BRUSSELS — The European Commission greenlighted Hungary’s medium-term fiscal-structural plan on Thursday after Budapest provided the bloc’s executive with updated and previously missing data. Hungary is now forecast to exit the additional surveillance regime for overspending countries in 2026. According to the new document, the country’s deficit — the difference between budget revenues and expenditures … Read more
“We are not ashamed of negotiating,” Socialist Party leader Olivier Faure told lawmakers on Thursday before the vote. “We are and will remain in the opposition … but we’ve showed our openness to compromise.” The Socialists had previously signaled they might support Thursday’s no-confidence motion if they weren’t given assurances that the pensions debate would … Read more
Another no-confidence vote The real test is further down the line when the 2025 budget bill returns to parliament, which could lead to another vote of no-confidence in late January. It’s likely then that the far right will vote against the government, so Bayrou needs to pick off enough left-wing MPs to survive without alienating … Read more
Es ist eine Kehrtwende, die Außenministerin Annalena Baerbock verärgern und auch Verteidigungsminister Boris Pistorius wenig positiv stimmen dürfte. Anders als noch vor Weihnachten will das Bundeskanzleramt nun doch vorerst keinen weiteren drei Milliarden Euro an Ukraine-Hilfen zustimmen. Es sei unredlich, dies vor der Wahl zu tun, sagt die SPD. Die Grünen dagegen nennen es unverantwortlich. … Read more
Red lines Resuming the free-trade talks with Washington would be a red line for France and put Paris and Berlin at odds. Still, Merz’s more critical tone toward China, which contrasts with the fealty shown by Scholz and longtime CDU Chancellor Angela Merkel, might bring Berlin closer to the position defended by Paris and the … Read more
A healthy relationship with Beijing is “squarely in our national interest,” Reeves said on Saturday as she announced agreements “worth £600 million to the U.K. economy over the next five years.” Speaking during a visit to U.K. bicycle maker Brompton’s Beijing store, Reeves insisted she would not alter her economic plans. “I have been really … Read more
COLOMBO: Sri Lanka’s president will travel to the island’s largest bilateral lender China next week ahead of his first national budget, the information minister said on Tuesday (Jan 7). The visit comes a month ahead of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s first budget, which is expected to outline his plans to sustain the country’s painful recovery from … Read more
Ministries Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of the federal government will start appearing before members of the National Assembly on Tuesday to defend their budgetary allocations for the 2025 fiscal year. Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, Adeola Olamilekan, disclosed this on Monday during a meeting with committee chairmen and principal officers of the Senate. … Read more
The Irish permanent representation to the EU’s transition team initially reached out to incoming commissioners by email, rather than setting meetings or leveraging relationships with key decision-makers, three officials said. Two officials said senior diplomats should have played a larger role in negotiations, rather than leaving talks to the permanent representation and to McGrath’s team. … Read more
“We have negotiated honestly and for a long time,” Nehammer said in a statement on X on Saturday. “No agreement is possible with the SPÖ on key points,” he added. “The People’s Party stands by its promises: We will not agree to measures that are hostile to benefits and business, nor to new taxes,” Nehammer … Read more
