European Parliament members at loggerheads over Spanish rule of law
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From the capitals
Latest reporting and analysis on from the capitals.
Tusk party’s mayor bans pro-Palestine demonstration outside Israeli embassy
Warsaw’s mayor has banned a pro-Palestinian demonstration this weekend which was to finish outside the Israeli embassy, citing security concerns and anti-Semitism…
Conservatives and Liberals form new Luxembourg coalition government
Luxembourg's two largest parties reached a final accord on forming a new government yesterday evening.
Eyeing role in government, Wilders softens up on Islam
Eyeing a possible government role after next week's Dutch elections, Islam critic Geert Wilders is toning down his views on the religion.
Timmermans’ chance of becoming next Dutch PM ‘not very big’
Former EU climate commissioner Frans Timmermans will face a harder race than expected to become Dutch PM in nine days, says a leading Amsterdam journalist.
Make no mistake, the EU is building an empire. Putin has given it the excuse all imperial projects need
There is more than one way to hide an empire. Rule number one, never call it an empire.
Pope meets Gibraltar’s leaders at the Vatican
The Pope met with Gibraltar's chief minister and governor, saying its interfaith harmony must be "conserved and preserved".
Orban says Ukraine EU membership talks ‘should not start’ yet
Ukraine is “in no way ready” to join the EU, says Hungary's PM Viktor Orbán.
New Polish parliamentary majority signs detail-lite coalition agreement
The four political parties making up Poland's incoming government signed a detail-light agreement permitting Donald Tusk to become prime minister.
Brussels enters Catalan amnesty battle: ‘serious concerns’ about draft law
European Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders has written to Spain’s acting government expressing “serious concerns” over a potential new amnesty law for Catalan…
AfD MEP calls party’s ‘extremist’ label a ‘de-legitimation strategy’
German domestic intelligence classified the AfD's Saxony-Anhalt branch as an extremist group on Tuesday, which an AfD MEP called a cynical ploy to hurt the party's…
Russia looms large as Serbia heads towards early elections
Serbia and Russia have grown closer since Russia's invasion of Ukraine
Melenchon sanctions his own MP for calling his party ‘undemocratic’
Jean-Luc Mélenchon, founder of France's left-wing La France Insoumise party, has sanctioned one of his own MPs for calling his party undemocratic.
Tusk has to wait as Polish President gives PiS a chance
Poland's President Andrzej Duda has invited sitting prime minister Mateusz Morawiecki and his PiS party to form a government, rather than Donald Tusk.
Stagnant growth and high debt leave Italy’s Meloni few economic tools
Italy has recorded no GDP growth for the third quarter.
Macron’s ‘multi-speed’ EU is ‘anti-European’, says MEP
Macron's "multi-speed EU" is an "anti-European project", according to left-wing Romanian MEP Mihai Tudose.
Leaked papers show Kosovo ‘willing to compromise with Serbia’
Leaked documents from the Kosovo Government show the country assenting to a key compromise with Serbia.
In Brussels and Madrid: the fight against Puigdemont’s amnesty
More than 100,000 flag-waving Spaniards gathered in Madrid’s historic Plaza Colón (Columbus Square) on October 29.
Outgoing Dutch PM opens up about top job at NATO
Mark Rutte, the outgoing Prime Minister of the Netherlands, said he might be willing to become the next Secretary General of NATO.
Poland’s incoming coalition preparing a controversial ‘purge list’ of PiS-linked public sector and media
With Poland’s new parliamentary majority preparing to take power, its leaders have made plans for a public sector purge — with Polish daily Gazeta Wyborcza publishing…
Council summit: EU budget risks derailment over Ukraine aid
Hungary and Slovakia are opposing the bloc’s proposed €50 billion in financial aid, which is being tied in with the EU's entire budget, known as the Multi-Annual…
Slovakia ends military support for Ukraine
Slovakia's new Prime Minister Robert Fico announced on October 26 that his government will end military aid for Ukraine.
Hungary, Turkey move ahead with Sweden’s NATO bid
Hungary and Turkey are to move ahead with approving Sweden's NATO bid.
Macron visits Israel amid its war with Hamas: ‘This case is just, full stop’
French President Emmanuel Macron has visited Tel Aviv to express solidarity with Israel and call for further escalation to be avoided.
Spanish separatists insist on ‘Scottish Way’ to independence and Amnesty Law
Spain’s Catalan separatists are demanding a Scottish-like referendum ahead of Socialist Pedro Sánchez’s attempt to land another term as Prime Minister.
Germany’s Die Linke group ‘will soon dissolve’: party defector
Germany's Die Linke parliamentary group will not last much longer, according to an MP who recently defected from the party.
Police injured and 174 arrested after pro-Palestine riot hits German capital
An illegal pro-Palestine demonstration in Berlin turned ugly, resulting in dozens of police officers being injured and 174 protestors arrested on October 18.
Macron government forces French budget through parliament
French President Emmanuel Macron's Government is forcing its budget through the French Parliament without a vote from its deputies.
Crisis in French left-wing alliance over refusal to label Hamas ‘terrorists’
The Socialist Party (PS) in France has voted for a "moratorium" on its participation in the New People's Ecological and Social Union (Nupes), the French left-wing…
Tensions emerge among potential Polish coalition partners
Tension is emerging between the three parties set to make up Poland's new coalition: Civic Coalition (KO), the Third Way alliance and the Left, over the direction…