Tag Archives: European Union

NBC News reports: Romania’s constitutional court said Tuesday it would consult with a European court regarding the case of a same-sex couple who want their marriage abroad to be legally recognized in Romania. Court president Valer Dorneanu said he was seeking information from the European Court of Justice to see how other EU countries where same-sex marriages are not legal …

The BBC reports: Parliament must vote on whether the UK can start the process of leaving the EU, the High Court has ruled. This means the government cannot trigger Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty – beginning formal exit-negotiations with the EU – on its own. Theresa May says the referendum – and existing ministerial powers – mean MPs do …

Yesterday the Russian embassy in Britain tweeted out the above cartoon which depicts Eurozone member nations as pigs cowering behind a barricade. The pigs are doubtlessly a reference to the acronym PIIGS, which was used by economists when EU members Portugal, Ireland, Italy, Greece, and Spain began struggling to refinance government debt during the banking crisis that started in 2009. …

Two days ago I reported that anti-gay groups affiliated with the Eastern Orthodox Church won a court ruling in Romania that will allow a national referendum on a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage. Today the Liberty Counsel takes credit. Via press release: In a major victory for natural marriage and the right of Romanian citizens to determine their own destiny, …

From the Associated Press: Romania’s Constitutional Court has ruled that a request from an anti-gay group to change the constitution to state that marriage is a union between a man and a woman is constitutional. The court’s ruling Wednesday paves the way for Romania’s Parliament to vote to change the constitution, last revised in 2003, which now says marriage is …

The Telegraph reports: Mr Cameron has left 10 Downing Street for the last time as Prime Minister, as he set off on the short trip to Buckingham Palace to tender his resignation to the Queen and hand over the reins of power to Theresa May. Flanked by wife Samantha and children Nancy, Elwen and Florence outside the famous black door, …

Via the BBC: The government has rejected an online petition, signed by more than 4.1 million people, calling for a second EU referendum to be held. An email to those who signed the petition said the prime minister and government had “been clear that this was a once-in-a-generation vote”. It said the decision “must be respected”, and “we must now …

The Daily Beast recaps: Last week, British satirist John Oliver spent a considerable portion of his late-night HBO program, Last Week Tonight, addressing the upcoming EU referendum, and urging his viewers that it would be “absolutely crazy” for Britain to leave the European Union, warning of “wide-ranging implications both for the U.K. and the world’s economy.” Well, it turns out …

From the Independent: More than a million people have signed a petition demanding a second EU referendum as the UK continues to reel from the vote for a Brexit. Signatories are calling for a new rule to be implemented stipulating that polls on the European Union with a majority under 60 per cent and turnout under 75 per cent must …

The Guardian reports: France’s Front National (FN) hailed Brexit as a clear boost for Marine Le Pen’s presidential bid next spring, as well as a move that gave momentum to the party’s anti-Europe and anti-immigration line. “Victory for Freedom! As I have been asking for years, we must now have the same referendum in France and EU countries,” Le Pen …

Vocative reports: As the Brexit upheaval starts to reverberate across the globe, supporters of the Islamic State are celebrating online in forums and social media, proclaiming, “Europe is destroyed!” “At a time when Muslims are uniting under the flag of the Caliphate, Europe is choosing to divide and split. The victory is close with the help of God,” tweeted one …

“When in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another. The UK knew – it was that time. And now is that time in the USA. “The Brexit referendum is akin to our own Declaration of Independence. May that refreshed spirit of sovereignty spread over the …

Vocativ reports: After residents of the UK voted today to leave the European Union, the movement for an independent Texas may be gaining serious momentum, with thousands online calling for a “Texit.” The largest group agitating for secession is the Texas Nationalist Movement, which has been promoting its own version of Brexit, called Texit, over the past several weeks. The …

NBC News reports: The Dow Jones Industrial average plunged 500 points on Friday morning — the index’s biggest drop in 10 months — as markets around the world reacted to a vote by citizens of the United Kingdom to leave the European Union. The Dow fell as much as 538.27 points and the S&P 500 dropped as much as 58.49 …

The Irish Journal reports: The UK’s decision to leave the EU means Sinn Féin will press for a border vote in the North. Both Northern Ireland and Scotland voted to remain in the EU, but the leave campaign was able to convince Wales and England to leave the union. “We have a situation where the north is going to be …

Bloomberg reports: Global markets buckled as Britain’s vote to leave the European Union drove the pound to the lowest in more than 30 years and European banks to their steepest losses on record. “It’s scary, and I’ve never seen anything like it,” said James Butterfill, 41, head of research and investments at ETF Securities in London. “A lot of people …

From the Washington Post: Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump celebrated Britain’s stunning vote to leave the European Union Friday during an overseas visit to Scotland, saying that the people of the United Kingdom have “taken their country back” and musing that it could benefit his Turnberry golf resort. “I think it’s a great thing that happened,” Trump told reporters shortly …

Via the Independent: David Cameron today paid the price for his failure to secure Britain’s future in the European Union announcing his resignation and admitting the country now needed “fresh leadership”. Flanked by his wife and at one stage close to tears Mr Cameron said it would be wrong for him “to be the captain that steers our country to …

From the New York Times: Britain has voted to leave the European Union, a historic decision sure to reshape the nation’s place in the world, rattle the Continent and rock political establishments throughout the West. With 309 of 382 of the country’s cities and towns reporting early on Friday, the Leave campaign held a 52 percent to 48 percent lead. …

From TIME Magazine: Polling stations all over the U.K. closed at 10 p.m. local time (5 p.m. EST) and ballot boxes were moved to counting centres to find out if the country will remain part of the European Union. High turnouts were reported in some areas, although voters were delayed as floods closed roads and railway lines in the southeast …