Author: staff
Cyprus’ balancing act As holder of the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU, Cyprus is required to make changes to the European Commission’s proposal, which envisages €1.8 trillion in expenditure between 2028 and 2034. Including repayments for Covid-era debt, total spending would come to nearly €2 trillion, or 1.26 percent of the combined gross national income of all EU countries. That would be an increase from the current EU budget, which amounts to 1.1 percent of member countries’ cumulative gross national income. “Cohesion Policy (regional payments), CAP (agriculture subsidies) and the CFP (fishing policy) are the only policies…
Avec la 9e édition du sommet “Choose France” au château de Versailles, Emmanuel Macron démarre une tournée d’adieux qui ne dit pas son nom. Le compte à rebours a commencé : il quittera l’Elysée le 14 mai 2027 sans pouvoir se représenter. S’en suivront les derniers sommets du G7, de l’Otan ou le défilé du 14 juillet. Comment l’Elysée anticipe cette dernière année avant son départ ? Quelqu’un d’autre que lui défendra-t-il son bilan ? Anthony Lattier en discute avec Pauline de Saint Remy dans le premier épisode du podcast de POLITICO “Playbook Paris”.
He pointed to the rate of failed asylum seekers who leave the bloc, which recent Eurostat figures put around 27 percent. “We must give the people the feeling back that we have control over what’s happening,” he said. Under the deal, countries will be allowed to send people who’ve been ordered to leave EU territory to so-called “return hubs” outside the bloc — an option several EU countries are already exploring, but which civil society groups warn could open the door to more abuse and human rights violations. The text also introduces stricter rules for dealing with people who are…
Mette Frederiksen is set to return as Danish prime minister by forming a center-left coalition government following drawn-out negotiations lasting more than two months. The four-party coalition, expected to bring together Frederiksen’s Social Democrats, the Moderates, Green Left and the Social Liberals, has been agreed, according to the DR public broadcaster. The incoming PM was to meet King Frederik X Monday night to inform him of the newly formed government before it is presented, likely tomorrow. Denmark’s March 24 parliamentary elections delivered incumbent PM Frederiksen’s Social Democrats their worst result in more than a century. Despite the setback, she managed…
By Babak Kamiar & Peter Barabas & Aleksandar Brezar Published on 01/06/2026 – 20:37 GMT+2•Updated 21:46 In a fast-moving chain of events on Monday, US President Donald Trump said no Israeli troops will be “going to Beirut, and any troops that are on their way, have already been turned back” after talking to both Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Hezbollah. In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said he had “a very good call with Hezbollah, and they agreed that all shooting will stop — that Israel will not attack them, and they will not attack Israel”. Trump further assuaged anxieties by…
Kushner, who heads private equity firm Affinity Partners, has a separate real estate portfolio estimated at billions of dollars. He also serves as Trump’s special envoy for peace and is involved in diplomatic negotiations on Gaza, Iran and the war in Ukraine. Critics have raised questions about the overlap between his business empire and political roles. In August 2024, Kushner unveiled plans for Affinity Partners to turn the site into a luxury resort and in early 2026 he visited the area with his wife, Ivanka. In a recent interview with POLITICO, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama confirmed talks were ongoing…
The United Nations has issued an urgent plea for calm and respect for the agreed ceasefire after Israel pushed its offensive into Lebanon, a move that puts fragile US-Iran peace talks on the brink of collapse. “We are deeply alarmed by the escalation in military activities across southern Lebanon and beyond,” Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, said. “We urge all actors to respect the cessation of hostilities and avoid further escalation.” The UN call came amid Israeli government ordered strikes on the southern suburbs of Beirut on Monday, a day after its ground forces reached their furthest…
Withering verdicts on Starmer’s top team and the inner workings of the security vetting system are included in second batch of documents covering Peter Mandelson’s appointment as U.S. ambassador to Washington. 4 HRS ago 11 mins read
Vilnius turned into a pink playground over the weekend as thousands of locals and tourists took part in a three-day festival built around Lithuania’s famous cold beet soup, šaltibarščiai. The city mixed food, music and street events, with pink foam slides and river-side races adding to the atmosphere. At the centre of the celebration was a shared lunch known as the “Pink Break”, where long tables filled with people from around the world ate the bright soup together. Organisers said more than 100,000 visitors were expected, with tonnes of kefir used in the soup across the event. The festival has…
“We will have to listen to everybody’s position before we reach a final agreement,” cautioned one EU official who was granted anonymity to speak frankly. A number of EU countries had called for sanctions against Israeli Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir over his taunting of activists apprehended while attempting to circumvent Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza in May. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reprimanded Ben-Gvir following the publication of a video of the incident, saying the minister’s behavior was “not in line with Israel’s values and norms.” “The European Council condemns the mistreatment of detainees following the interception of…