Election Watch: Bulgaria’s Ex-President Wins Big: Cause for Concern versus Stability in Sight
Bulgaria’s populist ex-president rode on the transactional geopolitical position wave and anti-corruption platform right to his first term in the Prime Minister’s office, securing an absolute majority in the parliament. Following the electoral victory of pro-EU Tisza in Budapest last week, the political landscape of central and eastern Europe continues to rapidly evolve. The final […]
Election Watch: The End for Orban’s One Man Show. Tisza Takes Hungary
Viktor Orban took his first electoral loss in 16 years, with the moderate conservative Tisza party acquiring a constitutional majority in the parliament. However, another threat to the EU’s cohesion is arising on the Southeastern border of the European Union. The political map of Central Europe has been subject to one of the most important […]
Election Watch: Hungary Counting Down: In the Wake of 2026 Parliamentary Elections
This Sunday might be one of the most stressful days for the Hungarian incumbent Fidesz party and its leader, Viktor Orbán, whose political destiny has never seemed less certain. Parliamentary elections in Hungary on 12 April represent a pivotal challenge to the political status quo in Budapest since 2010. For the first time since, the […]
Election Watch: Paris to the Left, Nice to the Right, Slovenia is at the Crossroads
On 22 March, voters in Slovenia returned to the polls in a parliamentary election that has delivered a narrow lead by the ruling party and heralded a period of political uncertainty. At the same time, the French voters casted their ballots in the local elections, which secured a Socialist victory in the capital, but also gave a morale increase to […]
Portugal Chooses a Left-Leaning President – What’s Next?
After three weeks of uncertainty between rounds one and two of Portuguese presidential elections, a moderate candidate scored a win against his right-wing opponent, but what does that mean for the country and the Continent? Portugal Chooses a Left-Leaning President – What’s Next? In the photo-finish of the second-round runoff on 8 February, Portugal has […]
B&K Explains: Portugal’s Presidential Run-Off
Executive Summary The Portuguese Republic has entered a period of unprecedented institutional tension following the first round of the 2026 presidential election. For only the second time in the five decades since the restoration of democracy, the country will proceed to a second-round run-off on 8 February. The results from 18 January have crystallised a fragmented political landscape. Moderate […]
Dutch Elections: Electoral Tie and the Uncertainty That Follows
Projections from the Dutch elections are in: centrist D66 and far-right PVV both won 26 seats, ending Geert Wilders’ lead in parliament and prompting Frans Timmermans to step down after a disappointing result. The Past After the parliamentary elections held in November 2023, Geert Wilders’ Eurosceptic Party for Freedom (PVV) became the largest party in the House […]
Czech Parliamentary Elections: The Grand Return of Andrej Babiš
Today, we are looking at the Czech Republic’s parliamentary elections that took place last week, as well as their potential implications for the future of the country and the EU as a whole. Czech Parliamentary Elections: The Grand Return of Andrej Babiš The political geography of Central Europe is slowly changing, and the latest news […]
🇵🇱 Poland’s Presidential Election: A Nation Divided, A Government Constrained
In a razor-thin runoff, conservative nationalist Karol Nawrocki has been elected President of Poland with 50.89% of the vote, narrowly defeating liberal Warsaw Mayor Rafał Trzaskowski, who secured 49.11%. This outcome delivers a significant blow to Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s centrist, pro-European government. Nawrocki, backed by the Law and Justice (PiS) party, will wield presidential […]
German Elections 2025: A Shift in the Political Landscape
The 2025 federal election in Germany marked a significant shift in the political landscape, with the conservative CDU/CSU alliance emerging as the victor. Despite winning the most votes, the mood at the party’s headquarters was subdued. The conservatives managed to secure about 28% of the vote, which fell short of their campaign goal of “30% […]