Spain:
Centre-right predicted to win general elections
Voters in Spain headed
to the polls on Sunday in an election expected to bring an end to over 7 years of socialist party rule. Opinion polls conducted
in November predict that the centre-right Partido Popular, led by Mariano Rajoy
Brey, will win more than 45 per cent of the vote, some 15 per cent ahead
of the Socialists.
The election was
called by current prime minister, Jose Luis Rodriguez
Zapatero, amid concerns over the economy. With slow growth, the highest unemployment
rates in Europe, and borrowing rates that passed 6 per cent this week, the
economy has been at the centre of the election campaign.
The Partido Popular
has gained support due to its proposed policies to fix the country's economic
problems and reduce unemployment. The Partido
Socialista Obrero Español has been critical of these policies however, accusing
Mr Rajoy of planning to make severe cuts to health and education.
The voting boxes
opened at 9am Sunday morning, and as this article went live, votes were still
being counted.
Poland:
Austerity all the way
Following the example
of its Western European neighbours, Poland’s newly re-elected government has
adopted an austerity package to cut the country’s
debt and shield the nation from the worsening crisis in the euro zone.
Donald Tusk, Poland’s
prime minister, has pledged also to cut tax and pension privileges for certain groups, and to raise the retirement age for both men and
women to 67.
The
austerity measures come in spite of the fact that Poland is the only member of
the European Union that escaped recession, with 15 per cent of growth over the
past three years.
Italy: ‘Super’ Mario
wins second confidence vote
Italian prime
minister, Mario Monti, has won a crucial confidence vote in the lower house of
parliament.
The vote endorses the technocratic government's
programme after Mr Monti requested that he continue in office until new
elections in 2013. The vote had previously been approved by the upper house of
parliament, by 281 votes to 25.
Mr Berlusconi, who still benefits from
considerable support in parliament, said he would back the new cabinet staying in
office but warned that he would bring down the new government if he did not approve
of their policies.
Mr Monti has promised to reform
pensions and fight tax evasion to reduce the country's debt.
Italy’s new leader has already faced
protests by those concerned with growing unemployment, further austerity, and
his own undemocratic appointment.
By Sonia Jordan