Latest news with #MakeEuropeGreatAgain
Miami Herald
19-05-2025
- Automotive
- Miami Herald
Europe's ‘MEGA' Stutter: Far-Right Bid for Power Falters Despite Gains
Pro-EU candidate Nicușor Dan defeated hard-right contender George Simion in Romania's presidential election, delivering a centrist victory in Europe over a nationalist rival who had pledged to put the country on a path inspired by U.S. President Donald Trump. The result follows concerns about a populist wave on the continent, with the EU launching an investigation into Elon Musk's promotion of far-right candidates in Europe. In January, the X owner used the slogan "Make Europe Great Again," or MEGA, in a nod to Trump's catchphrase. Despite the defeat of Simion, who had once appealed to U.S. Republicans for support, right-wing parties had mixed fortunes in the weekend's elections elsewhere in Europe, making gains in Portugal's parliament but losing out in the first round of Poland's presidential ballot. In January, Bloomberg reported that the EU was investigating whether Musk's social network X, formerly Twitter, breached the bloc's content moderation law in a move linked to concern over his use of the platform to promote right-wing candidates globally. Musk has backed Europe's hard-right parties, including the AfD party candidates in Germany's federal election. He posted in January: "From MAGA to MEGA: Make Europe Great Again" in an echo of the rallying cry for Trump. The victory of Simion in the first round of the Romanian election raised concerns about a right-wing wave spreading across Europe. But elections in Poland also pointed to a pivot back to the center. Simion won in Romania's election first round, but results from Sunday's second stage saw him trail Nicusor Dan by eight percentage points, 54 percent to 46 percent, Reuters reported Monday. Simion had looked to Trump for inspiration, appearing at a Republican CPAC and previously asking for Musk's support. Oana Popescu-Zamfir, director of the Bucharest-based think tank GlobalFocus Center, told Newsweek on Monday that the result showed it is harder for the MAGA recipe to work outside the U.S. She said the far-right has had an abrupt rise in Romania thanks to disillusionment with the political class and with the quality of governance. But when presented with a candidate who appeared more capable, more competent and "perhaps more that tide was quite quickly turned." In emailed comments to Newsweek, Daniel Fried, distinguished fellow at the Atlantic Council, said that Simion courted Trump's Make America Great Again movement, traveling to the Conservative Political Action Conference and appearing on Steve Bannon's podcast, "but this did not translate into support at home." The first round of Poland's presidential election saw the liberal mayor of Warsaw, Rafał Trzaskowski, part of Prime Minister Donald Tusk's Civic Platform Party, defeat his right-wing rival, Karol Nawrocki, backed by the populist right-wing Law and Justice (PiS). Despite the narrow win by Trzaskowski—31.36 percent to 29.54 percent—a surprise was how right-wing and far-right candidates gathered as many as 54 percent of the votes. That will give Nawrocki a larger pool of the electorate to draw on in the second round, Piotr Buras, head of the Warsaw office of the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR), told Newsweek. Buras said the next two weeks will see a confrontation between a pro-EU, liberal and progressive version of Poland versus a nationalist, "Trumpist" and conservative one. Nawrocki will have to stress his anti-European positions, even more than he was doing before, and he will also try to present himself as a faithful ally of Trump and the U.S., Buras added. In Portugal, the ruling center-right coalition Democratic Alliance (AD/PSD-CDS) remained the strongest political force, getting 32 percent of votes and securing 89 seats in the 230-seat parliament—nine more than in the previous election. However, the far-right Chega party gained a record 22.6 percent share of the vote, gaining eight seats for a total of 58. Prime Minister Luis Montenegro said the result was a vote of confidence in his party, but with votes from abroad still to be counted, Chega could replace the center-left socialists as the main opposition party. Oana Popescu-Zamfir, director of the Bucharest-based think tank GlobalFocus Center: "I think we're seeing that the far right is not as entrenched as it might look." Piotr Buras, ECFR: "Right wing and far-right candidates gathered as many as 54 percent of votes—this is the most surprising result. "The campaign in the next two weeks will be very polarizing and brutal—a confrontation of two visions of Poland: pro-EU, liberal and progressive versus nationalist, Trumpist and conservative." Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelensky was among leaders who praised Dan's victory in Romania as it maintains Bucharest's backing for Kyiv's fight against Russia at the heart of the EU. Voters in Poland will head to the polls on June 1 in what is expected to be a tight race with the prospect that Nawrocki could pick up the right-wing vote. Portugal awaits the final results, which could allow Chega, led by the former television sports commentator Andre Ventura, to emerge as the main opposition party, although Montenegro has ruled out forming a coalition with it. Related Articles Who Is Nicușor Dan? Romania's Liberal Centrist Mayor Sweeps to VictoryRomanian Exit Polls Show Clear Winner as Rival Declares VictoryFar-Right Parties Bid for Power in Europe's Election 'Super Sunday'Romania Could 'Rerun Ballot' Over Russia Interference Fears 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
Newsweek
19-05-2025
- Business
- Newsweek
Europe's 'MEGA' Stutter: Far-Right Bid for Power Falters Despite Gains
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Pro-EU candidate Nicușor Dan defeated hard-right contender George Simion in Romania's presidential election, delivering a centrist victory in Europe over a nationalist rival who had pledged to put the country on a path inspired by U.S. President Donald Trump. The result follows concerns about a populist wave on the continent, with the EU launching an investigation into Elon Musk's promotion of far-right candidates in Europe. In January, the X owner used the slogan "Make Europe Great Again," or MEGA, in a nod to Trump's catchphrase. Despite the defeat of Simion, who had once appealed to U.S. Republicans for support, right-wing parties had mixed fortunes in the weekend's elections elsewhere in Europe, making gains in Portugal's parliament but losing out in the first round of Poland's presidential ballot. Bucharest Mayor Nicușor Dan salutes his supporters as he exits his campaign headquarters in Bucharest on May 18, 2025, after defeating nationalist George Simion in the presidential election. Bucharest Mayor Nicușor Dan salutes his supporters as he exits his campaign headquarters in Bucharest on May 18, 2025, after defeating nationalist George Simion in the presidential It Matters In January, Bloomberg reported that the EU was investigating whether Musk's social network X, formerly Twitter, breached the bloc's content moderation law in a move linked to concern over his use of the platform to promote right-wing candidates globally. Musk has backed Europe's hard-right parties, including the AfD party candidates in Germany's federal election. He posted in January: "From MAGA to MEGA: Make Europe Great Again" in an echo of the rallying cry for Trump. The victory of Simion in the first round of the Romanian election raised concerns about a right-wing wave spreading across Europe. But elections in Poland also pointed to a pivot back to the center. What To Know Simion won in Romania's election first round, but results from Sunday's second stage saw him trail Nicusor Dan by eight percentage points, 54 percent to 46 percent, Reuters reported Monday. Simion had looked to Trump for inspiration, appearing at a Republican CPAC and previously asking for Musk's support. Oana Popescu-Zamfir, director of the Bucharest-based think tank GlobalFocus Center, told Newsweek on Monday that the result showed it is harder for the MAGA recipe to work outside the U.S. She said the far-right has had an abrupt rise in Romania thanks to disillusionment with the political class and with the quality of governance. But when presented with a candidate who appeared more capable, more competent and "perhaps more that tide was quite quickly turned." In emailed comments to Newsweek, Daniel Fried, distinguished fellow at the Atlantic Council, said that Simion courted Trump's Make America Great Again movement, traveling to the Conservative Political Action Conference and appearing on Steve Bannon's podcast, "but this did not translate into support at home." Poland And Portugal The first round of Poland's presidential election saw the liberal mayor of Warsaw, Rafał Trzaskowski, part of Prime Minister Donald Tusk's Civic Platform Party, defeat his right-wing rival, Karol Nawrocki, backed by the populist right-wing Law and Justice (PiS). Despite the narrow win by Trzaskowski—31.36 percent to 29.54 percent—a surprise was how right-wing and far-right candidates gathered as many as 54 percent of the votes. That will give Nawrocki a larger