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According to the latest polls in the run-up to the presidential vote on 6 May, the gap between Nicolas Sarkozy and favourite François Hollande is closing. The news comes in the wake of a announcement by centrist leader François Bayrou to the effect that he will vote for the socialist candidate.
Gap narrows: 47.5% - 52.5% – Aujourd'hui en France - Le Parisien
Angela Merkel and her government are preparing to work with François Hollande whom they view as a pragmatic administrator who will not fundamentally change French policy.
At the Chancellery, the fear of Hollande declines – Süddeutsche Zeitung
The conservative New Democracy party led by Antonis Samaras and the socialist PASOK movement under Evángelos Vénizelos are expected to win the bulk of the votes in early general elections on 6 May. But smaller extremist parties on both the right and the left have made major gains, to the point where they may be able to prevent the big two from governing.
Samaras and Vénizelos against the “small fry” – I Kathimerini
To finance its debt, the government of the Valencia region is borrowing from the markets at a rate of 7% per six months, which is higher than the rates paid by either Greece or Portugal. The region is the second most indebted in Spain after Catalonia.
Valencia debt at rates in excess of those paid by bailout countries – El País
In its annual report, the Belgian Financial Intelligence Processing Unit has revealed that in 2011, Al-Qaeda transferred money through Belgian banks, as did Libya and Iran, which also conducted illegal transactions in the country.
Belgium a hub for terrorists and extremists – De Morgen
With their calls for a boycott of the Euro 2012, the politicians who seek to criticise the government of Donald Tusk and also prevent Ukraine from joining the EU are playing into the hands of the Russians. At the same time, authorities in Kiev appear to be unaware of what is at stake in this game.
Who’s afraid of Ukraine? – Rzeczpospolita
“The success of Germany’s Pirate Party. The affirmation offered to Marine Le Pen in France. A Greek election overshadowed by neo-fascists. The economic crisis has continued to undermine European support for traditional mainstream parties”.
A Europe that rejects politics – Internazionale
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