Author: Olga Winter - EU Newsdesk

“If you zoom out of France and look at the whole of Europe, you see that by appointing Michel Barnier as prime minister the once moderate Emmanuel Macron has brought his country into line with many of its neighbours. On the same weekend, the AfD only narrowly lost to the SPD in the Brandenburg elections. … In Belgium, a poll published on Saturday showed a Flanders that is further to the right in its voting preferences than ever before – Vlaams Belang is on form. … Above all, these events mark the end of a week in which the new EU Commission has been dominated by the right.”

Zelensky prepares victory plan to present to Joe Biden Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is preparing to present his “plan for victory” during a visit to the US this week, where he will meet with President Joe Biden. Following his meeting with Biden, Zelensky aims to share the plan with Congress and the two leading figures in the upcoming US election—Vice-President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump. Trump has been critical of US support for…

Scholz’s SPD narrowly defeats far-right AfD in crucial Brandenburg election Germany’s Chancellor Olaf Scholz narrowly avoided a significant political setback as exit polls suggest his Social Democratic Party (SPD) managed to hold off the far-right in his home state of Brandenburg. In Sunday’s regional election, Scholz’s centre-left SPD reportedly won by a slim margin, securing just one or two percentage points more than the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), according to exit polls from the…

France on the verge of naming new government France is on the verge of unveiling a new government, with the final decision awaiting approval from President Emmanuel Macron. After months of political manoeuvring and a snap legislative election that left more questions than answers, Prime Minister Michel Barnier was seen heading to the Élysée Palace on Thursday evening to present his cabinet to President Macron. This follows weeks of difficulty in forming a government in…

Storm Boris batters Italy after causing devastation throughout central Europe Storm Boris continues to wreak havoc across northeastern and central Italy, just days after causing devastating flooding throughout central Europe. In the northeastern region of Emilia Romagna, over 1,000 residents have been evacuated, while severe flooding and disruptions have been reported in the central Marche region. Authorities have confirmed that two people are missing. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced on Thursday that…

Editorial 18.09.24 Thursday’s front pages report on a variety of domestic and international stories with the attack against Hezbollah being one of the most popular stories splashed on the front. ‘Shocking attack against Hezbollah,’ writes Le Monde. The main story on the front page of Le Monde discusses a ‘shocking attack’ in Lebanon involving booby-trapped pagers targeting Hezbollah members. The incident took place on Tuesday, September 17, where hundreds of pagers exploded simultaneously, resulting in…

Quick View – Contents Ursula von der Leyen unveils new European Commission teamEuropean Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has announced her long-awaited list of nominees to make up the next European Commission. Her new team are tasked with challenges including wars on our European doorstep, as well as in the Middle East. Other pressing issues include migration, climate change and economic competitiveness. Ursula von der Leyen’s list of 27 candidates still needs to be approved…

“Forget the soothing diplomatic tones from Dublin – justice is a portfolio nobody wanted. Justice means guaranteed (and often personalised) conflict with states such as Hungary and Slovakia. … The reality is that in a decade Ireland has gone from holding agriculture and rural development (a third of the EU budget), to trade (the crown jewel of the EU’s competencies) via financial services (stripped of the important bits) to the thankless task of policing wannabe European dictators under a ‘democracy shield’.”

“The post-fascist has managed to place one of her loyal followers, Raffaele Fitto, in one of the most influential posts in the Commission. He will become vice-president and commissioner for cohesion and reforms. This means he will be responsible for the European Social Fund and a fund for regional development, among other things. Meloni is over the moon about this decision, as it secures her additional power and influence in Brussels. However with this appointment, Ursula von der Leyen has lodged a political time bomb in her own Commission. Many members of the European Parliament are quite rightly appalled and have announced their opposition to the far-right Italian.”

“Teresa Ribera will be a sort of super commissioner with significant influence on European industrial policy. She will apply the antitrust rules and oversee state aid and mergers. This is a key position and will make Spain one of the EU’s main partners. … In her new term in office, von der Leyen has announced that she is reserving the right to change the structure of the Commission. And she has appointed 40 percent women to the top of the commissions. Although this falls short of the strict parity she had hoped for, she has nevertheless almost doubled the pitiful 22 percent that would have resulted from the governments’ proposals.”

