EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - An emerging anti-federalist political group in the European Parliament would be open to take in Libertas members, if the anti-treaty party is unable to form a group itself.

The British Conservative party, the Czech Republic's ODS and Poland's Law and Justice party are currently in talks with several smaller parties to form a new anti-EU integration group after the elections next month.

Mr Walesa - anti-Communist hero and Libertas' star turn in Rome and Madrid

The new group aims to unveil its name and full membership shortly after the election result on 7 June.

Jan Zahradil, the head of the ODS delegation in Brussels, told EUobserver on Thursday (14 May) that more than four smaller parties have already signed up, but do not want to go public yet.

Euroscepticism is alive and kicking in England, the BBC's Jonny Dymond reports, as he roams across EU member states, gauging opinion ahead of next month's European elections.

In the leafy lanes around West Kirby, in the Wirral in north-west England, Conservative candidate for the European Parliament Jacqueline Foster is doing her best.

At door after door that she and her energetic team try, there is no response. "Has the football started?" she asks one young assistant. "That'll stop them coming out."

In Abbey Road she finally finds a willing victim.

"Hello," she starts off, brightly, "I'm Jacqueline Foster, one of the Euro-candidates... I was an MEP for five-and-a-half years..."

The Nordic bloc - Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland - are increasingly refining a united position on the future of the EU.

Prime Minister Matti Vahnanen called for broader cooperation among Nordic countries. He said that Nordic countries will no longer be able to exert sufficient influence if they go it alone, but pointed out that the combined economies are significant enough to make a difference.
Vanhanen said he hoped to see joint efforts flourish in the areas of defence policy, forestry conservation and technological development, and he urged the leaders to speedily remove all obstacles to cooperation.

"Voortaan voor iedereen die straf verdient: straf."

Badly translated:

"For everyone who deserves punishment: punishment."

These posters are kinda easy to spoof by just gluing on a different word in place of "straf"... not that I would ever meddle with election posters. But some examples can be seen on Indymedia's Dutch site.

(My favorite is the very simple Photoshop: For everyone who deserves punishment: VVD)

You have a normal feeling for a moment, then it passes. --More--