Key votes are expected in Finland, Montenegro and Bulgaria, and elections are also being held in Italy, Switzerland, Andorra and San Marino.
Europe is gearing up for seven elections this week, with key votes in Finland, Bulgaria and Montenegro, elections in Andorra, four French constituencies and regional elections in Italy and Switzerland.
Finnish
Parliamentary elections in Finland will be held on Sunday, and the outcome will determine the political future of Prime Minister and representative of the European Council, Sana Marin.
Current polls show that Marina’s coalition, made up of her Social Democratic Party (SDP), the Center Party, the Green League, the Left Alliance and the liberal Swedish People’s Party of Finland, is likely to retain its majority. However, there is a possibility that the National Coalition Party will emerge as the strongest party, which would replace the Social Democrats.
The National Coalition Party has long supported Finland’s membership in NATO, which may explain the party’s increased support compared to previous elections. On the other hand, the right-wing Finns Party, which is in coalition with Marine Le Pen’s National Alliance and Matteo Salvini’s Northern League in the European Parliament, is expected to slightly improve its position compared to the 2019 elections, which could lead to The Finns Party has the strongest performance in the national parliament so far.
Bulgaria
Bulgaria is holding its fifth snap election in less than two years on Sunday. Polls show that the alliance “Continuing the changes – Democratic Bulgaria” opposes the center-right alliance Citizens for the European Development of Bulgaria – Alliance of Democratic Forces (GERB-SDS) led by former Prime Minister Boyko Borisov. Both pro-European coalitions show about 26% support. Centrist The Movement for Rights and Freedom (DPS) and the far-right pro-Putin Revival party are in third place with around 13 percent, while the BSPzB alliance, linked to the S&D group in the European Parliament, has only 8 percent, which would be their worst election result to date. now.
The path to a stable government remains uncertain, especially as it is unclear whether Levitsata, ITN and Bulgarian Rise will cross the 4% threshold. These elections are unlikely to bring the desired change in Bulgaria, which has struggled to form a lasting ruling coalition, leading to more snap elections since April 2021.
Montenegro
Voters go to the polls on Sunday in the second round of this year’s presidential election, in which the center-left DPS party could lose the presidency for the first time. “Europe Now” party candidate Jakov Milatović has a real chance of defeating Milo Đukanović, who has ruled the country for most of the time since 1990, as president or prime minister.
No polls have been released for the second round, however, the candidate who came third in the first round, Andrija Mandić of the right-wing New Serbian Democracy, has endorsed Milatović, who rejects ethnic narratives.
President Đukanović dissolved parliament three days before the first round of elections after the parties failed to form a new government. An extraordinary vote is scheduled for June 11, 2023.
Andora
Andorran voters elect a new national parliament on April 2. Polls in this country are rare and inaccurate due to the small sample size of voters who have made up their minds. The current government is led by the centre-right Democratic Party of Andorra (2019: 35.1%), with the Liberal Party of Andorra (12.5%) and the newly formed liberal party Accio as junior coalition partners.
The center-left alliance dominated by the Social Democratic Party leads the opposition (PS: 30.6%; SDP: 5.9%). Two new parties could win significant votes: the ecological party Konkordia and the ideologically diverse party Endavant.
The country is not a member of the European Union, but liberal and center-left parties are pushing for stronger ties with it.
France
Amid protests over pension reforms, voters in four of the country’s 577 constituencies go to the polls next weekend to choose a new MP for their constituency.
The first constituency of Ariege in the south of France has historically been held by centre-left parties, which is unlikely to change this year: during the first round, already held last Sunday, all centre-right and liberal candidates were eliminated, with the party’s incumbent Unconquered France (left) and a member of the Socialist Party (whom the party did not officially support) who made it to the second round.
French voters living in Israel, Italy, Greece, Cyprus, Turkey, the Maghreb, West Africa, the Caribbean and Latin America go to the polls in the first round of voting to elect a total of three deputies. One seat is held by the centrist UDI party, one by the center-left Generation party, and one by President Macron’s Renaissance Alliance.
San Marino
In San Marino, a new head of state takes office every six months, on a schedule that coincides with this weekend. Alessandro Scarano, who was elected captain-regent, is part of the Christian Democratic Party of San Marino. The country is not a member of the EU.
Italy
The regional elections in Friuli-Venezia Giulia on Sunday and Monday are a test for the center-right alliance of Prime Minister and member of the European Council Djordje Meloni, whose national-conservative party “Brothers of Italy” celebrated historic election results in the last regional elections. However, much of this new support came from Matteo Salvini’s right-wing Northern party or Silvio Berlusconi’s centre-right Forward Italy party. No survey has been published so far. The center-right coalition won 57.1% in the 2018 elections, and the center-left coalition led by the Democratic Party won 26.8%.
Switzerland
Geneva, Lucerne and Ticino elect new regional parliaments on Sunday. The vote is an important test for the parties ahead of national parliamentary elections later this year. Geneva and Lucerne are also holding the first round of regional government elections.
(EURACTIV.rs)