pool of the electorate to draw on in the second round, Piotr Buras, head of the Warsaw office of the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR), told Newsweek. Buras said the next two weeks will see a confrontation between a pro-EU, liberal and progressive version of Poland versus a nationalist, "Trumpist" and conservative one. Nawrocki will have to stress his anti-European positions, even more than he was doing before, and he will also try to present himself as a faithful ally of Trump and the U.S., Buras added. In Portugal, the ruling center-right coalition Democratic Alliance (AD/PSD-CDS) remained the strongest political force, getting 32 percent of votes and securing 89 seats in the 230-seat parliament—nine more than in the previous election. However, the far-right Chega party gained a record 22.6 percent share of the vote, gaining eight seats for a total of 58. Prime Minister Luis Montenegro said the result was a vote of confidence in his party, but with votes from abroad still to be counted, Chega could replace the center-left socialists as the main opposition party. What People Are Saying Oana Popescu-Zamfir, director of the Bucharest-based think tank GlobalFocus Center: "I think we're seeing that the far right is not as entrenched as it might look." Piotr Buras, ECFR: "Right wing and far-right candidates gathered as many as 54 percent of votes—this is the most surprising result. "The campaign in the next two weeks will be very polarizing and brutal—a confrontation of two visions of Poland: pro-EU, liberal and progressive versus nationalist, Trumpist and conservative." What Happens Next Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelensky was among leaders who praised Dan's victory in Romania as it maintains Bucharest's backing for Kyiv's fight against Russia at the heart of the EU. Voters in Poland will head to the polls on June 1 in what is expected to be a tight race with the prospect that Nawrocki could pick up the right-wing vote. Portugal awaits the final results, which could allow Chega, led by the former television sports commentator Andre Ventura, to emerge as the main opposition party, although Montenegro has ruled out forming a coalition with it.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump-admirer Simion hopes voter anger will win him Romania presidency
By Luiza Ilie BUCHAREST (Reuters) - Eurosceptic hard-right lawmaker George Simion could be elected Romania's president on Sunday, riding a wave of popular anger over living costs, corruption and the cancellation of a vote last year that another far-right contender had looked set to win. Simion decisively swept the first round of the presidential election re-run on May 4 in a ballot that is seen as a test of the rise of Donald Trump-style nationalism in the European Union. Simion, 38, has been ahead in most opinion polls ahead of the run-off against centrist Bucharest Mayor Nicusor Dan, though the most recent survey this week put them neck-and-neck. The president has considerable powers in Romania - being the person in charge of the defence council that decides on military aid. The president also has oversight over foreign policy, with the power to veto EU votes that require unanimity among member states. Simion opposes military aid to Ukraine, is critical of the EU leadership and supportive of U.S. President Donald Trump. A win for Simion in Romania, an EU and NATO member, would risk isolating the country abroad, eroding private investment and destabilising NATO's eastern flank, political analysts say. He is campaigning on a "Romania first" ticket, advocating conservative policies and stoking voter anger over high living costs and perceived social immorality that he blames on mainstream centre-left and centre-right politicians and Western elites. "I believe that just as MAGA won power in the United States, so too the Make Europe Great Again movement will have a majority in European institutions," Simion, said during a conference before the first election round. "I do not doubt that anywhere in the free world the wind is that of change and of returning to common sense. The 'woke' madness has gone too far." Simion's six-year-old Alliance for Uniting Romanians has grown from a fringe anti-vaccination group during the COVID pandemic to become Romania's second-largest party. As a lawmaker, Simion has a history of physical and verbal violence, clashing with other politicians. He has said he regrets his behavior and that he has grown into a statesman. Simion used to belong to a soccer "ultra" group - organized fan groups often known for violence - and spent years advocating for the unification