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Imprisoned journalists in Belarus and Georgia win top EU human rights award
|
Andrzej Poczobut and Mzia Amaglobeli named as Sakharov Prize winners. The European Parliament on Wednesday awarded the Sakharov Prize to jailed journalists Andrzej Poczobut and Mzia Amaglobeli. “Both are journalists currently in prison on trumped-up charges simply for doing their work and for speaking out against injustice,” Parliament President Roberta Metsola said as she announced the winners of the top EU human rights award. “Their courage has made them symbols of the struggle for freedom and democracy.” Poczobut, a journalist and activist from the Polish minority in Belarus, is an outspoken critic of President Alexander Lukashenko’s regime. He has been arrested multiple times and, in 2021, was sentenced to eight years in a penal colony. His health has since deteriorated, the Parliament said. Amaglobeli, a Georgian journalist and director of two media outlets, was arrested in January during anti-government protests. She was sentenced to two years in prison and is the first female political prisoner in Georgia. Metsola also honored the other finalists, namely journalists and aid workers in Palestine, and student activists in Serbia. The Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought is named in honor of Andrei Sakharov, the Soviet physicist and political dissident. Shortlisted candidates are traditionally invited to the Parliament’s award ceremony, which takes place during the December plenary session in Strasbourg. While Budapest received the worst marks for justice in the bloc, Russia and the U.S. led a broader global retreat from the rule of law in 2025. Berlin-Beijing relations are becoming increasingly fragile. “Criminal networks respond with detours, new transit countries, and often even more potent ‘substitute substances,’” German drug and addiction commissioner says. Cops questioned Norbert Bolz about a post on X that featured a Nazi-affiliated slogan.
|
Ferdinand Knapp
|
Andrzej Poczobut and Mzia Amaglobeli named as Sakharov Prize winners.
|
[
"human rights",
"neighborhood",
"rights"
] |
Politics
|
[
"Belarus",
"Georgia"
] |
2025-10-22T12:02:40Z
|
2025-10-22T12:02:40Z
|
2025-10-22T12:03:46Z
| 7,372,566
|
https://www.politico.eu/article/sakharov-prize-imprisoned-journalist-belarus-georgia-andrzej-poczobut-mzia-amaglobeli/
|
Germany backs Selmayr for top Brussels job
|
EU Affairs Minister Gunther Krichbaum told POLITICO the legendary backroom dealer is needed in “the right place.” BRUSSELS — Divisive German civil servant Martin Selmayr should return to Brussels for the sake of the EU, a senior minister declared Wednesday. Speaking to POLITICO, Germany’s EU Affairs Minister Gunther Krichbaum said he would “very much welcome” Selmayr returning to the fray in a senior role. The veteran political operator is considering taking a job working for Brussels’ top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, despite opposition from powerful factions in the European Commission and in national capitals. “If we already have civil servants who are playing at Champions League level, we should deploy them in the right place,” said Krichbaum. “That’s also in Germany’s interest, and it would be good for Kaja Kallas if she had him as support.” A German government official later reached out to POLITICO, saying that “this is not a position agreed by the German government. We will not endorse Mr. Selmayr.” Selmayr was chief of staff to former Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker before becoming secretary-general of the EU’s executive arm until 2019. Since then, he has been posted to Rome as the bloc’s ambassador to the Vatican. Selmayr met with Kallas’ top team in recent weeks, amid the creation of an influential new role in her European External Action Service that would see him represent the diplomatic corps in talks with lawmakers and national governments. However, Commission officials have moved to derail that appointment, instead proposing that Selmayr be offered a role as the EU’s special envoy for religious freedom — a far less sensitive and influential post that would nonetheless facilitate his return to Brussels. A German conservative with deep institutional ties, Selmayr garnered a reputation as the “Monster of the Berlaymont” during his time in the Commission’s Brussels headquarters. His 2018 promotion to oversee the Commission drew condemnation from the European Parliament, which said the process failed “to give other possible candidates within the European public administration the possibility to apply.” This article has been updated with comments from the German government. Berlin-Beijing relations are becoming increasingly fragile. “We didn’t discuss, or take any decision” on the deal with the Latin American countries, the Council chief says. EU minister says controversial civil servant “very much welcome” in Brussels but German government makes clear that is not its official position. The prospect of the divisive civil servant coming back has sparked panic and plotting among some who remember his reign six years ago.
|
Hans von der Burchard
|
EU Affairs Minister Gunther Krichbaum told POLITICO the legendary backroom dealer is needed in “the right place.”
|
[
"eu affairs",
"foreign affairs"
] |
Politics
|
[
"Germany",
"Vatican"
] |
2025-10-22T11:23:43Z
|
2025-10-22T11:23:43Z
|
2025-10-22T12:49:52Z
| 7,372,044
|
https://www.politico.eu/article/germany-martin-selmayr-eu-top-brussels-job/
|
Parliament stalls EU’s first effort to simplify rules for business
|
Move sets up a clash with the European Commission and EU leaders, who are on a drive to roll back legislation quickly. STRASBOURG — Members of the European Parliament on Wednesday rejected a landmark proposal to cut red tape for businesses amid institutional infighting over how far the EU should go to scale back its laws. The decision delays the effort and sets up a clash with the European Commission and EU leaders, who are on a drive to roll back legislation quickly to help the bloc’s industries become more competitive. MEPs will have to vote again on whether they back the Parliament’s compromise position during the next plenary session in November, meaning it will take longer to get the so-called omnibus package approved. It’s a surprise after the Parliament’s centrist political groups reached an agreement to support the deal two weeks ago. Out of 661 lawmakers who voted on Wednesday, 318 were against, 309 in favor and 34 abstained. The vote was a secret ballot — a move pushed by the far-right Patriots group to allow centrist and liberal MEPs to defy their group line without retribution. “This is a worrying signal for Europe’s credibility,” said Tsvetelina Kuzmanova, EU sustainable finance policy lead at the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership, adding: “The focus has shifted from improving the rules to using them as bargaining chips.” Proposed last February, the omnibus bill aims to reduce reporting obligations for companies under the bloc’s sustainability disclosure and supply chain transparency rules. It’s the first of a series of proposals aimed at cutting red tape for businesses under Ursula von der Leyen’s second term as Commission president. Earlier this month, the Parliament’s major centrist groups — the European People's Party, Renew and the Socialists and Democrats — had agreed to roll back reporting obligations for companies after intense negotiations that nearly made their ruling coalition collapse. The groups had major disagreements on how far to roll back the rules, including on whether companies should be legally liable for human rights and environmental violations in their supply chains under EU law, and whether they need to have a transition plan outlining how they intend to meet the emissions reduction objectives of the Paris climate agreement. Wednesday’s outcome opens the door for all political groups to again propose changes to the centrist compromise. “Today’s vote showed that for a huge section of the Parliament, this compromise simply did not go far enough, and for some sections, it went too far,” said European Parliament President Roberta Metsola. The Patriots group is hoping the center-right EPP will now turn to its MEPs and other right-wing parties to find a compromise deal that results in slashing even more EU regulation. “By challenging the negotiation mandate, the Patriots ensured that the Parliament will have the opportunity to reopen the text and introduce substantial improvements,” the group said in a press release. “The goal is to deliver a truly business-friendly framework, one that cuts red tape and strengthens the competitiveness of the European internal market.” Others are hoping for the opposite. “Today’s vote makes it clear that Parliament is not ready to rubber-stamp EPP's blackmail and a deal that weakens Europe’s sustainability framework,” said Greens MEP Kira Marie Peter-Hansen. “The outcome gives us another chance to improve the text and make sure our sustainability and due diligence rules actually matter.” In delaying the process of getting the first omnibus over the line, the Parliament is likely to frustrate EU leaders who are pressuring Brussels to get this done before the end of the year, according to draft conclusions obtained by POLITICO to be adopted Thursday. Leaders from 19 EU countries including Germany, France and Italy on Monday called for a “constant stream” of proposals to simplify the bloc’s rules and boost their economies, in a letter obtained by POLITICO. Parliament leaders expressed frustration at Wednesday’s events. “We had reached an agreement. It’s disappointing when that agreement doesn’t hold,” said the EPP’s Jörgen Warborn, a lead negotiator on the file, during a press conference after the vote. Blaming Socialists MEPs for the rejection, Warborn declined to be drawn on whether the EPP would be looking to pass the file with the support of the far-right in November, insisting that it is now up to S&D to clarify their position. Renew MEP Pascal Canfin said centrist MEPs who voted against Wednesday’s proposal would “face the reality” of their actions next month, adding that Renew would propose to retable the same compromise. The compromise “is the best possible deal,” Canfin said. Metsola indicated she would seek to find a consensus that built on a centrist alliance. “Majorities are always stronger when from the center out, because we believe that this is the way to move Europe forward,” said Metsola. “Now we need to see how to deliver, and I know that this house will deliver.” Max Griera reported from Strasbourg. Marianne Gros reported from Brussels. The European Parliament’s center right weighs turning its back on historical mainstream alliances in its push to cut red tape. Roberta Metsola says the coalition that has traditionally controlled Brussels may no longer always be able to pass legislation. Ursula von der Leyen is selling simplification like a Kinder Egg — sweet on the outside for European business, with a surprise inside for the U.S. president. PARIS — Some signatories of a joint appeal by French and German business bosses to loosen merger rules and scrap environmental laws to promote European industrial “champions” …
|
Marianne Gros
|
Move sets up a clash with the European Commission and EU leaders, who are on a drive to roll back legislation quickly.
|
[
"companies",
"emissions",
"meps",
"negotiations",
"omnibus",
"supply chains",
"sustainability",
"transparency",
"energy and climate",
"competition and industrial policy",
"trade",
"financial services"
] |
Sustainability
|
[] |
2025-10-22T11:12:21Z
|
2025-10-22T11:12:21Z
|
2025-10-22T14:00:19Z
| 7,371,822
|
https://www.politico.eu/article/parliament-stalls-eus-first-effort-to-simplify-rules-for-business/
|
UK sends army officers to monitor Gaza ceasefire
|
British troops will join a US-led task force that is overseeing the fragile truce brokered by Donald Trump last week, amid violence on both sides. LONDON — The U.K. has sent military personnel to Israel to help oversee the ceasefire in Gaza, as the U.S. tries to shore up a fragile truce brokered by Donald Trump. They will join a U.S.-led multinational task force in Israel, known as a civil-military coordination center, which is overseeing the progress of the ceasefire agreement and helping to coordinate humanitarian assistance. A Ministry of Defence spokesperson said “a small number of U.K. planning officers” were now embedded, including a 2-star deputy commander, “to ensure that the U.K. remains integrated into the U.S.-led planning efforts for Gaza post-conflict stability.” “The U.K. continues to work with international partners to support the Gaza ceasefire to see where the U.K. can best contribute to the peace process,” the spokesperson added. The British deputy commander will lead work to decide what further contribution Britain can make, according to defense officials. Keir Starmer’s government has been keen to support the implementation of Trump’s 20-point peace plan, which has been tested in the last week by violence carried out on both sides. Israel said a Hamas attack killed two soldiers on Sunday. Israel responded with air strikes, which killed dozens of Palestinians. US Vice President JD Vance, nonetheless, insisted the agreement was “going better than expected” on a visit to Israel, aimed at maintaining momentum towards talks on the second phase of Trump’s plan. Keir Starmer has argued that the U.K. can play a key role in efforts to stabilize Gaza, both by contributing to the monitoring process and advising on the decommissioning of Hamas’s weapons, drawing on experience in Northern Ireland. There are no plans to send British troops into Gaza, however, and officers are not being sent into a combat zone. Ukraine’s leader capped a week of dramatic escalation by solidifying Europe’s unified front. Amid a row over a collapsed China spying trial, it’s not just Keir Starmer who relies on veteran Northern Ireland peace negotiator Jonathan Powell. Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomes ideas from Europeans about the terms of a truce but says no final proposal has been agreed yet. Embattled Starmer hopes a deal with Kosovo will help meet his migration pledge.
|
Esther Webber
|
British troops will join a US-led task force that is overseeing the fragile truce brokered by Donald Trump last week, amid violence on both sides.
|
[
"defense",
"military",
"stability",
"weapons"
] |
Politics
|
[
"Ireland",
"Israel",
"Northern Ireland",
"United Kingdom",
"United States"
] |
2025-10-22T10:51:04Z
|
2025-10-22T10:51:04Z
|
2025-10-22T10:51:22Z
| 7,372,269
|
https://www.politico.eu/article/uk-send-army-officer-monitor-gaza-ceasefire/
|
Lithuania’s PM fires defense minister after military budget clash
|
Inga Ruginienė’s new government suffers second ministerial casualty. AI generated Text-to-speech Lithuania’s Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė has dismissed Defense Minister Dovilė Šakalienė after a massive bust-up over the Baltic country’s defense budget. The public rift saw Ruginienė last week criticizing fellow Social Democrat Šakalienė for lobbying on the budget behind the government’s back, as Vilnius considers how best to counter potential Russian aggression. Lithuania is one of the three Baltic nations neighboring Russia. It’s increasingly preparing for a potential attack from Moscow by boosting military expenditure and strengthening its borders to fend off an invasion. Šakalienė’s defense ministry had indicated that next year’s military budget would be lower than planned and reportedly sought to pressure the government to increase it during an unofficial meeting with influencers and journalists. “The events of recent weeks were really just the final straw,” the prime minister told reporters on Wednesday after meeting with President Gitanas Nausėda. “While this decision [to boot Šakalienė] came sooner than expected, it may have been unavoidable,” she said. In a scathing rebuke, Ruginienė cited dishonesty, “a complete lack of willingness to cooperate,” poor team management and “various small details” as reasons for dismissing Šakalienė. “It is unfortunate that I have to take this decision and it is certainly a challenging moment for me as Prime Minister,” Ruginienė said. Šakalienė said she’d resigned rather than being pushed out. “I kept my promise. The resignation letter was sent this morning at 10 a.m.” she said in a Facebook post, in which she acknowledged that working with her “was not for the faint-hearted.” “Just a month ago, I had hoped that we could work with the prime minister, but unfortunately, we cannot, as we have fundamentally different views on how to strengthen national defense,” she added. The government has proposed spending 5.38 percent of GDP on defense in 2026, but it still needs to be approved by the parliament. Šakalienė shared photos of budget slides presented at the government meeting on Oct. 1, allocating 4.87 percent of GDP to defense — and an email from the finance ministry on the evening of Oct. 14, the day of the unofficial meeting, which increased the defense budget to 5.38 percent of GDP. Asked whether the initial defense budget was indeed smaller, which triggered Šakalienė’s controversial lobbying session, Ruginienė said it was “strange to interpret draft versions.” “It doesn’t matter when you season the soup — what matters is the final result. The same applies to the budget: what counts is the final outcome, and that’s what’s important,” she said. This is the second ministerial exit since Ruginienė took office in August. Culture Minister Ignotas Adomavičius resigned after just one week in October, following public backlash and protests from Lithuania’s cultural community over the allocation of the related ministry to the populist party Dawn of Nemunas. The Social Democrats have since taken over the culture ministry and are currently searching for a new minister. Potential candidates for defense minister have already been discussed with the president, though Ruginienė has not released any names. Until a new minister is appointed, Interior Minister Vladislavas Kondratovičius will temporarily lead one of the Baltic country’s most strategic ministries. “It is especially important to select the right defense minister, since the defense budget is an absolute priority both for us and for the prime minister," said Nausėda’s chief adviser on national security, Deividas Matulionis, calling the budget for defense “historical.” “This is not just an internal security issue; it is a matter of our international image. The future deployment of a German brigade and the presence of American troops depend on it. Everything is at stake,” he told reporters Wednesday. Šakalienė, in her Facebook post, said that the defense budget cannot be below 5.5 percent of GDP. “This year, the Ministry of Defense managed to secure 5.38 percent (after the well-known Oct. 14 meeting), but funding gaps remain, and some planned acquisitions will have to be canceled,” she said. “We are sending a signal to Belarus that no hybrid attack will be tolerated, and we are taking the strictest measures to stop such attacks,” prime minister says. A Russian fighter and a refueler crossed the EU’s external border Thursday night as the bloc’s leaders discussed their defense plans. Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė points the finger at Belarus over airspace incident. Lithuania’s defense minister Dovilė Šakalienė to resign after prime minister loses trust in her.
|
Giedrė Peseckytė
|
Inga Ruginienė’s new government suffers second ministerial casualty.
|
[
"baltics",
"budget",
"conflict",
"culture",
"defense",
"defense budgets",
"lobbying",
"parliament",
"procurement",
"rights",
"security",
"skills",
"weapons"
] |
Politics
|
[
"Lithuania"
] |
2025-10-22T10:22:35Z
|
2025-10-22T10:22:35Z
|
2025-10-22T10:25:28Z
| 7,371,672
|
https://www.politico.eu/article/hungary-presidency-eu-council-make-europe-great-again/
|
Russia bombs kindergarten in Kharkiv, Ukraine says
|
“These strikes are Russia’s spit in the face of anyone who insists on a peaceful solution,” rages Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy. KYIV — Russian forces struck a kindergarten in Kharkiv with killer drones on Wednesday morning, according to top Ukrainian officials. “There was a direct hit on a private kindergarten in the Kholodnoyarkiy district of Kharkiv. A fire started,” Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov said in a statement. Officials added later that one person, an adult male, had died in the kindergarten strike, and all 48 children were distressed — though none were wounded — and had been evacuated from the site. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said seven people were injured in the nursery strike, which triggered a fresh wave of fury at Moscow. “They are receiving medical care. All children have been evacuated and are in shelters. According to preliminary information, many have an acute stress reaction,” Zelenskyy said on social media. “There is and cannot be any justification for a drone strike on a kindergarten. Russia is becoming more impudent. These strikes are Russia’s spit in the face of anyone who insists on a peaceful solution. Bandits and terrorists can only be put in their place by force,” Zelenskyy said. The Russian defense ministry has not yet issued a statements about strikes on Kharkiv. Ukraine’s president also wants the EU to step up by unlocking Moscow’s frozen assets to help Kyiv. Pyongyang’s soldiers helped the Kremlin repel an offensive by Ukraine on Russian territory in 2024. Moscow digests the U.S. decision to target its oil giants. “The beauty of this decision is its comprehensiveness,” says Ukraine’s sanctions envoy.
