As usual, news is a bit thin at this time of the year, but for those who are looking for holiday reading in the political sphere I've put together some links to interesting stuff that I've come across recently.
Author: Charles Richardson
Spain as it happens
Results are coming in from a close and path-breaking Spanish election.
Election preview: Spain
Spain has undergone a political upheaval in the last four years, making Sunday's election the most unpredictable anyone can remember.
What happened in France
The National Front's failure to win control of any French regions isn't particularly surprising or mysterious.
Cruz-ing into Iowa
With the Iowa caucuses fast approaching, the Republican Party looks like having to veer a long way to the right in order to outflank Donald Trump.
Fascism on both sides of the Atlantic
There's been some very interesting discussion on whether to call Donald Trump a fascist, a debate that has particular resonance with the rise of the National Front in France.
South America’s shift to the right
Venezuela's government turns out to be neither as popular nor as undemocratic as left and right (respectively) would have had you believe.
New regions, new politics
French regional elections tomorrow will tell us more about the size of the surge for the far-right National Front and the impact of the recent terrorist attacks.
Please to remember 11 November
More about the 1975 constitutional crisis, and how easy it is to misunderstand the role of the House of Representatives.
Unsurprising results
A big win for the opposition in Myanmar/Burma, and a hung parliament in Croatia. No surprises, although some seem surprised anyway.
The World is Not Enough 