News Agency on Conservative Europe Report 2021. No. 1. Report on conservative and right wing Europe January 2, 2021 GERMANY 1. German Politics January 2, 2021 Party Competition in Migration Debates: The Influence of the AfD on Party Positions in German State Parliaments Dana Siobhan Atzpodien Published online: 21 Dec 2020 Abstract In recent years, with the events of the so-called ‘refugee crisis’ and the transformation of the German Alternative for Germany (AfD) into an anti-migration party, the issue of migration has developed into a highly salient topic. That was not always the case. This novel analysis conducts a large comparative study of the influence of the AfD in the German federal states’ parliaments in the policy field of migration from 2011 to 2018 by using Wordscores to measure party positions from parliamentary debates. It contributes to a broader literature by connecting to both the methodological research on measuring party positions from texts and the research on the influence of radical right parties (RRPs) on party competition in the policy field of migration. The results of the analysis show that in most of the federal states, the entry of the AfD is followed by polarinsation of party competition. In many cases a greater convergence of the position of the mainstream parties with the AfD can be observed. In all cases, the AfD positions itself apart from the mainstream parties and significantly extends the political dimension in which the parties compete with each other. 2 2. The New Federalist ALL EYES ON BERLIN 22 December, by Guillermo Íñiguez After 15 years of Merkelism, an inimitable brand of politics with as many supporters as detractors, the Chancellor’s announcement that she would not run for office in 2021 was seen as a golden opportunity by the party’s right wing – the euphemistically called Wertkonservativen (‘value conservatives’). Characterized by their social and fiscal conservatism, the Wertkonservativen were particularly critical of the party’s recent ‘socialdemocratization’ – not least, of the Chancellor’s humanitarian response to the migratory crisis in 2015. AKK’s 2018 extremely narrow over Merkel’s arch-rival Friedrich Merz had marked the triumph of the party’s Christian democratic wing – supportive of a social market economy, friendlier towards the EU and likelier to strike a post-election deal with the Green Party, which has overtaken the social democrats (SPD) throughout the past few years. Yet just when it seemed like the Wertkonservativen had missed their chance, AKK’s resignation has given them a second attempt. Their faction will be represented by Friedrich Merz, dubbed ‘the German Donald Trump by Politico’ and a long-time arch-rival of Merkel’s. A prominent ordoliberal and an outspoken critic of the Chancellor’s immigration policies, Merz had appeared to abandon politics in the early 2000s, when he was denied, by Merkel herself, the leadership of the CDU’s parliamentary group, and became chairman of BlackRock Germany. Early last year, Foreign Policy denounced his demagoguery, characterized by his desire to ‘end [Merkel’s] way of doing politics’ and push ‘the CDU towards the AfD in an attempt to recapture’ the party’s former voters. Yet the past few months seem to have confirmed this perception: he strongly criticized the CDU’s decision to delay the leadership election, calling it a plot by the party establishment, and has repeatedly denounced the risk of the upcoming election being hacked by ‘all the hacker groups of the world’. ********************************************************** FRANCE January 2, 2021 1. The Connexion French news and views. French residency cards ‘should depend on a language test’ Right-wing French political party”Les Républicains” wants to introduce obligatory language tests for anyone applying for a residency card 3 26 December 2020 One of France’s main political parties wants to introduce obligatory language tests for anyone applying for a residency card.The idea is included in a policy document on national cohesion put forward by the right-wing Les Républicains. The party, last in power with Nicolas Sarkozy, says it wants to ensure all newcomers can speak and write French. It also proposes an exam on the culture and history of France.“Learning the language is essential for integration,” it says, adding that it intends to offer more French lessons to foreign residents.