|
Veronika Melkozerova
|
“These strikes are Russia’s spit in the face of anyone who insists on a peaceful solution,” rages Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
|
[
"children's health",
"drones",
"war in ukraine"
] |
Politics
|
[
"Russia",
"Ukraine"
] |
2025-10-22T09:49:02Z
|
2025-10-22T09:49:02Z
|
2025-10-22T09:53:55Z
| 7,371,924
|
https://www.politico.eu/article/russia-bomb-kindergarten-kharkiv-ukraine/
|
Seoul targets Europe in arms export push
|
AI generated Text-to-speech Free through the end of 2025, this POLITICO Pro newsletter preview explores the people, policies, and power shifts shaping today’s international security landscape. By JOE GOULD Send ideas here | @reporterjoe | View in your browser WELCOME TO GLOBAL SECURITY. We’re shining the spotlight this week on South Korea’s arms export dreams, white smoke for the European Defence Industry Programme and Berlin’s ambitions to buy the F-35 warplane. Read more about our mission. We’ll publish daily for free during major industry events, and put our otherwise weekly newsletter behind the paywall for U.S. and EU Pro subscribers starting in 2026. Are there new prospects for a Russia-Ukraine peace deal? Email me at [email protected] with tips, pitches and feedback, and find me on X at @reporterjoe. South Korea has an ambitious plan to turn the country into Europe’s go-to arms supplier. President Lee Jae Myung, speaking at the Seoul International Aerospace & Defense Exhibition on Monday, set a new deadline for Seoul’s rise: to become one of the world’s top-four defense exporters by 2030, continuing an industrial push launched under former president Yoon Suk Yeol. Lee pledged record investment in defense and aerospace research and development, promising to cut red tape that stifles innovation. His blueprint calls for fast-track certification of new technologies, expanded support for small and midsize suppliers, and a focus on locally made semiconductors for military use. “We must go beyond exporting advanced products to establishing ourselves as a trusted partner in security cooperation,” Lee said. Lee’s government this year agreed to invest $2 billion over the next two years in 10 defense tech export areas, including AI, aerospace and advanced materials. Seoul man: Chief of Staff Kang Hoon-sik departed Sunday as Lee’s special envoy to Europe, carrying letters to leaders in undisclosed capitals seeking a share of $56 billion in active procurement programs. Kang told reporters his mission is the first of three through mid-2026 — each aimed at deepening industrial collaboration and locking in long-term co-production deals. Why it matters: For Europe, South Korea offers fast weapons at a price and speed the U.S. cannot match. For Washington, it’s a pathway for Europe to rebuild its arsenals the way the Trump administration is pushing. But the country is also a competitor. “When it comes to the weapons that Korea is selling to Europe, the U.S. could provide them, but it would be more costly,” said Ramon Pacheco Pardo, professor of international relations at King’s College London and the KF-VUB Korea Chair at the Brussels School of Governance. “Korea has the industrial capacity to do so, and it manages its defense industry as if war could break out tomorrow.” By the numbers: South Korea ranks 10th globally in arms exports and supplies 6.5 percent of European NATO imports — on par with France and ahead of Germany— according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. Seoul’s defense acquisition agency reported a record $17.3 billion in sales in 2022 — driven by several major deals with Poland—and then fell to $9.5 billion last year. It has set a lofty $23 billion target for this year. Europe’s rearmament boom, now driven by NATO’s plan to raise collective defense spending to 5 percent of GDP by 2035, is expanding demand for South Korean hardware. Warsaw is the flagship buyer from the country, with a $22 billion multiyear framework for K2 tanks, K9 howitzers and FA-50 jets, while similar deals are reportedly in the works for Romania, Slovakia and the U.K. “Korea still sees Europe as a region in which it will be able to increase sales over the next few years,” said Pacheco Pardo. “Obviously, the signature agreement is the one with Poland. But the Baltic states and many countries in Central and Eastern Europe have been buying from Korea or plan to do so and are engaged in negotiations.” RoK and rules: Kang’s envoy tour aims to extend Seoul’s reach into Europe’s defense economy. The goal is to lock in co-production deals with NATO industries. Even if Europe’s protectionist rules encourage capitals to buy locally made weapons, Korean firms can still provide parts or subsystems that make up those systems. “Europe will continue to prefer to buy from European companies when possible, but we’re already seeing that it’s open to co-production, to local assembly,” he said. “Korea understands this and is happy to have that kind of partnership because it allows it to access the market more easily.” Europe recognizes Seoul as an industrial powerhouse, able to deliver faster and cheaper than Western rivals. If a country urgently needs howitzers, say, it’s not going to wait for a domestic supplier. Political pitch: Lee’s focus on defense could also resonate at home. “It’s a big industry in Korea that creates many jobs,” Pacheco Pardo said. “Especially outside of Seoul and the surrounding region, that matters because you can create high-quality jobs and maintain Korea’s status as a manufacturing power.” The European Union just sealed a deal on the €1.5 billion European Defence Industry Programme, or EDIP — a big step toward making Europe less dependent on U.S. and other foreign suppliers for its weapons. The agreement between the European Parliament and EU member states sets eligibility rules for this new European defense funding pot and is designed to reward countries that buy weapons jointly, rather than going it alone. The goal is to make the bloc more coordinated, efficient and self-sufficient in arming itself. Why it matters: With EDIP, Europe is vying to stand on its own industrial feet. That eases Washington’s defense burden in Europe. But it may also sideline U.S. defense firms since the EU grants favor equipment designed and built by European firms. ‘Kind of quick’: The program took roughly a year and a half to negotiate — “for the EU, that’s kind of quick,” said our colleague Laura Kayali in Paris, noting that some bills can take more than three years. The €1.5 billion in grants will go either to reimburse governments for joint weapons purchases or directly to companies to boost production capacity. One of EDIP’s key goals is to get EU governments to buy weapons together, lowering costs and boosting allied militaries’ ability to work together. The idea is to overcome national instincts to keep defense spending at home, a dynamic that’s long fragmented Europe’s arms market. Eligibility was the thorniest issue. EDIP funds can’t go toward weapons with more than 35 percent of components made outside the EU or associated countries, and companies must control the intellectual property, or what Brussels calls “design authority.” As Laura explained, “It is allowed only for missiles and ammunition on the condition that the European company will get design authority by 2033. Otherwise, you have to give the money back.” Countries that build foreign equipment under license — notably Germany, which makes U.S. Patriots — lobbied for flexibility. The compromise gives them a path in, but they would have to forge a deal with Patriot-maker RTX for the intellectual property. Is it SAFE?: EDIP differs from the EU’s SAFE scheme, which involves €150 billion in loans that must be repaid. EDIP, by contrast, uses grants from the EU budget, which makes them a direct investment in Europe’s industrial base. What’s next: Formal adoption and publication in the EU’s official journal, after which the European Commission will decide how to allocate the money. That will trigger the next round of debate over where the money will go. Berlin has formally listed its latest procurement of Lockheed Martin’s F-35A jets in its 2026 defense budget draft, according to internal documents seen by our colleague Chris Lunday in Berlin. Shopping list: The entry earmarks €2.5 billion for a supplemental buy, signaling plans to expand Germany’s future fleet beyond the 35 aircraft already ordered in 2022. The F-35s are meant to replace its aging Tornado fleet, which carries U.S. nuclear bombs stored in Germany. What’s new: Chris first reported in July that the government was weighing the purchase of 15 additional F-35s, citing multiple people familiar with the talks. At the time, the Defense Ministry denied it. But it now appears in the Bundeswehr’s classified procurement annex. It’s the clearest proof yet that Berlin doesintend to scale up its investment in the American-made stealth jet. Political fallout: The update could raise new tensions with Paris, which has long accused Germany of undermining the joint Future Combat Air System fighter project by buying even more U.S. hardware. It also highlights Berlin’s pivot from one-off spending toward more concrete plans for purchases over multiple years. President Donald Trump on Monday ended months of limbo for the AUKUS nuclear-powered submarine pact during a White House meeting with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. “We’re just going now full steam ahead,” Trump said.
|
Joe Gould
|
[] |
Uncategorized
|
[] |
2025-10-22T09:30:00Z
|
2025-10-22T09:30:00Z
|
2025-10-22T09:30:00Z
| 7,371,258
|
https://www.politico.eu/newsletter/global-security/seoul-targets-europe-in-arms-export-push/
|
|
London battles Scotland over who pays for Trump, Vance visits
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The Scottish government wants Westminster to fund the politicians’ trips. But the Treasury won’t open its wallet. AI generated Text-to-speech LONDON — The Scottish government doesn’t want to pay the bill for Donald Trump and JD Vance’s summer trips — and London doesn’t want to stump up the cash either. Scotland’s Finance Secretary Shona Robison, who represents the independence-supporting Scottish National Party, wants to recoup around £20 million in policing and security costs from the London-based Treasury for the U.S. president’s trip to his Scottish golf courses in July, according to the BBC. Robison also wants Whitehall to pay £6 million for policing Vance’s holiday in Ayrshire in August. However, the British government insists Scotland must pick up the tab as they were private visits rather than official government business. In a letter to Chief Secretary to the Treasury James Murray, Robison said: “There is a clear previous precedent, where the U.K. government has supported policing costs for visits to devolved nations by foreign dignitaries.” The Treasury says it will only foot the bill when it has issued a formal invitation to the visiting leaders. Yet Robison insisted Trump’s trip was “diplomatically significant” and not covering the cost would “strain devolved budgets [and] set a troubling precedent for future high-profile visits.” During his July visit, Trump met Prime Minister Keir Starmer, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Scottish First Minister John Swinney. A U.K. government spokesperson said: “These were private visits by the president and vice president to Scotland, not official U.K. government business. The Scottish government are responsible for policing costs in Scotland as per agreed devolved funding arrangements.” Officials in Edinburgh disagree. “The visits imposed substantial operational and financial burdens on Scottish public services,” Scottish Public Finance Minister Ivan McKee said. “These visits were significant in terms of U.K. government international relations, with the prime minister formally meeting the president during his visit in two separate locations in Scotland. The costs cannot be deemed solely a matter for the Scottish government.” The Tory leader asked the PM to confirm income tax, national insurance and VAT wouldn’t be increased next month. He refused to answer. Former British PM says Tory pledges to roll back climate reforms are an “extreme and unnecessary measure.” She will serve as Keir Starmer’s deputy from the backbenches — and could cause a headache for the embattled British prime minister. Counterterrorism official says there’s been a spike in ‘proxies’ being recruited by foreign intelligence services.
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Noah Keate
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The Scottish government wants Westminster to fund the politicians’ trips. But the Treasury won’t open its wallet.
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[
"british politics",
"finance",
"golf",
"policing",
"security",
"westminster bubble"
] |
Politics
|
[
"Scotland",
"United Kingdom",
"United States"
] |
2025-10-22T08:54:49Z
|
2025-10-22T08:54:49Z
|
2025-10-22T08:54:56Z
| 7,371,453
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https://www.politico.eu/article/london-scotland-battle-over-who-pays-donald-trump-jd-vance-visit/
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Helium balloons carrying smuggled cigarettes shut down Lithuania’s main airport
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Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė points the finger at Belarus over airspace incident. AI generated Text-to-speech You thought the drones were a problem? Try helium balloons. Lithuanian authorities shut airspace over Vilnius after “several dozen” balloons were spotted in the skies late Tuesday, part of a cigarette-smuggling operation. Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė told a press briefing Wednesday morning that she was holding a top-level summit to discuss the issue, as she pointed the finger at Belarus. “Today I am urgently convening a meeting of the National Security Committee — it will take place at 1:30 p.m. This morning I already demanded that everyone come with concrete solutions. We must discuss this situation immediately and we must find — not debate, but find — what to do,” she said. “I would very much like Belarus to take responsibility for these incidents," Ruginienė added. "Regardless of our political relations, on a technical level we must cooperate. It’s abnormal that so many balloons are crossing our border, and we have to chase them down and prevent them from reaching our strategic sites.” The balloons, first detected around 10:30 p.m., prompted the closure of Vilnius Airport, diverting or canceling 30 flights and stranding about 4,000 passengers, the airport’s spokesperson said. The airport was reopened at 6:30 a.m. on Wednesday. “We see that the balloons were not launched from a single point — it was a coordinated operation,” said Vilmantas Vitkauskas, head of the National Crisis Management Center, adding there was an investigation underway to clarify “who ordered this operation.” Border Guard Commander General Rustamas Liubajevas said “several dozen” balloons were detected and 12 intercepted. Earlier, he said the "total number" could be up to 200. He added four suspects had been detained. “This number will change during the day, as criminal intelligence operations are still ongoing,” he said. Europe has been grappling with how to protect its airspace after a spate of drone sightings and airport closures in recent months. Denmark, which has repeatedly been targeted in the incursions, has pointed the finger at Russia and claimed the continent is in a "hybrid war." Lithuania has been the target of smugglers’ balloons before. Twenty-five balloons were launched from Belarus earlier this month, with some floating directly over Vilnius Airport, forcing its closure. “The airport area must be fully protected so that flights are not further disrupted. We’ll discuss this in the committee today, and I truly expect answers from the competent institutions,” Ruginienė said Wednesday. Belgium’s government is moving to curb benefits for its unemployed. Vilnius is just being “petty,” Belarusian leader says. “The battle is not over yet,” Hungarian prime minister says, teeing up a possible fight with the White House. A packed agenda promised a summit of fireworks. Nothing really took off.
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Seb Starcevic
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Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė points the finger at Belarus over airspace incident.
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[
"airports",
"airspace",
"borders",
"drones",
"intelligence",
"war",
"mobility"
] |
Politics
|
[
"Belarus",
"Denmark",
"Lithuania",
"Russia"
] |
2025-10-22T08:09:18Z
|
2025-10-22T08:09:18Z
|
2025-10-22T08:11:17Z
| 7,371,429
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https://www.politico.eu/article/lithuania-closes-main-airport-after-overnight-balloon-barrage/
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Ukraine launches Storm Shadow missile strike on Russia while Kremlin pounds Kyiv
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Ukrainian military said the long-range weapons “overcame the Russian air defense system.” Ukraine struck a key chemical plant inside Russia with British Storm Shadow missiles — while the Kremlin hammered Kyiv in a massive overnight bombardment. The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces said on social media late Tuesday it launched “a massive combined missile and air strike” on the Bryansk chemical plant southwest of Moscow. The barrage included “Storm Shadow air-launched missiles, which overcame the Russian air defense system.” Ukraine's military added that the Russian factory “produces gunpowder, explosives, and components for rocket fuel,” calling it an important part of Russia’s “military-industrial complex.” In recent months, Ukraine has sought to bring Moscow’s war to Russian soil, striking critical targets inside the country including military bases, oil refineries and other energy infrastructure. The United Kingdom donated long-range Storm Shadow missiles, which can hit targets up to 560 kilometers away, to Ukraine in 2023. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer signaled his approval last November for striking inside Russia, and Ukraine reportedly deployed the missiles for the first time that same month. Kyiv has lobbied the United States to provide Tomahawks, a cruise missile with a much longer range of about 2,400 kilometers — but President Donald Trump has so far refused, saying that to do so would deplete America’s own stocks. Russia also pummeled Ukraine overnight, killing six people including two children, in attacks across the country. That included on Kyiv, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. "Everyone who helps Ukraine with long-range capabilities will bring the end of the war closer," he added. Vilnius is just being “petty,” Belarusian leader says. “The battle is not over yet,” Hungarian prime minister says, teeing up a possible fight with the White House. A packed agenda promised a summit of fireworks. Nothing really took off. From the climate to critical minerals to Russia’s frozen assets, the agenda of Thursday’s European Council is jam-packed.
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Seb Starcevic
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Ukrainian military said the long-range weapons “overcame the Russian air defense system.”
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[
"air defense",
"americas",
"chemicals",
"defense",
"energy infrastructure",
"fuels",
"military",
"missiles",
"war",
"war in ukraine",
"weapons"
] |
Defense
|
[
"Russia",
"Ukraine",
"United Kingdom",
"United States"
] |
2025-10-22T07:31:06Z
|
2025-10-22T07:31:06Z
|
2025-10-22T08:51:21Z
| 7,371,294
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https://www.politico.eu/article/ukraine-hits-russian-chemical-plant-british-storm-shadow-missiles-bombardment/
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Why Keir Starmer has a people problem
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Listen on With growing signs that Britain’s top civil servant will leave Number 10 in the coming weeks – some ask, does Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer have a problem with people? Sam and Anne discuss the potential impact of Cabinet Secretary Chris Wormald’s departure from the government machine and whether there could be more exits on the horizon. Plus, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood warns the national inquiry into grooming gangs will leave “no hiding place” after several survivors quit the panel.
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Anne McElvoy
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[
"british politics",
"politics at sam and anne’s"
] |
Politics
|
[] |
2025-10-22T07:13:02Z
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2025-10-22T07:13:02Z
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2025-10-22T07:13:12Z
| 7,371,426
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https://www.politico.eu/podcast/politics-at-sam-and-annes/why-keir-starmer-has-a-people-problem/
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Relief for Reeves as UK inflation plateaus at 3.8 percent in September
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Crucially, the slowdown was the result of lower food prices. AI generated Text-to-speech U.K. Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ Wednesday started with a much-needed fillip, in the form of data suggesting inflation peaked below 4 percent in September. The Office for National Statistics said consumer prices were unchanged on the month while the headline rate stayed at 3.8 percent on the year, below the City’s forecast for 4 percent. Importantly, the slowdown was the result of lower food prices, which have an outsize impact on lower-income families and on broader perceptions of inflation. Food inflation slowed to 4.5 percent from 5.1 in the year through August. The figures will come as a relief to Reeves for a number of reasons: first, they will reduce the cost of servicing Britain’s debt, a quarter of which is directly tied to the inflation rate; second, they could take some of the pressure off the upcoming public sector pay round. Those two factors have both threatened to spoil the chancellor’s arithmetic as she prepares her budget at the end of next month. The figures may also revive some expectations of an interest rate cut from the Bank of England by year-end. A string of disappointingly strong inflation reports over the spring and summer convinced most in the markets that the BoE wouldn’t be able to cut again until next year. At 3.8 percent in September, inflation is still nearly double the bank's 2 percent target. However, with last year’s drop in regulated energy prices now falling out of the calculations, the BoE expects the headline rate to decline slowly from now on. How far can simplification of Europe’s banking rules go? The passage of time since the last great financial crisis has dulled the alertness of policymakers to risks building up in the system, Lagarde said. Reform leadership leans on BoE to scrap gilt sales and cut interest payments on excess reserves. The costs of running a war economy are slowly coming home to roost.
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Geoffrey Smith
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Crucially, the slowdown was the result of lower food prices.
