. As Auken said: "On these two areas I have conflicts with my group because they are more traditionally left wing, protectionist".

[Jens]

I don't know enough about the Green candidates, but it seems GPEW have threw their lot in with the Irish and Estonian Greens for German Ska Keller, and by extension, I can only presume is some harmless liberal? Hopefully someone here can clear it up for me? Seems the direction they've been headed for a while.

I'm not really sure what the definition "harmless liberal" entails?
The Danish Socialist People's Party is one of the most economically liberal green parties, and they supported Monica Frassoni, but I don't know exactly how much to put into that. If you look at the greenprimary-website you can see a few lines from each candidate, but to place them more detailed in an ideological sense is probably quite difficult without an extensive knowledge of the national green parties which they represent.

The key issues for each candidate on the website is broadly like this: José Bové = ecology, Monica Frassoni = democracy, Rebecca Harms = sustainibility and solidarity, and Ska Keller = internationalism and solidarity.

Well I'm thinking Irish and Estonian Greens - they're liberals with an environmental bent; compare that to Bové or SEL's Frassoni and it appeared the liberals were clustering around her. But then I hardly know a thing about any of them, really.

I'm surprised to hear you say SF are the most economically liberal of the green parties? I know the recent coalition has disillusioned their supporters to Enhedslisten, but it was at least built on a socialist base? I'd say they're clearly on the left.

Yeah I seen those. I was hoping for some of the posters of the candidates nationalities (as it appears Old Europe has) to weigh in and better inform us of their stances. 

It is the words of the current SF MEP Margrethe Auken. She says that the only areas in which she really has to check the Green Party voting lists are in trade and agriculture as SF is more economically liberal than most other green parties. The reforms they have agreed to while in government are very liberal as well: A lowering of the company tax and income taxes and cuts in unemployment benefits, student grants, early retirement benefits, public spending etc.

Really, Diouf!
Calling SF an economical liberal party (in the European sense). You might as well claim that Venstre is a leftwing party because their name translate into Left...
What Auken said is that she has to check the voting lists, because some Green parties support agricultural subsidies and has protectionist tendencies. All in all, SF is one of the most leftwing parties in the Green group in EP and in the EGP.

Try looking at what I wrote before raging: "The Danish Socialist People's Party is one of the most economically liberal green parties"

Then tell me how you understand the word "liberal" in English? Or to be more precise, are you using the American understanding of the term (because then your sentence makes sense) or are you using the European understanding?

European sense: As more right-winged, more in favour of free trade etc. As Auken said: "On these two areas I have conflicts with my group because they are more traditionally left wing, protectionist".

Well, that just doesn't hold water and its way to simplistic to call SF liberal based on what I would call a misunderstood interpretation of Auken.
SF isn't a trad. social democratic party with protectionist tendencies, but that doesn't not make SF a liberal party. Not all right wing parties are pro free trade and not all left wing parties are protectionist.

[Tender Branson]

Members of the FPÖ, FN, SD, VB, Lega Nord and the SNS mill meet tomorrow in Vienna for a Far-Right Conference. Maybe someone from the PVV will come too.

http://diepresse.com/home/politik/aussenpolitik/1478347/Europas-Rechte-schmiedet-Allianz-in-Wien

This would make it 7 countries, which is needed to form a Far-Right group in the EP.

[FredLindq]

This is if SNS gets a seat. If not they Will need Ataka. Do you know if Ataka is invited?!

[freek]

Members of the FPÖ, FN, SD, VB, Lega Nord and the SNS mill meet tomorrow in Vienna for a Far-Right Conference. Maybe someone from the PVV will come too.

http://diepresse.com/home/politik/aussenpolitik/1478347/Europas-Rechte-schmiedet-Allianz-in-Wien

This would make it 7 countries, which is needed to form a Far-Right group in the EP.

Yes, PVV has joined the conference.
Correction: PVV denies that the party took part

Members from 7 countries is one of the requirements, a fraction also has at least 25 members.