“But we must introduce an oral and written exam as one of the conditions for obtaining or renewing a residency card to a foreigner who wishes to settle in France long term, based on the German and UK model.” In the UK, applicants for long-term settlement must pass a language test at European B1 level (intermediate).No language test is required for the new residency cards for UK citizens living in France before the end of 2020, nor for many other residency cards of limited duration such as the carte de séjour visiteur, which is renewable annually, or the four-year passeport talent for highly skilled workers. Non-Europeans in France currently need an elementary level A2 language test for a 10-year carte de résident de longue-durée UE unless over 65. B1 is needed for nationality. Les Républicains have not gone into detail about language levels they would require. Les Républicains has the second-largest number of MPs in Parliament with 97. The ruling La République en Marche party has 269 and does not support the idea. 2. RFI Angry opposition stalls French bill that could ban anti-vaxxers from transport Issued on: 23/12/2020 - 13:28Modified: 23/12/2020 - 14:11 Parliamentary debate has been delayed on a controversial bill that could ban anti-vaxxers from public transport, which the opposition has called "mandatory vaccination in disguise". AP - Goeffroy van der Hasselt Text by:RFI with Mike Woods France’s government has temporarily called off a debate on a draft law that drew angry protests from opposition lawmakers on Tuesday for a measure that could see public transport refused to people who do not take "preventative treatment" against Covid-19. The government presented its bill as a way of providing legal framework for dealing with health crises, including the current coronavirus pandemic.According to the text, a negative Covid-19 test or proof of “preventative treatment, including the administration of a vaccine” could be required for “access to transport or to some locations, as well as certain activities”.President Emmanuel Macron has promised coronavirus vaccinations would not be mandatory, a pledge reiterated this week by his cabinet. “Vaccination against Covid-19 will not be mandatory,” Health Minister Olivier Véran said Tuesday as he announced the bill would not be submitted to lawmakers for the time being.“The draft law to bolster France’s means for dealing with epidemics will not serve as a pretext for those who want to spread trouble. Its debate will be postponed until the end of the health crisis.” 'Health dictatorship’ 4 The bill received approval of cabinet ministers on Monday but was quickly seized upon by opposition lawmakers, particularly from the right and far-right.“This bill does not aim to make vaccinations mandatory, but will prevent anybody who doesn’t comply from having a social life,” said far-right leader Marine Le Pen, who called the proposal an “essentially totalitarian” measure. Sébastien Chenu, spokesperson for Le Pen’s National Rally party, said Macron’s government was planning “a health dictatorship”. Guillaume Peltier, deputy leader of right-wing Les Républicains, said it was “inconceivable” that the government should “get all the power to suspend our freedoms without parliamentary control”. Law professor Laureline Fontiane of Paris’s New Sorbonne University told AFP agency the bill would allow the executive to enact measures by decree without parliamentary approval. Centrist senator Nathalie Goulet said the draft was “an attack on public freedoms” while Alexis Corbière of the left-wing France Unbowed movement said “we could at least have a collective discussion if the idea is to limit our public liberties”. French resistance to vaccines The government sought to quell the opposition saying the bill was open to parliamentary debate and could evolve through the legislative process. France’s Covid-19 vaccination campaign has the green light to begin Sunday after the European Union approved the vaccine developed by Pfizer-BioNTech, but officials already face widespread resistance to a treatment developed in record time. Recent polls have found as many as 59 percent of French people do not intend to get a Covid jab, one of the highest rates in the European Union. ****************** ***************************************************** ITALY January 2, 2021 1. Panorama A legújabb olasz közvélemény-kutatások: szavazási szándékok Az M5S, a PD, a Lega legfrissebb közvélemény-kutatásai: íme, mire és kire szavaznának az olaszok, ha ma elmennénk a választásokra Barbara Massaro . A Liga a szavazás szerint mindig az első párt, és csak a csökkenése vagy növekedése a változó, csakúgy, mint az összes jobbközép párt. Másrészt úgy tűnik, hogy a kormánypártok 5 fizetnek a belső vitákért, különösen az Öt Csillag mozgalom, amely az egy évvel ezelőtti európai választások óta a legalacsonyabb szintet érte el. A Conte-kormány iránti bizalom egyértelműen csökken. Azok a személyek, akiknek pozitív véleménye van, 33% -ra esett vissza, míg 57% negatív értékelést adott. A legfrissebb felmérés a következőtől származik: SWG a Tg La7 számára, december 21 Lega - 23,4 (-0,5% december 14-hez képest) Pd - 20,4% (+ 0,3%) FdI - 16,7% (-0,1%) M5S - 14,3% (+ 0,5%) FI - 6,3% (-0,4%) Italia Viva - 2,8% (-0,3%) - Ipsos a Corriere della Sera számára, december 20 Lega - 23,5% (-2% november 28-hoz képest) Pd - 20,2% (-0,4%) FdI - 16% (+ 0,5%) M5S - 11% (+ 1%) FI - 9,3% (+ 1,3%) Italia Viva - 3% (+ 0,2%) - Euromedia Research Porta a Porta számára december 17-én Liga - 24% (+ 0,2% november 20-hoz képest) Pd - 19,3% (+ 0,2%) M5S - 15,5% (-0,7%) FdI - 15,5% (=) FI - 6,6% (+ 0,2%) Italia Viva - 3,7% (+ 0,2%) 2.