Leaders, swingers and alliances after the legislative elections of May 27th
By Ricardo Angoso (for Safe Democracy)
Ricardo Angoso analyzes the results of the recent municipal and autonomous elections in Spain, concluding that the two main parties, PP and PSOE, will have to work hard to obtain the two million swing votes that will be decisive in the Presidential elections in March of 2008. The following article envisions four scenarios for Spanish politics after the technical draw.
PLUS: “Beyond Mere Divergences: Spain, Two Antiterrorist Policies“, by Javier Ortiz
Rafael Calduch Cervera explains the transformation of the Russian security agenda, culminating in Putin’s speech at the 43rd International Security Policy Conference in which he promised to oppose the unilateral hegemony of the United States when necessary to preserve Russia’s best interests. In Calduch Cervera’s opinion, the current President of the United States transformed the history of past multilateral action by unilaterally invading Iraq, and Russia has followed suit, transforming its security agenda on all fronts. The Western powers must take Putin’s statement very seriously in order to uphold good relations with Russia for the greater stability of Europe and the world.
Luis Méndez Asensio considers that despite its relative youth, the European Union is beginning to show signs of exhaustion: attachment to sovereignty, slowing of the economy, the regression of the welfare state, and conflict between its members. In Méndez Asensio’s opinion, the only solution for a weakening union is the revitalization of its foundations, involving the citizenry of Europe in the progress and woes of the entire community.
