This article is published in association with European Investment Bank. The European Investment Bank (EIB) and Institut Català de Finances (ICF) have signed a €163 million loan to finance the construction of affordable rental housing with high energy efficiency standards in Catalonia, Spain. This is the first tranche of a total loan of €490 million backed by the […]EIB invests €490 million with ICF to finance the construction of affordable and energy-efficient homes in Catalonia
July 16, 2024 by Leave a Comment
This article is published in association with European Investment Bank. The European Investment Bank (EIB) and Institut Català de Finances (ICF) have signed a €163 million loan to finance the construction of affordable rental housing with high energy efficiency standards in Catalonia, Spain. This is the first tranche of a total loan of €490 million backed by the […]Minority governments ‘à la mode’ in Europe but can they last long?
January 4, 2018 by Leave a Comment
With the Italian elections set for 4 March and anticipated to produce a hang parliament, four out of the five bigger European countries will be in political limbo for a good part, if not for the entire new year 2018. France is the only exception in this Euro-plague of political uncertainty. In some cases the […]Bullheaded Madrid authorities confront Catalonia with force
December 28, 2017 by Leave a Comment
Madrid is doing exactly the same mistakes after the Catalan secessionist parties won the 21 December election, as in the weeks leading to the unauthorized independence referendum of 1st October. Both Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy and King Felipe VI refused to let the door open for talks with the secessionist leaders and Carles Puigdemont, the […]Entrepreneurship in a newly shaped Europe: what is the survival kit for a young Catalan and British entrepreneur in 2018?
November 7, 2017 by 1 Comment
This article was exclusively written for the Sting by João Malhadeiro, member of LisbonPH, the Junior Enterprise of Faculty of Pharmacy of the University of Lisbon. Mr Malhadeiro is affiliated to the European Confederation of Junior Enterprises (JADE). JADE is a cordial partner of The European Sting. The opinion expressed in this piece belongs to the writer […]Catalonia secessionist leader takes Flemish ‘cover’; Spain risks more jingoist violence
November 2, 2017 by Leave a Comment
The Catalonia crisis and the aftermaths after its diffusion can offer valuable lessons for the nature of jingoist politics and the motives, goals and the character of its main actors, on both sides of the fence. The Catalan secessionists led by Carles Puigdemont proved experts in setting the fire, but were incapable of making anything […]Czech Babis, Austrian Kurz and others threaten Europe with nationalist populism
October 26, 2017 by Leave a Comment
Andrej Babis, a media magnate and second wealthier Czech leading his anti-immigration, nationalist and populist ANO party, won last Sunday’s election, with around 30% of the vote. He is to become the next Prime Minister of the Czech Republic. Babis did that on an anti-systemic Trump-like ticket. He was recently implicated in a tax fraud […]A jingoistic Spanish ‘war’ from the past
October 5, 2017 by Leave a Comment
“Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel” Samuel Johnson wrote in the 18th century and unfortunately history keeps justifying this early political essayist. During the last few days, the Catalan separatists and the Iraqi Kurds held referendums to declare national independence, which were not at all needed. Both regions have as much self-governance as […]EU revengefully shows no mercy to Cameron by demanding a fast and sloppy Brexit now
June 29, 2016 by Leave a Comment
One of the most historicals EU summits is taking place today in Brussels with 27 instead of 28 member states attending the meeting, leaving Britain and David Cameron out due to the recent decision of the British people to vote in favor of leaving the European Union. The EU referendum has caused severe consequences not only to […]Scotland “shows the way” to separatist movements as Catalonia calls a vote on independence
September 23, 2014 by 1 Comment
The fact that Scotland’s vote for independence was a milestone in the separatist movements’ history within the European Union was already clear. In the last weeks everybody was looking northwards as it was evident that any decision by the Scots would have changed the path and probably the weight of the regionalist parties inside the parliament houses […]Desires for national independence in Europe bound by economic realities
February 24, 2014 by 1 Comment
After the fall of communism in Europe, secession became the name of the game all over the Old Continent. It started with the ‘velvet divorce’ of Czechoslovakia on 1 January 1993, which produced the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Then followed the bloody dismembering of Yugoslavia, where a handful of new nations appeared. Now Scotland and […]
