Elections in Spain: Is it (only) about Catalonia?

Europe 2019: Elections in Spain
Part 14: Elections in Spain: Is it (only) about Catalonia?

When:  Friday, 12 April 2019, from 9:30 to 12:30
Where: Haus der Europäischen Union, Wipplingerstrasse 35, 1010 Vienna
Seminar language: English
Registration Deadline:  11 April 2019

Register now.

Cooperation project: forum journalismus und medien and the European Commission Representation in Austria.

 

Background

Spanish voters go to the polls on 28 April 2019, after a three – year turbulent political period: a long process of government formation; corruption-ridden scandals of the governing conservative party, Partido Popular; no confidence vote in 2018 that led to the formation of the socialist (PSOE) coalition government; constitutional crisis provoked by Catalonia`s  independence process and its unsuccessful handling,  and last but not least, the unexpected rise of the far-right party Vox. This party promises to revert most progressive social policies. All major political parties, left and right, air publicly their internal disagreements.

While incendiary rhetoric of Vox and unabated passions related to Catalonia’s independence process mark political debates, everyday life is affected by economic challenges: although the macroeconomic figures show positive signs, many Spaniards fail to feel this progress in their lives.

Which issues really matter to the Spanish voters?

 

Speakers

José Fernandez Albertos, political scientist, research fellow at the Spanish National Research Council, Madrid. Regular contributor to the Spanish national dailies El País and El Diario. Specialised in political economy.

Steven Forti, lecturer in contemporary history at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) and Universidade Nova in Lisbon. Forti authored books, book chapters and numerous articles on Catalonia’s independence process and its consequences. He is a regular commentator for numerous Italian, Spanish and Greek media.

 

Format

Presentations, Q&A, dialogue

 

Target Groups

Journalists from the Austrian and Austria-based media, foreign and national news desks.

 

Number of participants: Maximum 20

 

Prerequisite

Read the provided material before the session.

 

Further Questions

For additional information about the session, contact Mirjana Tomic, seminar manager, mirjana.tomic@fjum-wien.at, or call 0676 365 26 93

Mirjana Tomić develops and manages fjum_Kontext information sessions on current international affairs. Her international career encompasses journalism, media and political analyses, public outreach and university lecturing. She holds a BA degree in Political Science from Brandeis University, US, and an MA from El Colegio de México, Mexico City, Mexico.