By Tom O’Donnell
The results of the Spanish municipal, local and regional elections on May 22nd were a defeat for the ruling socialist government of the PSOE (Party of the Spanish Socialist Workers) – but they were not a major victory for the Right, led by the Partido Popular (PP). PSOE received just 27.8% of the vote, down from 35.3% in the same elections held in 2007.
By Nicky Dempsey
Open disagreements have broken out between the EU Commission and the European Central Bank on the issue of whether Greek government debt should be ‘restructured’ or ‘reprofiled’ in some way. Debt restructuring would require that the bondholders, mainly European (including British) banks, take some losses on their bonds by having their value written down. ‘Reprofiling’ is a much more modest proposal which may involve little more than extending the life of the bonds, so that interest and capital repayments are drawn out over time.
By Frances Davis
This week, as Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams’ announced the party’s new Ministerial Assembly team, the party emerged from the fourth consecutive election this year which has seen Sinn Féin’s vote steadily rise – north and south of the border. The 5 May Assembly and council elections in the six counties saw a continuation of a trend in the north – that of an increase in support for Sinn Féin, and of endorsement for the Good Friday Agreement.
By Nicky Dempsey
The first serious political difficulty for the current government rose from the student mobilisation against rising tuition fees and the abolition of the Education Maintenance Allowance. The government pressed on regardless – and produced a collapse in the vote for the LibDems at the recent local elections largely because they have been seen to betray a specific pre-election promise.
By Stephen MacAvoy
Despite launching the most severe offensive against the working class in generations, the Conservative Party emerged from the elections last week largely unscathed – even slightly increasing its share of the vote on last year.
By Andrew Williams
The unity agreement signed this week in Cairo between Hamas and Fatah marks a significant step forward in the Palestinian struggle. Under the deal there will be an interim government running the West Bank and Gaza Strip whilst preparations are made for parliamentary and presidential elections within the year. Elaboration of the agreement will unfold over coming weeks, but initial steps are already being implemented, such as on TV broadcasting where the principal Fatah-controlled station is transmitting again in Gaza and Hamas is back on air in the West Bank.
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