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[
"banks",
"budget",
"debt",
"energy prices",
"inflation",
"interest rates",
"markets",
"financial services uk"
] |
Central Banker
|
[
"United Kingdom"
] |
2025-10-22T06:58:54Z
|
2025-10-22T06:58:54Z
|
2025-10-22T07:00:15Z
| 7,371,273
|
https://www.politico.eu/article/uk-inflation-relief-rachel-reeves-plateaus-september-prices-consumers-statistics/
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Kemi tries a hat trick
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AI generated Text-to-speech Presented by Intuit By DAN BLOOM with MARTIN ALFONSIN LARSEN PRESENTED BY Send tips here | Subscribe for free | Listen to Playbook and view in your browser Good Wednesday morning. This is Dan Bloom. THIRD TIME’S A CHARM: Kemi Badenoch will be hoping for her third decent PMQs in a row at noon after run-ins on Peter Mandelson and China. She can choose from this morning’s inflation stats, a “blame Brexit” budget, migration and some truly vicious briefing against the Cabinet secretary … but most Tory money is on Badenoch going hard on the grooming gangs inquiry. I told you so: Badenoch’s PMQs choices can be (cough) unpredictable and she has wanted to turn to the economy, but the unspooling of the national inquiry — a fourth abuse survivor quit its panel last night, via GB News hack Charlie Peters — is obvious fodder. She raised the issue in January, albeit after that Elon Musk bloke, and has spent recent days suggesting Labour is deliberately “sabotaging” the probe that Prime Minister Keir Starmer finally announced four months ago. ICYMI: This is deeply uncomfortable territory for Labour. Four survivors quit the panel over fears that the scope would be widened and diluted — which the Home Office denied — and that former police chief Jim Gamble could chair the inquiry despite police failings. Playbook PM had a rundown. The obvious question is whether survivors have lost faith in this thing, and whether any more quit today. One official told Playbook about 30 people were on the panel, which would suggest there are plenty to choose from. **A message from Intuit: Small and mid-sized businesses use of AI varies by sector. 46% of business-to-business service firms in sectors like finance, law, and marketing use AI, compared to just 26% of business-to-consumer firms and manufacturers. Explore these insights in new research from the British Chambers of Commerce in partnership with Intuit.** Hitting back hard: Shabana Mahmood’s language overnight is notable. The home secretary — no soft leftie, obv — has an identical op-ed for the Times and GB News saying the inquiry will “explicitly examine the ethnicity and religion of the offenders” because “we must acknowledge who they were.” She added: “This inquiry is not, and will never be, watered down on my watch. Its scope will not change.” These may be the SparkNotes for Starmer’s lines to take. But there are still questions … like when we’ll get a chair and who it’ll be. Mahmood said “I hope and believe” there will be progress soon … but aides aren’t giving a timeline, and sources tell the Guardian’s Rajeev Syal there are other candidates and final interviews this week. The obvious problem: It’s hard to find someone to lead a probe which is in “chaos,” per the Mail splash. And few people who know about grooming gangs aren’t former cops/social workers/etc. Badenoch will presumably repeat her Milibandian call for it to be led by a judge, while Starmer accuses her of jumping on a bandwagon. HE’S NOT DRIVING THE DLR EITHER: The Times’ Patrick Maguire and Gabriel Pogrund have some hair-raisingly vicious briefing against Cabinet Secretary Chris Wormald, which feels destined to come up either at PMQs or the No. 10 huddle with hacks afterward. “Chris is a parody of every civil service stereotype,” one Downing Street insider told them. “He is given clear instructions on an issue and says we will be able to deliver it only after we’ve commissioned a wide-reaching review that reports sometime in the mid-2080s.” Tick, tock: TBF, the Guardian’s Rowena Mason had chapter and verse in July about the whispers that have dogged Wormald since the safe hands option was installed in December, despite Starmer’s stated desire to shake up Whitehall. The newer claims here are that Wormald could be ousted in January, after November’s Covid-19 inquiry report and an “unwritten rule” that he gets a year in post … and that he could be replaced by Starmer’s favored troubleshooter-for-hire Louise Casey. Yikes: Playbook asked around last night and got mixed reviews. A senior government figure insisted Team Starmer fully backs Wormald, but one ex-official texted: “Simply put, he’s not very good.” A current official said: “Is he the guy to radically shake up Whitehall? Probably not.” And a No. 10 insider branded Wormald “useless” and said “people openly slag him off,” suggesting deputy chief of staff Vidhya Alakeson had appeared frustrated in the past. Leave ’em alone: Of course, those named above can’t respond publicly and Starmer hates any focus on staff. FDA civil service union chief Dave Penman was spitting tacks on X about the blame game last night. He’s the right man for the moment: No. 10 will presumably come under pressure to harden up its line at the post-PMQs huddle with Lobby hacks. A Cabinet Office spokesperson said last night: “The Cabinet secretary continues to have the support of the prime minister and they are working closely together to deliver on the priorities of the British public.” SCOOP — QUIZ CHRIS: As luck would have it, two people tell Playbook Wormald is being lined up early next week to give evidence on the collapsed China spy case to the Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy. ELSEWHERE AT PMQS: Starmer faces more pressure from the SNP and backbenchers to strip royal titles or rent-free digs from peppercorn Prince Andrew. It’s coming from his own ministers too, according to Newsnight’s Nick Watt and the Times’ Aubrey Allegretti. “He should stop spongeing off the state,” one minister tells Allegretti, which is not quite the painfully hedged No. 10 line. You can but try: Suspended Labour MP Rachael Maskell will introduce her backbench bill today that would give King Charles the power to remove Andy’s titles. Wording here. She told Playbook it’s co-sponsored by 11 MPs … though it becoming law seems pretty fanciful. Breaking America: Stephen Lynch, a member of the U.S. House Oversight Committee, told Newsnight it’ll invite Prince Andrew to give evidence. Good luck with that one too! ON THE BACK BENCHES: We have a good idea what Lib Dem MP Roz Savage might ask … after veteran photographer Steve Back spotted the wording of her proposed question being carried into No. 10. Aren’t this lot meant to be the opposition? This is how Westminster works: Playbook talked to aides from several parties who insisted this is part of a long-standing practice. The PM’s parliamentary private secretary gets in touch with MPs on the list, and it’s up to individual MPs how much they want to disclose to No. 10. Giving more detail takes away any surprise but means the prime minister can actually give you an answer about your local hospital. A Lib Dem spokesperson called this a “non-story” and ex-Tory MP Peter Heaton-Jones agreed. Even so: Savage’s question didn’t appear to be about a constituency issue. And giving No. 10 the exact wording is quite something. RAYNER IN: No word on an advance copy of Angela Rayner’s resignation speech — which will be her first big public appearance since she left over that tax issue last month (taking £17k of severance with her). The former deputy PM is due to speak in the Commons after any UQs and statements. Sadly for the sketch writers, the PM will likely have slipped out by then … and her allies are stressing it’ll be about her record and not a Sajid Javid– or Robin Cook-style shellacking. Unsurprising, given the way it all ended. NEWS JUST IN: CPI inflation was 3.8 percent in the year to September, the Office for National Statistics confirmed in the last few minutes (full release here). This is what most benefit payments will rise by in April 2026 — which makes today’s release a bigger deal than usual for Chancellor Rachel Reeves. Big is the word: Inflation has crept up gradually enough that this isn’t a surprise in the Treasury, but it’s still higher than the OBR watchdog was projecting a year ago and the cash has to be found somewhere. Every 1 percentage point that benefits rise next April will cost an extra £1.6 billion, the Institute for Fiscal Studies told Playbook … all while Reeves and Starmer try to rein in the welfare bill. What could go wrong? And that’s without the state pension, which is set to rise by 4.8 percent. No wonder both the IFS and Tory-friendly Policy Exchange are urging parties to ditch the triple lock, an idea that has gained traction in some Tory circles but is the political equivalent of Chernobyl. The “triple whammy” of borrowing costs, benefits and pensions splashes the i Paper. Meanwhile in the shops: Inflation hits the “working people” Labour tried to cultivate. Reeves told the FT her budget will have “targeted action around prices” to bring down the cost of living, and sources tell the paper she will meet fellow Cabinet ministers on Thursday to review policies that could be adding to inflation. Let’s ask him: Chief Secretary to the Treasury James Murray is recording a pool clip around 7.30 a.m. BUDGET BINGO: There isn’t time to grill Murray on all the budget stories in today’s papers, but if there’s one, it might be this splash from the Times’ Steven Swinford. He writes that Reeves is set to change the national insurance charged on limited liability partnerships (used by 190,000 people including lawyers, accountants and doctors) in a bid to raise £2 billion a year. This has been proposed in various forms by think tanks including the Resolution Foundation, CenTax and Demos and the Telegraph’s Nick Gutteridge wrote about the prospect six weeks ago. The Treasury declined to comment. Other options are available: A senior Labour figure told the FT team that a manifesto-busting income tax hike is increasingly likely. “It’s like taking a single punch to the face rather than a thousand cuts over a long period,” they said. Is that a punch to politicians, or voters? One more: The FT’s Ashley Armstrong and George Parker reckon the budget is “nailed on” to close a loophole in which foreign retailers can send packages worth less than £135 to the U.K. without import duties. What Mel Stride wants to talk about: Reports that Reeves could cut the ISA allowance, which the Tories are branding a “savings tax.” The shadow chancellor is on the morning broadcast round. This might be a thing? The FT splashes on Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey’s Tuesday comments that “alarm bells” are ringing over risky private credit — and his comparison to (ulp!) subprime mortgages before 2008. The bank’s Deputy Governor Sam Woods is speaking at a Mansion House banquet at 9 p.m. SCOOP — STILL ILL: Ex-John Lewis Chair Charlie Mayfield’s review of “economically inactive” Brits is set to report back in early November — and will not recommend a rise in statutory sick pay, Playbook hears. Mayfield’s interim report said Britain had one of the lowest rates among comparable countries, creating a “financial incentive” for companies to recruit someone new instead of getting existing staff back to work. But while the review has looked at what more employers can do to keep staff in work, a person familiar with the draft said it is not currently expected to feature changes to the SSP rate. GO WEST: Keir Starmer welcomes Western Balkan leaders to London this lunchtime for talks on security, growth and migration — just don’t mention a Rwandan-style deal. Despite the PM previously voicing enthusiasm for a “return hub” in another country, officials are now seeking to damp down expectations. The Sun hears similar. Silver lining: Kosovo’s PM is in talks with Britain about an agreement aimed at tackling irregular migration, as my colleague Esther Webber reported last night. In comments at a private meeting (which also reached Sky News and the Times), Albin Kurti said the two sides were still working out the details “but I think this will have a successful result.” But here’s the cloud: Other Balkan leaders are not so keen, as the Times’ Matt Dathan spelt out. The presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina said it had “no intention, nor any willingness” to accept failed U.K. asylum-seekers while Albania’s gigantic PM Edi Rama said: “When it comes to the hubs, or whatever they are called, I have said it and I repeat it: never in Albania.” Ask him! Leaders will arrive and do some doorstep chat with the media from 1 p.m. Starmer’s low-key media plan involves pooled words at the start of the meeting around 3 p.m. It wraps up around 5.30 p.m. followed by dinner with Deputy PM David Lammy. It’s also a big day … for Britain’s special envoy to the region Karen Pierce, though still less glamorous than her old job as ambassador to Washington. It’s not all return hubs: Starmer has a trail with the Sun going on the politics of all this, claiming Reform UK Leader Nigel Farage has thrown “insults” at Albania while he focuses on shutting the “criminal highway” in the region that is flooding Britain with cocaine. As such: British officials are keen to highlight common ground including fighting organized crime (the Home Office has posted an official to Tirana), returning 4,000 Albanian nationals from the U.K. in a year, and facilitating Western Balkan nations’ accession to the EU. We’ll get a couple of announcements during the day; Esther hears that there could be something on U.K. support for Kosovan security. MEANWHILE IN WAR: The leaders could discuss Russian influence in eastern Europe — and look ahead to Friday’s big meeting of “coalition of the willing” leaders in London, just as the outcome of the Russia-Ukraine war looks shakier than ever. Today’s papers feature Donald Trump shelving his hopes to meet Russia’s Vladimir Putin again, and the Telegraph splash quotes Moscow’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov saying a ceasefire would put most of Ukraine under “Nazi rule.” To think it’s only two months since that big summit of European leaders in the White House. News from the front: Ukraine’s military hit a Russian chemical plant with British-made Storm Shadow missiles, it announced last night. Brace for the Kremlin spin machine’s reaction to that one. Sky News’ Deborah Haynes wrote it up. NOT WESTMINSTER BUT: It’s the last day of campaigning in the Caerphilly by-election for the Welsh Senedd — a big test of whether Labour is facing collapse in its heartlands, and if the center can hold in Britain in 2025. First Minister Eluned Morgan and Plaid Cymru Leader Rhun ap Iorwerth are due in the patch today. No word from Reform UK on whether Nigel Farage would be there too, but the party was gearing up for a big day. Don’t count your chickens: Last week’s Survation poll (albeit with a small sample size) suggested it’s between Plaid and Reform, and Plaid spinners are pushing a “lend your votes” message to ensure it’s a two-horse race. But a Reform campaigner tells Playbook the party has doubts on the doorstep that Labour’s vote has truly collapsed that badly. MIDDLE EAST NEWS: British troops have been sent to Israel to aid a multinational force monitoring the ceasefire in Gaza, the Times’ Larisa Brown reports. The paper says the deployment is to work with a U.S.-led civil-military coordination center and Playbook hears it’s on the money. TRAIN TO NOWHERE: Plans to construct an 18-mile railway section between Birmingham and Handsacre to connect HS2 with the West Coast main line have been put on hold for at least four years, the FT’s Gill Plimmer and Jim Pickard report. RUH-ROH: The Guardian’s Vikram Dodd has details on the police intelligence behind the ban — slammed by Starmer, among others — on Maccabi Tel Aviv football supporters coming to an away match in Birmingham. It appears to point the finger directly at (some) fans. NEARLY THERE NOW: It’s the last full day of voting in the Labour deputy leadership election. The Guardian’s Eleni Courea has marked it with a knotty story about Lucy Powell, a Labour donor, a property firm in her constituency and a government legal action. THE LATEST IN DEATH: The ever-controversial Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) — aka assisted dying — Bill is back today, with the Lords committee scrutinizing it taking evidence from the heads of the Royal College of Physicians, the Royal College of General Practitioners and the Royal College of Nursing from 11.15 a.m. The three royal colleges are officially neutral on the bill but campaigners will be observing closely for any nuances in their positions. IT’S OVER: The College of Policing and National Police Chiefs’ Council will advise Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood that police forces should stop recording non-crime hate incidents, the Times’ Ben Ellery reports. WHAT THE GOVERNMENT WANTS TO TALK ABOUT: Top of the grid is a consultation on making it easier for the Environment Agency to punish water companies for sewage spills using a lower civil standard of proof and automatic fines. The Guardian has more details and newbie Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds is on the morning broadcast round. What else the government wants to talk about: Plans to change the Children Act 1989 so that family courts don’t assume children should have contact with both parents, which can perpetuate domestic abuse. The Guardian splashes it. RARE TORY GOOD NEWS: Conservative officials tell the Spectator’s James Heale they’ve raised nearly £500,000 since party conference. BIG SPENDERS: Former senior officials at the Transport Salaried Staff Association spent £8,500 on hotels, restaurants, business class flights and other expenses during a 2022 trip to Las Vegas, according to a deep dive by the Telegraph’s Gareth Corfield and Sapphire Hope. SEEING RED: Former Devolution Minister Jim McMahon has his first post-sacking intervention in the form of a Politics Home op-ed. “Without a new model of growth,” he writes, “we risk being just another government in a long line of empty promises.” IDENTITY CRISIS: Labour MPs who back digital ID reckon support is being eroded by a botched government comms strategy. “We need to explain it better to people,” APPG on Digital Identity Chair Allison Gardner told my colleague Noah Keate, warning ministers were “at risk of throwing a very, very good baby out with the bathwater.” Noah’s piece is here. LAM-A DING DONG: HuffPost’s Kevin Schofield has some Labour feather-spitting about the way the party responded to Tory frontbencher Katie Lam’s comments on a “culturally coherent” Britain. “Not only are we cowards but we’re incompetent as well,” fumed one MP. THAT IS A DISGRACE: Today marks five years since Liz Truss inked the U.K.’s first post-Brexit trade deal with Japan — in which the then-trade secretary fought hard to open market access for her favorite British cheeses. But five years on, Japanese customers still aren’t buying British, my trade colleague Graham Lanktree reports from Tokyo. BREACH, BREACH: The EU’s pitch for an uncapped youth mobility deal — which Keir Starmer is resisting, TBF — would force the PM to break his manifesto pledges on migration, the government’s top migration adviser has warned (via my colleague Jon Stone). TODAY AT THE COVID INQUIRY: Former Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford is up in the afternoon (streamed here), where he will discuss how his government handled the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on children and young people. SW1 EVENTS: The Environment APPG and ReLondon are hosting an event on the circular economy with Deputy London Mayor Mete Coban and Liberal Democrat MP Wera Hobhouse (5.15 p.m., Committee Room 20) … and campaign group Liberty is hosting a drinks reception to celebrate the Human Rights Act with Crossbench peer David Alton (6.30 p.m., Cholmondeley Room). HOUSE OF COMMONS: Sits from 11.30 a.m. with Scotland questions … PMQs at noon … Labour MP Laura Kyrke-Smith has a 10-minute rule motion titled “Sophie’s Law” mandating that all pregnant women in England receive a mental health assessment during perinatal care, in honor of a friend who took her own life after having her third child … consideration of Lords amendments to the Renters’ Rights Bill … debate on a motion relating to financial assistance to industry … a motion to approve the Draft National Health Service (Procurement, Slavery and Human Trafficking) Regulations 2025 … and a general debate on devolution in Scotland (Liberal Democrat MP Jamie Stone). Labour MP Paulette Hamilton has the adjournment debate on mental health and hoarding. WESTMINSTER HALL: Sits from 11 a.m. with debates on topics including trade union access to workplaces (Labour MP Andy McDonald) … and the prohibition of new coal extraction licenses (Plaid Cymru MP Ann Davies). On committee corridor: Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn and Paymaster General Nick Thomas-Symonds are grilled by the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee on the operation of the Windsor Framework (10.10 a.m.) … Benn is questioned by the same committee on the government’s approach to addressing the legacy of the Troubles (11 a.m.) … and the Women and Equalities Committee quizzes Secondary Care Minister Karin Smyth on the health impacts of breast implants and other cosmetic procedures (3 p.m.). HOUSE OF LORDS: Sits from 11 a.m. with report stage Day 2 of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill … oral questions at 3 p.m. on topics including the reduction of the drink-drive limit and rules on duty free goods for those flying from Belfast to the EU … an urgent question repeat on the ban of Maccabi Tel Aviv fans attending an away game against Aston Villa … an urgent question repeat on criticism of the grooming gangs inquiry … and a ministerial statement by Jacqui Smith on post-16 education and skills strategy. DO YOU REMEMBER HIM: Former Labour MP and Justice Minister Shahid Malik is one of several defendants in a fraud case now underway in Dewsbury. Yorkshire Live has more details. ALL ROADS LEAD TO RUSSIA: First Minister John Swinney’s plan to remove nuclear weapons from Scotland if the country becomes independent would be a “win” for Russia, according to Defence Minister Luke Pollard. The Herald has more. THE BEAST IS BACK: Former European Commission Secretary-General (and bugbear of Brexiteers) Martin Selmayr is set to return to Brussels after years in effective exile, much to the chagrin of Commission officials who remember him as the “Monster of the Berlaymont.” My European colleagues report that he is set for a big job in the EU’s foreign service, but some rivals are plotting to scupper the move. SOMEHOW IT’S STILL GOING: The U.S. government shutdown over partisan spending disagreements shows no sign of abating after three weeks. President Donald Trump said he would only meet with Democrats to negotiate if they acquiesced and voted to reopen the government. Reuters has more. LITERALLY A CAR CRASH: A vehicle rammed into a security gate outside the White House last night, with the driver immediately arrested, the New York Times reports. **A message from Intuit: In a survey of over 1,500 UK business leaders, nearly half – 46% – of business-to-business firms in sectors, such as finance, law, and marketing, say their organisation currently uses AI. This contrasts just 26% of business-to-consumer firms and manufacturers that report using AI. AI is helping small businesses boost productivity and resilience across sectors. Intuit will soon introduce agentic AI experiences to help small businesses and accountants using QuickBooks in the UK unlock next-level efficiency. These AI agents are built to handle everything from routine tasks to complex workflows, helping every business unlock efficiency, agility, and clarity. Learn more about how AI is transforming the small business landscape in a new report from the British Chambers of Commerce in partnership with Intuit.** Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds broadcast round: Times Radio (7.05 a.m.) … Sky (7.15 a.m.) … BBC Breakfast (7.30 a.m.) … LBC (7.50 a.m.) … Today (8.15 a.m.) … GMB (8.30 a.m.) … GB News (9.05 a.m.). Shadow Chancellor Mel Stride broadcast round: GMB (7.45 a.m.) … GB News (8.05 a.m.) … Sky (8.15 a.m.) … LBC (8.45 a.m.) … Talk (9.05 a.m.). Liberal Democrat health and Social Care Spokesperson Helen Morgan broadcast round: GB News (7.05 a.m.) … Times Radio (7.50 a.m.) … LBC (8.30 a.m.) … LBC News (8.40 a.m.). Also on Good Morning Britain: Grooming gangs whistleblower Maggie Oliver and grooming gang survivor Jade (8.15 a.m.). Also on Times Radio Breakfast: Former Chief of the General Staff Richard Dannatt (7.35 a.m.) … tax wonk Dan Neidle (8.05 a.m.) … grooming gang victim Fiona Goddard and Shadow Home Office Minister Katie Lam (8.20 a.m.) … Green MP Siân Berry (8.45 a.m.). Also on Sky News Breakfast: Former IFS Director Paul Johnson (7.30 a.m.) … Medical Aid for Palestinians’ Mai Elawawda (7.45 a.m.) … former Victims’ Commissioner Vera Baird (8.45 a.m.). Also on 5Live’ MPs panel (10 a.m.): Labour MP Sarah Smith … Conservative MP Harriet Cross … and Green Party Commons Leader Ellie Chowns. Also on GB News PMQs Live (11.50 a.m.): Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury Richard Fuller … Labour MP Samantha Niblett. Politics Live (BBC Two 11.15 a.m.): Labour MP Polly Billington … Reform UK’s Gawain Towler … Spiked’s Ella Whelan … Chief Secretary to the Treasury James Murray … and Shadow Financial Secretary to the Treasury Gareth Davies. Also on Sky News PMQs Live (12.15 p.m.): Shadow Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury James Wild. POLITICO UK: ‘We need to explain it better’: Labour MPs get antsy about Starmer’s digital ID blitz. Daily Express: Help ensure Sasha’s evil killer stays inside prison. Daily Mail: Grooming gangs inquiry in chaos. Daily Mirror: Britain isn’t broken, you are all amazing. Daily Star: Bozo the killer clown. Financial Times: Bailey hears ‘alarm bells’ over private credit after big US corporate failures. Metro: Boris: Our lockdowns failed kids. The Daily Telegraph: Putin defies Trump as peace talks collapse. The Guardian: Family law shift hailed as victory for children facing domestic abuse. The Independent: Brexit hit economy even harder than feared, says Reeves. The i Paper: Benefits set to rise by 4% as problems pile up for Reeves. The Sun: Off you trot, Mr Windsor. The Times: Chancellor plans £2bn tax raid on middle class. WESTMINSTER WEATHER: High 15C, low 9C. Cloudy changing to sunny intervals by lunchtime. SPOTTED … at a Scottish Labour fundraiser at the Westminster Kitchen steakhouse: Health Secretary Wes Streeting auctioning off whisky, island visits and Gaelic lessons … Scotland Secretary Douglas Alexander … Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden … joint Culture and Technology Minister Ian Murray … Scottish Labour Leader Anas Sarwar … half the Scottish PLP … and a slightly confused looking Conservative peer. Also spotted … Independent hack Archie Mitchell (who is off to the BBC) getting a signed Nigel Farage football shirt at his leaving drinks, with one colleague leaving a reference to Reform UK: “Don’t forget your rainbow lanyard, pronouns and snide questions.” MSM MESSENGERS: Most SW1 folks probably suspect there’s a wild gulf between how much different parties’ supporters distrust the media. Evidence of that comes via a More in Common poll for the public affairs firm Grayling Media, shared with Playbook. It says 61 percent of Labour voters trust “mainstream journalists working for organizations like the BBC” — but this falls to 54 percent for Lib Dems, 50 percent for Tories, 43 percent for Green voters and just 32 percent for Reform UK. Ouch. MUSICAL CHAIRS: Labour is expected to announce a bunch of new select committee members today after Starmer’s September reshuffle left 32 seats vacant — full list of spots here. A vote by Labour MPs closed Tuesday night. Student union election vibes: Playbook’s attention has been drawn to some, err, creative campaign material. Leaflets have included Knowsley MP Anneliese Midgley’s CD-inspired pamphlet for the Culture, Media and Sport Committee bigging-up her experience as a former DJ … a custom-made first class train ticket promising to take Burton and Uttotexter MP Jacob Collier to the Transport Committee … and a GIF adapted from popular noughties show “Robot Wars,” touting Worcester MP Tom Collins’ bid to join the Science, Innovation and Technology Committee. And who said Labour MPs were all robots? Our Martin Alfonsin Larsen has them here. DOWN WITH THE KIDS: Tory MP Gavin Williamson has been making TikTok edits of himself. “Very kind but totally unlikely to happen,” he responded to one comment saying he should be PM. “I think neither of the conservative party nor the country is ready.” WRITING PLAYBOOK PM: Emilio Casalicchio. WRITING PLAYBOOK THURSDAY MORNING: Andrew McDonald. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO: Crossbench peer John Thomas … retired Labour peer Oona King. PLAYBOOK COULDN’T HAPPEN WITHOUT: My editors Zoya Sheftalovich and Alex Spence, researcher Martin Alfonsin Larsen and producer Dean Southwell. SUBSCRIBE to the POLITICO newsletter family: Brussels Playbook | London Playbook | London Playbook PM | Playbook Paris | EU Election Playbook | Berlin Playbook | Global Playbook | POLITICO Confidential | Sunday Crunch | EU Influence | London Influence | Berlin Bulletin | Living Cities | D.C. Playbook | D.C. Influence | Canada Playbook | All our POLITICO Pro policy morning newsletters
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Dan Bloom
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Uncategorized
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2025-10-22T06:05:10Z
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2025-10-22T06:05:10Z
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2025-10-22T06:05:37Z
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https://www.politico.eu/newsletter/london-playbook/kemi-tries-a-hat-trick/
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Two unwanted men
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AI generated Text-to-speech Presented by Amazon By GERARDO FORTUNA with ZOYA SHEFTALOVICH PRESENTED BY Send tips here | Contact us on X @gerardofortuna @NicholasVinocur | Listen to Playbook and view in your browser CIAO. This is Gerardo Fortuna — observing today that Brussels is still a man’s man’s man’s world, as James Brown sang back in the ’60s, mostly run by the man-children Sabrina Carpenter sings about today. THE BEAST IS BACK? It’s looking increasingly likely that Martin Selmayr will return to Brussels after years in effective exile, most recently as ambassador to the Vatican. The only question is what job he might get. POLITICO reports this morning that Jean-Claude Juncker’s feared former chief of staff has held talks with the EU’s top diplomats and is eying a post in its foreign service. Man of the cloth: But savvy Commission officials fearing a new round of turf wars have hatched a plan — suggesting Selmayr could instead become the EU’s special envoy for religious freedom if he wants to return to Brussels so badly, according to three diplomats and officials. (We checked and, yes, that job actually exists). **A message from Amazon: 60% of sales on Amazon come from independent sellers like Caroline from 3Bears in Munich, Germany. “We're beginning to reach customers across Europe and, as a small team, it's so exciting to see where we'll go next,” says Caroline. Learn how Amazon helps European small businesses grow.** The cosmic irony: A man returns from a posting in the Vatican to take a job in Brussels on religious freedom. It sounds like satire — but surely the College of Commissioners isn’t that funny … right? The plan would keep Selmayr away from the levers of power and, ideally, out of Brussels. Read the full inside story from Gabriel Gavin, Nicholas Vinocur, Hans von der Burchard and Jacopo Barigazzi. He’s no Dumas: The prospect of Selmayr joining the EEAS is not going down well with diplomats and officials who remember his reign as the “Monster of the Berlaymont” and were on the wrong side of his uncompromising approach to getting things done. “He will be like the Count of Monte Cristo, coming back to have his revenge,” said one diplomat. Others say the panic is overblown. Two Commission officials pointed out that in transactional Brussels, Selmayr would be largely defanged — with no real means to reward loyalty or wield influence from a post (whatever it will be) that’s neither at the top of the machine nor at its heart. FROM ONE UNDESIRABLE MAN TO ANOTHER: Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi is facing renewed scrutiny following allegations that intelligence officers linked to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s government tried to recruit EU officials as spies between 2012 and 2018. The grilling: As we reported in Tuesday’s Playbook, academics have called for Várhelyi’s ouster. Now, as the crisis of trust in the Commission deepens, EU lawmakers will grill the institution on the issue today. What could happen? Several MEPs — from the Greens, Socialists and Democrats (S&D) and Renew Europe — are pushing for a parliamentary inquiry into the Hungarian spying allegations. But the center-right European People’s Party is opposed, its spokesperson Daniel Köster told POLITICO, meaning a formal inquiry is unlikely. Brussels’ Dr. Várhelyi or Budapest’s Mr. Hyde? The Hungarian commissioner remains one of Brussels’ most enigmatic figures. Is he Orbán’s envoy, or the competent insider who “understands Brussels,” as several EU officials describe him? Will VDL cut him loose? Several EU officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, told me it’s unlikely Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will act — unless pressure mounts further. Their view: Várhelyi is too capable to lose (for instance, he delivered the Critical Medicines Act in record time). And, to put it mildly, no one in Brussels (certainly not von der Leyen) is eager to see whom Orbán might nominate as his replacement. The Commission risks looking naive … Still, the situation is increasingly awkward. Hungarian officials in EU institutions told POLITICO that the alleged spy network has long been an open secret in Brussels. Várhelyi told von der Leyen he was “not aware” of any such efforts, according to a Commission spokesperson. … or worse. “There are two options,” a person who worked with Várhelyi during his embassy days told POLITICO’s Mari Eccles. “Either the Commission didn’t know and learned about the spy ring from the press — which is a disaster. Or they knew and didn’t act — which is worse.” STILL ON SPIES: Don’t miss Antoaneta Roussi’s deep dive on how the transatlantic trust crisis is pushing Europe’s spy agencies to move faster — and closer — than ever before, burying old rivalries to build a shared intelligence operation against Russian aggression. MORE BAD NEWS FOR HUNGARY: Donald Trump’s second planned summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin, which was meant to take place in Budapest imminently, is off. What happened? The White House said Tuesday that the meeting — announced by Trump last week after a two-hour call with Putin — is no longer in the works. The decision came after Secretary of State Marco Rubio had a rough call on Monday with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. But why? The swift collapse of the plan stems from Moscow’s refusal to shift from its maximalist demands on Ukraine. At a press conference in Moscow, Lavrov said he told Rubio that Russia’s position remains unchanged: a peace agreement must come before any ceasefire. A frustrated Trump on Tuesday said he’d lay out his current thinking on the Ukraine war within two days, adding: “I don’t want to have a wasted meeting. I don’t want to have a waste of time.” Visiting daddy: Right on cue, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte is dashing to Washington to sweet-talk Trump. Hungary is fuming. “From the moment the Peace Summit in Budapest was announced, it was obvious many would do everything possible to stop it from happening,” Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó posted on X, blaming “the pro-war political elite and their media.” MEANWHILE, IN LUXEMBOURG … Ministers at Tuesday’s General Affairs Council discussed the state of Hungary’s rule of law reforms under Article 7 — covering judicial independence, anti-corruption measures, media pluralism and LGBTIQ+ rights. Among those who voiced dissatisfaction at the lack of progress, according to one diplomat, was Xavier Bettel, Luxembourg’s former prime minister and now deputy PM and European affairs minister, who said: “Being LGBTIQ+ is not a choice, but being homophobic is.” TAKING A CHILL PILL: POLITICO’s Parliament correspondent Max Griera is — unsurprisingly, since it’s his job — in Strasbourg for plenary week, sending dispatches and lamenting how much less fun it is without me. He reports that the temperature has cooled: fewer attacks between Socialist boss Iratxe García and Christian Democrat leader Manfred Weber, for instance. The thawing comes after Spanish PM Pedro Sánchez and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz met in Madrid weeks ago and vowed to ensure the S&D and EPP — led by a Spaniard and a German respectively — would work closely together. But as much as EU leaders want Parliament to keep calm, the troops are fired up and revolution is brewing left and right. Tensions remain: Max writes in to report that beneath the surface, García and Weber are struggling with increasingly unruly national delegations threatening to derail their mission: deliver for their bosses and allies. For García, that’s Sánchez; for Weber, it’s Merz and von der Leyen. GARCÍA’S HEADACHES: As if swallowing the omnibus file once (and convincing your group to do likewise) wasn’t enough, García faces another test: today’s ratification of the green corporate reporting rules simplification package (aka omnibus 1). Several political groups forced a plenary vote after challenging the existing agreement between the centrist groups — and many of García’s MEPs, including the Dutch, French, the Swedes and part of the German delegations, could break ranks and vote in favor of rejecting the omnibus. Machiavellian move: The far right has asked for a secret vote — to allow centrist MEPs to defy their group line without fearing the whip — in the hope the dissenters will bring down the agreement and force the EPP to team up with the far right to reach an agreement. No agreement? No problem. In what could become a systematic thing, with the S&D forced to swallow tough files in the name of responsibility and stability — and to appease both the Council and Sánchez — García said at a press conference Tuesday she won’t impose a strict whip, adding that “it’s totally normal” if less than 100 percent of her group votes the same way. Lashed by the EPP: Weber seized on the S&D’s voting chaos to brand them unreliable — and hinted he could torpedo the Socialists’ hopes of nominating Parliament’s president for the second half of the term in 2027, effectively paving the way for a third Metsola mandate. WEBER’S HEADACHES: But while Weber criticizes others’ disunity, he’s struggling to keep his own house in order — and to deliver on von der Leyen’s agenda. Can he actually do that? As POLITICO previously reported, Weber faces internal resistance over the 2040 climate target and MFF national plans — two reforms von der Leyen has prioritized. Negotiations are stalled, with the EPP increasingly leaning toward rejecting the MFF national plans in November’s plenary. The French revolution (kinda): François-Xavier Bellamy and three other French MEPs voted to censure von der Leyen — despite Weber’s orders to oppose the motion. Asked by POLITICO, Weber told reporters he understands France’s “challenging political context,” but said Bellamy’s move “was a breach of the EPP group’s voting line” and “a matter of concern.” He added that “steps have been initiated” within the group. Weber’s moment of truth: With major files ahead and the EPP split on sensitive issues, Weber’s reaction to Bellamy’s rebellion will set the tone — and show MEPs how far they can go in defying the whip. Whip it (or not): Two EPP staffers told Playbook they doubt Weber will actually punish Bellamy. Still, possible sanctions include losing rapporteurships, reduced speaking time, or exclusion from key posts. (More on the EPP’s whipping system in this this piece.) WATCH THIS TREND: This could be the week we all realize one topic has emerged as the next big thing — at least in the political narrative (we’ll see about actual policies). That’s the takeaway from a conversation I had Tuesday with the new president of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC). Séamus Boland is set to be elected for a two-and-a-half-year mandate. (A hint that his election is a done deal: Boland is already scheduled to meet European Council President António Costa immediately afterward.) He’s an Irish farmer who describes himself as “a big believer in fighting poverty who wants to get the subject back into Europe’s agenda.” His starting point? Housing. Good intentions, but show me action: That’s exactly what Boland will be discussing with Costa today. The Council president “said that housing is a problem from Dublin to Cyprus. I’m delighted he’s making this a priority,” Boland said. While the renewed political focus is “music” to Boland’s ears, he said he’ll hold the Commission and other EU institutions accountable if they fail to deliver real solutions. (He’ll also meet von der Leyen in January.) The “lifeblood of all living communities”: The EESC only has advisory power within the EU system, but it’s a fully fledged institution representing civil society — a source of strength Boland wants to build on. “These organizations are dealing with disability, poverty, young