Interesting Weekend Ahead

A crazy few months in Europe are about to get even more interesting this weekend.  There’s a presidential runoff in Egypt, the Greeks will try again to decide which party should run the country, and France will hold legislative elections that will likely impact the current president’s ability to get things accomplished during his term.

Egypt

On Saturday and Sunday, Egyptians are going to choose between two leading presidential candidates: Muslim Brotherhood member Mohamed Morsi and Ahmed Shafiq, a former air force general and civil aviation official who served under Mubarak.  Some have argued that the choice is really between two men who are unlikely to bring about the kind of change protesters demanded in 2011 during the historic uprising.

Greece

In early May, voters didn't give either of Greece's two most established parties a majority, crippling the country's ability to form a government. This weekend's vote will hopefully end the stalemate. Greeks want it to happen sooner than later, as the debt crisis threatens the stability of the European Union's single currency. 

France

Much attention was paid to Socialist Party candidate Francois Hollande's presidential victory in May. It was the first time France had had a Socialist president in 17 years and brought promises of widespread change to France's political landscape. That's why this weekend's legislative election is crucial. In order for Hollande to meet his goals, he needs similarly aligned lawmakers to win seats. Though Hollande beat Nicolas Sarkozy, the former French president is still working against his successor in trying to get his followers elected into the legislature.