As MEPs gather on Tuesday (16 july) in Strasbourg for the constitutive session of the next European Parliament, the first contours of the new political dynamics will become apparent. Out of the 720 members, the EUobserver has picked out seven lawmakers worthy to keep an eye on in the next term
The Altenative for Germany’s new Sovereigntist group in the European Parliament — the third rightwing outfit there — illustrates how far-right parties in Europe have increased both in popularity and in variety. But don’t start calling them national conservatives, experts warn.
A group of former government leaders call on the G20 to support the Brazilian plan to devise a global tax for the ultra-rich, pointing to the need for effective cooperation to combat tax avoidance and evasion. Though some scepticism remains, the plans command increasing support at the EU level as well.
A cross-party alliance of MEPs has called upon the next commission to reform the EU’s rules on public procurement. The current rules, which prioritise the lowest price, undermine the bloc’s social policy, they argue.
Europeans with disabilities continue to face pervasive problems in workplace and labour market accessibility, according to a new report by the European Disability Forum. Obstacles highlighted include a lack of accessible hiring practices and insufficient provision of assistive technology.
The European Parliament’s political groups have drawn up their wish lists for committee chair positions in the next parliament. Though the European People’s Party predictably claimed the most powerful positions, the list is by no means final, with the newly-formed hard-right Patriots of Europe likely to come away empty-handed.
Viktor Orban’s newly-founded Patriots of Europe has quickly become the third-largest political group in the European Parliament, after French National Rally and Italian League joined on Monday. But despite their size, the Patriots are unlikely to wield much influence, due to the parliament’s ‘cordon sanitaire’.
The Polish Law and Justice Party (PiS) has resisted the calls of Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbán to join his newly formed Patriots of Europe grouping, thwarting his ambitions for a Visegrad alliance and a new biggest group on the right.
The new Dutch government was officially sworn-in on Tuesday. The handover comes as outgoing prime minister, Mark Rutte, tried to allay apprehensions of the coalition involving the far-right PVV, promising continuity with his own policies. But the composition of the cabinet already indicates otherwise.
EU citizen’s freedom of movement is hampered by the inadequate recognition of professional qualifications, according to a new report by the European Court of Auditors. Issues highlighted include widely-divergent application of EU law, and the lack of uptake of alert mechanisms.
French voters will cast their ballots on Sunday (30 June) in the first round of parliamentary elections. With the far-right on top of the polls, president Emmanuel Macron’s snap election bet could prove a catastrophic mistake, while markets tremble over parties’ big spending plans.
EU leaders discussed Europe’s defence industry needs during the European Council on Thursday (27 June). French negotiators brokered a compromise with leaders quickly shutting down suggestions of common borrowing.
Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte attended his final European Council, before moving to his new job as Nato chief. Though Rutte departs as a respected powerbroker in EU politics, the so-called “grease-man” was not always so well-liked, nor so at ease on the European stage.
Despite Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni’s successful effort to moderate her image abroad, back home her staunchly conservative family politics are endangering the rights of LGBTQ+ families and women’s access to abortion, experts, activists and citizens warn.
Apple’s app store imposes restrictions on freely ‘steering’ users that are in breach of the Digital Markets Act (DMA), the commission announced in preliminary findings.
Ursula von der Leyen’s bid for re-election as EU Commission president is increasingly under pressure after group reshuffles in the European Parliament.
The Belgian EU presidency decided at the last minute to remove a vote on the controversial Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) regulation from the EU ambassadors’ agenda. Dubbed ‘Chat control’ by its opponents, support for the law dwindled, amid concerns over privacy and encryption.
The EU’s limit volumes for Ukrainian agricultural imports have already been reached for eggs and oats, with the threshold of sugar approaching, the commission said on Wednesday (June 17). Introduced to appease angry European farmers, the news illustrates how tight the limits are.
French president Emmanuel Macron’s parliamentary election gamble has send shockwaves through France and beyond, now even causing the captain of the national football team to chime in. But what can be expected from the French vote, and what happens after the polls?
With a deal on the EU top-jobs all but clinched, the next item on the European council’s to do list is the EU Strategic Agenda, specifying the bloc’s strategic priorities for the next five years. Leaked drafts indicate a clear priority of security over climate, but experts downplay worries.