CDEIU Insights

“I will be the defence lawyer of the Italians” – Giuseppe Conte accepts official mandate to form government

The President of the Italian Republic Sergio Mattarella gave Professor Giuseppe Conte the task of forming the new Italian government. The decision was announced by the secretary general of the Quirinale…

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Tuesday’s Morning Briefing – 22nd May, 2018

Good morning Hazy morning in Malta. The overcast seems to stay throughout the day, even though temperatures should reach 21 degrees (C). Our morning round up follows. Today’s Malta's newspapers…

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Insight: Oppressed people are killed twice, first by the bullet, next by the language – Moustafa Bayoumi

It is the peculiar fate of oppressed people everywhere that when they are killed, they are killed twice: first by bullet or bomb, and next by the language used to…

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Agreement on the contract for Italy’s new Government. Last hurdle is naming the Prime Minister

After hours of negotiations and discussions on the formation of the new government in Italy, M5s and La Lega has found enough ground to sign an agreement on a plan…

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Italy : The long obstacle race for government formation is still on

There was no agreement on who will be the next Prime Minister of Italy and both M5s and Lega asked Italian President Mattarella for more time. The Head of State agreed to…

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Editor Perspectives – 14th May 2018

The editorials of L-Oriżżont and The Malta Independent focus on the Eurovision. While the editorial of L-Oriżżont, entitled <<Aħna pajjiż mimli talent>> highlights the general national sentiment about the ‘good’…

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Editor Perspectives – 13th May 2018

Illum’s editorial refers to the changes that are expected to be announed in the law governing rents. The editorial welcomes the fact that the cabinet has approved the White Paper…

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Tunisia fragmented political spectrum after local elections – Analysis

A highly fragmented political scene emerged from Tunisia's municipal elections. The surprise victory of independent candidates may challenge the longstanding Ennahda-Nidaa Tounes alliance ahead of next year's parliamentary and presidential…

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81 year old President Bouteflika urged to consider re-running for election

Earlier this week, Algeria's biggest union Algeria’s urged President Abdelaziz Bouteflika on Tuesday to seek a fifth term in office in a further sign that the veteran leader will run in next…

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Iraqis vote since country declared victory over IS

Iraqis have voted in the first parliamentary election since the country declared victory over the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) group at the end of…

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Editor Perspectives 12th May 2018

The Editorial of The Times comments about the issue of social housing following the announcement by the Prime Minister on May 1st, about a project aimed to alleviate the problem.…

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Agreement on key issues for government formation in Italy

5-Star Movement (M5S) leader Luigi Di Maio said that a fresh meeting with League chief Matteo Salvini on the formation of a new government went well on Friday. "We are…

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Editor Perspectives 11th May 2018

The Times editorial entitled << When worlds collide>> refers to two separate gatherings which took place in Valletta earlier. We read “Around and on May Day, two mass events took…

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Italy: Race to reach government agreement by Sunday

Italy may be edging towards forming a new government after Luigi di Maio and Matteo Salvini indicate “significant steps forward” have been made. Fresh negotiations on Wednesday between Movimento Cinque…

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Malaysia : World oldest Prime Minister sworn in at 92

Mahathir Mohamad took his oath of office as Malaysia’s prime minister in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday. The 92-year old won a surprising victory against the political coalition that has dominated…

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New political era in Malaysia

Malaysians awoke on Thursday to a new political era, as veteran opposition leader Mahathir Mohamad sealed victory in a historic general election that ends the ruling coalition’s six-decade grip on…

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USA: Facebook to require extra checks from people buying ads on politics

The Financial Times reports that Facebook will require extra checks from people buying advertisements on political issues ranging from abortion and guns, to education and foreign policy, as the social network tries…

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Political impasse in Italy sends Government Bond yields rising

Following the unsuccessful final round of coalition talks, Italian president Mattarella declared that the process to form a government had failed. Mattarella’s preferred option remains to install a fixed-mandate technical…

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22nd July the most probable date for new elections in Italy

Italy might have failed to reach the World Cup, but at this stage, the months of June and July seem to be taken up by another kind of contest following…

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The political innuendos in the lyrics of this year’s Eurovision song contest

The Irish Times reports that after a year when politics threatened to engulf the Eurovision Song Contest, the sabre-rattling is quieter in 2018, but European and global events are still…

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Today’s Editor Perspectives

The editorial of The Independent, entitled <<The crossroads of corruption>>, argues that “the events of the past months have focused the attention of the world, especially of Europe, on the…

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Di Maio: “Ready to step back, we choose a premier with Salvini” The League “appreciates”