people, migrants, rights, people in poverty. These are people on the front line.” He cited examples like Covid-19 and the Valencia floods, when civil society organizations were the first to act. BUILD AFFORDABLE HOMES … OR ELSE! It’s not just civil society. The mayors of more than a dozen major cities (including Amsterdam, Barcelona, Dublin and Rome) have sent a letter to the presidents of the European Council, Commission, Parliament and the Eurogroup arguing that if the EU doesn’t do more to take on the housing crisis, far-right and Euroskeptic groups will continue “gaining ground around the continent.” Read it here. Doubling down: Meanwhile, von der Leyen on Tuesday unveiled the 2026 Work Program, in which Brussels reaffirms its commitment to tackle unaffordable housing. Following up on the Affordable Housing Plan due out in December, the Commission will present an initiative on short-term rentals next spring and its Construction Services Act — which aims to slash regulations related to the building sector and accelerate the construction of new homes — toward the end of 2026. Aitor Hernández-Morales and Ferdinand Knapp have more here. SORTING THROUGH COMMISSION TRASH: Since we mentioned it, let’s dig into the most entertaining part of the Commission’s work program: the trash. Dumpster diving: The Commission plans to scrap 25 draft proposals in 2026 as part of its ongoing purge of red tape. Last time, 37 were on the chopping block and 32 eventually withdrawn after a fierce lobbying battle (capitals and MEPs have six months to plead for any proposals they want to save). Among the doomed files: A monitoring framework for resilient European forests and a certification scheme for international trade in rough diamonds. Matthieu Pollet has more for Pros. But EU leaders want more: Cutting red tape is one of the few areas of policymaking on which EU countries largely agree; in fact, they’re calling for even more. Competitiveness — the other big buzzword before housing took over — is fast becoming an excuse to sideline old priorities like environmental protection and to cave to U.S. pressure, explain Marianne Gros and Camille Gijs. TEQUILA AND MARIACHI … Sometimes in politics, you can only stop and wonder: what the heck just happened? Like on Tuesday night, when Ursula von der Leyen attended a Parliament reception celebrating Mexico’s Día de Muertos — complete with an altar, a mariachi band and an open margarita bar. (Parliament President Roberta Metsola was also there.) VDL’s political message: “The EU remains Mexico’s second-largest source of foreign investment,” von der Leyen told the crowd, and promised to go to the country to sign the Modernized Global Agreement. According to Playbook’s spies, she closed her remarks shouting: “¡Viva México! ¡Viva la vida! ¡Muchas gracias!” And that wasn’t all: A mariachi band serenaded the president with a cover of “Gema,” by Mexican icon Vicente Fernández. It opens with, “You are like a precious stone / like a truly valuable divine jewel,” and the chorus goes: “You are the gem that God turned into a woman for the good of my life.” All the people I spoke to agreed that the event was one of the weirdest moments of the mandate so far. FIRST EU–EGYPT SUMMIT: Today marks the first EU–Egypt summit, focused on Cairo’s role in the Gaza ceasefire. Leaders will also discuss the future of bilateral relations under the upgraded Strategic and Comprehensive Partnership, agreed in March 2024. Choreography: Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi will meet with Ursula von der Leyen and António Costa, before dining with EU leaders arriving for Thursday’s European Council. Migration management and security cooperation will top the agenda. The summit will also touch on the recently proposed Pact for the Mediterranean, with a focus on cooperation pillars like “people as drivers of change” (read: migration, again). BALKANS ENLARGEMENT IN LONDON: Also today, the Berlin Process Summit convenes in London, bringing together leaders of the Western Balkans Six — Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia — along with EU representatives, international lenders and major European governments including Germany, France, Italy, and the U.K. COME FLY WITH ME: Commissioner Michael McGrath is off to Canada for a three-day mission across Montreal and Ottawa. Before takeoff, he told Playbook: “Democracy isn’t a destination, it’s a daily commitment that requires constant nurturing.” OK, so what are you doing there? Poetic moments aside, McGrath’s mission is to build on the work done during the EU-Canada summit in June 2025. That includes strengthening democratic resilience, fighting disinformation and foreign interference — “threats that know no borders,” he said. “Canada’s experience offers invaluable lessons as we finalize work on the European Democracy Shield and ramp up efforts to protect democracy across Europe.” UKRAINE STRIKES RUSSIAN CHEMICALS FACTORY: Kyiv’s forces, using the U.K.’s Storm Shadow cruise missiles, launched a “massive” strike on a Russian chemical plant that makes gunpowder and explosives, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said on social media. Sky News has a write-up. Ceasefire push: European nations are working with Kyiv on a 12-point plan to end the war along current front lines, Bloomberg reports. PORTUGAL’S FORMER PM DIES: Former Portuguese PM Francisco Pinto Balsemão, who founded the media conglomerate Impresa, died on Tuesday. Expresso has an obit. EVERYTHING’S FINE: Scientists found mosquitoes in Iceland for the first time this month. (LITERAL) CAR CRASH AT THE WHITE HOUSE: A vehicle rammed into a security gate outside the White House last night, with the driver immediately arrested, the New York Times reports. — Tripartite Social Summit in Brussels. Arrivals at 1 p.m.; roundtable at 3 p.m.; family photo at 4:55 p.m.; press conference with European Council President António Costa, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Danish Minister of EU Affairs Marie Bjerre at 5:05 p.m. — EU–Egypt Summit in Brussels. Arrivals at 6 p.m.; press statements by Costa, von der Leyen, and President of Egypt Abdel Fattah El-Sisi at 7:40 p.m., followed by an informal dinner of EU heads of state or government. — Costa meets President of the European Committee of the Regions Kata Tüttő and the new president of the European Economic and Social Committee at 10 a.m., followed by a press conference. Watch. — European Parliament plenary continues in Strasbourg. Highlights: Debate on the situation in Belarus at 11 a.m., followed by an address by Siarhei Tsikhanouski and Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya at noon. President Roberta Metsola presides over the Conference of Presidents at 11:30 a.m. Agenda. — NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte in Washington to meet with Donald Trump. WEATHER: High 14 C, overcast. MORE INDUSTRIAL ACTION: Last week’s strike that brought tens of thousands of protesters to Brussels won’t be the last this year. Unions have announced a three-day strike at the end of next month, VRT reports. Railway workers will take industrial action on Nov. 24, followed by other public services the following day and a national strike on Nov. 26. AWARDED: The European Parliament awarded Follow the Money’s investigation into Russia’s shadow fleet the 2025 Daphne Caruana Galizia Prize for Journalism on Tuesday. FOOD REVIEW: If you’re in Saint-Gilles and craving Italian food, check out Baccalameo. It serves a tapas-style menu including dishes from tender octopus to fresh pasta — with a view of a prison included. BRUSSELS, THE MUSICAL: A musical about Brussels is playing this weekend at L’Improviste in Forest, aptly titled “The Brussels Musical.” It tells a century of Belgian history through an unusual lens — the people and stories unfolding in front of a typical Brussels doorstep. Spoiler alert for the sensitive souls out there: it features a song about trash collection in the capital. BIRTHDAYS: Former MEPs Claude Moraes and Karl-Heinz Florenz; reporter Janosch Delcker; Argentinian President Javier Milei. THANKS TO: Playbook editor Alex Spence, reporters Elena Giordano and Seb Starcevic and producer Dean Southwell. Correction: This newsletter was updated on Oct. 22 to correct a statement attributed to Michael McGrath. He said he was going to Canada to build on the work done during the EU-Canada summit held in June 2025. **A message from Amazon: Caroline's 3Bears started as a dream. “It was kind of a fairytale idea, but we made it a reality,” says Caroline. “We wanted to help people start their day with high-quality porridge.” 3Bears represents thousands of European success stories selling on Amazon. In 2024, EU-based small businesses sold more than 1.3 billion products and generated more than €34 billion in sales within the EU alone. These entrepreneurs are creating an estimated 350,000 jobs across the EU, many in rural areas. Learn more about how Amazon helps European businesses thrive in our latest EU Small and Medium Enterprises Impact Report at AboutAmazon.eu.** SUBSCRIBE to the POLITICO newsletter family: Brussels Playbook | London Playbook | London Playbook PM | Playbook Paris | EU Election Playbook | Berlin Playbook | Global Playbook | POLITICO Confidential | Sunday Crunch | EU Influence | London Influence | Berlin Bulletin | Living Cities | D.C. Playbook | D.C. Influence | Canada Playbook | All our POLITICO Pro policy morning newsletters
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Gerardo Fortuna
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Uncategorized
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2025-10-22T05:02:30Z
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2025-10-22T05:02:30Z
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2025-10-22T06:48:22Z
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https://www.politico.eu/newsletter/brussels-playbook/two-unwanted-men/
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L’heure de tester les recettes
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Synthèse vocale générée par l'IA Présenté par Amazon Par ANTHONY LATTIER Avec SARAH PAILLOU PRÉSENTÉ PAR Envoyez vos infos | Abonnez-vous gratuitement | Voir dans le navigateur L’APPEL DE LA VOIE. “C’est un chemin qui ouvre tous les possibles.” Ceci n’est pas un aphorisme édicté par Lao Tseu, mais bien une citation extraite de l’interview donnée par Bruno Retailleau au Figaro, publiée hier soir. Le président des Républicains, qui a précipité la chute du premier gouvernement de Sébastien Lecornu, y annonce qu’il commence un “tour de France” et répond par la formule ci-dessus à la question “Est-ce le point de départ d’une campagne présidentielle ?” Bon réveil à tous, nous sommes mercredi 22 octobre 2025. CACHET FAISANT FOI. Un Conseil des ministres peut en cacher un autre : plus que celui de ce matin, c’est celui de demain, convoqué en urgence, qui sera crucial : y sera adoptée la “lettre rectificative” validant la suspension de la réforme des retraites. Cette procédure a pour but de rassurer les socialistes sur la bonne mise en oeuvre de cette promesse gouvernementale — on vous l’expliquait ici. Conséquence pratique : l’examen du budget de la Sécurité sociale en commission des Affaires sociales devrait être repoussé afin d’attendre que la lettre y soit intégrée. Une décision en ce sens doit être prise ce matin. Un report à lundi est envisagé, nous indiquait un député de la commission, hier soir. Si vous l’avez raté : depuis la Slovénie, Emmanuel Macron a quelque peu compliqué la tâche de Sébastien Lecornu en insistant sur le fait qu’il n’y aurait “ni l’abrogation ni la suspension de la réforme des retraites”, mais “le décalage d’une échéance”. Cette sortie en forme de déni est analysée ici ou là. **Un message d'Amazon : Chez Amazon, nous offrons à tous les nouveaux parents un mois supplémentaire de congés payés. En savoir plus.** TOUR DE CHAUFFE. L’autre budget, celui de l’Etat, doit franchir aujourd’hui une première étape. Dans quelques heures, la partie recettes du projet de loi de finances sera soumise au scrutin des députés de la commission des Finances. Beaucoup s’attendaient hier à ce que le texte soit rejeté, ni la gauche, ni le RN n’ayant l’intention de voter en sa faveur. Pour du beurre. Mais là n’est pas le plus important car les députés repartiront, quoiqu’il arrive, de la copie initiale du gouvernement dans l’hémicycle, à partir de vendredi. “Il ne faudra pas en tirer de vraies leçons politiques [du vote de ce soir]”, nous écrivait un élu socialiste hier, ajoutant que “les vrais compromis se noueront en séance publique”. Même en cas de rejet du texte, on positivait du côté de Bercy hier soir, où l’on relevait la bonne tenue des débats et le ton jugé modéré des élus en commission. “C’est un bon signe, un signe que le compromis est possible [en séance publique]”, voulait-on croire dans l’entourage de Roland Lescure, le ministre de l’Economie. A retenir des débats d’hier : le rejet du rétablissement de l’ISF … la modification de l’abattement sur le revenu imposable des retraités … des modifications au pacte Dutreil sur les transmissions d’entreprise … Mes collègues de Paris Influence reviennent bien sûr en détail sur les discussions ici pour nos abonnés PRO. LE PÈRE NOËL EST UNE CENSURE. Du côté de La France insoumise, on pense au-delà, et on a déjà planifié le dépôt d’une nouvelle motion de censure. Vous avez quelques semaines de répit : ce sera a priori pour début décembre, à quelques jours de l’expiration du délai constitutionnel d’examen du budget de la Sécurité sociale, nous assurait hier Manuel Bompard, coordinateur national de LFI. La logique : persuadés que l’adoption des textes budgétaires est impossible dans les temps prévus, les mélenchonistes entendent empêcher le gouvernement, le cas échéant, de recourir à des ordonnances pour mettre en œuvre ces projets de loi. Et ce quand bien même l’exécutif s’est défendu de miser sur cette voie de passage. Sébastien Lecornu himself a encore demandé aux députés Ensemble pour la République (anciennement Renaissance), hier matin lors de leur réunion de groupe, de ne pas “[laisser] le débat monter sur les ordonnances”, a raconté un participant à mon collègue Victor Goury-Laffont. Remède sous ordonnances. Cette nouvelle motion de censure sera aussi l’occasion pour LFI, de re-re-recibler leurs ex-partenaires socialistes. “Ceux qui ne la voteront pas, ça veut dire qu’ils soutiendront les ordonnances et toutes les horreurs qu’il y aura dans le budget” (le gel des prestations sociales, l’année blanche…) ainsi mis en œuvre, argumentait déjà Manuel Bompard, considérant que lesdites ordonnances reprendraient le texte du gouvernement, sans prise en compte des évolutions nées du débat parlementaire — ce qui fait débat. CIBLE COMMUNE. Et si les LR retrouvaient un peu d’unité dans la dénonciation de l’actuelle copie budgétaire ? “Invotable” en l’état, s’étrangle, dans l’entretien au Figaro cité plus haut, Bruno Retailleau, pour qui la déclaration de politique générale de Sébastien Lecornu aurait pu être prononcée “par un Premier ministre socialiste”. Le coup de semonce est aussi venu de Laurent Wauquiez hier. “Ce n’est pas parce qu’on n’a pas censuré le gouvernement qu’on va voter automatiquement le budget tel qu’il est, et a fortiori un budget qui serait sous la coupe des socialistes”, a prévenu le chef de file des députés LR, prêt à entrer en guerre “contre toutes les augmentations d’impôts et de taxes”. La censure si insensée ? Sur une ligne de crête, l’Altiligérien, dont la majorité des troupes veut éviter une dissolution, montre les muscles, tout en prévenant qu’une censure du gouvernement coûterait “très cher aux Français”. “La partie va maintenant être beaucoup plus compliquée à jouer pour Wauquiez”, anticipait un retailliste, joint hier par Playbook. “Il a réussi à embarquer ses députés sur cette idée de ne pas faire péter le gouvernement […] mais il va avoir de plus en plus de mal à vendre une ligne complaisante vu ce qui se prépare [sur le budget]”, jugeait notre interlocuteur. SIX ÉVINCÉS. Si vous pensiez que Bruno Retailleau, après quelques jours de diète médiatique, adopterait, à son retour, une position plus clémente vis-à-vis des six ministres LR qui sont restés au gouvernement quand lui l’a quitté, vous vous trompiez. Le chef du parti “considère” qu’Annie Genevard et les cinq autres “ne sont plus LR”. Toujours dans Le Fig, il prône une sanction “dès ce soir” lors d’un bureau politique. A l’autre bout du ban. La position ferme du Vendéen tranche avec le sursis que semblait vouloir leur accorder le patron du Sénat Gérard Larcher ce week-end, ou encore avec la déclaration de Laurent Wauquiez d’hier : “Stop, ça suffit ! Il faut qu’on retrouve de l’apaisement, on va pas se mettre à exclure tout le monde.” Les ministres incriminés, écartés des instances dirigeantes de LR, avaient jusqu’à aujourd’hui pour fournir un “contradictoire” justifiant leur maintien au gouvernement. “S’ils veulent revenir maintenant, la main est tendue”, a fait savoir François Xavier Bellamy, le numéro deux du parti, sur BFM, hier, leur enjoignant d’abandonner leur portefeuille. SANCTIONNEUR SANCTIONNÉ. Puisqu’on parle de lui : François-Xavier Bellamy, qui tient donc une ligne dure sur la discipline au sein du parti est, parallèlement, critiqué pour son indiscipline au sein du groupe politique auquel il appartient au Parlement européen. Non-aligné. Le PPE n’a pas apprécié que l’eurodéputé français et ses trois collègues LR votent, la semaine dernière, en faveur de la motion de censure déposée par le groupe d’extrême droite Les Patriotes, dirigé par Jordan Bardella, visant à faire tomber Ursula von der Leyen — la présidente de la Commission est elle-même membre du PPE. Deuxième mandale. Cette prise de position n’est pas une surprise : Bellamy s’était opposé, pendant la campagne des européennes, à un second mandat de l’Allemande. Mais cette fois-ci, Manfred Weber, le chef de file des députés du PPE, ne veut pas laisser impuni ce qu’il a décrit hier comme une “violation de la consigne de vote” de son groupe de la part des quatre élus français, m’a signalé mon collègue bruxellois Max Griera. Weber a donc annoncé avoir initié une procédure interne pour sanctionner Bellamy et ses comparses, en les privant par exemple de postes à responsabilité. Le chef de la droite européenne avait décidé en avril un renforcement de la discipline de son groupe. Y A PAS QUE LE BUDGET. Un autre texte pourrait créer bien des remous cet après-midi à l’Assemblée nationale : la proposition de loi organique visant à reporter à juin 2026 les élections provinciales en Nouvelle-Calédonie. Discutée en séance publique, cette PPL, déjà validée par le Sénat, est défendue par le gouvernement pour lui laisser le temps de mettre en place l’accord de Bougival sur l’avenir du Caillou avant le prochain scrutin initialement prévu cette année. Démarche consensuelle ? Que non. La France insoumise a fait tourner la machine à produire des amendements. Pas moins de 1 624 sur les 1 659 enregistrés hier soir. Le but est assumé : “organiser un barrage parlementaire”, autrement dit faire de l’obstruction pour empêcher ce texte d’être voté. Indignée, la présidente de l’Assemblée Yaël Braun-Pivet leur a demandé de retirer leurs amendements, sans succès. Pour les députés Insoumis, le report des élections est une manière de faire “passer en force” l’accord de Bougival, rejeté par la principale coalition indépendantiste. Opposé, aussi, à ce texte : le Rassemblement national prévoit de voter contre, notamment parce que ce décalage serait “déraisonnable” et ferait “prendre le risque de tensions”, nous pianotait hier le chef de file lepéniste sur le sujet, Yoann Gillet. Face à ces oppositions, une consigne de “mobilisation de tout un chacun” a été délivrée par Sébastien Lecornu aux députés EPR, hier lors de leur réunion de groupe. Emmanuel Macron préside le Conseil des ministres, à 10 heures, au Palais de l’Elysée. Jean-Noël Barrot, Yaël Braun-Pivet et Eléonore Caroit sont à l’ouverture de la quatrième conférence ministérielle des politiques étrangères féministes. Amélie de Montchalin et Charlotte Parmentier-Lecocq participent à la Commission des comptes de la Sécurité sociale à Bercy. Philippe Baptiste clôture le sommet pour la durabilité des activités spatiales à Bercy et Philippe Tabarot le Meet’Up Greentech. Benjamin Haddad est à Londres pour le Sommet du “Processus de Berlin”. Eléonore Caroit s’entretient avec Sima Bahous, directrice exécutive d’ONU-Femmes. Charlotte Parmentier-Lecocq échange avec Théo Curin, animateur et nageur handisport. David Amiel se rend à la Rencontre ALLiaNCE, où il lance la phase d’expérimentation de l’agent conversationnel Assistant IA. Assemblée nationale : A 14 heures, questions au gouvernement. En séance publique, à 14 heures et 21 heures, discussions de la proposition de loi (PPL) visant à reporter le renouvellement général des membres du congrès et des assemblées de province de la Nouvelle-Calédonie pour permettre la mise en œuvre de l’accord du Bougival. Sénat : A 15 heures, questions d’actualité au gouvernement. En séance publique à 16h30, suite de la deuxième lecture de la proposition de loi visant à encourager, faciliter et sécuriser l’exercice du mandat d’élu local. A 16h30, en commission des Affaires étrangères, audition de Catherine Vautrin sur le projet de loi de finances 2026. A 16h30, en commission de la Culture, audition de Laurence des Cars, présidente-directrice du musée du Louvre. Le groupe parlementaire LFI présente à la presse son contre-budget “pour une bifurcation écologique et sociale” à l’Assemblée nationale, à 13 heures. Bureau politique des Républicains à 18h. Suite de la plénière du Parlement européen à Strasbourg. Sortie du livre d’Eric Zemmour, La messe n’est pas dite – Le sursaut judéo-chrétien, aux éditions Fayard. 