Suppressing free speech and free votes: EU intent on crippling democratic resilience
The EU is justly proud of the liberal democracies it nurtured as it expanded beyond its original founding members.
Elections
Latest reporting and analysis on elections.
EC chief von der Leyen put forward as next German President
The current President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, is rumoured to be in line to become the next President of Germany.
Greece: Ruling New Democracy Party haemorrhaging votes
A new poll in Greece shows the corruption-plagued Christian Democrat New Democracy (ND) party would gather only 25.
France to sue Kick platform for ‘negligence’ after livestream death
France will sue the Australian streaming platform Kick for "negligence" after a user died during a livestream, a government minister said on Tuesday.
French PM Bayrou calls for confidence vote in ‘calculated risk’
France's embattled Prime Minister François Bayrou said his government would request a vote of confidence, seeking parliamentary backing for his battle against soaring…
Zelensky: Not much of a democrat, is he? Denies Ukraine vote, West does not care
Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraine’s wartime president, claims to embody democracy, but governs as a solo act.
German court allows opponents’ ban of AfD mayoral candidate
A German court has dismissed a complaint by a right-wing candidate for mayor of a German town who had been banned from running by a panel made up of his party’s…
Former Polish president Duda wants PiS leader Kaczyński to make way for younger leadership
Andrzej Duda, who this month left office after 10 years as Polish president, has thrown down the gauntlet to Jarosław Kaczyński, the 76-year-old founder and leader…
Germany’s The Greens forced to downsize after electoral defeat
Numerous fixed-term employees have been laid off from Germany's The Greens party after poor election results and continually falling short in polls.
Controller at Paris airport suspended for saying ‘Free Palestine’ to Israeli air crew
An airport controller at Paris Roissy-Charles de Gaulle airport has been suspended for saying "Free Palestine" to the crew of the Israeli airline El Al, the French…
German Government parties hit new low in voter survey as AfD tops polls
Germany’s new government has rapidly fallen from grace with the voters.
German Chancellor Merz less popular than predecessor Scholz
Friedrich Merz’s first 100 days as Germany’s Chancellor were poorly received by voters, who rate him lower than his predecessor, Olaf Scholz.
Pro-parenting video by UK Conservative MP blocked under Online Safety Act
A British Conservative Party MP’s pro-parenting campaign video has been blocked on X because it features a baby.
AfD candidate excluded from German mayoral race over alleged ‘lack of constitutional loyalty’
The main German opposition party's candidate has been excluded from running for mayor in Ludwigshafen, an industrial city of 170,000 people in the State of Rhineland-Palatinate.
Polish presidential inauguration puts new Conservative head of state against PM Tusk
Poland’s opposition Conservatives (PiS)-aligned new President Karol Nawrocki has, on his inauguration, thrown down the gauntlet to the centre-left coalition government…
Irish news gadfly Gript to sue Press Council over allegedly ‘flawed ruling’
Irish Conservative news site and government gadfly Gript has announced it will take the Irish Press Council to court.
Ukraine arrests six officials for alleged drone procurement corruption
Ukraine's anti-corruption authorities arrested several officials, including an MP with President Volodymyr Zelensky's Servant of the People party.
Asylum claims to Germany fall by more than half
Germany has seen a sharp decline in new asylum requests after Berlin introduced tougher policies on mass migration.
Polish PM Tusk’s new justice minister dismisses swathe of election commissioners
Waldemar Żurek, the newly appointed justice minister in Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s centre-left government, has announced the sacking of 46 heads and…
UK ‘to monitor social media for signs of protests’, MP states
The UK Government is eyeing a new crackdown on social media to spot early signs of street protests, according to a letter from ruling Labour Party MP Dame Diana…
German SPD politician steps down after drawing swastika on ballot beside AfD candidate’s name
The deputy speaker of Baden-Württemberg's parliament announced his resignation from that office after drawing a swastika on a ballot during an anonymous vote.
Polish Speaker of Parliament claims he was pressured to ‘stage a coup’
Szymon Hołownia, Poland’s parliament Speaker and leader of Poland 2050 party, claimed he was pressured to stage a "coup" to stop Karol Nawrocki, the opposition…
German Chancellor Merz more unpopular than ever
The popularity of Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz has dropped to a new low since he took office on May 6.
French interior minister turns on Macron, eyes presidency
French interior minister Bruno Retailleau has publicly turned on President Emmanuel Macron, attacking his party political ideology.
Polish PM Tusk sacks a third of his cabinet in push to counter ‘defeatism’
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has sacked a third of his cabinet and promoted foreign minister Radosław Sikorski to Deputy Prime Minister.
Polish president-elect Nawrocki throws down gauntlet to Tusk over EU summits
Zbigniew Bogucki, the Polish opposition Conservatives (PiS) politician who was nominated to be chief of staff for president-elect Karol Nowrocki, said the president-elect…
PM Tusk still trying to undermine Polish president-elect Nawrocki’s mandate
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and his Civic Coalition (KO) have continued questioning the validity of the election of the opposition Conservatives (PiS) candidate…
AfD candidate blocked from mayoral race in Germany over ‘loyalty to Constitution’ concerns
Uwe Detert, the Alternative for Germany (AfD) candidate for mayor of the German city of Lage, has been barred from running.
Two-thirds of Germans unhappy with Merz government, survey shows
Two months after Friedrich Merz, Germany’s new Chancellor, assumed office, a new survey showed widespread discontent with his government.
EU sanctions Molodovan groups ‘with Russian ties’ as bloc also discusses boost in Ukrainian aid
The European Union has sanctioned seven individuals and a group with ties to Moscow accused of seeking to destabilise Moldova ahead of parliamentary elections in…