China’s EV trap: Preach Green, get a cheap car, lose your job
Buckle up, China’s electric vehicle market is a wild brawl. Prices plummet fast, and executives sling insults like playground bullies.
From the capitals
Latest reporting and analysis on from the capitals.
China’s structural slump may fuel flood of cheap goods to EU
China's factories have been producing more than its domestic market can absorb, and those goods are headed to Europe.
Polish PM Tusk wins confidence vote in parliament
Poland's pro-European Union government won a confidence vote in parliament on June 11, securing its hold on power.
Germany’s SPD revolts against Merz’s rearmament blitz
A revolt has been brewing within the German government's coalition partner the Social Democratic Party (SPD), as prominent figures openly criticised Chancellor Friedrich…
ECB signs co-operation pact with China, pushing for policy reforms
The European Central Bank (ECB) signed a non-binding co-operation agreement with the People’s Bank of China and ECB President Christine Lagarde used the occasion…
Conservative populism is changing: Poland’s PiS now has competition from the Right
Polish president-elect Karol Nawrocki’s victory shows that conservative populism remains strong in that vital country.
Farage’s Reform doesn’t collapse, it mutates, surprises and grows claws
Reform UK’s saga is a kaleidoscope of ambition, chaos, and sheer bloody-mindedness.
Merz rejects anti-Semitism, yet his policy would leave Hamas in power
The new German Chancellor, Friedrich Merz, made an excellent impression in Washington last week.
Polish PM Tusk’s coalition partner polls members on joining opposition
The Polish People's Party (PSL), Poland's ruling centre-left coalition member, has polled its members on whether it should consider teaming up with the current opposition…
Black Hawks down: Poland back-pedals on purchase of US helicopters
Poland has cancelled the procurement procedure for the purchase of 32 Lockheed Martin S-70i Black Hawk helicopters for the Polish Army.
Catalonia launches parallel diplomatic corps to Madrid
The Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)-led government has continued its strategy of concessions to Catalan separatist-minded parties in exchange for parliamentary…
Poland’s top conservative lawyer tells us: ‘The left-liberal’s plan has failed in Poland’
Sunday’s election in Poland was important not only for the Poles themselves but also for Europe, and it is no wonder it attracted widespread comment in the international…
Portuguese former naval admiral, now pollsters’ favourite, sets out stall for president
Ex-admiral Henrique Gouveia e Melo has given his first interview as an official candidate for the Portuguese presidency, presenting himself as pro-life and, as president,…
US defends Polish president-elect over Israeli paper’s ‘Holocaust revisionist’ attack
The incoming US ambassador to Poland, Thomas Rose, has criticised the Times of Israel for calling Polish president-elect Karol Nawrocki a “Holocaust revisionist”.
Germany could arrest Netanyahu as government adopts leftist rhetoric on Israel
Germany’s ruling Christian Democratic Union (CDU) said it no longer excluded detaining Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should he visit the country.
Romania’s Călin Georgescu retires from politics
Călin Georgescu, who was the leading candidate in last year's Romanian presidential elections until the courts barred him from running, has said he will quit politics.
Polish presidential challenger to sue news outlet over ‘pimp’ allegations
Polish Conservative (PiS) presidential candidate Karol Nawrocki says he will sue the liberal-leaning portal Onet for alleging he had at one time been a pimp.
Want to become a Brussels Signal foreign correspondent? We’re hiring!
Remedia Europe is hiring reporters with strong on-the-ground knowledge of their country or region to contribute to Brussels Signal, our fast-growing, Brussels-based…
Bi-partisan beer gathering stirs up a storm in Poland’s presidential election
A storm has erupted in Poland after right-wing Confederation party presidential candidate Sławomir Mentzen shared a beer with the ruling party candidate Rafał…
France’s Macron calls for world order ‘based on law’ in Vietnam
France's Emmanuel Macron called in Vietnam on May 26 for the preservation of a world order "based on law", as he started a tour of Southeast Asia, a region caught…
Merz has an opportunity for greatness, but will he take it?
The wobbly start of the Merz government in Germany highlights the precarious condition of the party framework that has governed the Federal Republic since its founding…
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.
Populist parties must make populist-nationalism the ‘default’ right-wing view in the West
Last Sunday’s election results were something of a wash for the populist-right.
My candidate or chaos, claims Tusk after Polish presidential poll setback
“The next two weeks will determine the future of Poland,” Polish prime minister Donald Tusk warned voters after a disappointing showing by pro-government candidates…
France justice minister under fire for ‘penal colony’ in French Guiana
Politicians on French Guiana have opposed French plans for a new high-security prison in the overseas French territory.
Portugal swings to the Right, as Socialists suffer historic defeat
Portugal's right-wing parties have triumphed in the country’s third snap general election in three years.
Romanians wanted UK’s Charles as their king, says presidential candidate
Many Romanians wanted King Charles III to lead a restored Romanian monarchy, the country's leading presidential candidate said on May 15.
Pollster who predicted Trump victory says Polish PiS ahead in presidential race
One of the few pollsters to correctly predict US president Donald Trump’s election victory in 2024 is tipping Conservative (PiS) candidate Karol Nawrocki for a…
PM Tusk attacks Romania’s Simion over ‘pro-Russian’ interference
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has accused Romanian presidential candidate George Simion of "pro-Russian" interference in his country's affairs after the right-winger…
CDU splits over cooperation with hard-left Linke
Germany's Christian Democrats (CDU) have split over the question of cooperating politically with the hard-left party Die Linke.