with neighbouring Moldova before entering politics. If elected, Simion would get to appoint a new prime minister who would negotiate a new parliamentary majority, likely centered around Simion's party. Parliament is almost evenly split between centre-right, centre-left and hard-right parties. CANCELLED VOTE Romania had looked poised to swing towards Moscow after far-right newcomer Calin Georgescu topped the first round of voting in the presidential election last November. But the country's top court cancelled the election because of suspicions of Russian meddling. Moscow denied the allegations. Simion came fourth in the first round and called the subsequent cancellation a coup, petitioned courts and staged protests. He became Georgescu's de facto replacement. He is under criminal investigation on suspicion of inciting violence after saying the election authorities who banned Georgescu should be skinned, a statement he later said he did not mean. "Simion represents total opposition to the political, social, institutional, economic system dominated by mainstream parties," said Sergiu Miscoiu, a political science professor at Babes-Bolyai University. "His election will send a very bad signal about the direction Eastern Europe is headed to. It will be good news for Russia, in that it destabilises the region by adding one more division on the eastern flank." Simion has suggested his choice for prime minister could be Georgescu, who favours nationalizations and preferential treatment for Romanian-owned companies. UKRAINE STANCE During a televised debate last week Simion said Romania should be compensated for the aid it has provided to neighbouring Ukraine as Kyiv defends itself against Russia. He suggested he would veto Brussels military aid to Ukraine while saying Europe should depend on NATO for its own defence. While Simion has called Russian President Vladimir Putin a war criminal, he has minimized the threat Russia poses to NATO's eastern flank and criticised European plans to prepare for a potential attack as EU governments seek to be less reliant on the United States for their security. Simion has also said Romania should buy back the controlling stake in oil and gas group OMV Petrom from Austria's OMV. Petrom and state gas producer Romgaz are working on an offshore gas project in the Black Sea which will make it a net exporter at a time the EU is weaning itself off Russian gas. He has supported restoring Romania's pre-World War Two borders, which include areas now in Bulgaria, Moldova and Ukraine, leading him to be declared persona non grata in the latter two countries.
Observer
11-05-2025
- Business
- Observer
Dealmakers hope on European revival as US stutters.
Top dealmakers are pinning their hopes on a revival of activity in Europe, with president Donald Trump's trade war having dampened expectations for US investment banking fees. At the beginning of the year, lawyers and investment bankers were anticipating that Trump would rekindle spirits and prompt firms to push ahead on pent up demand for M&A deals and equity fundraising. It hasn't worked out that way. The first quarter is disappointing, with global investment banking fees down by 10pc to $20.6bn for the first three months of this year, according to data provider Dealogic. The US has slipped by 7pc to $10.6bn for the period, while European fees have fallen even further, dropping 22pc to $4.6bn. But despite the numbers, top dealmakers in the financial district of London say that Europe is starting to benefit from the volatility that has hit the US. High hopes from Trump's election in November, when he promised to tame inflation, increase US exceptionalism and kick-start deregulation of the M&A market, have given way to caution. Global co-head of the alternative capital group at USB, Simona Maellare, said: 'In January, there was a lot of talk about animal spirit in the US and people were very negative on Europe. 'Three months later and those predictions have not come about because the M&A market does not like volatility. In Europe, sponsors are making progress, so we are seeing improved levels of activity. Overall, Q1 has been soft, but I am encouraged by the amount of activity in Europe, where we see big deals continue to happen.' Global co-head of the infrastructure and strategic investors group at JPMorgan, Guillermo Baygual, said that there was increasing optimism around European deal activity as appetite to transact has dampened in the US. 'This could end up being good for Europe, because it is forcing European nations to get their act together,' he said. 