Politics of Europe

Romania’s centre-right National Liberal Party, PNL, and the Democratic Liberal Party, PDL, on Saturday unanimously voted to combine their forces in order to create a party capable of taking on Prime Minister Victor Ponta's ruling centre-left coalition.

The Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP) has nominated Sergey Stanishev for a second term in office as President of the Party of European Socialists (PES).

Stanishev, who gave up his BSP Chair seat on Sunday after 13 years at the post, was backed by the majority of delegates at the 48th Congress of BSP and his bid was opposed by one BSP member, with two abstentions.

Mihail Mikov, the newly elected Chair of the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP), was born on June 16, 1960 in the northwestern town of Kula.

He holds an MA in Law from the Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski.”

Mikov obtained specializations in human rights, tax law, and anti-corruption practices from universities in France, US and Italy.

Sergey Stanishev, outgoing leader of the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP), has said he will run for a second term in office as President of the Party of European Socialists (PES).

Speaking Sunday at the 48th Congress of BSP in the National Palace of Culture (NDK) in Sofia, Stanishev told the delegates that it was his last congress as BSP leader.

New Democracy has begun firing staff from its party headquarters on Syngrou Avenue in Athens as it tries to rein in its spending.

Kathimerini understands that 10 members of staff lost their jobs last week and that another 50 to 60 may leave in the coming months. Some will be offered voluntary redundancy, while others will be fired.

Speculation over who will become Greece’s next European commissioner continued during the weekend, with Defense Minister Dimitris Avramopoulos emerging as the frontrunner to succeed Maria Damanaki.

PDL chairman Vasile Blaga has stated on Saturday at the Parliament Palace that the approval for the merger between the Democrat Liberal Party (PDL) and the National Liberal Party (PNL) is not the restoration of the Truth and Justice Alliance, of the Romanian Democratic Convention (CDR) or of the Social Liberal Union (USL), but the signing of the birth certificate of the largest ce

National Liberal Party (PNL) chairman, Klaus Iohannis, has stated on Saturday that politics must produce results, not a sterile show and that the institution of the President must be repositioned, more sobriety being needed.

The protocol regarding the merger of the National Liberal Party (PNL) and the Democratic Liberal Party (PDL) and the statute of the new party have been approved on Saturday unanimously by the joint Liberal-Democrat Liberal congress.

The National Liberal Party (PNL) Extraordinary Congress has approved the protocol for the merger with the Democratic Liberal Party (PDL), the statute and political program of the new party and the protocol for the "ACL PNL-PDL" alliance (Liberal Christian Alliance)