An interesting (though some of the methodology may be flawed) report on the possible outcome of the European Parliament elections (warning: large pdf file) suggests a likely EPP-ED/ELDR majority in the Parliament after June. Via Anthony Wells, who also has a look at the potential of the minor parties in the UK.
Category Archives: A Few Euros More
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Reading Scott’s post about google politics and lexicological engineering with respect to “Jew/Jews/Jewish” reminded me to recommend to you a volume of short essays called “The Jewish Voice in Transatlantic Relations” (.pdf) which is the result of two symposia organised by, among other organisations, the volume’s publisher, the American Institute for Contemporary German Studies at Johns Hopkins University.
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Le Monde reports that the troubled leader of the French UMP, Alain Jupp?, is openly contesting the official French position of a “European vocation” for Turkey with respect to the country’s possible EU candidacy. His comments are considered to significantly raise the salience of this issue in French politics.
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Following revelations by Le Monde that the French budget deficit in 2005 would likely be higher than 4 per cent of GDP with the overall debt rising to 67 per cent, the FT reports that the Commission with reveal additional fiscal sore spots tomorrow by adding Britain, Greece, the Netherlands and Italy to their watchlist of member states likely to breach the Stability and Growth Pact.
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Baden-W?rttemberg has become the first German state to ban headscarves in state schools. Unlike the controversial French ban, this one affects only teachers, not schoolgirls. Also unlike the French ban, this one is targeted solely at Muslim symbols; Christian and Jewish religious accessories remain permissible. (From the tageszeitung; link in German)
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Ireland’s smoking ban claims a prominent victim, reports the BBC: Fine Gael TD (that’s like an MP, only in Irish) and justice spokesman John Deasy has been thrown off the front bench for lighting up outside the parliamentary bar. (The place has since been designated a smoking area; another Irish solution for an Irish problem.)
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Kofi Annan has now produced a final plan for Cyprus which will be put to referendums in the two halves of the island
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A Periodic Table of Blogs by Score Bard. Apparently, it has been discovered by the Instapundit last November. But I had not seen it yet and so had to express my excitement by posting this link.
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The Greek government doubts that an agreement over Cyprus will be reached before the deadline for negotiations to conclude, which will mean Kofi Annan will be required to impose a solution before referendums are held
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Two sad recent deaths: Legendary actor/writer/raconteur Peter Ustinov and British Letter From America broadcaster and writer Alistair Cooke