Still, that deep EU knowledge provides a marked distinction between Rutte (who was Dutch PM for 14 years) and his predecessor (who comes from non-EU Norway). “I’m good friends with all the senior leaders in EU, and I’m looking forward to working with them,” Rutte said, adding that he’s scheduled meetings with European Commission President … Read more
However, the euroskeptics in Budapest or Bratislava don’t have the clout to hollow out the EU on their own. But if joined by founding members like Italy, and perhaps The Netherlands, their promise — or threat — of turning the bloc into a “Europe of nations” becomes ever more possible. Plus, for the right-wing populists … Read more
Representatives from Reform, the liberal Estonia 200 party and the center-left Social Democrats already began coalition negotiations on July 8, with Michal leading the discussions. All parties hope to reach an agreement by the end of July, and the new government will likely take office at the beginning of August. EU leaders picked Kallas for … Read more
Mitterrand held office from 1981 to 1995 and remains France’s longest-ever serving president. He died in 1996 at the age of 79. The one where … Netanyahu feels nostalgic for Yeltsin Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu mistakenly referred to his British counterpart Boris Johnson as Boris Yeltsin, the former (and very much dead) Russian president, at a … Read more
Listen on Spotify Apple Music Acast Straight from the European Council summit, we bring you the latest news and analysis on a range of tough issues on the leaders’ agenda. Host Sarah Wheaton is joined by POLITICO colleagues Barbara Moens and Aitor Hernández-Morales to discuss how EU leaders agreed on who they want to lead … Read more
EU leaders have chosen Germany’s Ursula von der Leyen for a second term as European Commission president, three EU diplomats told POLITICO. At a meeting in Brussels, the national leaders also picked Portugal’s António Costa and Estonia’s Kaja Kallas for the most senior positions at the European Council and the EU’s foreign policy service, respectively. … Read more
National leaders failed to agree on who should get the EU’s top jobs last week — so now it’s time for another high-stakes summit in Brussels. Since they were last here, six EU leaders from centrist parties announced that Germany’s Ursula von der Leyen, Portugal’s António Costa, and Estonia’s Kaja Kallas should get the most senior positions … Read more
Heute wird der Kanzler eine Regierungserklärung abhalten, diesmal zum Europäischen Rat und zur NATO. Doch sicherheitspolitisch sind die Augen inzwischen auf einen ganz anderen gerichtet: Boris Pistorius. Mehrmals hat der Verteidigungsminister abgeliefert: Seine Pläne für einen modernisierten Wehrdienst kommen auch bei der Opposition gut an, und in der Koalition setzt er sich mit seinen Finanzierungwünschen … Read more
What are the next steps? The three main political groups’ lead negotiators are in constant talks about locking in the current top jobs package when EU leaders meet next week. Ahead of that meeting, the negotiators have penciled in a video call, two officials briefed on the negotiations said. Then the ball will be in … Read more
An unusually early consensus appears to be emerging around the preferred names to sit at the EU’s top table: Germany’s Ursula von der Leyen for a second term as European Commission president, Portugal’s António Costa as European Council president, Malta’s Roberta Metsola as the European Parliament boss and Estonia’s Kaja Kallas as foreign policy chief. … Read more