7h15. France 2 : Grégory Caret, directeur de l’Observatoire de la Consommation de l’UFC-Que Choisir. 7h30. Public Sénat : Eric Kerrouche, sénateur PS des Landes. 7h40. TF1 : Eric Ciotti, président de l’UDR … RTL : Pierre Moscovici, premier président de la Cour des comptes … RMC : Jean-René Cazeneuve, député EPR du Gers. 7h45. Radio J : Thomas Cazenave, député Renaissance de Gironde. 7h50. France Inter : Kathryn Bigelow, réalisatrice. 8h00. Public Sénat : Aurélie Filippetti, ancienne ministre de la Culture. 8h10. Europe 1/CNEWS : Laurent Nuñez, ministre de l’Intérieur … France 2 : Maud Bregeon, porte-parole du Gouvernement. 8h15. Radio Classique : Aurélie Dupont, danseuse étoile … Sud Radio : Thomas Ménagé, député RN du Loiret. 8h20. France Inter : Edouard Geffray, ministre de l’Education nationale … RFI : Thierry Breton, ancien commissaire européen au Marché intérieur. 8h30. Franceinfo : Jean-Yves Le Drian, ancien ministre des Affaires étrangères … BFMTV/RMC : François Ruffin, député Debout de la Somme. DANS NOS NEWSLETTERS PRO CE MATIN : PARIS INFLUENCE : Le CIR sous contreparties, les députés en défense sur les autres niches … Le patron des buralistes nous déroule sa feuille de route, la vape dans les vapes … Serge Papin enfonce le clou sur le budget réduit des CCI. TECH MATIN : Quelles nouvelles taxes pour la tech ? Fin du suspense en commission des Finances à l’Assemblée … La Cnil n’est pas séduite par le remake de Cold Case signé Gérald Darmanin … Légaliser la vidéosurveillance algorithmique : LA solution pour arrêter Arsène Lupin ? ÉNERGIE & CLIMAT : TVA et énergie, de l’électricité dans l’air … Climat, quand l’info prend l’eau … Le côté vert de Vincent Jeanbrun. DANS LE JORF. Clervie Monshouwer est nommée cheffe de cabinet de Marie-Pierre Vedrenne. Le JO confirme ce matin la nomination, annoncée hier par mes collègues d’Energie & Climat, de Benjamin Carantino, dircab adjoint de Monique Barbut. Il est accompagné de Thomas Collin, avec le même titre, et des conseillers Gabriel Normand (diplomatie), Garance Ripart (Parlement), Marine Sarfati (santé et eau) et Emmanuel Pasco-Viel (biodiversité, forêt et recherche). Edouard Geffray continue de constituer son cabinet avec Sylvie Thirard (dircab adjointe), Gauthier Wickuler (chef adjoint de cabinet, conseiller diplomatique), Caroline Reuillon (conseillère budget, numérique et intelligence artificielle), Rémy Chemla (conseiller communication et presse), Anne Padier Savouroux (conseillère école inclusive, santé psychique et physique et sport), François Coux (conseiller lutte contre les inégalités territoriales et sociales), Marjorie Koubi (conseillère ressources humaines) et Anne Boyard (conseillère climat scolaire et valeurs de la République). Le cabinet de Nicolas Forissier est piloté par Nicolas Jannin (directeur) et Edouard Curt (chef). Naïma Moutchou s’entoure des dircabs adjoints Jason Graindepice et Faouzia Fekiri, ainsi que des conseillers Léonor Guilhem (Nouvelle-Calédonie), Laurence Gola de Monchy (sécurité, défense, justice et questions internationales) et François Garcia (transition écologique, mer, pêche, agriculture, biodiversité et suivi de la reconstruction de Mayotte). MÉTÉO. Un ciel couvert et de fortes rafales de vent sont prévus à Paris. ANNIVERSAIRES : Bérangère Abba, ancienne secrétaire d’Etat à la Biodiversité… Moetai Brotherson, président de la Polynésie française … Jean-Pierre Vigier, député DR de la Haute-Loire … Jean-Luc Warsmann, député Liot des Ardennes … Viviane Artigalas, sénatrice SER des Hautes-Pyrénées … Louis Vogel, sénateur Lirt de Seine-et-Marne … Thomas Lam, député Horizons des Hauts-de-Seine. PLAYLIST. Nebraska, Bruce Springsteen. Un grand merci à : Max Griera, notre éditeur Matthieu Verrier, Kenza Pacenza pour la veille et Dean Southwell pour la mise en ligne. **Un message d'Amazon : Depuis 25 ans en France, Amazon offre à ses plus de 25 000 salariés en CDI des conditions de rémunération compétitives, de multiples opportunités de développement, notamment en matière de formation professionnelle et de nombreux avantages tout au long de leur carrière chez Amazon, visant à améliorer leur bien-être mais aussi leur équilibre entre vie professionnelle et vie privée. Par exemple, Amazon offre un mois supplémentaire de congés payés à tous les nouveaux parents : une aide bienvenue lorsque la famille s'agrandit ! En savoir plus.** ABONNEZ-VOUS aux newsletters de POLITICO (en anglais): Brussels Playbook | London Playbook | London Playbook PM | Playbook Paris | Berlin Playbook | POLITICO Confidential | Sunday Crunch | EU Influence | London Influence | Berlin Bulletin | Living Cities | D.C. Playbook | D.C. Influence | POLITICO Pro newsletters
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Anthony Lattier
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2025-10-22T05:00:00Z
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2025-10-22T05:00:00Z
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2025-10-22T05:00:00Z
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https://www.politico.eu/newsletter/playbook-paris/lheure-de-tester-les-recettes/
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Stadtbild-Kanzler plötzlich wieder Weltpolitiker
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KI generierte Text-to-Speech Präsentiert von YouTube Von HANS VON DER BURCHARD Mit PAULINE VON PEZOLD PRÄSENTIERT VON Schicken Sie uns Ihre Tipps hier, hier oder hier | X @GordonRepinski @vonderburchard @R_Buchsteiner | Das Playbook anhören oder online lesen Moin et bonjour. Hier meldet sich Hans von der Burchard, heute aus Brüssel, wo der Kanzler am Abend eintrifft. Ich kann nur hoffen, dass er dabei den Bahnhof Bruxelles-Midi meidet — nicht, dass der EU-Gipfel morgen noch seine eigene Stadtbild-Debatte bekommt. Aber Spaß beiseite: Für Friedrich Merz sind der EU-Gipfel sowie das Westbalkan-Treffen heute Nachmittag in London eine willkommene Flucht aus der AfD-Debatte, die sich schon in Protest vor dem Konrad-Adenauer-Haus niederschlägt. In der Europa- und Weltpolitik gibt es ja gerade besonders viel Wichtiges zu besprechen — wir geben einen Ausblick darauf. Weitere Top-Themen: Mark Rutte reist nach Washington, während der Budapest-Gipfel von Donald Trump und Wladimir Putin vorerst abgesagt ist, Wolfram Weimer treibt die Digitalsteuer voran, und Boris Pistorius plant eine engere Cyber-Kooperation mit Großbritannien. Hörtipp: Im Playbook Podcast spricht Gordon Repinski mit Sven Schulze über die Brandmauer in Sachsen-Anhalt. Und im Update gibt Gordon ein paar Insights zum Interview mit Christina Stumpp. **(Anzeige) Eine Nachricht von YouTube: YouTube ermöglicht es Kreativen, ein Unternehmen zu gründen und mit Inhalten Geld zu verdienen. Dieser Ansatz fördert die deutsche Kreativwirtschaft nachhaltig. Eine Studie von YouTube und Oxford Economics belegt: Das kreative Ökosystem von YouTube trug 2024 über 1 Milliarde Euro zum deutschen BIP bei. Hier klicken und mehr erfahren.** DER MOTOR LÄUFT SCHON: Lange kann Merz heute früh nicht im Kabinett verweilen, die Agenda ist zum Glück ohnehin dünn (siehe Kanzlermappe). Draußen wartet schon die Kanzler-Limousine, die ihn zum Regierungsflughafen nach Schönefeld bringt. Es stehen zwei wichtige Tage auf dem internationalen Parkett an: Die Spannbreite reicht von EU-Integration über Ukraine-Unterstützung bis hin zu Verhandlungen um Gaza. Zunächst geht es im Regierungsflieger (ohne Begleitpresse) nach London zum Westbalkan-Gipfel. Moment, London? Ein bisschen ironisch ist das schon. Da reisen Merz und andere EU-Vertreter ausgerechnet in die Brexit-Hauptstadt, um dort mit den Chefs von Albanien, Bosnien und Herzegowina, Kosovo, Montenegro, Nordmazedonien und Serbien eine bessere gegenseitige Integration als Vorbereitung für einen EU-Beitritt zu besprechen. So ganz raus sind die Briten eben doch nicht. Um den Zusammenhalt und den Fortschritt Europas kümmern sie sich weiter, um die Sicherheit sowieso. In Berlin und Brüssel freut man sich, dass London dieses Jahr Vorsitzender des „Berliner Prozesses“ ist. Auf der Agenda im Lancaster House steht vor allem eine bessere wirtschaftliche Integration zwischen den sechs Staaten: Noch immer sorgen Grenzkontrollen oder die mangelnde Anerkennung von Berufsqualifikationen für Hindernisse, auch an Zugverbindungen fehlt es. Was die Balkanstaaten vor allem wollen: endlich EU-Erweiterung. Insbesondere Montenegro hat Fortschritte gemacht: „Wenn das Land seinen Reformkurs fortsetzt, ist eine Aufnahme innerhalb der nächsten zwei Jahre realistisch“, sagt mir Anton Hofreiter. Die EU müsse zeigen, „dass wir es mit der europäischen Perspektive für diese Länder ernst meinen“. Wie sich EU-interne Probleme bei der Erweiterung umgehen lassen, haben Nicholas Vinocur und ich recherchiert: Neue Staaten sollen kein Veto-Recht bekommen. Aus Gesprächen mit „Vertretern der Westbalkan-Staaten erhalte ich klare Signale, dass dieser Ansatz als konstruktiv und gangbar angesehen wird“, sagt Hofreiter. DAUERTHEMA UKRAINE: Am Rande des London-Treffens kann sich Merz dazu mit Keir Starmer besprechen, der beim EU-Gipfel morgen ja nicht dabei ist — dafür aber Wolodymyr Selenskyj. Dieser kommt anschließend wiederum nach London, wo am Freitag eine Videoschalte der Ukraine-Unterstützer aus der „Koalition der Willingen“ stattfindet. Die Stimmung ist gerade gemischt: Eigentlich sollten sich Marco Rubio und Sergej Lawrow morgen in Budapest besprechen, doch nach einem sehr schlecht verlaufenen Telefonat der beiden Außenminister ist nicht nur deren Treffen erstmal abgesagt, sondern auch der geplante Trump-Putin-Gipfel in Ungarn (Orbán nicht mehr so happy). Nein, wer hätte das gedacht! Wie schon bei Trumps früheren Vermittlungsversuchen zeigt sich, dass Moskau kein Interesse an ernsthaften Verhandlungen hat, sondern stattdessen maximalistische Forderungen — etwa die Abgabe des ganzen Donbass — stellt. Heute reist Nato-Generalsekretär Mark Rutte spontan nach Washington, um „Daddy“ im Weißen Haus zu besuchen. Sogar zwei Tage dauert der Besuch, so die Nato — auch hier gilt, den US-Präsidenten wieder auf die richtige Seite zu ziehen. „Ich möchte kein sinnloses Treffen“ mit Putin, so ein (frustrierter) Trump gestern Abend: „Ich möchte keine Zeit verschwenden.“ FÜR MERZ GEHT’S VON LONDON NACH BRÜSSEL: Dort will der Kanzler an einem Abendessen mit Abdel Fattah El-Sisi und anderen EU-Chefs teilnehmen (hoffentlich klappt es zeitlich). Der ägyptische Präsident ist für den ersten EU-Ägypten-Gipfel in der Stadt. Zentrale Themen: den fragilen Gaza-Frieden aufrechterhalten und den Wiederaufbau planen. Post für Brüssel: In Vorbereitung für den EU-Gipfel morgen haben Merz, Emmanuel Macron, Giorgia Meloni und 16 weitere EU-Chefs ihrer Forderung nach mehr Bürokratieabbau Nachdruck verliehen. Sie fordern eine „systematische Überprüfung aller EU-Vorschriften, um überflüssige, übermäßige oder unausgewogene Regelungen zu identifizieren“. Die Europäische Kommission müsse zudem rasch neue Initiativen vorlegen, „um die Planungs- und Genehmigungsverfahren auf EU-Ebene“, etwa beim Bau einer neuen Fabrik, zu beschleunigen. Außerdem wird ein Sonder-EU-Gipfel zur Wettbewerbsfähigkeit im Februar gefordert. Das ganze Schreiben gibt es für Abonnenten unseres Pro-Newsletters Industrie und Handel. Weiteres wichtiges Thema beim Gipfel wird China: Die EU-Chefs wollen darüber sprechen, ob die EU mit einer angedrohten Anwendung ihres Anti-Zwangs-Instruments den Druck auf Peking erhöhen sollte (etwa durch Zölle), damit die Beschränkungen für den Export von seltenen Erden aufgehoben werden. Auch die Bundesregierung befürwortet eine härtere Gangart gegenüber Peking — womöglich bereits mit Erfolg: Chinas Handelsminister Wang Wentao will in den nächsten Tagen nach Brüssel kommen, um eine Lösung im Streit um die Exportrestriktionen zu erzielen. Zu weiteren Themen des EU-Gipfels morgen mehr hier an dieser Stelle… KABINETTSMITTWOCH: Um 10 Uhr geht’s zuvor heute im Kanzleramt los — diesmal mit einer relativ übersichtlichen Agenda. Déjà vu: Das Gesundheitsministerium bringt eine Änderung des Transplantationsgesetzes ein. Schon das Ampel-Kabinett hatte eine Lebendorganspende-Reform verabschiedet, diese aber nie in den Bundestag eingebracht. Das Justizministerium will Gerichte entlasten und den Streitwert erhöhen, ab dem Beschwerde gegen Gerichtsentscheidungen eingelegt werden kann. KI-KANZLER: Interessant ist derweil Merz’ Interesse für die Künstliche Intelligenz. „Ich begebe mich gerade auf meinem eigenen Rechner in ein erstes System hinein und probiere das aus“, verriet er beim Stuttgart-Besuch gestern. Das habe er sogar „sehr konkret“ im Falle des Gesetzes zur Aktivrente getan. Auch wenn das Resultat nicht fehlerfrei gewesen sei, so sei es doch „erstaunlich, was die KI da auch bis hin zu Formulierungen angeboten hat“. Die Technologie sei „disruptiv, und zwar in einem Umfang, den wir uns heute nicht vorstellen können.“ Anzeige BRANDMAUER-DEBATTEN? OHNE IHN: Sven Schulze, designierter CDU-Spitzenkandidat in Sachsen-Anhalt, will sich nicht aus der Ruhe bringen lassen. „Ich lasse mich doch nicht verrückt machen von irgendwelchen theoretischen Diskussionen. Dann wäre ich ja auch der falsche Kandidat“, so Schulze im Playbook Podcast. Trotz eines erheblichen Rückstands in den Umfragen setzt Schulze darauf, bei der Landtagswahl im September mit der CDU in Sachsen-Anhalt vorne zu liegen: „Uns geht es darum, durch Inhalte in den nächsten elf Monaten hier ein möglichst gutes Ergebnis zu erzielen. Unser Ziel ist klar, stärkste Kraft zu werden.“ Zwischenruf aus Thüringen: Mike Mohring, früherer CDU-Chef und ehemaliger Fraktionsvorsitzender in Thüringen, fordert die Aufhebung des Unvereinbarkeitsbeschlusses seiner Partei gegenüber AfD und Linke. „Die Bürger wollen, dass nach Wahlen Regierungen die Mehrheit der Wähler repräsentieren“, so Mohring zu Rasmus Buchsteiner. Die Minderheitsregierungen in Thüringen und Sachsen arbeiteten verantwortungsvoll, doch die AfD sei „nicht schwächer geworden“. „Der Unvereinbarkeitsbeschluss ist das, was ich schon vor fünf Jahren gesagt habe: gut für die Selbstvergewisserung der CDU, aber fern der Lebensrealität, besonders im Osten“, so Mohring weiter. GEGEN ALLE WIDERSTÄNDE: Trotz Zweifel bei beiden Koalitionsfraktionen treibt Wolfram Weimer die Einführung einer Abgabe für große digitale Plattformen voran. Diese sollen zweckgebunden dem Medien- und Kreativsektor zugutekommen. Wie Weimer bei den Medientagen München ankündigte, arbeite er aktuell an Eckpunkten zur möglichen Ausgestaltung einer solchen Abgabe. Besonders geprüft werden wesentliche verfassungs- und europarechtliche sowie ökonomische Fragen, so Weimer. SPD-NACHSCHLAG: Nach wachsender Kritik an Merz’ Stadtbild-Äußerung aus den Reihen seines eigenen Kabinetts fordert Adis Ahmetovic eine klare Positionierung vonseiten der gesamten Regierung. „Die Koalition aus CDU, CSU und SPD sollte sich auf ein gemeinsames Stadtbild durch einen parlamentarischen Beschluss verständigen, um die Debatte zu rationalisieren: Wie können wir Leerstand beseitigen, für mehr Erlebnis und Kultur sowie für Sicherheit und Sauberkeit sorgen?“, sagte er dem Stern. FINAL STOP SCHOTTLAND: Nach zwei Tagen in Kanada geht es für Boris Pistorius wieder Richtung Europa. Heute früh Ortszeit steigt die Delegation in den A321 neo LR und kommt am Abend in Lossiemouth an. Cyber-Boost: Deutschland und Großbritannien wollen ihr Verteidigungsabkommen um gemeinsame Cyber-Projekte erweitern, wie Chris Lunday und Esther Webber aus London erfuhren. Die Erweiterung soll morgen verkündet werden — gemeinsam von Pistorius und seinem britischen Amtskollegen John Healey. Lighthouse-Projekte werden digital: Cyber soll künftig Teil der sogenannten „Leuchtturmprojekte“ im Abkommen werden — wie gemeinsame Munitionsproduktion oder Zusammenarbeit bei Präzisionswaffen. Bei den Cyber-Projekten geht es um den Schutz kritischer Infrastruktur, sichere Kommunikation und gemeinsame Trainings. Schottland als Knotenpunkt: Mit dem neuen Weltraumbahnhof in Sutherland könnte Schottland zum Zentrum für die Raumfahrtkooperation zwischen beiden Ländern werden. Das soll Cyber, Space und militärische Innovation stärker miteinander verknüpfen. NEUES ZU MARTIN SELMAYR: Die Indizien verdichten sich, dass der deutsche Top-EU-Beamte aus dem römischen Exil zurück nach Brüssel kommen und eine Spitzenposition als Vize-Generalsekretär des Europäischen Auswärtigen Dienstes übernehmen könnte. Mehr von Gabriel Gavin, Nicholas Vinocur und mir hier. DAS ENDE DER GRÜNEN ÄRA? Die Europäische Volkspartei lehnte gestern gemeinsam mit den Rechtsaußen-Parteien das Gesetz zum Waldmonitoring ab — und erteilte damit dem Green Deal einen weiteren herben Schlag. „Das Erbe von Kommissar Timmermans ist beendet“, keilte der für das Gesetz zuständige EVP-Abgeordnete Stefan Köhler vor der Abstimmung in Anspielung auf den ehemaligen Klimakommissar. Was die EVP zu ihrer Entscheidung bewegte und wie es mit dem Gesetz nun weitergeht, erfahren Sie in der aktuellen Ausgabe unseres Europa-Briefings Brussels Decoded, das Sie hier kostenlos zur Probe abonnieren können. APROPOS EVP: Deren Fraktionsvorsitzender Manfred Weber wich gestern einer Zusage aus, den Vorsitz des Europäischen Parlaments wie geplant 2027 an die Sozialdemokraten zu übergeben. Third time’s a charm: Stattdessen lässt er die Option einer dritten Amtszeit für Roberta Metsola offen. Die Stabilität der EU-Regierungskoalition würde dies jedoch in schwere Schieflage bringen, schreibt Max Griera. **(Anzeige) Shifting Power, Shaping Prosperity. Morgen vereint der Berlin Global Dialogue erneut führende Persönlichkeiten aus Wirtschaft, Wissenschaft und Politik an der ESMT Berlin. Wandel, Wirkung und Weltpolitik im Herzen der Hauptstadt. Erfahren Sie mehr.** GUCK MAL, WER DA SPRICHT: Jared Kushner, Schwiegersohn und „Nahost-Flüsterer“ von US-Präsident Trump, sprach während seines Besuchs in Israel über die Pläne zum Wiederaufbau Gazas. Den gebe es nur in von Israel kontrollierten Gebieten: Hamas = No Cash: „Es werden keine Wiederaufbaugelder in Gebiete fließen, die noch von der Hamas kontrolliert werden“, sagte Kushner bei einer Pressekonferenz, der an der Seite vom Sondergesandten Steve Witkoff in die Region reiste. Der Wiederaufbau könne ein „neues Gaza“ schaffen, das den Palästinensern „einen Ort gibt, an dem sie leben und arbeiten können“. Ob dieser Teil mittelfristig unter israelischer oder internationaler Verwaltung stehen soll, ließ Kushner offen. Die Stimme der Geduld: Nach Israel nachgereist war Vizepräsident JD Vance. Der erklärte, „die Feuerpause läuft besser, als wir erwartet haben.