United Russia, backed by President Vladimir Putin, has won a majority in the country’s parliamentary election, far ahead of rival parties. With 93% of the votes counted, the party has secured 54.2% of ballots and 343 seats in the 450-member parliament, officials say. Mr Putin said his party had “achieved a very good result”, however the turnout was a record… Read more »
Germany’s CDU, the party of Chancellor Angela Merkel, has described the party’s historic losses in Berlin state elections as a “bitter defeat”. It was ousted from the state coalition with the centre-left Social Democrats. Meanwhile right-wing anti-migrant party Alternative for Germany (AfD) will enter the state parliament for the first time with 14% of the vote. Mrs Merkel’s popularity has… Read more »
Demonstrators took to the streets across Germany on Saturday in protest over a massive transatlantic trade deal, dealing a new blow to the disputed accord. In Berlin, as in Munich, there was a sea of flags as people flocked to join the rallies despite the rain, carrying placards and banners representing dozens of anti-globalisation groups, NGOs, political parties and unions,… Read more »
The Brexit Bill Britain’s Departure Likely to Cost EU Billions At a summit in Bratislava this week, the EU wants to set the course for its future without Britain. One important issue is likely to be ignored by European leaders: The fact that Brexit is going to be expensive for Europe, especially for Germany.
Residents have clashed with asylum-seekers in a town in eastern Germany that has become a flashpoint for anti-refugee sentiment. Some 80 men and women, many described as far-right, fought with 20 migrants and refugees in Bautzen. The asylum-seekers were chased to their hostel and put under police guard.
This Sunday’s parliamentary election is the eighth which I have witnessed or reported on in Russia since 1989. And, so far, it has been the least interesting. In Moscow there have been fewer election posters and banners on view than in previous years. Last week one Russian newspaper joked that the Duma election had been classified “Top Secret”, since voters… Read more »
Luxembourg Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn has called for Hungary to be suspended or even expelled from the European Union because of its “massive violation” of EU fundamental values. He cited the Budapest government’s treatment of refugees, independence of the judiciary and freedom of the press.
Germany arrests three Syrian men ‘on IS mission’ The arrests come less than two months after 10 people died in a string of attacks in southern Germany Three Syrian men have been arrested in Germany on suspicion of being sent by so-called Islamic State (IS) to launch attacks, prosecutors say. The men – aged between 17 and 26 – were… Read more »
Re-run of Austrian presidential vote postponed due to faulty ballot A re-run of Austria’s presidential election that was due to take place on October 2 has been postponed, Interior Minister Wolfgang Sobotka said on Monday. “We are going to request that parliament approves a postponement of the election,” Sobotka told reporters. Possible new dates are November 27 or December 4,… Read more »
A 95-year-old former SS medic has gone on trial in Germany, after his mass murder trial was postponed three times for health reasons. Hubert Zafke appeared in court in Neubrandenburg in north-eastern Germany accused of assisting in the killing of 3,681 people at the Auschwitz death camp. The indictment covers one month, from 15 August to 14 September 1944. The… Read more »