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
Europe’s next national leader looks likely to come from the far right. With Herbert Kickl in pole position to become chancellor of Austria, the European Union’s establishment is bracing for fresh torment ― and another punch in the guts in its stand against Russia’s Vladimir Putin. Kickl, who would become Austria’s first far-right leader since … Read more
Some capitals are also worried their own national champions might be the target of a takeover by a bigger European rival. “Operators of all sizes should have business opportunities in the single market and be able to benefit from and contribute to effective competition,” the document reads. Back off, Mario Draghi didn’t exactly win over … Read more
He also said his Social Democratic Party (SPD) has a “good chance” of winning a new election. The SPD currently trails the CDU by 17 points in the polls, according to BILD. To force Scholz from office, rather than waiting for the chancellor to seal his own fate with a confidence vote he would likely … Read more
The Socialists have signaled it is imperative to secure the safe passage of their clutch of commissioners, above all Spain’s pick, Teresa Ribera, who will be in charge of climate and competition policy. That makes it less likely that they will pick a fight with the center-right EPP, which has claimed the lion’s share of … Read more
Getting the IPR framework right now to unleash long-term innovation EU policies adopted in the next five years will be foundational for Europe’s innovative ecosystem to thrive in the long term, improving conditions for the next wave of intellectual property lifecycles that can take over a decade to bear fruit. A smart and strategic policy … Read more
Governments doing the right thing Signs are starting to emerge of policymakers moving in the right direction. Over the past year, there has been growing acceptance of the need to address the challenges facing the sector. Enrico Letta, former Italian prime minister, has called for the completion of the single market for telecoms, and asked … Read more
The snap legislative election was called by the Macron after his centrist party was trounced in June’s European Union election by the far-right National Rally. While the far right party was tipped sweep the board, the hastily assembled New Popular Front electoral coalition, composed of the main left-wing forces in France, secured a surprise victory. … Read more
Those on the left of the political spectrum will be watching the ECR’s increase in size with apprehension. For months, socialists, Greens and liberals have been warning the EPP not to formally engage with the ECR when it comes to finding a coalition in the new Parliament. But the size of their group will make … Read more
They are expected to reach an informal decision on Monday, before sealing the deal during the next European Council summit on June 27-28. According to Scholz, “everyone agrees that we will quickly decide all these issues in one go.” Earlier this week, Macron had also said he believed EU talks could deliver a decision on Brussels’ … Read more
