The Chairman of the Robert Schuman Foundation, Jean-Dominique Giuliani published an editorial on his internet site on the results of the European elections. He analyses the rise of populism in Europe that has merged in with the "old, latent euroscepticism" and the criticism made of the EU in the crisis. In his opinion the eurosceptic challenge has both been launched at the institutions of Europe and the Member States. "It means that we have to speak truthfully, assume choices - first at home - before sharing them," he explains.

Pyotr Poroshenko, an independent candidate supported by the Democratic Alliance for Reform (UDAR) led by Vitaly Klichko (who was elected Mayor of Kiev on 25th May), was elected in the first round of the Presidential election in Ukraine on 25th May. He won 55.9% of the vote and took the lead over former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko (Panukrainian Union-Motherland –Batkivshchyna) who won 12.9% of the vote. Oleh Lyashko (Radical Party) came third with 8% of the vote, ahead of independent Serhiï Tyhipko, who won under 5% of the vote. The presidential election heralded the defeat of the nationalist candidates: Oleh Tyahnybok (Svoboda) won 1.3% and Dmytro Yarosh (Right Sector, Pravy Sektor), 0.9%. Around 2 million Ukrainians were prevented from voting by the separatist forces in the country's East and notably in the regions of Donetsk and Luhansk. The authorities in Kiev had set up polling stations so that voters in Crimea could go to ballot if they so wished.

The New Flemish Alliance (N-VA), the nationalist party led by Bart de Wever won the Belgian federal elections taking 20.33% of the vote and 33 seats (+6 in comparison with the same kind of election on 13th June 2010). The N-VA came out ahead of the Flemish Democratic Christian Party (CD&V) led by Wouter Beke, which won 11.65% of the vote and 18 seats (+1); the Socialist Party (PS) of Prime Minister Elio di Rupo, led by Paul Magnette, won 11.64% of the vote and 24 seats (-2). The Flemish Liberals and Democrats (Open VLD), led by Gwendolyn Rutten, won 9.81% of the vote and 14 seats (+1), the Reform Movement (MR), Charles Michel's liberal party won 9.58% of the vote and 19 seats (+1); the Flemish Socialist Party (SP.A), led by Bruno Tobback, 8.86% of the vote and 13 seats (=) and the Humanist Democratic Centre (cdh) of Benoît Lutgen, 4.92% of the vote and 9 seats (=). The Flemish ecologists of Groen! chaired by Wouter Van Besien, won 5.34% of the vote and 6 seats (+ 1) and Ecolo, a French speaking party led jointly by Olivier Deleuze and Emily Hoyos, 3.26% of the vote and 6 seats (- 2), a clear decline. Ecolo, which is now considered to be a mainstream party (which sometimes forms obscure political alliances) and no longer as a party of contest, did not succeed in attracting those disappointed by the Socialist Party and undeniably suffered due to the break through made by the far left.

The right wing came out ahead in the European elections that took place in the 28 EU Member States between 22nd and 25th May. The European People's Party (EPP) won 28.36% of the vote and 213 seats – a number in decline in comparison with the previous election 4th-7th June 2009 (- 61 seats). The drop in the number of Christian Democrats has not been to the benefit of the Socialists and Democrats (S&D) which won 25.17% of the vote and 189 seats (-7). The Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) took third place in the European election with 8.52% of the vote and 64 seats (- 19). The Greens/European Free Alliance won 6.92% of the vote and 52 seats (-5). The European Conservatives and Reformers (CRE/ECR) won 6.13% of the vote and 46 seats (- 11); they came ahead of the United European Left/Nordic Green Left (GUE/NGL), which won 5.59% of the vote and 42 seats (+ 7). Europe of Freedom and Democracy (ELD/EFD) won 5.06% of the vote and 38 seats (+7). Finally the non-attached won 5.46% of the vote and 41 seats (+ 8). There remain 66 new MEPs who do not belong to any political group; together they won 8.79% of the vote. For the first time in the history of the European elections turnout was up slightly. It totalled 43.09% ie+0.9% in comparison with the election on 4th-7th June 2009.

