[b][size=150]1. Migrant issue increasing pressure on young Europa government[/size][/b]

It appears, after only two years, the honeymoon for the first-ever continent-wide federal European elected majority might be coming to a close. A migrant crisis, bubbling under the surface for a number of years, seems to threaten the current coalition of the left (Green-Credit Alliance, Alliance of the European Left, European Social Democratic Party, and Europa Victoriosa) as Europa member countries are reporting greater and greater numbers of illegal border crossings mostly from the Middle East and North Africa. While the European border control authority Frontex had been constructing fences and more secure border posts and surveillance systems for the past ten years, such construction has done little more than divert migrants from crossing into Greece (and later Bulgaria following the Greek exit from the EU) to using Mediterranean ships to find whatever Europa land they can find.

Estimates from the Europa government suggest that there are more than 250,000 migrants who are annually trying to get in, often to escape war, political persecution, or poverty in their home countries. These migrants often understand very little of the local language and have few resources with which to integrate into European societies and have created financial pressures when it comes to deportation.

Anti-immigrant parties have seen success in local elections in recent years, particularly the left-leaning but still anti-immigrant Green-Credit Alliance which has seen growth in Eastern Europe and in the Adriatic region where many of these sea-going migrants make landfall.

Frontex has vowed to expand operations to catch migrants before they enter Europa, though it would almost need greater resources from the governing coalition to do so.

However, one thing is clear: with the growth of anti-immigrant parties on the left and right in the last two years and barring any effort to change the course over the next two, migrants will almost certainly be a major issue in the 2022 Europa elections.

[b][size=150]2. UK 2020 Elections: Tories, SNP win big (again); migrant issue starts to take center stage[/size][/b]

For the second elections in a row, the Conservatives have secured enough seats in recent elections to form a Government, this time under PM George Osborne. While the Conservatives made gains throughout England and particularly in the London area, the larger Tory majority is more a result of the left-leaning parties tearing at each other rather than any outright approval of Tory policies in recent years. The Scottish National Party, even after another defeat at the ballot box when it came to the independence referendum in 2017, won 58 out of 59 seats in Scotland with a continued call for further devolution- particularly on fiscal affairs- within the United Kingdom. Welsh nationalist Plaid Cymru picked up an additional seat in Wales compared to 2015, which is leading some observers and analysts to suggest that there is a trend towards greater demand for autonomy in the various regions and that such groups could pick up more seats in the future.

The current breakdown of the House of Commons is: Conservatives 363, Labour 199, Liberal Democrats 6, Green Party 1; Scottish National Party 58, Plaid Cymru 4; Democratic Unionist Party (right-wing unionist party in Northern Ireland)  8, Ulster Unionist Party (center-right unionist party in Northern Ireland) 3, Social Democratic and Labour Party (center-left nationalist party in Northern Ireland) 2, Sinn Féin 4, Independent and others 2.

The migrant issue was a heavy point for the Conservatives which appear to be moving somewhat to the right as UKIP's [i]raise d'etre[/i] in leaving the EU is more of a [i]fait accompli[/i];  PM Osbourne took some heat but reaped a share of votes with his threats to close down cross-channel traffic or implement heavy UK controls at ports of exit in France and Belgium unless Europa can "get serious" about migration of undocumented individuals through Europa to the UK. The Tories also won on strengthening the UK military and continuing to act as an ally to the United States on opposing Russia's expansion in the Middle East and the ongoing conflict in Serbia.