Do the elections across European countries have a common theme? If far-right parties succeed, can they unite? How can the problem of long-term low voter turnout in European elections be explained? Is this trend only in Central Europe? Can candidates for the European Parliament really deliver on what they promise? What happens immediately after the elections? Žiga Faktor, Deputy Director and Head of the Brussels Office of EUROPEUM Institute, answered these and other questions.
Show moreFive candidates for the post of President of the European Commission faced each other in the Spitzenkandidaten debate. Two factions did not send a representative at all. Moreover, these are the very factions that could be significantly stronger in the European elections than in the previous period. Missing were representatives of the far-right Identity and Democracy group, of which the SPD is a member for the Czech Republic, as well as the European Conservatives and Reformists, on which the Czech ODS sits. Viktor Daněk, deputy director of EUROPEUM Institute, commented for ČT24 about whether they were significantly absent from the debate.
Show moreWhat is the work of journalists in Brussels like? How difficult is it to find respondents for interviews? And is a lot of media in the Czech Republic interested in the EU? Viktor Daněk, Deputy Director of Institute EUROPEUM, talked about his experiences as a journalist in Brussels on the programme Newsroom ČT24.
Show moreAccording to predictions, conservative right-wing parties are expected to gain strength in the upcoming European elections. How significant will their influence be? Or do they only have blackmail potential? Will the rhetoric change in traditional EU parties as well? Viktor Daněk, Deputy Director of EUROPEUM Institute, answered these questions on the programme "Pre-election Europe" on ČT24.
Show moreAccording to the Eurobarometer survey, 91% of young people aged 15-24 believe that participation in European elections is important. How does this attitude translate into practice? Does this mean that there will be an increase in voter turnout among young people? What advantages and opportunities does the European Union offer to younger citizens? Can Brussels effectively explain the benefits of EU membership to young people? These are the questions addressed by Klára Votavová, a research fellow at EUROPEUM Institute, for the Horizont programme on Czech TV.
Show moreThe European elections are about a month away. Czechs will vote for 21 of the 720 MEPs. This will be the first election since Brexit, the Covid-19 pandemic or the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Turnout is expected to be higher than in the last elections five years ago, with right-wing and Eurosceptic parties strengthening. Žiga Faktor, deputy director and head of EUROPEUM Institute's Brussels office, described the possible reasons for daily broadcast of Czech TV.
Show moreWhat are the reasons for the rise of the far-right in the upcoming European elections? Can we say that the far-right still holds anti-European views? What would the agenda of the European Parliament look like if the far-right gained more support? How likely is it that the European People's Party and Liberals would cooperate with the Conservatives? Žiga Faktor, deputy director and head of EUROPEUM Institute's Brussels office, provided live answers on the program "Předvolební Evropa" on ČT24.
Show moreEuropean Commission President Ursula von der Leyen arrived in the Czech Republic. She met with President Petr Pavel and Prime Minister Petr Fiala. The visit was part of the campaign ahead of the European Parliament elections in June. Viktor Daněk, Deputy Director of EUROPEUM Institute, commented on Ursula von der Leyen's arrival in the Czech Republic.
Show morePolls opened in North Macedonia on Wednesday for the first round of the presidential elections. Seven candidates are running for the presidency in a country gripped by political tensions, disappointment with democratic reforms and aspirations to join the European Union. Jana Juzová, a senior researcher at EUROPEUM Institute, analysed the situation in an interview for ČT24.
Show moreThe European Parliament recently approved the Migration Pact, which, among other things, deals with the relocation of asylum seekers. Minister of the Interior Vít Rakušan claims Czechia will have an exemption from solidarity due to the number of Ukrainian refugees it accepted. The Migration Pact will take effect in two years, and its strengths and weaknesses were analysed by Viktor Daněk, Deputy Director of the EUROPEUM Institute.
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