Consult our "Elections" site and the results illustrating the composition of the political groups and Member States in the European Parliament as well as the detailed results in the 28 Member States per political party.

The OECD published its growth estimates for the first quarter of 2014 for the OECD and euro zones on 20th May 2014. The organisation indicates that the OECD zone grew by 0.4% in the first quarter but with major differences between countries. In Japan, Germany and the UK the GDP experienced growth of 1.5% and 0.8% respectively for the latter two, whilst in France and the USA growth rates were almost nil in spite of growth of 0.2% and 0.7% in the previous quarter. The OECD indicates that the GDP in the euro zone is stable at 0.2%, whilst it has decreased slightly in the EU as a whole.

The IMF observation mission in Germany ended on 19th May 2014 with the publication of its conclusions. Experts stress that additional investments in infrastructures, greater clarity regarding the regulatory framework of the energy sector and reform to increase competition in the services sector would help towards growth in Germany and the euro zone. Moreover experts indicated that future increases in the German minimum wage should take on board the secondary effects on employment in the regions with the highest unemployment rate. Finally banks should continue to strengthen their position in view of the upcoming ECB report.

Although 2013 was marked by a rise in unemployment and a contraction of the Dutch economy, the rise in exports and investments is a potential sign of recovery. This is the conclusion of the government report on the state of the economy in 2013 as presented to parliament on 21st May by Finance Minister Jeroen Dijsselbloem. The report will be the focus of a debate in the Chamber on 28th May 2014.

UNEDIC (the National Interprofessional Union for Employment in Industry and Trade) published its financial forecasts for 2014 and 2015 on 22nd May. It indicates that the number of job seekers is due to rise by 103,200 people in 2014 contrary to hopes expressed by the government. This implies a rise of 1.5% over one year. In 2015 the association indicates that the number of job seekers is due to increase by 55,000 people. It indicates that France will experience a dual movement in terms of a reduction in the government deficit and but an increase in the debt, which is due to rise by 3.6 billion euro by the end fo 2015, whilst the government deficit is due to decrease from 3.7 billion to 3.6 billion euro.

European Commission President José Manuel Barroso and Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili met on 21st May in Brussels to discuss political progress and security in the country and the region. They discussed the state of progress of cooperation between the EU and Georgia and of the future of Georgia in the European arena. The European Commission maintained its commitment and support for the association agreement and the economic integration of Georgia. Both sides maintained that their values and their final goal were shared ie strengthening cooperation between the EU and Georgia.

On 21st May 2014 the European Commission published a report establishing the framework for State aid in the areas of research, development and innovation. Although State aid is normally prohibited in order not to bias competition and trade between Member States it is allowed under certain conditions. Promoting research, development and innovation is one of the EU's goals. The Europe 2020 strategy identifies research and development as a key factor to achieve smart growth goals that are sustainable and inclusive. Indeed the Commission defined that the main goal to achieve would be 3% of the Union's GDP to be invested in R&D by 2020.

On 26th May 2014 the European Commission published its 5th half-yearly report on the functioning of the Schengen Area for the period November 1st 2013 to April 30th 2014.

On 21st May 2014 representatives of 26 European Union Member states (except Sweden and United Kingdom) signed an intergovernmental agreement on the transfer and pooling of contributions to a single resolution fund that will be established as part of Europe's Banking Union. The agreement will complement a regulation recently agreed with the European Parliament on the creation of a Single Resolution Mechanism (SRM), which establishes the fund and also features a central decision-making board. The Single Resolution Fund will be fully financed by bank contributions.

