German pupils ‘aimed to enforce extreme Islamic rules’
German police are investigating whether four young Muslim students attempted to impose stringent Islamic procedures, such as gender segregation and stoning, at a…
Society
Latest reporting and analysis on society.
Is rape a crime? EU seems unsure …
The European Union's first directive on combating sexual violence against women has hit a roadblock.
Berlin’s still got it
Berlin, Germany Never write off Berlin. This is a city has been through a lot and it knows how to stay true to itself.
AfD’s Höcke should lose ‘fundamental rights’, German politicians told
A major player in Germany’s populist Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party should be stripped of all his "fundamental rights" under the country’s Constitution,…
EU risks being left ‘on its own’ if Trump returns, says Belgian PM
The European Union risks being left "on its own" if the US opts to return Donald Trump to the White House as President, the Prime Minister of Belgium has said.
When the Right starts talking about white privilege we are in trouble: Conservatives aren’t going to win by using Left-wing talking points
In the protracted daytime soap opera that passes for today’s U.S. Congress, Hunter Biden’s surprise appearance led the highlight reels all last week.
Belgian Socialists call for ‘ban on political advertising’ on social media
Socialists in Belgium say they want to put a stop to “excessive” spending on social-media adverts by political parties.
Italian NGO wins prestigious Mayor Paweł Adamowicz Award
Committee of the Regions, Brussels - Brescia, Italy
Is France losing its ‘Ooh la la’? Dramatic drop in births suggests maybe so …
France is seeing its lowest birth-rate since the Second World War and the number of single people is rising, according to the country’s National Institute of Statistics…
Brussels fifth-most traffic congested city in Europe, says TomTom survey
Dutch navigation company TomTom gives a bad score to Brussels in its annual traffic index report, with the European capital coming in as the tenth most congested…
Corsican Hunting: a cultural tapestry weaving tradition, identity, and challenges
Corsica, France
Biden Government slammed over ‘silence’ on Polish PM Tusk’s media crackdown
"The firing of personnel ...
New French Minister targeted over past opposition to gay marriage
France's new Government under openly gay Prime Minister Gabriel Attal has some other notable figures in its ranks causing feathers to be ruffled.
Potential AfD ban divides public opinion in Germany
Fewer than half of Germans support a nationwide ban on the populist Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party over allegations it is "extremist", a new poll has shown.
Meta’s Digital Services Act workaround under fire again
Facebook and Instagram owner Meta has been hit with another legal complaint over its attempt to work around new restrictions imposed on it by the European Union’s…
What is happening in Poland is setting a dangerous precedent for the whole of Europe: Autocracy in the name of liberalism is coming to a parliament near you soon
Poland has repeatedly been ahead of its time. Now, Donald Tusk is initiating a trend heralding a new era of liberal autocracy in Europe.
NGOs can ‘police the internet’ with EC blessing
The European Commission has given NGOs the power to patrol the web under the Digital Services Act (DSA).
Second Trump presidency ‘could threaten US democracy’, European Parliament research body warns
Trump would probably push for the deconstruction of the American “deep-state”, a move the assembly think-tank claimed could threaten US democracy
ECJ silent on ‘legitimacy’ of Polish judges
The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has refused to accept prejudicial questions from Polish judges who claim some of their colleagues have been appointed in a non-legitimate…
Welsh petition gathers steam, calls for country to change name ‘Cymru’
Wales, United Kingdom. A petition to change the official name of Wales to the Welsh Cymru is gaining momentum.
Artificial wombs are about to be with us: This could transform the abortion debate
Let me first introduce you to a photograph that will puzzle you.
Democracy at the crossroads: Illiberal liberals seem intent on rigging Europe’s elections
From Frederic Bastiat’s The Law to John Rawls’s Theory of Justice, the basic premise of liberal philosophy has always been equality before the law: Freedom and…
EU-funded supercomputer may be ‘misused by Erdoğan’, warns MEP
A European Union-funded supercomputer could be used by Turkey's Government to track dissidents, Sweden Democrat MEP Charlie Weimers has told Brussels Signal.
‘Russian disinformation’ over Prague shooting spurs Czech calls for gun-law change
Russia has been accused of spreading online disinformation after the mass shooting in Prague, claiming the perpetrator was a Ukrainian refugee.
From the United States to Germany, the self-proclaimed defenders of democracy are fast becoming its enemies: They are playing a very dangerous game
A supposedly serious Bloomberg headline is setting the tone for the new year: “2024 is the Year of Elections and That’s a Threat to Democracy”.
Up to his neck in it: Revolting Brussels Metro YouTube ‘prankster’ arrested
A Brussels-based YouTuber was arrested after throwing buckets of excrement, oil and other filth over unsuspecting victims on the city’s Metro system.
Norwegian mass shooter Breivik pushes to end prison isolation
Anders Behring Breivik, the far-right fanatic who killed 77 people in a bombing and shooting rampage in Norway in 2011, will testify in court on Tuesday as he presses…
Netherlands’ Wilders drops ‘unacceptable’ legislative proposals in bid to please
In a move designed to appease his colleagues, Geert Wilders and his Freedom Party have formally withdrawn three controversial legislative proposals.
Pro-Palestinian protestors crash opening party for Belgian European presidency
A party to celebrate the start of Belgium's presidency of the European Union was disrupted by activists shouting pro-Palestinian chants and waving Palestinian flags.
Man ‘shot with Italian MP’s gun’ at New Year’s Eve party
A male guest was shot with a gun belonging to one of Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni's MPs at a New Year's party in the town of Rosazza, in Northern Italy.