EUROPEANS ARE WAITING FOR THESE 5 UPCOMING ELECTIONS WITH BATED BREATH
SINGAPORE (Nov 15): Brexit and the US presidential election were inarguably two of the most major global political events of 2016. Yet, they are potentially only the beginning of much more to come.
Now that the most divisive presidential election in US history has come to an end, another continent in political turmoil will soon be stepping into the arena: Europe.
Will these upcoming key elections produce even more shock results this year, and in the first half of 2017?
Dec 4, 2016: Austrian presidential election & Italian constitutional referendum
Norbert Hofer from the far-right Freedom Party will once again be facing off The Greens’ Alexander Van der Bellen. Although Van der Bellen narrowly triumphed over the Hofer in May before the results were annulled, opinion polls are currently predicting that the latter will be victorious as the “Donald Trump of Europe”.
Italy’s third-ever constitutional referendum is planned to be held on the very same day, where it will be decided whether the Italian Constitution will be amended as Prime Minster Matteo Renzi proposed in 2014. Should the bill be approved, members of senate will halved, with the remaining stripped of their powers to vote on several major legislations and the budget, amongst others.
Mar 15, 2017: Dutch general elections
According to the latest Peilingwijzer poll of polls, the People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) is currently leading with a projected 17.3-20% of the vote. It is closely followed by Dutch far-right Party for Freedom (PVV), which is led by anti-Islamic politician Geert Wilders, is now estimated to win 23-27 seats in the 150-seat parliament, which is maximum 18% of the vote.
April-May, 2017: French presidential election
Far-right leader Marine Le Pen, also self-dubbed as ‘Madame Frexit’ has become even more confident of being elected French president after Donald Trump’s win – to the extent of predicting her election as a third event of “global revolution” after Brexit and Trump’s US presidential victory. Le Pen is intending to hold another EU referendum should she get into power next year.
May 4, 2017: UK local elections
UK’s May 2017 local elections will all the more keep Theresa May’s supporters at the edge of their seats following the recent Article 50 court ruling, which requires obtaining approval from Members of Parliament (MPs) in order to trigger an EU exit. The outcome will not only make or break May’s position as Prime Minster, but will also shed some light on whether she will make a success out of Brexit, or not.
Source: The Edge
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