China steps in to ease tensions after ambassador’s Soviet bloc remarks spark outrage
Carl Deconinck, April 24
Politics
Latest reporting and analysis on politics.
Mayday-Mayday: Labour day turns violent in France
Labour Day in France was disrupted by protests against the controversial pension reforms pushed through by the Élysée Palace.
Belgian minister denies prisoner swap with Iran
Carl Deconinck, April 26 The Belgian minister of justice has denied press reports of a possible prisoner swap with Iran.
Will the EU’s agreement with Tunisia stem the flow of migrant crossings and save lives?
The European Commission and Tunisia have reached agreement for a partnership to control illegal immigration.
EU selects Di Maio as Gulf chief despite questions regarding his competence
Italy's former foreign minister and deputy prime minister Luigi Di Maio from the 5Star Movement has been put forward for the position of EU special envoy to the…
EC claims Serbia-Kosovo ‘normalisation’ pact is still alive despite flagrant violation
The European Commission on April 25 put on a brave face as the agreement it brokered between Serbia and Kosovo appeared to be breaking down.
Birth control pill in Italy set to be made free
The Italian Medicines Agency (Aifa) has given the green light for free birth control pills for women of all ages.
Eurobarometer poll about Hungary doesn’t tell the whole story
The most recent Eurobarometer poll suggests support for the EU in Hungary has dropped to below 40 per cent.
Finland heading for right-wing government
Petteri Orpo, leader of the centre-right National Coalition party in Finland, said on April 27 that he wants to work with the right-wing Finns party in order to…
Is Belgian Prime Minister De Croo set to launch bid for top EU job?
The EU's migrant pact will be forced upon the Belgian public by prime minister Alexander De Croo, according to MEP Tom Vandendriessche.
Free speech has its limits, says Brussels Commissioner
The European Commission has to protect freedom of speech—by limiting it, according to the Commissioner responsible for media freedom and fundamental rights.
Spain pleads for EU support for farmers suffering ‘historic’ drought
The Spanish government is pleading for help from the European Commission as its farmers suffer a historic drought that looks set to destroy a large part of this…
Is the EU’s green deal an anti-democratic power grab?
The EU’s energy transition policy is “not serving the people” and its raft of new rules about CO2 emissions are being used “to control people,” Dutch MEP…
New European sanctions could take aim at Russian luxury goods
The EU is devising new sanctions against Russia that are expected to close existing loopholes.
Parliamentary immunity of Eva Kaili debated behind closed doors
The European Parliament’s legal affairs committee met in a closed session on April 25 to discuss whether to withdraw the parliamentary immunity of embattled Greek…
EU in ‘warlike mood’, says Hungarian foreign minister
A “warlike mood” pervades the European Union, while those speaking out for peace are coming under “heavy attack”, says the Hungarian Minister of Foreign…
Parliament groups join forces in opposition to migrant pact
Parties in two groups in the European Parliament, the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) and Identity and Democracy (ID), say the upcoming EU migrant pact…
Return of the Reds? The Communist Party achieves another victory in Austrian regional elections
For a long time it seemed as if the “spectre of Communism” has been thoroughly exorcised from Western Europe, but at least in Austria it seems to be enjoying…
European countries scramble to evacuate citizens from violence-torn Sudan
European countries are hastily organizing the evacuation of their nationals from Sudan, where heavy fighting seems to be intensifying.
Borrell wants European warships in Taiwan Strait, but is that realistic?
European war ships need to be patrolling the Taiwan Strait due to increasing Chinese assertiveness, the EU’s chief diplomat has announced.
Twitter checkmarks: EU leaders move from blue to grey
Twitter has discontinued its blue checkmarks amid clamour and concerns of increased risks of impersonation and misinformation, but users following the biggest Brussels…
Surrogacy in Italy: Meloni’s ‘universal crime’
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has called surrogacy a “universal crime”.
It’s not just Twitter: EU’s Digital Services Act could force out smaller platforms
It’s not just social media giant Twitter that could fall foul of new regulations under the European Commission’s forthcoming Digital Service Act (DSA).
EU prepares nuclear sanctions against Russia
The European Commission is working on the EU’s 11th round of sanctions against Russia in response to the war against Ukraine.
Ukraine criticises EU failures on ammo plan
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba says he is frustrated at the slow pace of EU ammunition deliveries as national capitals bicker over which factories should…
European migration deal threatens to topple Swedish Government
The Sweden Democrats are up in arms about the EU’s draft ‘migrant pact’.
Tunisian President orders arrest of prominent Muslim Brotherhood leader
A Tunisian judge on April 17 ordered the arrest of Rached Ghannouchi, the leader of Tunisia’s Islamist Ennahda party, on charges of conspiring against the…
MEPs deny claims they are Putin’s ‘henchmen’
MEPs have dismissed a study claiming they are among the most "pro-Putin" politicians in the European Parliament.
Spitzenkandidat stillborn?
The so-called Spitzenkandidaten system for electing the next European Commission President seems to be dead and buried, according to the vice chairman of the European…
More children and more women at work: Meloni’s new fertility policy
Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called again for a reversal of country's rapidly declining fertility rate at the opening of the Salone del Mobile fair in Milan…