EU forced-labour crackdown ‘could curtail Chinese solar-panel imports’
A proposed European Union crackdown on goods made with forced labour could cut the number of Chinese solar panels imported into the bloc, the European Commission…
Politics
Latest reporting and analysis on politics.
Musk’s X in spotlight as EC ponders further regulation crackdown
The European Commission is mulling a further regulatory crackdown on Elon Musk's X, the body said.
German Catholic Church plots ban on ‘right-wing extremists’ amid anti-AfD push
Organisations intimately linked with the German Catholic Church are plotting bans on so-called "right-wing extremists" amid an ongoing conflict with the populist…
The populist revolt is about to up-end Portugal’s politics. If the traditional parties seek to exclude Chega, they will only turbo-charge the upstart
Portuguese elections rarely make news outside that country. Sunday’s parliamentary vote will be different if the polls prove correct.
Israel agrees to revise Eurovision song lyrics that evoked Hamas attack
Israel has agreed to revise the lyrics of its potential submission to the Eurovision Song Contest after the contest organizers took issue with verses that appeared…
Hundreds of tonnes of Russian wood reach Belgium, despite EU sanctions
Belgian authorities have intercepted hundreds of tonnes of Russian wood despite EU sanctions that have been in effect since early 2022.
EU unblocks about €2 billion from suspended funding for Hungary
Hungary managed to unblock about €2 billion in European Union funds as Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s government made further progress in the recovery of crucial…
Hungary signs-off on Sweden’s accession to NATO, clearing final hurdle
Hungary's Parliament Speaker Sándor Lezsák has signed-off on the ratification of Sweden’s NATO accession and forwarded the legislation to the Hungarian President's…
MEPs green-light EU-wide digital ID system
MEPs have passed the implementation of a proposed European Union-wide digital ID system.
EU must give Ukraine ‘whatever it needs’ to defeat Russia, MEPs say
The European Union and its Member States must hand Ukraine "whatever it needs" in order to win its defensive war against Russia, the bloc's Parliament has declared.
Dutch PM Rutte signs ‘€2 billion security deal’ with Ukraine
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte signed a security guarantee deal with Ukraine President Voldymyr Zelenskyy in the Northeastern frontline city of Kharkiv.
Macron is no Napoleon and no Talleyrand: Floating his proposal of sending troops to Ukraine was a work of stunning political ineptness that only boosted Putin
Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord must have been the world’s greatest political survival artist.
Down wi da kidz? Germany’s Schulz looks to TikTok amid AfD’s rising popularity
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said he wanted the Government to open an account on TikTok, apparently amid concerns about the hard-right Alternative für Deutschland…
France’s RN leader Bardella reveals ‘tricolour strategy’ for European Parliament elections
Jordan Bardella, head of National Rally (RN) in France, presented his party's strategy for June’s European Parliament elections, "clarifying" its intentions regarding…
EC withholds some UN funds for Palestine but ups overall aid budget
The European Commission will hold back part of a payment of €82 million for the United Nations Palestinian refugee agency (UNRWA) - but increase overall aid…
Tusk says Poland ‘will ignore EU Green Deal and Ukraine policies’ unless reformed
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk met protesting farmers in Warsaw and called for reform of both the European Union’s Green Deal and the EU free-trade agreement…
Galloway the cat with the cream as he strokes Muslim vote to win UK by-election
Scottish pro-Palestine politician and media pundit George Galloway won a landslide victory in the Rochdale by-election in Northern England.
Committee of the Regions and European Parliament to raise EU elections awareness
Committee of the Regions, Brussels
German travellers left kicking their heels as transport workers strike
Travellers were left waiting in Germany as buses, trams and underground trains stood idle across most of the country at the culmination of a week of staggered public…
AI-created fakery rears its ugly head in Russia as Kremlin elections near
Generative AI has made its first widespread appearance in 2024 in Russia, ahead of presidential elections in the country.
Germany and Italy scupper EU law on company liability for supply-chain human-rights abuse
Germany and Italy torpedoed a European Union law at the last minute that would have made companies liable for human-rights abuses in their supply chains - such as…
French-German war of words on Ukraine may endanger EU’s Ukraine arms fund
A worsening German-French spat over Ukraine appears to risk a crippling of the European Union's Ukraine arms fund.
French President Macron promises to throw himself in river Seine
French President Emmanuel Macron pledged to jump in the river Seine as he officially inaugurated the 2024 Olympic village and praised the legacy the Games will leave…
EC decries Israeli ‘attacks’ on UN chief Guterres
The European Commission has denounced the Israeli Government's alleged "attacks" on United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres.
‘I was poisoned,’ claims senior Qatargate investigator over ‘bar brawl’
An unnamed lead inspector in the Qatargate cash-for-influence inquiry in the European Parliament claimed he and two colleagues were poisoned in an attempted murder.
EC under fire over Boeing 737 MAX jet safety issues
The European Commission is under pressure regarding alleged safety issues to do with Boeing's 737 MAX series of aircraft.
Putin warns West of ‘nuclear war’ risk after Macron floats troop deployment idea
President Vladimir Putin warned Western countries there was a "genuine risk" of nuclear war if they sent their own troops to fight in Ukraine.
MEPs back ‘quality’ produce protections amid farmers’ protests
MEPs have backed the implementation of further protections for so-called "quality" agricultural produce in the wake of the farmers' protests across Europe.
Von der Leyen’s serial private-jet use ‘a disgrace’, says Left party leader
European Commission President Usrula von der Leyen has long championed “green” development and environmental protection - but her own carbon footprint is less…
Meta hit by privacy complaints from eight European countries
Meta Platforms was hit with privacy complaints as eight EU consumer groups asked watchdogs to act against the Facebook owner for alleged breaches of the bloc's privacy…