#europe

The Greek electoral system is uniquely based on “reinforced proportional representation” whereby the party which gains the most votes in an election is granted an additional 50 seats in parliament. The provision is meant to ensure that the largest party can secure a majority in parliament, theoretically leading to a more stable government. Although the provision for additional seats was abolished in 2016, it will be used for the last time in 2019.  

In January 2019, the Republic of Ireland became the first country in the world to divest from fossil fuels. The Irish government sold €68m worth of stock in 38 companies involved in oil, gas and other fossil fuels following a July 2018 law passed by the Irish parliament that forced the country’s €8 billon national investment fund to divest from fossil fuels as part of the country’s commitment to the Paris Climate Agreement.  

From 1 March 2020, all public transport including trains, trams and buses will be free in Luxembourg. Because the country is so small, much of its workforce lives outside of the country in Germany, France or Belgium, meaning that around 45% of workers cross the border every day (compared to the European average of 0.9%). This has made traffic a major problem in the small wealthy country. Beyond reducing congestion, the law is aimed at helping low-income workers who spend large parts of their salary on travel.  

Following the Brexit referendum, British nationals applying for and receiving EU citizenship significantly increased. Among the most popular countries were Belgium (987%), France (374%), Germany (1,161%), Ireland (879%), Luxembourg (394%) and Sweden (165%). Portugal saw the highest increase with 1,236% more British nationals becoming Portuguese citizens in 2017 than before the referendum in 2015.  

The British Parliament’s rejection of Theresa May’s Brexit Deal is the first time the British Parliament has voted against a proposed treaty since 1864 when they rejected an extradition treaty with Prussia. 

On the 18th of November 2018, Latvia celebrated 100 years of independence since the declaration of Latvian statehood in the aftermath of World War I. Similarly, in 2018, the Baltic states of Estonia and Lithuania celebrated 100 years since the declaration of their republics. Although the Baltic states were later forcibly incorporated in the Soviet Union, they maintain a long history of striving for independence. Famously, in 1989, approximately 2 million people formed a human chain spanning around 675 km (419 miles) to connect the capitals of the three Baltic states to protest Soviet rule and show their desire for independence.

German is recognised as an official language in six countries: Austria, Belgium, Germany, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, and Switzerland and is recognised as an official language at the provincial level in the northern Italian province of South Tyrol where more than 60% of the population speak German. Until 1990, German was also an official language in Namibia.