European Union

China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Hong Kong said resolutions passed by the European Parliament on Thursday (16 June) related to the Chinese controlled territory were a "despicable act" and "trampled" on the principles of international law.

Warsaw does not support allowing huge masses of migrants to move into the EU, nor does it agree to what it calls fees for rejecting migrants after receiving practically no help from the EU in dealing with the incoming migration...

Bulgaria is getting closer to making a US nuclear reactor after the Bulgarian nuclear power plant Kozloduy signed an official engineering contract for Front-End Engineering and Design of a nuclear reactor using the AP-1000 technology with Westinghouse on Wednesday.

Spain wants to seal an ambitious pact on migration and asylum during the upcoming EU Council presidency, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said on Thursday, adding that European countries cannot be divided on the matter because ‘we are all victims of...

The socialist party PSOE has denounced media companies ABC, El Mundo and El Español, and poll-making companies Sigma2, GAD3, and SOCIOMETRA before the Central Electoral Board (JEC) for publishing polls omitting information and giving Partido Popular (PP) a “far superior”...

Romania’s new government will launch an extended plan in the coming months to get Austria to remove its veto on the country’s long-desired Schengen accession, social democrat Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu told EURACTIV.com in an exclusive and one of the...

Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is due to meet French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday for a working lunch, while NGOs accuse Macron of being the main architect of bin Salman’s rehabilitation on the international scene. The two...

Rescuers scoured the seas off Greece on Thursday (15 June) following a shipwreck that killed at least 78 migrants, as hopes of survivors dwindled and fears grew that hundreds more, including children, may have drowned inside the crowded vessel's hold.

The Council of Europe has criticised the "restrictive application of the right of access to information" in some European countries, that contribute to a lack of transparency  and political corruption.

France will invest more money into artificial intelligence (AI) and green technologies to counter China and US dominance, French President Emmanuel Macron said on Wednesday (14 June), detailing his strategic vision.

Germany's new security strategy signals the nation's pacifism has become a victim of Russia's war on Ukraine. But simultaneously, the strategy is neither specific or hard-hitting in its analysis on how to deal with a shifting world order.

The EU plan to cut pesticide use and risk in half by 2030 will have its largest impact on crops having 'little or no impact on food security', the European Commission predicted in its additional impact assessment requested by EU ministers.

With its first-ever target for CO2 geological storage, the European Commission's Net-Zero Industry Act has the potential to truly mitigate the effects of fossil fuels on the environment - but in order to be effective, the legislation needs to cover all oil and gas companies, write Kayla Cohen and Eli Mitchell-Larson.

In February, the European Commission launched an open consultation on the future of connectivity, questioning whether Europe is able to keep up the pace with telecom technological developments.

MEPs have raised concerns about the abuse of Pegasus and other spyware and called for action.

Source : © European Union, 2023 - EP

MEPs have raised concerns about the abuse of Pegasus and other spyware and called for action.

Source : © European Union, 2023 - EP

Source : © European Union, 2023 - EP

A couple of weeks ago, Turkey held its second run-off for the presidential election, which resulted in Erdogan’s victory and the opposition’s defeat. This outcome was reminiscent of the night following the UK’s Brexit vote, where the margin was also close at 52:48.

Several factors may have contributed to the opposition’s loss in the Turkish presidential elections. Firstly, Erdogan effectively manipulated the media, exerting control over the dissemination of information. His camp utilized various means to spread disinformation, further influencing public opinion. Additionally, the opposition’s choice of candidate for the presidency may not have resonated effectively with voters.

Furthermore, there was a prevalence of strongman romanticism among sections of the population, which favoured Erdogan’s leadership style. The opposition also faced challenges due to the support it received from the Kurdish community, which may have polarized the population to some extent.

Moreover, nationalist instincts played a significant role in shaping the outcome of the election, as a substantial portion of the population identified strongly with Turkish nationalism. Overall, a combination of media manipulation, disinformation, candidate selection, strongman appeal, Kurdish support, polarization, nationalist sentiments, and poverty may have contributed to the opposition’s defeat in the Turkish presidential election.

One important aspect I’d like to delve into is the voting patterns within the Nation Alliance and whether the opposition was attuned to the concerns of middle Turkey. In this context, I draw inspiration from the term “Middle England” to describe middle Turkey, which represents a specific socio-political demographic residing outside major urban areas like Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir and Adana. Middle Turkey encompasses social groups and communities that share traditional values and prioritize key issues like territorial integrity, unity, love for the nation-state, national sovereignty, and partly economic well-being. This segment is often seen as a crucial battleground constituency with significant influence over electoral outcomes. Moreover, the term “Middle England” has been employed to depict a perceived cultural and social identity that places value on stability, pragmatism, and a sense of national identity.

The election results indicate a lack of attraction between the Nation Alliance and middle Turkey, as well as a failure on the part of the Nation Alliance to actively engage with this significant portion of the electorate. Throughout the election campaign, both sides operated independently, with no apparent effort made by the Nation Alliance to bridge the gap and address the concerns of middle Turkey. The disconnect between the Nation Alliance and middle Turkey went unnoticed, resulting in a missed opportunity to connect with this large population of voters.

The opposition parties should take heed of this lesson for the upcoming Local Elections next year.

Here are a few recommendations until then:

• Conduct a thorough analysis and mapping of the Middle Turkey region.
• Identify the residents living in this area.
• Determine the key issues that matter most to this demographic.
• Develop a clear party agenda and policies that address these concerns.
• Organize citizen assemblies to engage with the electorate, listen to their worries, and present viable solutions.
• Create customized manifestos and actively engage with voters by door-to-door campaigning, effectively communicating the party’s pledges.

If the opposition parties commit to focusing on those who did not vote for them in the Presidential elections and genuinely demonstrate a keen interest in understanding and addressing the needs of middle Turkey, they have the potential to make significant progress and win the hearts and minds of this particular segment of the population.

The post The Nation Alliance’s Oversight: Exploring the Neglected Middle Turkey in Turkish Politics appeared first on Ideas on Europe.

Displaced Ukrainians are finding it hard to get good jobs in the EU, amid language problems, childcare needs, and trauma.

EU environment ministers are expected to reach an agreement over the EU Nature Restoration Law next week, after days of high tension in the European Parliament.