'The infrastructure fund in Germany, other infrastructure initiatives developing in European countries, the emerging plans for investment in the military across Europe, governments in Europe are supporting investment and therefore growth. Europe has big challenges, but suddenly there's a sense that things are looking up.' 'America First' policies in the US have seen European leaders coin the phrase 'Make Europe Great Again' – a nod to the red baseball cap sported by Trump supporters and Trump himself proclaiming he'll 'make America great again'. Dealmakers say that pressure for Europe to take care of itself is spurring growth. One example is the German government's plans to increase defence spending by 500bn euros in a bid to counter what its chancellor Friedrich Merz called Russian president Vladimir Putin's war of aggression against Europe'. Global head of sectors and advisory at BNP Paribas, George Holst, said that a 25pc increase in Emea (Europe, Middle East, Africa) M&A volume was spurred by 'material growth' in deals over 1bn euros, even though the number of transactions is down. 'Higher fiscal stimulus in Europe, paired with the need for greater sovereignty plus a trend of lower rates, has made Europe more attractive on a relative basis,' he said. 'The need and search for a scale is apparent in many sectors and we saw broad activity in a cross section of areas.' Bankers were also expecting an increase in equity capital markets activity after a slump in listings that has resulted in a brutal three years for the business. However, market conditions have led to clients pulling planned IPOs and struggling to price them effectively, dealmakers said. 'This recent period of volatility has reopened the debate on the sustainability of the recently reopened IPO market,' said Gareth McCartney, global co-head of ECM at UBS. 'The consensus was that 2025 would see a return to normalised IPO issuance volumes, but a slow start has questioned this, albeit we have a long way to go.' (The writer is our foreign correspondent based in the UK)andyjalil@
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Investors at Milken eye foreign shores as tariffs cloud US outlook
By Davide Barbuscia and Svea Herbst-Bayliss BEVERLY HILLS, California (Reuters) -Market uncertainty caused by U.S. President Donald Trump's erratic policymaking and aggressive stance on tariffs hung heavily over an investor gathering in Los Angeles this week, with many saying it is time to pivot to non-U.S. assets for more clarity. Concerns over the U.S. economic trajectory, and growing chances of an imminent recession fueled by White House trade policies were major topics at the Milken Institute Global Conference in Beverly Hills, California, where Wall Street dealmakers and global investors gathered to raise capital, sell companies and get a handle on the industry's mood. On panels and in more than a dozen private interviews on Monday and Tuesday, attendees said the U.S. economy's size and depth of its capital markets left few viable alternatives for a dramatic shift away from American assets. Many, however, said the volatility was pushing them to consider higher allocations to non-U.S. markets, Europe in particular. "We've spent a lot of time focused on the U.S. and Europe, and historically, we have had a little bit of a bias towards the U.S.," said Purnima Puri, governing partner at HPS Investment Partners, a New York-based credit investment firm. "We do think Europe is starting to look significantly more interesting, and that's a market we're spending time on," she said on stage at the conference on Tuesday. Entrepreneur Andre Loesekrug-Pietri elicited grins and pats on the back as he walked the halls sporting a green baseball cap with the words "Make Europe Great Again," in a tongue-in-cheek poke at Trump's red "Make America Great Again" hats. While many downplayed the risk of capital outflows from the U.S. that spooked markets in the immediate aftermath of Trump's tariff announcement last month, the search for alternative geographies was a major theme at the event. Some bankers characterized it as a chance to diversify portfolios with too much U.S. exposure, particularly earlier this year and late last year, when the market was betting Trump's second presidency would boost the economy through deregulation and tax cuts. Contributing to the shift are Europe's improved growth prospects and lower asset valuations. "At the start of the year, I think the view was that the U.S. was the place to be, and that's where capital is going to flow, and ... that has shifted differently," said Lee Kruter, partner and head of performing credit at GoldenTree Asset Management, speaking on stage.
