China steps in to ease tensions after ambassador’s Soviet bloc remarks spark outrage
Carl Deconinck, April 24
Mayday-Mayday: Labour day turns violent in France
Labour Day in France was disrupted by protests against the controversial pension reforms pushed through by the Élysée Palace. In Paris, they degenerated into violent riots.
Belgian minister denies prisoner swap with Iran
Carl Deconinck, April 26 The Belgian minister of justice has denied press reports of a possible prisoner swap with Iran.
Finland heading for right-wing government
Petteri Orpo, leader of the centre-right National Coalition party in Finland, said on April 27 that he wants to work with the right-wing Finns party in order to form a Conservative…
Is Belgian Prime Minister De Croo set to launch bid for top EU job?
The EU's migrant pact will be forced upon the Belgian public by prime minister Alexander De Croo, according to MEP Tom Vandendriessche.
Advantageous treatment of Ukrainian refugees sparks ‘discrimination’ debate in Germany
The German Left is up in arms about what it sees as discrimination between government treatment of Ukrainian refugees and migrants or asylum-seekers from other countries.
Can’t pay your rent? In Brussels, the taxpayer will step in
The parliament of Brussels is planning legislation that will make it impossible for landlords to evict tenants who are behind on their rents.
New European sanctions could take aim at Russian luxury goods
The EU is devising new sanctions against Russia that are expected to close existing loopholes.
Pregnant trans man travels from Belgium to the Netherlands to have crowdfunded abortion
A Brussels-based trans man has had a crowd-funded abortion in the Netherlands after being refused an abortion in Belgium.
Parliament groups join forces in opposition to migrant pact
Parties in two groups in the European Parliament, the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) and Identity and Democracy (ID), say the upcoming EU migrant pact is an “existential…
European countries scramble to evacuate citizens from violence-torn Sudan
European countries are hastily organizing the evacuation of their nationals from Sudan, where heavy fighting seems to be intensifying.
EU prepares nuclear sanctions against Russia
The European Commission is working on the EU’s 11th round of sanctions against Russia in response to the war against Ukraine.
Ukraine criticises EU failures on ammo plan
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba says he is frustrated at the slow pace of EU ammunition deliveries as national capitals bicker over which factories should get allocated…
European migration deal threatens to topple Swedish Government
The Sweden Democrats are up in arms about the EU’s draft ‘migrant pact’.
Spitzenkandidat stillborn?
The so-called Spitzenkandidaten system for electing the next European Commission President seems to be dead and buried, according to the vice chairman of the European Conservatives…
Questions swirl after shooting of senior EU official in Sudan
The condition and whereabouts of a top EU official shot in Sudan were still unclear on April 19 amid continuing fighting in Khartoum.
Brussels backs down: Commission approves restrictions on Ukrainian grain after central European spat
The European Commission said on April 19 that it will introduce restrictions on imports of Ukrainian cereals.
Dutch industry frets about cost of EU carbon market
The European Parliament on April 18 approved sweeping reforms to the European Union's carbon market in hope of bringing down emissions, though Dutch industrialists said the…
Greece’s Prime Minister: border walls need fortifying
Europe's external borders need fortified walls. That was the view given by Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in an April 12 interview with Germany’s Bild newspaper.