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Greece June 2012 – Election Night Special

Greece June 2012 – Election Night Special

Wikimedia Commons Is this the most important election ever? It’s often heard from politicians seeking votes that “this is the most important election for a generation” – I have yet to hear an election being described as “not terribly important”. But today’s poll in Greece can be justifiably described as critical and potentially historic. Can a new government be formed this time, and will the country be continuing with the bailout in some form with ND/Pasok or taking a radically…

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How’s last night’s Euro 2012 victory going to impact on the Greek election?

How’s last night’s Euro 2012 victory going to impact on the Greek election?

Will the exultation be better for Syriza or New Democracy? Today’s crucial general election in Greece takes place after a dramatic victory for the country in Euro 2012 which ensured that it has a place in the quarters finals. Fans were celebrating into the early hours and there’s little doubt that sporting success like this can affect the mood of a whole nation. Thus many Labour figures put down the party’s defeat in the 1970 election to the outcome of…

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Europe’s “Super Sunday” Election Special

Europe’s “Super Sunday” Election Special

Wikimedia Commons Leaked exits via Belgium/Switzerland say Hollande 52.5-53 Greece: will ND + PASOK give a majority for the bailout? Welcome to what’s a bumper night for European elections and a very important one for the continent’s politics. In France, first polling stations don’t close until 5pm UK time and the last ones at 7pm, but if the exit polls leaked via Belgian and Swiss media are to be believed, then Francois Hollande has won a comfortable victory in the…

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Is Greece about to blow the Eurocrisis open again?

Is Greece about to blow the Eurocrisis open again?

What will the elections do to the bailout settlement? It’s unsurprising that with the Republican primaries, the French presidential election, the London mayorality and local elections in Britain all taking place within April or early May, there’s not been much coverage given to another legislative election taking place next week. Perhaps we should. Elections in that Greece have rarely carried as much import to the rest of the world as they do now. There are two simple reasons for this,…

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So is Hollande now a certainty for round 2?

So is Hollande now a certainty for round 2?

Google politics with 99.9% reporting Could Sarkozy be worth a 5/1 bet? Overnight Nickolas Sarkozy became the first sitting French president to fail to win round one of a presidential election. His margin of defeat was a touch closer than some of the polls were predicting but there’s little doubt that his Socialist party opponent, Francois Hollande has the momentum for the second round run off a week on Sunday. The surprise was the good showing of Marine Le Pen…

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France 2012 Round One – Election Night

France 2012 Round One – Election Night

Wikimedia Commons Leaked results show Hollande doing well overseas The first French polling stations close at 6pm local time tonight (5pm UK) and the last two hours later, but already there have been leaked unofficial results via Swiss media which show Socialist challenger Hollande doing well in the French overseas territories (the DOM-TOM) in the Americas, with swings of about 20% in Guadeloupe. It’s expected that Hollande and Sarkzoy will progess comfortably through to the second round in two weeks’…

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Just two days to go before France votes..

Just two days to go before France votes..

What are the best bets? The first round of voting in the French Presidential election takes place on Sunday with the second round scheduled for a fortnight later. The system is that the top two this weekend go forward to the final round provided no candidate has got more than 50% of the vote. At the PB party last night the consensus was that the Socialist contender, Francois Hollande, would win both the first and second rounds of voting –…

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Libya – the end game?

Libya – the end game?

BBC News Where does this leave Libya, the Arab Spring and UK politics? With unconfirmed reports that Gadaffi is captured, injured or even dead, the Libyan revolution looks to be almost complete. It still leaves the Middle-East in a state of flux though. Egypthas not had the promised elections, Syria remains in ferment, Bahrain unstable and other leaders will be watching warily. Domestically, Liam Fox may well be cursing his (largely self-inflicted) luck on the backbenchers that Gadaffi wasn’t found a week…

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