“ Zugleich bat er Israel um „ein kleines bisschen Geduld“ bei der Umsetzung des Abkommens. Kurz vor den heutigen Gesprächen von Vance mit Israels Ministerpräsident Benjamin Netanjahu hat die islamistische Hamas zwei weitere Geisel-Leichen ausgehändigt. Mehr zum Nahost-Besuch von Trumps Triuppe und was Mark Rutte derweil in Washington für die Ukraine erreichen könnte, lesen Sie heute Morgen in unserem US-Newsletter DC Decoded. IST DAS DIE LÖSUNG? Heute treffen sich in Mainz die 16 Landesfürsten. Auf ihrer Agenda: quasi ein Kompromiss zwischen Union und SPD zum Verbrenner-Aus — wenigstens auf Landesebene. Neben Range Extender und Hybriden soll ab 2035 noch eine weitere Art von Fahrzeugen zugelassen werden können. Das geht aus einer Berichtsvorlage hervor, die Tom Schmidtgen einsehen konnte. Den Link zum kostenlosen Test-Abo des Pro Industrie und Handel finden Sie hier. STANDGAS: Wie viele Gigawatt neuer Gaskraftwerk-Leistung bekommt Katherina Reiche von der EU denn nun genehmigt? Im Interview äußert sich Bundesnetzagentur-Chef Klaus Müller zum Verhandlungsstand bei der Kraftwerkstrategie, dem Zeitplan für Ausschreibungen — und erklärt, warum seine Behörde bei diesen wenig Spielraum möchte. Hier können Sie unseren Pro-Newsletter kostenlos für einen Monat testen. COMEBACK: Nach seinem Rückzug aus der Politik startet Kevin Kühnert als Autor beim Popkultur-Magazin Rolling Stone. In seiner neuen Kolumne „Teilnehmende Beobachtung“ kommentiert er gesellschaftliche Themen. In seinem ersten Beitrag kritisiert er Markus Söder scharf: Dessen Auftritte seien billige Identitätspolitik und reine Selbstinszenierung. IN ÖSTERREICH: Das Wiener Büro der Zeit bekommt mit Katharina Mittelstaedt eine neue Vize-Leiterin. Sie kommt im Februar vom österreichischen Standard, wo sie Leitende Redakteurin Innenpolitik ist. EISHOCKEY-DIPLOMATIE IN OTTAWA: Gestern Abend stand ein wenig Freizeit auf dem Programm für Boris Pistorius. Gemeinsam mit Botschafter Matthias Lüttenberg besuchte er das Spiel der Edmonton Oilers gegen die Ottawa Senators. Schon am Vorabend hatte er sich beim Empfang in der deutschen Residenz als Hockey-Fan geoutet — und als Bewunderer kanadisch-deutscher Teamarbeit. „Ich gebe zu, dass dabei vor allem mein Land von eurem lernt, David. Jeder fünfte Spieler in der deutschen Hockeyliga kommt aus Kanada“, so Pistorius. Aber es geht auch andersrum: Der beste deutsche Eishockeyspieler, Leon Draisaitl, spielt für die Edmonton Oilers. Ihn live zu sehen, freute Pistorius besonders. Hint-hint an Kanadas Amtskollegen David McGuinty: „Ich bin fest überzeugt, dass das, was in der NHL seit Jahrzehnten funktioniert, ein Vorbild für unsere U-Boot-Zusammenarbeit sein könnte“, so Pistorius — geschickt eingefädelt mit Blick auf die hoffentlich baldige U-Boot-Partnerschaft mit Kanada. — Die Regierungspressekonferenz findet um 13 Uhr statt. — Beim dreitägigen Staatsbesuch in Österreich erhält Frank-Walter Steinmeier Besuch von Karin Prien. — Landwirtschaft: Im Zuge der Reihe „Heimatgespräche“ spricht Alois Rainer um 13 Uhr in Roßdorf und um 16 Uhr in Niederndodeleben. — An dem IGBCE-Gewerkschaftskongress nimmt um 14:30 Uhr Lars Klingbeil teil. — Raumfahrt: Um 18 Uhr wird Dorothee Bär das Mondzentrum der DLR in Köln besuchen. — Dreigliedriger Sozialgipfel: In Brüssel treffen sich EU-Spitzen und führende Vertreter der europäischen Sozialpartner zum Thema politische und wirtschaftliche Stärkung der Union. WETTERUMSCHWUNG: Nach Tagen des Sonnenscheins wird es heute eher regnerisch. Bei 16 °C bleibt es weiter warm. GRUSS AUS DER KÜCHE: — Mitarbeiterrestaurant JKH: Vollkorn-Farfalle mit Blumenkohlsoße, Cherrytomaten und gerösteten Haselnüssen oder geschmorter Kasselernackenbraten mit Senf-Bier-Soße, Sauerkraut und Kartoffeln — Lampenladen PLH: Gratinierte Gemüse-Cannelloni auf Tomatensoße, dazu Salatbukett oder Cevapcici dazu Balkangemüse und Wedges mit Kräuter-Dip — Vegetarischer Pasta Mittwoch in der Kantine RTG: Pasta Alfredo mit Knoblauch und Parmesan oder Gemüse-Lasagne mit Karotten, Bohnen, Tomate und Gouda, beides mit Rucola GEBURTSTAGE: Jan Köstering, Linken-MdB (28), Jens Teutrine, Mitglied im FDP-Parteivorstand (32), Sandra Stein, Grünen-MdB (39), Dietmar Woidke, Ministerpräsident von Brandenburg (64), Winfried Bausback, Mitglied im CSU-Präsidium (70) Regierungsviertel: Jasper Bennink, Rasmus Buchsteiner, Carlotta Diederich, Rixa Fürsen, Jürgen Klöckner, Franziska Nocke, Pauline von Pezold, Gordon Repinski und Fiona Wink Internationales Team: James Angelos, Chris Lunday und Nette Nöstlinger Industrie und Handel: Laura Hülsemann, Thorsten Mumme, Romanus Otte, Frida Preuß und Tom Schmidtgen Energie und Klima: Josh Groeneveld, Frederike Holewik, Joana Lehner und Johanna Sahlberg. Brussels Decoded: Oliver Noyan und Anouk Schlung DC Decoded: Julius Brinkmann, Maximilian Lembke, Franziska Nocke und Oliver Noyan Produktion: Dean Southwell Das war die 409. Ausgabe des Berlin Playbook! Schicken Sie mir Feedback hier. Wenn Sie es noch nicht abonniert haben, können Sie das hier kostenlos tun. Ich wünsche Ihnen einen anregenden Mittwoch. Herzlichst Hans von der Burchard **(Anzeige) Eine Nachricht von YouTube: Wer Kreativität fördert, erschließt Innovationskraft und wirtschaftliche Chancen. Genau hier setzt YouTube an und leistet einen positiven Beitrag zur deutschen Kreativwirtschaft. Die Plattform ermöglicht es Content Creator*innen, durch verschiedene Monetarisierungsoptionen Einkünfte zu erzielen und diese direkt in ihr eigenes Wachstum zu investieren. Das Ergebnis: Laut einer neuen Studie von YouTube und Oxford Economics trug das kreative Ökosystem von YouTube 2024 über 1 Milliarde Euro zum deutschen BIP bei. Dieses System erlaubt es Kreativen, neue Zielgruppen zu erreichen und das wirtschaftliche Wachstum in Deutschland voranzutreiben. Alle Details im vollständigen Bericht entdecken.** ABONNIEREN Sie die Newsletter von POLITICO: Brussels Playbook | London Playbook | London Playbook PM | Playbook Paris | EU Election Playbook | Berlin Playbook | Global Playbook | POLITICO Confidential | Sunday Crunch | EU Influence | London Influence | Berlin Bulletin | Living Cities | D.C. Playbook | D.C. Influence | Canada Playbook | POLITICO Pro
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Hans von der Burchard
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Uncategorized
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[] |
2025-10-22T05:00:00Z
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2025-10-22T05:00:00Z
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2025-10-22T05:00:00Z
| 7,369,914
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https://www.politico.eu/newsletter/berlin-playbook/stadtbild-kanzler-plotzlich-wieder-weltpolitiker/
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Das Dilemma um den Unvereinbarkeitsbeschluss
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Listen on Friedrich Merz wollte mit seinem klaren Kurs zur AfD eigentlich Ruhe schaffen. Stattdessen läuft die Debatte in der CDU heftiger als zuvor. Mit Rasmus Buchsteiner spricht Gordon Repinski über den Ursprung des Unvereinbarkeitsbeschlusses, seine politische Halbwertszeit und die Frage, wie sich die CDU mit dem Bestand des Beschlusses auch ein zeitliches Problem hat.Im 200-Sekunden-Interview reagiert Sven Schulze, CDU-Landeschef und Spitzenkandidat in Sachsen-Anhalt, auf die Brandmauer-Debatte. Er erklärt, warum er lieber über Inhalte als über Koalitionen spricht. Seine Botschaft: Wir lassen uns nicht verrückt machen. Schon gar nicht aus Berlin-Mitte. Danach meldet sich Rixa Fürsen von der NATO-Tour mit Boris Pistorius aus Ottawa, wo es um milliardenschwere U-Boot-Deals mit Kanada geht. Gemeinsam mit Norwegen wirbt Deutschland um den Zuschlag für zwölf neue Boote und damit auch um eine sicherheitspolitische Führungsrolle.Das Berlin Playbook als Podcast gibt es jeden Morgen ab 5 Uhr. Gordon Repinski und das POLITICO-Team liefern Politik zum Hören – kompakt, international, hintergründig. Für alle Hauptstadt-Profis:Der Berlin Playbook-Newsletter bietet jeden Morgen die wichtigsten Themen und Einordnungen. Jetzt kostenlos abonnieren. Mehr von Host und POLITICO Executive Editor Gordon Repinski:Instagram: @gordon.repinski | X: @GordonRepinski.
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Gordon Repinski
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[
"der podcast",
"german politics",
"playbook",
"spitzenkandidat",
"politics"
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Playbook
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[] |
2025-10-22T04:48:27Z
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2025-10-22T04:48:27Z
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2025-10-22T04:48:30Z
| 7,368,900
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https://www.politico.eu/podcast/berlin-playbook-podcast/das-dilemma-um-den-unvereinbarkeitsbeschluss/
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Liz Truss’ dream of boosting British cheese exports falls flat in Japan
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It’s been five years since the U.K. and Japan signed their trade deal. But Japanese consumers still aren’t buying British. AI generated Text-to-speech TOKYO — Liz Truss traveled with a small jar of Stilton cheese — the kind you find in the 18th-century London department store Fortnum & Mason — when she flew to Tokyo to ink Britain’s first post-Brexit trade deal five years ago this week. For Truss, then Britain's trade secretary, this was personal. In 2014 she famously called it a “disgrace” that Britain didn’t export more cheese. In the final weeks of the talks with Tokyo, she had fought hard to open up market access for Stilton and cheddar. As a token of her appreciation for liberalizing the Japanese market, Truss presented then Foreign Minister Motegi Toshimitsu with the pot of Silton as they signed the deal on Oct. 22, 2020. While it was largely a rollover of the EU trade deal with Tokyo that Britain had access to as a member of the bloc, it also sliced Japan’s cheese tariffs (from 29.8 percent in the case of cheddar) to zero by 2033. Buxton Blue, Swaledale Ewes, Teviotdale Cheeses and five others also now have their brand names protected in Japan. Yet five years on, Japanese consumers aren’t buying British. The value of U.K. cheese exports has shrunk 66 percent since Truss signed the deal, as a weak yen pushes up prices. “There's been no explosion of British food,” said Mark Spencer, as he showed off the Clawson Blue Stilton cheese he’s had flown in via airfreight to Tokyo on the well-stocked shelves of The British Shop. He opened the shop in May near Tokyo’s bustling Shibuya Crossing to showcase British food. “British food is not very well known in Japan. It was a real struggle when we opened up here to even find British products,” said Spencer, who is also the founder of Hobgoblin Pubs and owns the biggest British pub in Tokyo. “We use this as more like a showroom for our imported goods,” Spencer said over a cup of PG Tips tea, surrounded by customers eating scones with jam and clotted cream next to shelves full of Jaffa Cakes (¥680), Marmite (¥1,296), and Clawson Blue Stilton (¥1,296 per 100g). “We can bring the department stores, the supermarkets and all those kinds of people down here,” he said as he works to expand his importing business. Spencer’s longtime contract with Costco (the American big-box warehouse retailer has more than 30 locations in Japan) has him importing shipping containers full of Wyke Farms cheddar. “Stilton and stuff like that. That's flown in. That has a shorter shelf life,” he said. Liz Truss’ trade deal “was good,” he added, noting “there's a lot of stuff that's tariff-free” thanks to it. “It's just a nightmare importing anything into Japan. They have what's called non-tariff barriers,” he said. The flake in the soft serve ice cream at The British Shop? “We have a German flake,” Spencer said, shaking his head. “You can't have a Cadbury's Flake,” he explains. “There's an emulsifier inside it that's not approved for Japan.” Despite the challenges, Spencer says he’s “on a mission to expand British food and British products.” Next, he’s going to try importing Victoria sponge. Overall, British food and drink exports to Japan have been volatile. “The story for cheese exports, unfortunately, shows a clear decline in recent years,” said George Hyde, the Food and Drink Federation’s head of trade. “U.K. cheese sales to Japan peaked at £2.2 million in 2019 but have fallen every year since, and were down two-thirds in 2024 despite tariff advantages.” A major factor is the weak Japanese yen compared to the strong British pound. Since Truss signed the trade deal in 2020, the pound has risen 47 percent in value against the yen. In August, inflation in Japan stood at 2.7 percent — its lowest point since November 2024. Japanese tariffs on multiple British cheeses remain obstructively high, at 25, 14, and 18.6 percent. This is because they will be lowered over 15 years, following the trade deal coming into effect at the start of 2021. “When combined with the fact that we typically export the more premium — and therefore expensive — cheeses to Japan, the impact is even higher,” said Hyde. “All this means that British cheeses will feel relatively expensive to Japanese consumers compared to similar products they’re shopping for.” British cheese is a luxury good in Japan. Yet, even Fortnum & Mason doesn’t display its pots of Stilton and other British cheese alongside the tea, scones, clotted cream, jam, preserves and biscuits on its stand in the bustling food hall of Japan’s legendary Mitsukoshi department store. Hidden away on the store’s third basement level at the "Cheese on the Table" stall, you can find Red Cheddar (¥972, £4.78), Stilton (¥1,080, £5.31), and Clotted cream (¥2,376, £11.70) alongside other European varieties. For ordinary Japanese people, “the image of the production of the cheese is France, Italy, not Britain,” said a Japanese official, noting the U.K.’s best-known export is Scotch whisky. “In this sense, I think the promotion for this British cheese would be necessary.” “There’s ambition among U.K. food and drink manufacturers to increase their trading with markets outside the EU, like Japan,” said Hyde. “We want that ambition to be met with action from government, by doing more to promote U.K. food and drink abroad, alongside gaining tariff reductions to these nations.” “We’re backing cheese exporters through our Dairy Export Programme, showcasing the sector to the world and bringing over 40 international buyers to the U.K.,” said a government spokesperson. “On top of that, we have a specialist on hand helping the UK’s cheese exporters to sell more in the region, including Japan, and our Trade Strategy will help them to sell even more products across the globe.” The reporting in Japan for this piece was part-funded and organized by the Foreign Press Center Japan, a non-profit organization part-funded by the Japanese government and with close links to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. The idea under consideration is for the U.K. and EU to form a Western steel alliance — potentially including Washington — that would align tariff policies. Western allies race to forge united G7 response after China tightened grip on rare minerals key to green and defense industries. The EU is preparing to reduce foreign steel quotas by almost half as part of new measures set to be proposed next week. The U.K. PM’s first India visit comes just months after the two nations closed their long-desired trade deal.
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Graham Lanktree
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It’s been five years since the U.K. and Japan signed their trade deal. But Japanese consumers still aren’t buying British.
|
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Trade UK
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2025-10-22T02:26:00Z
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2025-10-22T02:26:00Z
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2025-10-22T02:28:58Z
| 7,362,864
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https://www.politico.eu/article/liz-truss-uk-british-trade-deal-japan-cheese-dairy-tariffs/
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Sun sets on Macron as Europe’s visionary-in-chief
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The French president’s domestic woes have dimmed his ambitions and weakened his influence within the European Union. AI generated Text-to-speech PARIS — France’s Emmanuel Macron will arrive in Brussels for a key European Council meeting Thursday with his reputation as the continent’s idea man long gone and replaced by a new one: chief party pooper. As European Union leaders gather to game-plan in the face of existential crises ranging from combatting the rise of the far right to preventing a bad Trump-Putin deal on Ukraine, they can no longer rely on Macron’s grandiose ideas. Conversations with 10 diplomats and officials from across the European Union, all of whom were granted anonymity to candidly discuss the French president’s political fortunes, suggest the 47-year-old centrist’s domestic troubles and focus on his legacy have made him an obstacle to progress rather than a motor of it. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s proposed “drone wall” to protect European skies from Russia’s increasingly invasive unmanned aerial vehicles? Unrealistic, per Macron. European Council President António Costa’s idea to streamline the EU accession process by eliminating the need for unanimity? Nah. France isn’t giving up its veto power. Making our planet great again? Maybe one day. But now is not the time for the due diligence directive requiring companies to monitor their global suppliers for human rights and environmental abuses. Or for 2040 climate targets, for that matter. Macron in recent months has become more cautious, balking at proposals that risk generating a backlash in France, and more prickly with regard to proposals he doesn’t control. France has instead poured its energy into slashing red tape. In recent weeks the French leader has been pushing for more controls on migration and for red tape to be slashed, while lobbying for new rules to keep children off social media and bidding to create carveouts for automakers on green targets. Hardly the stuff of European dreams. “This Macron has been consumed by domestic troubles,” said an EU diplomat. “He is no longer the European champion we once knew.” When it comes to the changes the European Union has seen in the last decade, it’s hard to understate Macron’s influence and foresight. Speaking at the Sorbonne University in 2017, he argued forcefully for a more muscular Europe that wasn’t so dependent on partners overseas, either for manufactured goods or for its own defense. His call fell on deaf ears at the time. Today, however, the European Commission and leaders across the bloc preach Macron’s gospel of “strategic autonomy” as they try to diversify away from China and beef up the continent’s military capacities in the face of Russian aggression and American military retrenchment. Macron earned the nickname of the EU’s “think-tanker in chief,” and his blizzard of initiatives and ideas for reforming Europe defined his early tenure as a leader on the world stage. Fast-forward to October 2025, though, and it’s become clear that politics and legacy loom large in Macron’s calculus. Just look at enlargement. Macron was long seen as a supporter of bringing new members into the European Union to increase the bloc’s economic and geopolitical heft. He spearheaded the European Political Community as a sort of waiting room for wannabe EU members in 2022, and a year later pledged to bring aspiring candidate countries into the bloc as “fast as possible.” Little wonder, then, that Macron’s allies had trouble understanding France’s decision to oppose Costa’s proposal to lift the veto power of Hungary’s Viktor Orbán on parts of the accession process. A heavyweight from Macron’s Renew group in the European Parliament said the move was “in total contradiction” with Macron’s previous commitments. “It’s a fundamental error,” the individual said. According to a top Macron ally, the French president simply doesn’t have the political capital to back some of his own ambitions, especially those that provide fodder to Euroskeptics and Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally. “It’s not the right moment, we have the far right breathing down our necks,” the ally said. “Any talk about Albania, Montenegro entering the Union is a gift for … Le Pen,” he said, noting that French farmers would be the first to take to the streets to protest the entry of agricultural giant Ukraine. Influence in Brussels has been a casualty of France’s chaos at home. Macron has cycled through five prime ministers in less than two years and was nearly forced to hunt for a sixth after his current pick, Sébastien Lecornu, resigned after his first government lasted just 14 hours. The French president eventually reappointed Lecornu and the crisis abated, at least temporarily. While successive French governments have shared similar views on EU affairs, their successive collapse has left France increasingly less influential in Brussels. “If you have a non-functioning government for one-and-a-half years, that gives you a little bit less influence on decisions,” an EU diplomat from outside France said. The churn makes it harder in the room when ministers meet, the diplomat added. It also makes it difficult for the French government to craft and circulate the ever-important policy papers ahead of ministerial meetings that drive the agenda and represent national priorities. As Macron approaches the twilight of his presidency, he might yet sketch out some grand designs for Europe, but his ability to turn dreams into reality has been largely eclipsed. Even if the French president somehow pulls off yet another great escape and manages to find a way through the political mire with a government that lasts and a budget that passes, the crushing truth for those working in the institutions and embassies of Brussels is that Macron’s influence is seriously weakened. And that his own grand pro-European project is finished. Diplomats from outside France are already speaking of Macron in the past tense and talking about his “legacy,” even though he’s not due to leave office until 2027. “He was something special,” one told POLITICO. Victor Goury-Laffont contributed reporting. “We didn’t discuss, or take any decision” on the deal with the Latin American countries, the Council chief says. Western allies race to forge united G7 response after China tightened grip on rare minerals key to green and defense industries. The French president’s dogged determination to defend his achievements risks backfiring. Officials and diplomats are hoping the ceasefire lasts but don’t want to ease the pressure on Israel just yet.
|
Clea Caulcutt
|
The French president’s domestic woes have dimmed his ambitions and weakened his influence within the European Union.