Editorial 16.09.24 Monday’s European newspapers – we take a look at a handful of newspapers from across Europe. From flooding affecting central and Eastern Europe to the assassination of Donald Trump, the European papers cover a lot of ground, from their own domestic stories to international politics as well as shared concerns around illegal immigration. ‘Deadly floods sweep Europe,’ is the lead for Blick. The main story on the front page of Blick reports on…

Italy Deputy PM Faces Possible 6-Year Jail Term For Migrant Boat Blocking Prosecutors in Italy are pushing for a six-year prison sentence for Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini over his decision in August 2019 to block a migrant boat from docking. The boat, operated by the Open Arms charity, was stranded at sea for nearly three weeks before a court ordered it to dock on the island of Lampedusa. Salvini, who was Italy’s interior minister…

The upcoming Kamala Harris and Donald Trump TV debate has found space on the European newspapers today. Whilst not the lead story, many of the newspapers offer their opinion on the Tuesday debate, as polls suggest the race remains tight.

Russian officials claim they intercepted 144 Ukrainian drones in a wave of overnight attacks that resulted in one death and disrupted flights in Moscow.

Ukraine has yet to comment on the drone attack.

Germany will expand its border checks following a tragic knife attack in Solingen, which left three people dead in August. The stricter controls will start September 16 for an initial six-month period.

Critics say the move is a political one rather than being focused on security.

British prisoner among five on run after escaping Portuguese jail A British prisoner is one of five inmates who escaped from a high-security prison in Portugal. The breakout happened at the Vale de Judeus prison, about 43 miles north of Lisbon, on Saturday. The prisoners, including Mark Cameron Roscaleer, escaped by climbing a wall using a ladder and reportedly had outside help. Roscaleer was serving a nine-year sentence for kidnapping and robbery. The other escapees…

Michel Barnier becomes new French PM Veteran French conservative Michel Barnier has been named France’s new Prime Minister, almost two months after the country’s snap elections resulted in a political impasse. The 73-year-old former EU Brexit negotiator takes over from Gabriel Attal, who served as the youngest-ever prime minister for the past eight months. Barnier, who arrived at the Hôtel Matignon in Paris on Thursday evening, emphasised the need for humility and respect towards all…

Seven dead in Lviv in fresh wave of strikes on Ukraine A fresh wave of Russian attacks in Ukraine has claimed the lives of seven people, including three children, in the western city of Lviv, according to Mayor Andriy Sadovy. The deadly strike occurred early Wednesday and involved drones and hypersonic missiles. Among the victims were a baby, two girls aged nine and 14, and a midwife, officials reported. The attack on Lviv comes as…

Twelve die after migrant boat sinks in Channel Twelve people, including six children and a pregnant woman, lost their lives when a boat carrying migrants sank in the English Channel off the French coast. The local prosecutor’s office reported that ten of the victims were female and two were male. The overloaded boat, which had its bottom “ripped open,” was carrying more than 50 people, but fewer than eight were wearing life jackets. The French…

Russian missiles target Kyiv on first day of school year Russia fired a barrage of missiles at Kyiv on Monday, just hours before thousands of children returned to school for the first day of the academic year. The attack damaged a water treatment plant, a metro station entrance used as a shelter, two schools, and a university, according to Mayor Vitali Klitschko. Ukraine’s military reported that its air force destroyed 22 cruise and air ballistic…

Germany’s far-right party, Alternative for Germany (AfD), won big on Sunday, securing victory in the eastern state of Thuringia in a regional election.The victory gives the far right its first win in a state parliament election since World War Two.The AfD also came a close second in Sunday’s other big state election, in the neighbouring state of Saxony.The AfD is seen as a right-wing extremist party in both Thuringia and Saxony.As the far right continues…

Plans to keep Olympic rings on Eiffel Tower sparks row Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo has sparked controversy with her plan to keep the Olympic rings on the Eiffel Tower after the summer Games conclude. She announced her intention to retain the rings, stating she has the backing of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).”The decision is up to me, and I have the agreement of the IOC [International Olympic Committee],” she told the Ouest-France newspaper over…

German far right election victory in east Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party is celebrating a major victory in the eastern state of Thuringia, where it won nearly a third of the vote, outpacing the conservative CDU by nine points. This marks the first time since World War Two that the far right has won a state parliament election in Germany, although the AfD is unlikely to form a government as other parties are…

Russian air strikes on Kharkiv injures at least 41 Russian air strikes have injured at least 41 people in the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, including five children, according to regional officials. Oleh Syniehubov, the head of the Kharkiv region, accused Moscow of targeting civilian infrastructure, noting that a supermarket and a sports complex—both frequented daily by residents—were among the damaged buildings. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reiterated his plea for more support from Western allies, urging…

Germany to tighten knife laws after horror mass stabbing The German government has announced a new security package that includes knife bans and stricter asylum measures following a mass stabbing at a street festival in Solingen, which left three people dead. The attack has shocked the nation and ignited a heated debate over asylum policies, as the primary suspect is a 26-year-old Syrian refugee, Issa Al H, who was already facing deportation. Al H is…