MEPs call on Slovenia to respect victims of Communism
MEPs have urged the Slovenian Government to do more to remember victims of Communism.
Society
Latest reporting and analysis on society.
City of Berlin rescinds ban on headscarves for teachers
The city government of Berlin has agreed to abolish a law which forbids schoolteachers from wearing Islamic headscarves in school.
German Socialists want to criminalise catcalling
In the German State of Saxony, the Social Democratic Party (SPD) has advocated for legislation that would make ungracious behaviour and lewd verbal remarks a criminal…
No to history, no to tradition, no to morals: Europe now forces its new ideology
Today, 24 June, is St John the Baptist’s Day.
German court overturns ban on ‘far-right magazine Compact’
A German court on June 24 overturned a ban on the "far-right Compact magazine", which had been imposed by the government last year.
German literature forum cancels author over article for ‘right-wing’ news site
A non-profit organisation in Berlin has erased the recording of a young German author’s reading from its website, after he casually revealed he had written an…
US rapper Kanye West faces backlash ahead of Slovakia show due to ‘Hitler’ song
Grammy-winning US rapper Kanye West was facing growing opposition in Slovakia ahead of his scheduled performance at the Rubicon Festival in the capital Bratislava…
German who ‘insulted’ ex-minister fined for social media posts
Stefan Niehoff, 64, whose home was raided last November after he reposted an “insulting” meme on X, has been found guilty on “speech crime” charges and fined…
St John of Patmos saw it coming: EU digital identity will know everything
In Patmos, where the Evangelist John foresaw a “mark” controlling trade, a shopkeeper scans her phone to pay taxes.
Council of Europe human rights chief warns ‘free speech under threat’ in Germany
Council of Europe Commissioner on Human Rights Michael O’Flaherty has expressed concern about limits on free speech and peaceful assembly in Germany.
EU now the union of genital mutilation and castration for children
A rather petty algorithm brought to my screen a Le Monde article (Europe’s most discredited newspaper, second only perhaps to El País) lamenting the “odious…
Austria mulls mandatory social media age checks following school shootings
The Austrian Government has proposed measures to tighten online freedom and access to social media.
Tribute to former UK PM Thatcher in European Parliament renamed by French left-wingers
French left-wingers in the European Parliament have renamed a room dedicated to the memory of former UK prime minister Margaret Thatcher because, they claimed, she…
Majority of Swiss still support neutrality despite global tension
Almost nine out of 10 Swiss citizens say they supported their country's neutral stance.
EC says Chinese online giant AliExpress ‘must do more to protect customers’
Chinese online giant AliExpress must do more to protect consumers from illegal product sales, the European Commission said, an interim finding that could open the…
US mulls visa restrictions on European officials for ‘censoring speech’
US Department of State officials have warned Irish regulators that if they censor speech, they could face visa restrictions.
Austrian politicians are threatening gun controls after school shooting
On June 10, Austria suffered one of the deadliest school shootings in its history when a man killed 10 people and injured 11 more at his former high school before…
Outdated rent grid renders 50% of Brussels rentals ‘legally abusive’
Half of all new rental contracts signed in Brussels were now officially considered "legally abusive" because the city’s rent control tool was based on years-old…
Spanish judges and prosecutors threaten to strike over government reforms
Major Spanish associations of judges and prosecutors called for a demonstration outside the Supreme Court on June 28, warning that a strike would follow on July…
Exclusive: Lawyer behind George Simion tells us what really happened in presidential campaign
Question: Mrs. Silvia Uscov, you coordinated the legal team of the sovereignist-conservative candidate George Simion.
Budapest Mayor aims to hold Pride parade, despite police ban
Gergely Karácsony, the Greens Mayor of Budapest, said he wanted to host the Pride parade in his city, despite a police ban and objections from the national government.
Greek rail drivers strike over safety concerns
Greek rail drivers on June 17 held a 24-hour strike to demand sweeping safety improvements, ahead of a parliamentary vote on investigating top officials for the…
Fruitcake intellectuals who don’t care about ‘thought’
In Italy, self-styled “intellectuals” have recently been commemorating the centenary of The Manifesto of the Anti-Fascist Intellectuals in 1925.
Southern Europe hit with anti-tourism protests
Co-ordinated demonstrations against mass tourism took place across southern Europe, including Barcelona, Palma, Ibiza, Lisbon and Venice.
‘Masculinist influencer’ taunts French minister after TikTok ban lifted
French influencer Alex Hitchens, known for his controversial masculinist views, has returned to TikTok after a brief ban that followed his appearance before the…
Interrogation, arrest, prosecution: Free speech does not exist in Europe
On June 5 in Brussels, a duo were arrested for disturbing the peace. The pair, a man and a woman, were not assaulting anyone, nor were they threatening anyone.
The battle of the Valle de los Caídos is not about memory, but about power
Nestled in the rugged hills of Cuelgamuros, not far from Madrid, the Valle de los Caídos rises as a stark monument to Spain’s fractured past.
Danish parliament agrees compulsory military service for women
Denmark said it would introduce compulsory military service for women starting in 2026.
French journalists’ group demands commentator’s dismissal over ‘hateful remarks’
The French Society of Journalists (SDJ) representing members at TV news channels BFM and RMC has called for the dismissal of the commentator Barbara Lefebvre over…
Polish MEP destroys LGBT exhibition in country’s parliament
Grzegorz Braun MEP has torn down an exhibition organised by a pro-LGBT association Opole Rainbow during his visit to the Polish parliament.