EU Institutions
The Brief – No time for a honeymoon period this summer
Est. 6minAfter seven rollercoaster months, European politicians mostly resemble beat-up-birds these days. And they might not have much time to enjoy their ice-cold poolside drinks this summer.
As Vice-President of the European Parliament, Younous Omarjee wants to protect cohesion funds
Est. 3minYounous Omarjee (GUE/NGL) was elected vice-president of the European Parliament on Tuesday, 16 July, a first for a racially diverse MEP from an outermost region, and he aims to bring the voice of peripheral areas to the heart of the European institutions.
French far-right RN set to join Orbán’s ‘Patriots for Europe’
Est. 3minThe French far-right party Rassemblement national (RN) is set to join the "Patriots for Europe" group formed in the European Parliament by Viktor Orban and his allies, several sources within the party and Lega confirmed to Euractvi on Sunday (July 7).
ENVI: Busiest EU Parliament committee to be split up, says leading EPP lawmaker
Est. 3minThe European Parliament’s environment and health committee (ENVI), burdened with a heavy workload in the last five-year term, is on track to be split up so that it no longer handles health and food safety, according to heavyweight centre-right EU lawmaker Peter Liese.
The Brief – No light at the end of the tunnel?
Est. 5minFrench far right lurches toward power. Viktor Orbán’s Hungary to lead the EU for the next six months. AfD states aim to govern Germany. Pro-Russian patriarch elected in Bulgaria. In the US, Joe Biden’s disastrous debate performance augurs his election route in November.
Emmanuel Macron, Marine Le Pen clash over French EU commissioner pick
Est. 4minThe leader of the French far-right Rassemblement National Marine Le Pen said again that it is her party's role to choose the future French EU Commissioner, showing muscle against the President, two days before the legislative elections.
Von der Leyen’s next challenge: Fishing for votes, left and right
Est. 5minWhile Ursula von der Leyen’s bid for the European Commission presidency may have made it through EU27 leaders' approval, her next big challenge now will be how to woo key parts of the European Parliament.
EU leaders greenlight top job package with Von der Leyen, Costa, Kallas
Est. 4minEU leaders on Thursday gave their political approval to a trio of names - Ursula von der Leyen, Antonio Costa, and Kaja Kallas - to lead the EU's three major institutions over the next five years.
Macron nominates Breton for Commission, media reports
Est. 3minFrance's President Emmanuel Macron will try to nominate Thierry Breton for the European Commission, angling for an expanded portfolio around economic security and defence, Le Monde reported on Thursday (27 June).
The Brief – Hardline EU trio to confront Putin
Est. 6minWe can only second-guess what Vladimir Putin’s goals were when he started the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. We can see that in the meantime, NATO has become bigger and stronger, and today, the EU may agree a lineup of new leaders considered “hawks” towards the Kremlin.
It’s all about placating Italy’s Meloni as EU leaders start top job talks
Est. 5minEU leaders arriving in Brussels on Thursday (27 June) made last-ditch efforts to placate Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni but gave little indication that they will change the proposed EU top job package, which had been agreed without her. .
What to expect from the summit: From top jobs to Zelenskyy’s visit and future of economy
Est. 5minEU leaders are expected to agree a package deal on the EU's top jobs and discuss the geostrategic and policy priorities for the coming years during a busy two-day summit on Thursday and Friday.
EU leaders expected to agree on Von der Leyen, top jobs despite lingering resistance
Est. 6minEU leaders are expected to nominate on Thursday (27 June) incumbent European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen for a second term as part of a top jobs deal, but some lingering resistance is still expected to be part of the negotiations.
German Chancellor Scholz urges hesitant EU leaders to greenlight Von der Leyen fast
Est. 3minEU leaders cannot afford a delay and must nominate incumbent European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen for a second term this summit, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz urged on Wednesday (26 June).
Meloni’s support for EU top jobs deal increasingly uncertain
Est. 4minOn the eve of a European Council summit where EU leaders are supposed to seal the deal on EU top jobs, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni sharply criticised the provisional agreement reached by the majority and indicated that she might oppose it.
Negotiators seal EU top job package deal, but still need EU27 approval
Est. 5minEU leaders representing the three main political groups agreed on Tuesday (25 June) on the EU top job package that would put incumbent European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen forward for a second term, Euractiv has learnt.
The Brief – Ursula von der Leyen’s green 420
Est. 6minOn the hunt for lawmakers to bolster her chances at a second term at the helm of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen may end up taking the Greens to the ball – because, in their own words, they offer stability. It is a story of Germans working with Germans.
EU finds legal way to circumvent Hungarian veto on Ukraine support from frozen Russian assets
Est. 3minEU member states approved on Monday (24 June) a decision to use €1.4 billion in revenue from frozen Russian assets to send military support to Ukraine, after finding a legal way to circumvent a Hungarian veto.
Estonia’s Kaja Kallas, the Kremlin-critic in the run for EU chief diplomat post
Est. 4minEstonia's Prime Minister Kaja Kallas has been tipped as the EU's new chief diplomat in the new top jobs package, but her tough stance on Russia remains an obstacle for some. When EU leaders meet later this week (27-28 June) to …
EU leaders face need to balance top job appointments with future priorities
Est. 6minAs European Union leaders gear up to finalise key appointments at their summit between 27 and 28 June, they will need to strike a delicate balance between competing candidates and pressing priorities.
Why EU leaders were forced to delay the bloc’s top job deal
Est. 6minEuropean Union member state leaders were not able to seal a preliminary deal for a trio of top job positions for the next five years when they met on Monday, despite earlier hopes there could be a swift agreement.
As EU leaders meet to thrash out top jobs deal, questions over Portugal’s Costa remain
Est. 5minAs EU leaders descended on Brussels on Monday (17 June) for an informal EU top job dinner that could see an early political deal on the issue, some asked for clarification as to the Portuguese top job candidate António Costa's …
The Brief – The dinner of frustration
Est. 6minIn psychology, frustration is an emotion arising from perceived obstacles to fulfilling one’s will or goal. In EU politics, frustration is today’s special.
EU leaders expected to agree to top job ‘package deal’ over dinner
Est. 7minAs EU leaders meet on Monday (17 June) evening to discuss the bloc's top institutional jobs after the European election, a quick 'political agreement' might be in the cards.