The 28 Education, Youth, Culture and Sports Ministers met on 20th and 21st May 2014 in Brussels. They adopted conclusions on an effective training scheme for teachers, multilingualism and the development of linguistic competences. They also adopted conclusions on a quality guarantee supporting education and training. Regarding young people they adopted conclusions on the Union's mid-term 18 month Youth Work Plan. They discussed Leeuwarden (Netherlands) in terms of being a European capital of culture candidate in 2018 - as well as cultural heritage as a strategic resource for a sustainable Europe. They also discussed a Union Working Plan for sport (2014-2017) which completes and strengthens the impact of activities launched as part of the Erasmus+ programme in this area.

On 26th May 2014 the 28 Competitiveness Ministers from the 28 Member States said they were pleased with the progress made in the area of space both from a technical and trade point of view. They stressed that it is vital to establish adequate, sustainable, transparent relations between the EU and the European Space Agency so that the effect of European investments in this area can be maximised. Ministers also came to agreement on the creation of a new legal framework for the protection of trade secrets. They also adopted three legislative acts in the own resources package linked to the EU's multi-annual financial framework (MFF) 2014-2020.

In an editorial published on 21st May 2014 in the German daily "Frankfurther Allgemeine Zeitung" German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble advocated a strong, modernised Europe, with clear competences and greater democratic legitimacy for its institutions. Mr Schäuble stresses the need for "double democracy" - both national and European.

The French Economic, Social and Environmental Council (CESE) published an opinion in May 2014 entitled "L'Union Européenne à la croisée des chemins". It notes the weaknesses of the present system and believes that the EU "must be redesigned to place the citizens at the heart of a new political project." It indicates the fundamental issue at stake in the European elections regarding further progress and indicates that we cannot elude the fact that the "crisis, globalisation and the development of political and economic power struggles in the international arena have shaken citizen confidence in the EU's ability to respond to the challenges which it is facing." With this opinion and in line with the interview it held with the Robert Schuman Foundation's Chairman Jean-Dominique Giuliani, the CESE aimed to provide its contribution to the "way and means of providing the EU with new impetus which motivates and which is ambitious."

The Senate recently published a report on Franco-German energy cooperation. It indicates that "Franco-German energy cooperation had focused until recently on the transition over to renewable energies." The rapporteur looks into the theme of energy transition by distinguishing between the purely technical aspect of the issue - which is quite precisely the focus of a Franco-German initiative - and the macro-economic aspect - which has been neglected to date. The Senate believes "the time has come for the two main producers of renewable energy in the EU to look into coherent investment plans that call for mature technical entities which will not become obsolete too quickly.

The Beyeler Foundation in Basel is devoting the biggest exhibition ever produced in Switzerland to Gerhard Richter. It will be running until 7th September 2014. For the very first time it will present series, cycles and spaces created by the artist - arguably one of the most important of our time. The public is invited to view around 100 pictures - figurative paintings (portraits, still life and landscapes) as well as abstract works. Two glass objects and around 64 overpainted photographs complete the exhibition, which covers Richter's most important periods from 1966 on and integrates more recent work that has never been on public view.

On 24th May 2014 the Palme d'Or at the 67th Cannes Film Festival went to Nuri Bilge Ceylan for "Winter Sleep." The Turkish film director is no stranger to the Croisette, since the Festival has already awarded him the Grand Prize twice and once granted him a prize for the best scenario. He devoted his Palme d'Or to Turkish youth and notably to the young people who have died over the past year, during anti-government demonstrations. Timothy Spall won the prize for the best actor for his role in "Mr Turner" by Mike Leigh. The best actress prize went to Julianne Moore in "Maps to the Stars" by David Cronenberg. The Grand Prize was awarded to Italian Alice Rohrwacher for "Meraviglie". Finally Xavier Dolan (Mummy) and Jean-Luc Godard (Adieu au Langage) shared the Jury's Prize.

The Soulages Museum - named after the French artist Pierre Soulages, opened its doors in Rodez on 30th May. An abstract artist, Pierre Soulages wanted a museum that would be open to creativity. A temporary exhibition hall covering 500m2 will be devoted to other contemporary artists.