[Zanas]

The French PS has unveiled its leaders in the EP election's constituencies :

- Île de France will be Harlem Désir, current first secretary of the party (pretty horrible)

- Southeast goes to Peillon, current education minister (not the most horrible)

- Northwest goes to Pargneaux, incumbent MEP, aubryste and first secretary of the Nord PS federation (I'll let you guess how horrible that is...)

- West goes to Isabelle Thomas, a nobody who replaced Le Foll in the EP when he got into the government. She's hamoniste, I don't know her. They seem to have parked the PS "left-wing" there, cause number 2 is hilariously Emmanuel Maurel, leader of the "not participating in the government left-wing" of the PS, and is also vice-president of the region... Île de France...

- Southwest is left to the PRG as part of an agreement. They haven't designated their candidate yet.

- East goes to Trautmann, a long time MEP and former mayor of Strasbourg and culture minister (I don't think I have any specific grudge against her)

- Centre goes to Denanot, president of the Limousin region, a masonic local potentate, pretty horrible.

They have adjourned their designation of their candidates overseas.

[Tender Branson]

This is if SNS gets a seat. If not they Will need Ataka. Do you know if Ataka is invited?!

Don't know if they were invited, it was a secret meeting.

But the FPÖ invited ATAKA to Vienna recently and they came to visit:

http://www.ataka.bg/en/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=222&Itemid=1

Also, Ataka reported about the EAF press conference recently:

http://www.ataka.bg/en/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=233&Itemid=1

...

If you read the news releases, it's like 95% sure Ataka will join the EAF group if they get elected.

Also note that they wrote "Hans-Christian Strache", when in fact his name is Heinz-Christian ...

...

Also, the Lega Nord invited the FN, the FPÖ and the PVV to their convention on Dec. 15:

http://kurier.at/politik/eu/rechtsbuendnis-fpoe-zu-lega-nord-parteitag-geladen/36.003.621

...

If the LN and Ataka join, there would be 7 countries that are needed. Plus, there would still be the SNS of course as an alternative.

[Tender Branson]

Map update on the EAF status:



Dark Blue = more or less in for the new EAF group
Light Blue = in talks, might join & have not ruled it out

Green = not enough info, country has no major populist/far-right/eurosceptic party

Light red = the eligible parties have more or less ruled out joining EAF
Dark Red = the eligible parties have been ruled out by EAF (too extreme)

[Tender Branson]

Members of the FPÖ, FN, SD, VB, Lega Nord and the SNS mill meet tomorrow in Vienna for a Far-Right Conference. Maybe someone from the PVV will come too.

http://diepresse.com/home/politik/aussenpolitik/1478347/Europas-Rechte-schmiedet-Allianz-in-Wien

This would make it 7 countries, which is needed to form a Far-Right group in the EP.

Yes, PVV has joined the conference.
Correction: PVV denies that the party took part

Members from 7 countries is one of the requirements, a fraction also has at least 25 members.

How many MEPs would the FN roughly get if the election were held right now and the FN gets 20-25% ?

The FPÖ would get 5 MEPs right now.

[Zanas]

With the last poll and a table I made, I had got roughly 20 MEPs for the FN... Maybe it will be a little less than that when they have to present candidates who are unknown to anyone, but I'm thinking they won't have less than 15. So the other parties won't need to get many of them in to have this group running.

[FredLindq]

I noticed that both Slovenia and Lithuanian is light blue. Slovenia =SNS Lithuania TT?! What about the croatian HSP?

[Tender Branson]

I noticed that both Slovenia and Lithuanian is light blue. Slovenia =SNS Lithuania TT?!

Yes.

But the Slovenian SNS is rather weak, don't think they'll get a seat.

And the Lithuanian TT is currently in the EFD group. But who knows, maybe they get out after the election and join the EAF ?

What about the croatian HSP?

The HSP is in the ECR group already. Don't think they will join the EAF.