Luigi Di Maio opens to Matteo Salvini in an attempt to give the country a government after more than 60 days. "Ok to a third premier but with commitment on…

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Editor Perspectives – 6th May 2018

The editorial of ILLUM entitled <<L-immigrazzjoni: Ma ninżlux toroq perikolużi>> refers to the dangerous narrative used in the issue of immigrant workers in Malta and the line adopted by the…

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Lebanon votes in first elections since 2009

As the polls opened on Sunday, more than 3.6 million Lebanese eligible voters are to elect the 128 parliament members of Lebanon in the country's first legislature election since 2009.…

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Italy – Bid for a PD-M5s coalition closed chapter – Risk of new elections

A bid to form a government between the centre-left Democratic party (PD) and the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement (M5S) is "over" and there is now the risk of another general election,…

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UK – Local council election results (Updated)

More than 160,000 candidates spent the night expecting their fate waiting for local election results. A total of 4,371 seats were up for grabs in 150 local councils. Results are being…

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ISIS claims responsibility for Libyan election commission suicide bombing which killed 12

At least 12 people were killed and seven wounded as two suicide bombers have stormed Libya’s electoral commission in Tripoli. The attack claimed by Islamic State jihadists. The bloodshed comes…

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Mueller raised possibility of ordering Trump to appear before a Grand Jury – The Washington Post

The Washington Post reports that "In a tense meeting in early March with special counsel Robert S. Mueller III, President Trump’s lawyers insisted he had no obligation to talk with federal investigators probing…

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Italy – Renzi rules out coalition with Di Maio

Matteo Renzi while interviewed on TV programme "Che tempo che fa" said "Those who lost the election can not go to the government. We can not pass the message that…

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UK – The Sunday Times reveals study showing Russian bots influencing the General Election by promoting Jeremy Corbyn

The Sunday Times said an investigation it conducted in conjunction with Swansea University had identified 6,500 Russian accounts tweeting supportive messages for Labour and denigrating the Conservatives. It said that many of…

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Di Maio calls for a German style coalition agreement

There's something fascinating about the Italian way of doing politics. This applies especially to the narrative and the way it is expressed. There are the mass meetings, there are the…

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UK to debate Vote16 – The Guardian

A private members bill to extend the voting age for 16- and 17-year-olds in parliamentary and other elections will have its second reading in the Commons on May 11th. This…

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Political adverts to be clearly labelled as such on Facebook

Reuters reports that Micke Schroepfer, the Facebook's chief technical officer announced that the company will introduce new measures with the aim of improving transparency around adverts in Britain by June…

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Roberto Fico (M5s) given the mandate to explore the formation of a government in Italy

Italian President Sergio Mattarella handed Lower House Speaker Roberto Fico an exploratory mandate to explore the possibility of a government-formation deal between his anti-establishment 5-Star Movement (M5S) and the centre-left…

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Italy – Centre right takes lead in Molise

Centre-right governor candidate Donato Toma looks set to win Sunday's regional election in the southern region of Molise, the first major test of voter sentiment since last month's inconclusive general…

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What’s next for Italy after links between politicians and mafia were confirmed in court?

On Friday, a Palermo court found guilty former heads of the ROS security police Mario Mori, Giuseppe De Donno and Antonio Subranni, former Forza Italia Senator and Berlusconi aide Marcello…

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ISIS claims responsibility for bombing in Afghanistan

The Islamic State claimed responsibility for a suicide attack on ID cards queue that killed at least 57 people. The attacker detonated his explosives as the Afghan authorities distributed national…

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Italy risks new election

Italian News Agency Ansa reports that President Sergio Mattarella has decided to take two days to reflect after Senate Speaker Maria Elisabetta Casellati reported back to him on Friday following her exploratory…

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Italy – Caselati given mandate to end political deadlock

Ansa: President Sergio Mattarella gave Senate Speaker Elisabetta Alberti Casellati a mandate to see if it is possible to end Italy's post-election political deadlock. Casellati had been given the task of…

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Erdogan Calls Snap Elections in Turkey

Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday called an election more than a year early. “We have decided to hold elections on June 24,” Erdogan said in a televised address…

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No progress registered in Italy

In Italy not much progress has been registered in the feat of forming a government in Italy. The second round of consultations proved inconclusive. President Mattarella warned that the country…

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Hungary – Reactions to Orban’s Victory

Winning a two-thirds majority for the third time straight time in Sunday’s election, gives Victor Orban the power to change constitutional laws - potentially paving the way for further friction…

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The election in Hungary

Hungary’s right-wing nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who is the second-longest-serving government leader after Germany's Angela Merkel, seeks a third consecutive term in parliamentary elections on Sunday. Opinion polls show…

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