Wilders threatens to bring down government over asylum seekers
Geert Wilders has threatened to blow up the Dutch government if asylum policies are not drastically tightened.
Society
Latest reporting and analysis on society.
Austrian lawfare tried to wreck him, but honest Kurz gets up again
The Austrian People’s Party is the Western hemisphere’s longest-serving government party, having been in the government as a senior or junior coalition partner…
Chinese fast-fashion giant Shein may have to pay EU under three different regulations
Shein, the Chinese global e-commerce platform specialising in fast fashion, could soon find itself paying more than just shipping costs to the European Union.
Council of Europe denounces ‘politicisation’ of ECHR by governments over migration
Council of Europe Secretary General Alain Berset has reacted negatively to a letter from nine heads of state who asked the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR)…
Nine EU leaders call for curbing ECHR protections for criminal migrants
Nine EU leaders, including Giorgia Meloni, Donald Tusk, and Mette Frederiksen, have called for more flexibly interpreting the European Convention on Human Rights…
Collapse in number of new builds in Germany fuels fears of worsening housing shortage
New apartment construction in Germany has collapsed since 2024, new data show. Higher interest rates and higher construction costs were behind the collapse.
Angela Merkel criticises tightening of border controls
Germany's former Chancellor Angela Merkel has criticised the border policies of the new CDU-led government led by her former rival, Friedrich Merz.
How calling a German finance minister a ‘moron’ leads to cops and criminal charges
Stefan Niehoff, a 64-year-old retiree and former sergeant in the Bundeswehr, became something of an overnight sensation in Germany last year after police showed…
“I am disappointed they excluded Russia but let Israel in”, says Austrian Eurovision winner
Austria's Eurovision winner Johannes “JJ” Pietsch has come under fire for critical remarks about Israel and equating its war in Gaza with Russia's invasion of…
EU consumer group accuses Ryanair and others of ‘illegal’ extra fees for carry-ons
The European Consumer Organisation accused Ryanair and other airlines of engaging in unfair and illegal practices by charging extra fees for hand luggage.
MEPs and experts call for Commission to tackle DSA’s free speech concerns
Cross-party members of the European Parliament and free speech advocates gathered in the European Parliament May 21 to urge the European Commission to review the…
Germany employs Artificial Intelligence to bring waste separation scoundrels to justice
Germany is continuing to pioneer innovative uses for artificial intelligence.
Scandal: Prominent Tusk allies implicated in Polish people-smuggling
An illegal migrant smuggling network involved civil society groups that prominently backed Donald Tusk's coalition parties in the last election, a Polish broadcaster…
German police arrest Syrian over alleged Islamist stabbing attack wounding five
Police in the German town of Bielefeld arrested a Syrian man May 19 as the prime suspect in a stabbing attack on a group of bar customers the previous day.
EU spends more on policing speech than transnational cancer research
The EU has given €650 million to projects combating so-called 'hate speech' and 'disinformation', one third more than it has given to transnational cancer research…
Right-wing French mayors call for ban on marriage between citizens and illegal migrants
A group of right-wing French mayors from the Les Républicains party have called for a ban on marriages between French citizens and illegal migrants.
Blow for ‘progressive’ Tusk: Anti-abortion trio receive majority in presidential vote
The Brussels elites were surely dismayed at how well conservative populist candidates fared in Sunday’s first round of Poland’s presidential election.
Polish state TV bans photos of its buildings
Poland’s government-controlled broadcaster TVP (Telewizja Polska) has placed new notices warning photographers they may not photograph the corporation’s headquarters…
Statue of Venus removed from Berlin government office after ‘sexism’ complaint by Equal Opportunities Commissioner
An historic sculpture of the Venus de' Medici has been removed from a Berlin government building at the request of equal opportunities officers who argued its presence…
Belgium and Spain suspect manipulation in Eurosong vote, demand action
The Spanish and Belgian public broadcasters questioned the points awarded to Israel’s Eurovision entry and have announced there were possible irregularities.
Switzerland ‘will not accept pushbacks of asylum seekers’ as German border security struggle intensifies
Germany’s new tougher stance on migration has met problems from Germany's neighbour Switzerland.
Road safety before religion: German court forbids woman to drive car wearing a Niqab
A German court has ruled that it is illegal to drive while wearing a niqab–a Muslim headgear covering most of the wearer’s face.
Eurovision contestants spurn English for festival of mother tongues
The May 17 Eurovision final in Basel, Switzerland will see an extraordinary chorus of mother tongues, with 19 of 26 finalists–73 per cent–ditching English to…
German interior minister hails stricter border controls, but police bemoan lack of staff
Alexander Dobrindt, Germany’s new interior minister from Bavaria's Christian Social Union, drew a positive conclusion from the first week of stricter border controls.
Hate speech or free speech? How rapper Ye’s ‘Heil Hitler’ exposes Big Tech dilemma
Controversial rap artist Ye’s latest track, Heil Hitler, was promptly banned from Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube upon its May 8 release but in just 24 hours…
Soros’ Open Society Foundation pumped more than $700 million into Europe
New research into the extent of billionaire George Soros's funding activity has revealed the Hungarian-American pumped more than $700 million (€625 million) into…
Poland PM Tusk’s ‘undemocratic actions’ under US Republican spotlight
Four US Republican Congressmen have written to the European Commission demanding a response to the actions of Poland's centre-left government under Prime Minister…
Meta takes on European digital rights watchdog over user data for AI training
Tech giant Meta has snubbed a 'cease and desist' request from the European digital rights watchdog over their use of personal data to train AI systems, countering…
Chega leader leans in on Roma criticism as Portugal goes to the polls
Ethnic tensions have come to the fore in Portugal during the run-up to the May 18 general election - the third in just over three years - as insurgent party Chega!
German intelligence probe into AfD ends in farce with ‘top secret’ report leak
A controversial top-secret German intelligence report on the right-wing Alternative for Germany party (AfD) that could lead to a total ban on the insurgent political…