News from the Capitals #6
Europe is a colourful continent in terms of policies and outcomes. It is essential to stay updated on how these policies may impact your work to build better regulatory frameworks, enhance your message and enhance communication with stakeholders. Here you can find a summary of the major European political updates of this week.
France
Last Sunday, the left-wing Mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, announced her presidential candidacy. The Green Party is holding the first round of primaries today, it is an online vote until Sunday. According to the surveys, Yannick Jadot (former MEP and director of Greenpeace France) is the favourite. Concerning the right-wing party, party members have gathered on Tuesday to try to agree on the method of the elections, which will then be voted in Congress on the 25th of September by the Party members.
Germany
In advance of the federal elections, the second of three TV debates took place on 12 September. According to Polls, Scholz (SPD) came out on top, Laschet (CDU) and Baerbock (Grünen) are behind, though it is difficult to tell which position they take (Probably Laschet slightly ahead). The final TV debate will be on the 19th, a week before the elections take place.
Italy
On Thursday, the Senate approved the “Green Pass” decree, which makes the EU COVID-19 certificate mandatory for civil servants as well as people who work in indoor venues and on transportation. With the high chamber’s go-ahead, Italy will become the first country in Europe to make the COVID-19 pass mandatory for all workers, in a bid to accelerate vaccination rates and stamp out infections. The inclusion of all other private sector workers and professionals will now most likely create frictions within the government, since right-wing Lega party leader Matteo Salvini has repeatedly expressed his opposition to the idea.
Spain
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has initiated the dialogue process with the pro-independence parties Esquerra Republicana and Junts Per Catalunya. The pro-independence parties aim to establish a negotiation with the central government in order to achieve referendum on self-determination in Catalonia to decide the future of the region.
The Congress of Deputies has approved the Government's request to allow public administrations to incur in structural deficits. In addition, it has validated a royal decree-law with social protection measures.