Browsing: Europe

Europe is a continent and is different to the European Union.

Switzerland’s non-membership of the EU means it is viewed as more neutral than countries like Austria, Ireland or Sweden.

France’s Health Minister Aurelien Rousseau resigned as the government of President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday sought to quell a party revolt over the passing of tough new immigration legislation backed by the far right. Following 18 months of wrangling over one of the flagship reforms of Macron’s second term, the French parliament passed the controversial legislation endorsed by Marine Le Pen’s National Rally (RN) Tuesday. Expected to address the reform in a television interview on Wednesday evening, Macron “will need to explain why he thinks this law was so important to pass,” FRANCE 24’s Clovis Casali said.

Jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny did not appear at a scheduled court hearing on Monday and has not been seen or heard from in 15 days. Amid speculation that he has been secretly moved to another prison or is seriously unwell, the UN has raised concerns of an “enforced disappearance” that would coincide with the launch of President Vladimir Putin’s campaign for re-election in March 2024. 

France lawmakers seek agreement on tougher immigration bill EU

A group of French lawmakers met on Tuesday to try and strike a deal on a contested bill that will toughen France’s immigration laws and has highlighted the difficulties for President Emmanuel Macron of running the country with no majority in parliament. Beyond the details of the controversial bill on which left and right-wing lawmakers sought to see eye to eye, “this is a political power struggle, a tug of war for who is really controlling this flagship law,” FRANCE 24’s Catherine Norris Trent said.

French lawmakers and senators prepared to hammer out a compromise over a beleaguered immigration bill on Monday as President Emmanual Macron’s government hoped to salvage what is seen as a flagship reform of his second term. French authorities have been seeking to push through legislation to harden France’s immigration law, but members of the right-wing and left-wing opposition last week joined forces to vote down the draft law without even debating the measures. A mixed parliamentary commission consisting of seven upper house senators and seven lower house lawmakers was expected to meet from 5:00 pm (1600 GMT) Monday in a bid to thrash out a compromise text. FRANCE 24’s Catherine Norris Trent reports.

Russia’s ruling party backs Putin’s bid ahead of March election EU

Delegates from Russia’s ruling party unanimously backed President Vladimir Putin ’s bid for re-election at a party conference in Moscow on Sunday, state agencies reported, just a day after the Kremlin leader’s supporters formally nominated him to run in the 2024 presidential election as an independent. Meanwhile Putin warned of “problems” with neighbouring Finland after it joined NATO earlier this year, saying Moscow will create a new military district in north-west Russia in response, in an interview published Sunday.