Turkey’s embattled prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, reeling from allegations of corruption and massive protests against his authoritarian rule last year, swept the board in local elections and increased the share of the municipal vote of the ruling Justice and Development party (AKP) from 39% in 2009 to 45%.
http://www.realinstitutoelcano.org/wps/portal/web/rielcano_en/contenido?WCM_GLOBAL_CONTEXT=/elcano/elcano_in/zonas_in/commentary-chislett-turkey-local-elections-erdogan-victory#.Uz0ivK2Szwd

The annexation of the Crimea has led the European Union to begin to consider weaning itself off its heavy dependence on Russia for energy supplies, particularly gas. There is an alternative in the Eastern Mediterranean, which might also help resolve another thorny issue – the reunification of Cyprus, divided since Turkey’s invasion of the island in 1974 into a Greek-Cypriot south and a Turkish-Cypriot north.
http://www.blog.rielcano.org/en/gas-and-oil-discoveries-in-the-eastern-mediterranean-the-key-to-europes-post-crimea-energy-conundrum/

The growth in foreign direct investment in Spain in 2013 underscores the increased international confidence in an economy that is beginning to recover from a five-year recession, albeit weakly.
http://www.realinstitutoelcano.org/wps/portal/web/rielcano_en/contenido?WCM_GLOBAL_CONTEXT=/elcano/elcano_in/zonas_in/ari19-2014-chislett-spain-foreign-direct-investment-on-the-rise#.UzKeUK1dXwc

The Spanish banking system, hard hit by its massive exposure to toxic real estate assets following the collapse of the country’s property market in 2008, is on the mend.
http://www.realinstitutoelcano.org/wps/portal/web/rielcano_en/contenido?WCM_GLOBAL_CONTEXT=/elcano/elcano_in/zonas_in/ari11-2014-chislett-spain-banking-crisis-light-in-the-tunnel#.UwdzL_RdXwc

Just as it seemed that Turkey was finally back on its long and winding road to full EU membership, with the opening last November of the first chapter, or policy area, in more than three years, the Islamist-rooted government of Recep Tayip Erdogan has become engulfed in a corruption scandal whose probing he is doing his best to undermine by enforcing a massive purge of hundreds of police officers investigating it and reassigning prosecutors.
http://www.realinstitutoelcano.org/wps/portal/rielcano_eng/Content?WCM_GLOBAL_CONTEXT=/elcano/Elcano_in/Zonas_in/Commentary-Chislett-Turkey-corruption-probe-crisis

Spain’s striking export success has enabled the economy to emerge from recession and helped to turn around the current account balance. Structural adjustment is shifting the engine of the economy from domestic sources of growth into an export-led model.

http://www.realinstitutoelcano.org/wps/portal/rielcano_eng/Content?WCM_GLOBAL_CONTEXT=/elcano/Elcano_in/Zonas_in/ARI47-2013-Chislett-Spain-exports-economy-salvation

Spain’s striking export success has enabled the economy to emerge from recession and helped to turn around the current account balance. Structural adjustment is shifting the engine of the economy from domestic sources of growth into an export-led model.

http://www.realinstitutoelcano.org/wps/portal/rielcano_eng/Content?WCM_GLOBAL_CONTEXT=/elcano/Elcano_in/Zonas_in/ARI47-2013-Chislett-Spain-exports-economy-salvation

The European Commission would like the talks on Turkey’s full EU membership, frozen for the past three years, to be renewed and greater attention paid to incorporating the issue of fundamental rights into negotiations with the country.
http://www.realinstitutoelcano.org/wps/portal/rielcano_eng/Content?WCM_GLOBAL_CONTEXT=/elcano/Elcano_in/Zonas_in/Commentary-Chislett-Turkey-EU-reopen-stalled-membership-talks

Spain is coming out of recession, but the crisis is far from over. The government cannot afford to rest on its laurels and relax the pace of reforms. To do so, would store up problems for the future.
http://www.realinstitutoelcano.org/wps/portal/rielcano_eng/Content?WCM_GLOBAL_CONTEXT=/elcano/Elcano_in/Zonas_in/WP12-2013-Chislett-Emerging-Spain