08 May 2014

EIM Political - April 2014

In three weeks, the European Parliament elections will be done – but could the result yet be tipped by the Russian impact on the simultaneous Ukraine polls re-awakening the basic fears that created the EU in the first place?

• EPP’s Commission presidency candidate Jean-Claude Juncker promises 'more Europe' with deeper integration – but wants to accommodate Britain. 

• The S&D’s Martin Schulz promises more fiscal action, actions on tax havens/fraud and an FTT. 

• But ALDE’s Guy Verhofstadt was the outright winner in the polls of the first TV debate – how will this impact the eventual outcome?

• In any case, unless the polls are widely of the mark, the new Parliament will probably have to operate as a Grand Coalition – increasing the importance of left-of-centre views on financial markets – both on regulation and the basic issue of the size of public deficits. 

Full art icle

© Graham Bishop