Many associate the murky world of ‘dark money’ with the US political system, but its influence has reached far closer to home, including European elections and Ireland’s anti-abortion movement, says Joyce Fegan

So that’s nearly Wednesday wrapped up. Here’s some of the stories we published on irishexaminer.com today which we hope will help you make sense of it all this evening.

The highest European Parliament election turnout in 20 years saw voters reject rising populism in favour of an institution it trusts and understands, writes Daniel Gros.

Additional staff from outside Cork are set to be drafted in to ensure as speedy a conclusion to the full recount in Ireland South which begins tomorrow.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has restated Ireland's support for Manfred Weber to replace Jean Claude Juncker as Europe's most senior politician.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has strongly endorsed Business Minister Heather Humphrey's criticism of Maria Bailey over her 'swing-gate' personal injuries case.

Labour MP Hilary Benn, the chairman of the UK parliament’s Brexit committee, told BBC radio last week that “there are only two ways out of the Brexit crisis that we’ve got: Either parliament agrees a deal or we go back to the British people and ask them to make the choice”.

Sterling steadied after initially posting further large losses on UK political fears but shares in Europe and the US were hit as the fallout of the US-China trade war extended to Chinese champion Huawei and the world’s chip makers for mobile phones.

The Judge also said he agreed with counsel for RTE Ms Niamh Hyland that the application was brought by Ben Gilroy in an attempt to enhance his electoral prospects in the May 24 ballot.

So that’s Friday nearly wrapped up. Here’s some of the stories we published on irishexaminer.com today which we hope will help you make sense of it all this evening.

Solidarity-People Before Profit has put forward four European election candidates to become “disturbers of the political peace”.

Irish voters will face a busy time on May 24, with decisions to be made at European, national and local level.

Fine Gael’s director of elections has urged the EU to impose strict laws to stop unknown groups undermining elections amid fears over the growing influence of fake news and social media propaganda.

The EU has once again shown patience and unity by agreeing a Brexit extension until October 31.

Farmers are exiting suckler production and beef cattle finishing in unprecedented numbers, according to the Beef Plan Movement.

Transparency matters. It matters in personal and business relationships.

Three-time MEP Marian Harkin has confirmed she will not seek re-election to the European Parliament and said the size of her constituency and a tough travelling schedule are two of her reasons for stepping back from politics.

Facebook is to introduce rules to protect the integrity of the European Parliament elections in May.

Speculation that Theresa May will be ousted from Number 10 has reached fever pitch amid reports that UK Cabinet ministers are plotting a coup to get rid of her.

Tánaiste Simon Coveney has strongly denied that European leaders have become frustrated with Ireland over its failure to plan to secure the border in the case of a no-deal Brexit.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has denied the extension offered by the EU to the UK is an example of the rolling cliff-edge Brexit scenario.

The European Parliament's president has warned that the Brexit divorce day deadline cannot be pushed past April 18 because doing so would cause havoc to plans for the imminent MEP elections, writes Fiachra Ó Cionnaith in Brussels.

It is reported that more of Theresa May's backbenchers are now set to support her, and that even the DUP could be on the brink of backing her.

The deal struck between EU President Jean Claude Juncker and Theresa May does not undermine the Withdrawal Agreement, Government sources said.

Irish people have a more positive image of the European Union than any other member state.

For the sixth year in a row, last weekend found me in Berlin for the annual Wir Haben Es Satt. This event

 

The EU proposed yesterday to cut funding for the Common Agricultural Policy by 5%, but some in Brussels warned the new budget plan could cut farm income supports for 2021-27 by 8.5%, and rural development measures 17.5%.

The Republic of Ireland has 11 seats to fill in the next European Parliament elections in two years' time, and the parties are preparing for the polls.

EU agriculture expert Alan Matthews predicts that tariffs will be temporarily re-imposed on trade between the UK and the EU for the first time in more than 40 years, when the Brexit process is completed.

A total recount of votes cast in the May 2014 local elections for the Listowel electoral area of North Kerry has been ordered by the Supreme Court.

Ireland’s need to keep Britain in the EU took a backward step with a joint Franco German pact on the future of the eurozone.

The far-right National Front has strengthened its presence in France’s grassroots politics in a second round of local elections that exit polls showed was won by ex-president Nicolas Sarkozy’s conservatives.

The spectre of Neo-Nazism is no longer haunting Greece – it looks like it is here to stay.

An Irish company has announced plans for a €54m investment which would see six processing plants constructed with the creation of up to 180 jobs.

Ireland’s young people are increasingly disenchanted with politics, with little more than a quarter of students turning out to vote in the European Parliament elections.

Europe correspondent, Ann Cahill, delivers her weekly briefing on Euro affairs from the European Parliament.

The EU should stop obsessing about who becomes head of the European Commission and focus more on promoting growth and engaging with the electorate, according to Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore.

BRIAN Crowley, MEP, emerged as Europe’s most popular and improbable liberal in recent European Parliament elections. Among the minority of countries where European Parliament members are elected by constituency, as distinct from a list system or a combination of both, Crowley amassed more votes than any other ‘liberal’.

The British Prime Minister will meet European Council president Herman van Rompuy on Monday as he mounts a rearguard action to block the appointment of Jean-Claude Juncker as the new head of the European Commission.

Despite the rise in eurosceptics, the European Parliament is still trusted by more people than national parliaments are, writes Daniel Gros.

As heads rolled over the European Parliament election results in several countries, French president François Hollande went on TV to respond to the shock victory of far-right Front National.