As the dust settles on another wild one, let POLITICO help you reminisce by rattling through, in no particular order, the 37 words on every extremely-online political type’s lips this year. TWO-TIER JUSTICE: A big talking point of comeback kid Nigel Farage and his fans. They argued that the British justice system treated white and … Read more
The warning comes a day after the Tesla CEO doubled down on his support for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party in an opinion piece in the German newspaper Welt am Sonntag. He argued that the AfD was the “last spark of hope” for the country. While the conservative Christian Democratic Union is leading the … Read more
LONDON — Nigel Farage has challenged the main U.K. opposition Conservative Party to carry out an audit of its membership figures after claiming his upstart Reform UK had eclipsed it. The Brexiteer used the festive period to declare Reform the “real opposition,” unveil a flashy “ticker” to count up new recruits and claim his party … Read more
POLITICO’s 2024 Backhanded Awards There has never been a more deserving set of “winners.” By EDDY WAX Illustration by Ellie Foreman-Peck for POLITICO The Ursula von der Leyen Award for Not Being Charles Michel: António Costa Charles Michel has left office with a unique legacy: He’s the only European Council president to have quit twice. … Read more
Kemi Badenoch, Tory leader: Alcohol and butter make everything better. | Sebastein Bozon/Getty Images Steve Reed, environment secretary: I’m barbecuing the turkey this year, so I can’t tell you yet whether that’s a top tip or a total disaster! Other than that — brining the turkey overnight massively improves the flavor. Liz Truss, ex-prime minister: My top … Read more
“It is an odd choice if you’re trying to build bridges with the Trump administration,” said Dalibor Rohac of the American Enterprise Institute. And Mandelson’s past censures of Trump have already drawn the ire of his loyalists, with top campaign adviser Chris LaCivita dubbing him “an absolute moron” on social media. But perhaps Mandelson will … Read more
Magdeburg police reported late Friday that the suspect was a man from Saudi Arabia, which fueled the far-right anger. (German authorities had neither confirmed the violence was terrorism nor tied the suspect to any terror groups at the time of publication.) Alice Weidel, chair of Germany’s anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, pointedly asked “When … Read more
Musk, who is closely allied to U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, has longed expressed sympathy for the AfD — but, also, some uncertainty about the party’s stances. “Why is there such a negative reaction from some about AfD?” the tech billionaire wrote on X in June. “They keep saying ‘far right,’ but the policies of AfD that … Read more
“A top priority for them is maintaining the support of ‘Red Wall’ voters, many of whom voted for Brexit, and the party is concerned that any significant deepening of relations could be seen as somehow undoing Brexit.” Ringing in the New Year The nervous caution in London is being noticed in Brussels. After leading a … Read more
LONDON — Peter Mandelson looks set for a new life in the United States after a long and sometimes-controversial career in British public life. An announcement confirming him as the government’s choice for next U.K. ambassador to Washington is expected from No.10 Downing Street Friday. It’s a remarkable next chapter for Mandelson, who is staunchly … Read more
