Aiming for competitiveness at core of European Council meeting
Almost every topic at the European Council on March 20 came down to one thing: competitiveness.
Politics
Latest reporting and analysis on politics.
Polish Parliament smear? Surge of support for Confederation’s candidate ‘like Romania’
Szymon Hołownia, the speaker of Poland’s parliament, has questioned the financing of the campaign of the right-wing Confederation party’s presidential candidate…
Tusk accuses opposition of ‘Russian sabotage’ as consensus on Polish defence breaks down
The consensus between the Polish centre-left government led by Prime Minister Donald Tusk and the opposition Conservatives (PiS) over Polish defence and security…
German ex-constitutional judge says debt brake reform would be a ‘coup d’état’
Former Federal Constitutional Court judge Peter Huber has sharply condemned the German government's proposed constitutional reform, calling it unconstitutional and…
Anti-nuclear Greens’ MP to oversee French nuclear security
French MP Dominique Voynet, co-founder of The Greens party, former environment minister and long-time outspoken opponent of nuclear power, has been officially appointed…
No more soldiers: European big debt for defence, yet young men are vanishing
One of the biggest problems in today’s politics (at least in the West) is the tendency by politicians to compartmentalise everything.
EU prioritises DMA enforcement despite US tariffs threats
The European Union’s latest enforcement actions under the Digital Markets Act (DMA) have set the stage for a confrontation with some of the world’s largest tech…
EC backs off from slapping US with retaliatory tariffs
Europe's much-debated retaliatory tariffs against US President Donald Trump's tariffs on steel and aluminium imports have been postponed, the European Commission…
EU dusts off capital markets proposal but small countries fear regulatory power grab
The European Commission has published a new plan to revive its capital markets union proposal which stalled back in 2015 — but smaller members have expressed fear…
EU leaders to discuss defence as military tensions heat up
Accusations from Moscow, mixed signals from Washington and discord in Europe reigned as another summit unfolded in Brussels.
ECB chief Lagarde urges EU to focus on trade integration amid tariffs
European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde has reaffirmed that robust European trade integration was the key shield against escalating US tariff pressures…
Antifa extremists destroy climbing route put up by FPÖ chief Kickl in Austrian Alps
Unknown perpetrators have sabotaged a climbing route first explored by Herbert Kickl, leader of the right-wing Austrian Freedom Party (FPÖ), in the Styrian alps.
Turkey and the EU’s defence dilemma: a partner too far?
Europe’s security mechanism is not at its best.
Ready for crisis? French Government to give survival manual to every household
The French Government said it planned to distribute a survival manual to every household.
Messaging app Signal threatens to leave France over anti-encryption demands
Meredith Whittaker, president of US messaging app Signal, has threatened to pull it out of France over a proposed law where the government has demanded the ability…
Military chiefs gather in London to discuss UK-French ‘coalition of the willing’ for Ukraine
Senior military leaders from the UK and French-led "coalition of the willing" have been preparing to gather in London.
Denmark looks to Europe for defence system over Israeli option
For the past 20 years, Denmark has been without a new permanent surface-to-air system but now, in light of the Russian war in Ukraine, the acquisition process has…
Turkey detains 37 people over social media posts on detained Istanbul mayor
Turkey detained 37 people accused of "provocative" social media posts over the detention of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, the government said on March…
Polish minister rules out migrants checks on his country’s border with Germany
Poland’s deputy internal affairs minister has told the country’s parliament there was no way Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s government would introduce border…
Lessons from Minsk II for the Ukraine peace talks
The road to peace in Ukraine is extremely difficult and perhaps also very long, despite president Trump’s initial hopes.
French tycoon Bolloré hit with alleged corruption charges
A coalition of 11 West African NGOs has filed a legal complaint against French billionaire Vincent Bolloré, accusing him of corruption, money laundering and handling…
Major Belgian public transport firms leave X as it is ‘not in line with our values’
Belgium's major public transportation companies have all announced they were leaving social media giant X.
Tusk-controlled Polish election regulator set to cut €6m funding for Confederation party
Poland’s State election regulator (PKW) has refused to accept the right-wing Confederation party’s financial report for the European Parliament elections of…
Commission unveils defence plans to reduce reliance on US for security
The European Commission has presented its plans making clear that the European Union does not want to continue relying on the US for its security and must build…
Two Italian MEPs investigated over alleged fiddling of European allowances
An MEP and his former European Parliament colleague from the previous legislature have reportedly been put under investigation by the European Public Prosecutor's…
Belgian Flanders region slammed over ‘housing policy failures’
The Belgian region of Flanders was not doing enough to address the affordability of housing for vulnerable groups, according to a ruling by the European Committee…
Where is democracy? Unelected establishment judges now stand against elected populists
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: a right-populist walks into office. The unelected judiciary says, “We’re investigating you!”
EP corruption allegations: Belgian authorities charge five in Huawei probe
The examining magistrate in the latest alleged foreign influence corruption probe at the European Parliament has charged five people.
The end of Franceafrique? Mali leaves Francophonie organisation
Mali's foreign minister has announced that the country will leave the International Organisation of La Francophonie (OIF), following Niger and Burkina Faso.
Italy PM Meloni says commission ‘not wise’ to impose 50% tariffs on US goods
Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has said the European Commission was "not wise" to impose retaliatory tariffs of up to 50 per cent on US goods from April 1…