|
[
"baltics",
"beef",
"borders",
"cars",
"companies",
"defense",
"drones",
"due diligence",
"energy",
"enlargement",
"far right",
"farmers",
"french political crisis",
"human rights",
"industry",
"macron",
"media",
"mercosur",
"migration",
"military",
"regulation",
"rights",
"social media",
"strategic autonomy",
"trade",
"war"
] |
Politics
|
[
"Albania",
"China",
"France",
"Germany",
"Hungary",
"Montenegro",
"Slovenia",
"Ukraine"
] |
2025-10-22T02:22:44Z
|
2025-10-22T02:22:44Z
|
2025-10-22T09:27:39Z
| 7,364,034
|
https://www.politico.eu/article/emmanuel-macrons-visionary-eu-influence/
|
Europe’s spies are learning to trust each other — thanks to Trump
|
Doubts over transatlantic intelligence-sharing is bringing European intelligence agencies closer together. AI generated Text-to-speech BRUSSELS — Intelligence agencies across Europe are burying decades of distrust and starting to build a shared intelligence operation to counter Russian aggression — a move accelerated by the new American capriciousness in supporting its traditional allies. In the past year, many national capitals have embedded intelligence officials in their Brussels representation offices. The European Union's in-house intelligence unit has started briefing top-level officials. And the bloc is toying with the idea to build up stronger, CIA-style powers — long considered unthinkable. The push for deeper intelligence cooperation accelerated sharply after the Trump administration abruptly halted the sharing of battlefield intelligence with Kyiv last March. Donald Trump "deserves a Nobel Peace Prize for bringing the services of Europe together,” said one Western intelligence official, who was granted anonymity to disclose details of how they cooperated with American counterparts. POLITICO spoke with seven intelligence and security officials who described how the rupture in transatlantic trust is driving Europe’s spy agencies to move faster — and closer — than ever before. It's all part of a bigger reconsideration of practices. European intelligence services have also started reviewing more closely how they share information with U.S. counterparts. The Dutch military and civil intelligence services told local paper De Volkskrant on Saturday they'd stopped sharing certain information with their U.S. counterparts, citing political interference and human rights concerns. Officials fear that transatlantic forums, including the defense alliance NATO, will become less reliable platforms to share intelligence. “There is a sense that there could be less commitment on the part of the United States in the months to come in sharing the intelligence they have — both inside NATO and at large,” said Antonio Missiroli, the former Assistant-Secretary General for Emerging Security Challenges at NATO. Security services are still overcoming decades-old trust issues. New revelations that Hungarian intelligence officials disguised as diplomats tried to infiltrate the EU institutions show how governments within the EU still keep close watch over each other. To cope with the distrust, some leading spy agencies are pushing to set up groups of trusted countries instead of running things through Brussels. Unlike tight-knit spy alliances like the Five Eyes, European Union member countries have long struggled to forge strong partnerships on intelligence sharing. National security remains firmly in the hands of national capitals, with Brussels playing only a coordinating role. One way European services have communicated traditionally is through a secretive network known as the Club de Berne, created nearly 50 years ago in the Swiss city it is named after. The club has no headquarters, no secretariat and meets only twice a year. In recent years, the group has coordinated its meetings to roughly align with the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union. But the Club is hardly a mirror image of the EU. Malta has never joined, Bulgaria only recently signed on, and Austria was suspended for a time over concerns it was too soft on Moscow before being readmitted in 2022. Non-EU countries such as Switzerland, Norway and the U.K. are also members. “Club de Berne is an information sharing architecture a bit like Europol. It's designed to share a certain kind of information for a particular function,” said Philip Davies, director of the Brunel Centre for Intelligence and Security Studies in London. “But it’s fairly bounded and the information that's being shared is potentially quite anodyne because you're not plugging into secure systems and [there are] national caveats.” Major European Union intelligence players — France, the Netherlands, Germany, and until 2019, the U.K. — saw little value in sharing sensitive information with all EU countries, fearing it could fall into the wrong hands. Eastern European services, like Bulgaria's, were believed to be filled with Russian moles, said Missiroli. One Bulgarian security official argued that was no longer the case, with the old guard largely retired. But while it offered some mode of collaboration, the Club de Berne also left Brussels' EU-level officials largely in the dark. “The problem with talking about European intelligence sharing is that European intelligence sharing is not the same thing as EU intelligence sharing,” said Davies. Recent geopolitical shifts have forced the European Union to rethink its approach. Former Finnish President Sauli Niinistö called last year for the EU to create a CIA-style agency, coordinated from Brussels, in a landmark preparedness report at the request of Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Niinistö laid out the idea of a “fully fledged intelligence cooperation service at the EU level that can serve both the strategic and operational needs,” while adding that “an anti-sabotage network” is needed to protect infrastructure. If there is such a thing as a collective EU intelligence agency, the European Union's in-house Intelligence and Situation Centre (INTCEN) at the European External Action Service (EEAS) is the closest to it. The center conducts analysis based on the voluntary contributions by EU countries. Spies from national agencies do secondments at the center, which helps building up ties with national intelligence. Croatian intelligence chief Daniel Markić took over the helm of INTCEN in September 2024 on a mission to beef up information-sharing with the agency and get direct intelligence to EU leaders like von der Leyen and foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas. Together with its military counterpart — the EU Military Staff Intelligence Directorate — the two services form the Single Intelligence Analysis Capacity (SIAC), which produces shared intelligence assessments for EU decision-makers. In April, SIAC held its annual meeting in Brussels, this time drawing top officials of the European agencies to attend, along with Kallas. Spy chiefs at that meeting underlined a growing push for Europe to build its own independent intelligence capabilities. But some also worried that overemphasizing the need for autonomy could further weaken ties with the U.S., creating the very gaps Europe is trying to avoid. Slowly but surely, Brussels is building up its own intelligence community. For instance, intelligence liaison officers now exist in most permanent representations of EU member countries in Brussels. The Belgian Security Services (VSSE), which are officially tasked with overseeing spying activities around the EU institutions in Brussels, have also briefed members of the European Parliament on tactics used to coerce lawmakers into foreign espionage. Still, one European intelligence source told POLITICO that while cooperation between EU countries was now “at its best in modern history,” agencies still work first and foremost for their own national governments. That is a key stumbling block. According to Robert Gorelick, the retired head of mission of the U.S. CIA in Italy, “The reason that an EU-wide intelligence service couldn’t exist is that there is too much variety in how national agencies work." What's worse, he added: “There are too many countries — 27 — for there to be such trust in sharing.” Some countries have leaned toward setting up smaller ad hoc groups. After the U.S. paused its intelligence sharing with Ukraine in March, a Coalition of the Willing led by France and the United Kingdom met in Paris and agreed to expand Kyiv's access to European-operated intelligence, surveillance technology and satellite data. The Netherlands is looking at beefing up cooperation with other European services, like the United Kingdom, Poland, France, Germany and the Nordics — including sharing raw data. “That has been scaled up enormously,” Erik Akerboom, the head of the Dutch civil intelligence service, told De Volkskrant. Yet there is still a long way to go to build enough trust between 27 EU members with differing national priorities. In October, it was revealed that Hungarian intelligence officials disguised as diplomats tried to infiltrate EU institutions while Olivér Várhelyi (now a European commissioner) was Hungary's ambassador to the bloc, and place Orbán cronies in key positions. Niinistö, who wrote the EU's preparedness report last year, told POLITICO in an interview this month that a full-fledged EU intelligence agency was still “a question of the future.” He added: “It comes to the word trust when we talk about preparedness, because without trusting we can't cooperate very much.” Wiretaps and arrest warrants reveal the intricate plot to build a database of high-level secrets — and blackmail Italy’s rich and powerful. A member of the Brussels local police is suspected of having been co-opted for his access to diplomats. Hungary’s current European Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi was in charge of the country’s embassy at the time of the allegations. Indictment comes amid mounting pressure on Belgium’s security agencies.
|
Antoaneta Roussi
|
Doubts over transatlantic intelligence-sharing is bringing European intelligence agencies closer together.
|
[
"cooperation",
"cyber espionage",
"data",
"defense",
"espionage",
"foreign policy",
"impeachment",
"intelligence",
"intelligence services",
"military",
"platforms",
"satellites",
"security",
"surveillance",
"technology",
"transparency",
"war"
] |
Cybersecurity and Data Protection
|
[
"Bulgaria",
"France",
"Germany",
"Hungary",
"Russia",
"Switzerland",
"The Netherlands",
"Ukraine",
"United Kingdom",
"United States"
] |
2025-10-22T02:20:00Z
|
2025-10-22T02:20:00Z
|
2025-10-22T07:51:03Z
| 7,303,212
|
https://www.politico.eu/article/europe-intelligence-spies-donald-trump-russia-security-politics/
|
The EU’s new peace offering to Trump: A bonfire of its business rules.
|
Ursula von der Leyen is selling simplification like a Kinder Egg — sweet on the outside for European business, with a surprise inside for the U.S. president. AI generated Text-to-speech BRUSSELS — What began as a push to free Europe’s businesses from crippling rules has morphed into yet another tactic to appease Donald Trump. Since taking office, the U.S. president has repeatedly threatened to hike tariffs on EU goods unless the bloc agrees to roll back some of its laws that also apply to American companies. That presents Brussels with a dilemma. If it bows to the U.S. pressure, it risks ending up with strict regulations that only apply to European businesses — potentially destroying their competitiveness. Conversely, if it scraps the rules altogether, it abandons key aims like digital sovereignty and environmental protection. Enter the simplification agenda, Brussels’ new plan to get the best of both worlds. Cutting red tape is one of the few areas of policymaking on which EU countries largely agree; in fact, they want more of it. Later this week, European leaders meeting in Brussels will instruct the European Commission to speed up its work “as a matter of utmost priority, on all files with a simplification and competitiveness dimension,” according to draft conclusions obtained by POLITICO. Driving home that message, 19 EU leaders — including Friedrich Merz of Germany, Emmanuel Macron of France, Giorgia Meloni of Italy and Donald Tusk of Poland — have issued a presummit appeal for “a systematic review of all EU regulations to identify rules that are superfluous, excessive, or unbalanced.” In a letter, obtained by POLITICO, they also called on Brussels to dismantle outdated rules, demanded a “constant stream” of simplification measures and urged self-restraint when it comes to new legislation. Still, the simplification drive is being spun as a way to address some of Washington’s concerns with what it sees as regulatory overreach by Brussels. “Since Trump is willing to swallow a number of jokes — he doesn’t look too closely at it anyway — if we can say to him, ‘Donald, thank you very much, it’s thanks to you that we’ve cleaned things up a bit,’ why not?” asked Pascal Lamy, a former EU trade commissioner and head of the World Trade Organization. In a bid to bring struggling European industries back from the brink, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has made deregulation — or “simplification” — the North Star of her second term. In less than 12 months, her Commission has come up with plans to cut much of the red tape crafted during her first mandate, touching on almost all areas of EU law, from defense and agriculture to digital rules and the environment. At first, the logic was straightforward: Fewer rules would be good for European companies struggling to remain competitive against their U.S. and Chinese rivals. Now, the simplification push comes as a diplomatic gesture — to smooth relations with Washington after Trump made it clear that U.S. companies shouldn’t be bound by European rules he has denounced as discriminatory. Under the trade deal von der Leyen struck with Trump at his Scottish golf resort in July, the Commission pledged that its green rules would “not pose undue restrictions on transatlantic trade.” The list agreed by the two sides included Europe’s rules on supply chain oversight, sustainability reporting, a carbon border tax and rules aimed at preventing the import of goods produced on deforested land. All have already been the target of simplification measures launched by the Commission. Explaining the strategy, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen likened it in an interview with POLITICO to a Kinder Egg — an Italian-made children's treat with chocolate on the outside and a toy on the inside. Cutting red tape is in Europe’s “own self best interest. But at the same time, it also serves others’ interest as well,” explained Rasmussen, whose country holds the presidency of the Council, the bloc’s intergovernmental branch. Others say it’s not so clear cut. “We can’t say on the one hand that we’re willing to pay for American strategic protection in terms of tariffs, and on the other hand that we’re not going to change our regulations for that, neither on data, nor on DMA, DSA, nor everything else that Americans criticize about what they see as our hyper-regulation,” Lamy said, referring to the twin pillars of EU tech regulation, the Digital Markets Act and the Digital Services Act. The Commission stressed that while Washington and Brussels have agreed to look at ways to cut red tape, “this will not lead to a lowering of EU standards or legislation,” said Olof Gill, deputy chief spokesperson for the Commission. “The EU has been firm on defending our fundamental principle — our legislative framework and our regulatory autonomy are not up for negotiation,” added Gill, whose remit covers trade. The letter from the 19 EU leaders intensifies the pressure on the EU executive from the bloc’s leading economies to keep deregulating — above all from Macron and Merz. Backed by their largest businesses, the two leaders have echoed U.S calls for the EU to ditch its supply chain oversight directive. But the European debate has the added benefit of having — apparently — convinced Trump’s new ambassador to Brussels, Andrew Puzder, that the EU’s drive to slash red tape is in its own essential interest. “Chancellor Merz and President Macron have both said it should be repealed … not because that’s in America’s best interest. They’re saying it’s the best interest of Germany and France,” Puzder told a recent event in Brussels, referring to the supply chain rules. For a veteran like Lamy, the simplification imperative arose from internal EU pressure following strategy recommendations by former Italian Prime Ministers Mario Draghi and Enrico Letta. The former leaders warned that Europe must become more competitive or face the “slow agony” of decline. “If we look at the history of these simplification packages, they were entirely generated within the EU by pressure from employers,” Lamy said. But even with the political wind in her sails, delivering on simplification won’t be a pleasure cruise for von der Leyen. Negotiations on the first simplification package — aimed at cutting green reporting obligations for companies — nearly destroyed the coalition of political groups that elected her to a second term, while efforts to simplify Europe’s farming policy and budget have sparked another backlash from the agriculture sector. National calls for massive cuts to EU rules have also drawn criticism from EU decision-makers who are reluctant to see trade talks or corporate interests derail the bloc’s green agenda. “No one should be mistaken, we will not lower these standards because there is no competitiveness in a race to the bottom,” said Teresa Ribera, the Commission’s No. 2 and top competition regulator. Nor are European lawmakers giving up on the “Brussels effect” — whereby rules set by the EU set a standard for how business is done internationally. That EU rules should apply to foreign companies is “a fundamental element of … Europe’s normative power,” said Pascal Canfin, a centrist member of the European Parliament, who has worked on several of the simplification packages. Hans von der Burchard and Nette Nöstlinger contributed to this report from Berlin. This story has been updated. The European Parliament’s center right weighs turning its back on historical mainstream alliances in its push to cut red tape. Roberta Metsola says the coalition that has traditionally controlled Brussels may no longer always be able to pass legislation. Move sets up a clash with the European Commission and EU leaders, who are on a drive to roll back legislation quickly. PARIS — Some signatories of a joint appeal by French and German business bosses to loosen merger rules and scrap environmental laws to promote European industrial “champions” …
|
Marianne Gros
|
Ursula von der Leyen is selling simplification like a Kinder Egg — sweet on the outside for European business, with a surprise inside for the U.S. president.
|
[
"agriculture",
"borders",
"budget",
"carbon border tax",
"companies",
"competition",
"competitiveness",
"defense",
"digital",
"digital markets act",
"digital services act",
"environment",
"eu-us trade talks",
"history",
"imports",
"markets",
"negotiations",
"regulation",
"regulatory",
"services",
"supply chains",
"sustainability",
"tariffs",
"tax",
"trade",
"competition and industrial policy",
"technology",
"energy and climate",
"mobility",
"health care"
] |
Trade
|
[
"Austria",
"Belgium",
"France",
"Germany",
"Luxembourg",
"The Netherlands",
"United States"
] |
2025-10-22T02:20:00Z
|
2025-10-22T02:20:00Z
|
2025-10-22T08:19:11Z
| 7,366,545
|
https://www.politico.eu/article/brussels-red-tape-purge-turns-peace-offering-donald-trump/
|
‘We need to explain it better’: Labour MPs get antsy about Starmer’s digital ID blitz
|
A push to give all Brits digital identification is front and center of the prime minister’s migration-focused relaunch. But his troops fear mixed messaging is missing the point. AI generated Text-to-speech LONDON — Keir Starmer’s gone all-in on digital identification for Brits. But while many MPs in the prime minister’s governing Labour Party back the idea in theory, there are plenty despairing at a botched communications strategy which they believe has set the wide-ranging policy up for a fall. Under Starmer’s plans, digital ID will be required for right-to-work checks by 2029. Ministers insist the ID — a second attempt to land ID cards for Brits after a botched first go under Tony Blair — won’t track people’s location, spending habits or online activity. Yet Labour MPs feel a more sellable emphasis on improving people’s experience of public services has gotten lost. Instead, Starmer’s government — with populist right-winger Nigel Farage breathing down its neck — has attempted to link the plan to a migration crackdown. “It’s a no-brainer,” said Labour MP Allison Gardner, chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for digital identity. “It absolutely will make people’s lives easier, more secure [and] give them more control over their data. We need to explain it better to people, so that they understand that this is for them, and it’s not being done to them.” A consultation on the plans will be launched by the end of 2025, before legislation next year. The government’s huge majority means it’s highly likely to become law — but there’s a potentially bumpy road ahead. Two decades after Blair’s New Labour first proposed plastic identity cards, Starmer wants to finish the job, pitching a plan to make digital ID mandatory for right-to-work checks as a way to deter irregular migration. Yet the sweeping change, announced on the eve of Labour conference, didn’t get a mention in Starmer’s setpiece speech — and notably didn’t appear in the party’s election manifesto. “The announcement hasn’t been handled well,” admitted a pro-digital ID Labour MP granted anonymity to speak candidly. “Our argument for it keeps changing but none of it is full-throated enough.” The messaging has shifted since the initial push, too. Technology Secretary Liz Kendall later stressed giving “people power and control over their lives,” saying the public is too often “at the mercy of a system that does not work for us as well as it should.” That was only after a drop in poll ratings for the idea. A petition against it has meanwhile racked up close to three million signatures. The shapeshifting rhetoric — painting digital ID first as a necessary inconvenience before calling it vital for state efficiency — caused some heads to spin. “The government communication … has not learned from the mistakes made when digital ID was proposed 20 years ago,” said a second Labour MP, who thought the focus on immigration meant ministers weren’t “talking about the benefits it brings ordinary British citizens.” Red flags have also been also waved over compulsory right-to-work checks, given only the very wealthiest Brits never need to work — making it de facto mandatory. “There’s been a kneejerk reaction, particularly to the word mandatory, which I think British people have naturally reacted against,” admitted Gardner, who argues voters should have a choice about using the scheme. “It’s a little bit of a bandwagon people have latched on to, to actually derail the entire concept.” Farage, eager to paint himself as a champion of civil liberties, has warned digital ID won’t stop “illegal immigration” but will “be used to control and penalise the rest of us.” Analysis by the New Britain Project think tank, shared with POLITICO, shows that Google searches for digital ID were elevated for around three weeks after the announcement compared to the typical one day spike for most policies. Interest dwarfed other decisions too, with peak search traffic for digital ID 20 to 50 times higher than any other flagship policy terms in the last year. Longstanding Labour MP Fabian Hamilton highlights the dilemma of digital ID: “Nobody likes compulsion, and it will only work if everybody has to have it.” Despite Kendall expressing optimism about a digital key unlocking “better, more joined-up and effective public services,” Hamilton argues that prioritizing migration in the messaging is too simplistic. “I’m sorry to say that the legal migration is tilting the head at a certain part of the electorate that are very concerned about illegal migration and the tabloids,” he argues. Whether digital ID works on its own terms — reducing irregular migration — is also hotly contested. Right-to-work checks already exist in the U.K., with employees required to show documentation like a letter with their national insurance number. “It may be helpful, but obviously it won’t affect fundamental factors [driving people to the U.K.] of family links or English language,” warns former Home Office Permanent Secretary Philip Rutnam. He believes the most challenging part of the scheme will be “establishing the status of many people beyond doubt” given some residents may not have formal ID. “There are millions of people whose status it may bring into question,” Rutnam says. “Their status may not be what they have understood it to be.” That’s sparked fears among some in Westminster of another Windrush scandal. That debacle saw some people who emigrated to Britain as part of a post-Second World War rebuilding effort later denied rights and, in the most extreme cases, deported under a scattershot Home Office clampdown. “We need to be very, very careful,” warns former U.K. Border Force Director-General Tony Smith. Smith says digital ID is “not a panacea,” and warns illegal working is likely to remain because unscrupulous employers won’t suddenly become law-abiding. The British government’s ability to handle such a vast amount of sensitive data securely is also far from certain. Kendall has stressed that the data behind digital ID won’t be centralized and says individuals will be able to see who has accessed their information. That’s not enough for skeptics. A catastrophic Ministry of Defence breach, which leaked details of Afghans applying to resettle in Britain after the Taliban’s return to power, shows the danger of sensitive details reaching the wrong hands. “The track record’s not been great,” Smith warns. “You are trying to turn round a huge tanker in the ocean here, and I do worry that we haven’t perhaps got the necessary gear.” Rutnam agrees digital ID will be a “very demanding administrative exercise” that politicians need to understand is “complex and inherently risky.” Perhaps more damning for digital ID’s support among the Labour faithful is anxiety about future governments using the information malevolently. “Faith in our institutions of government and of the state is at an all-time low,” says Hamilton, citing a “bizarre situation” where some Brits lump digital ID in with Covid-19 vaccines as a government conspiracy. One Labour MP vehemently opposed to digital ID says ministers are so far failing to consider “what happens when we’re gone” and warns any safeguards “can be unpicked” by subsequent administrations. Starmer has spoken about digital ID as a positive alternative to rifling through drawers looking for “three bills when you want to get your kids into school or apply for this or apply for that.” “F*ck you,” the anonymous Labour MP above said in response. “I can’t believe that. Is that the best you’ve got for giving away fundamental rights?” Still, Gardner is pleading for colleagues not to block this modern innovation: “We are at risk of throwing a very, very good baby out with the bathwater if we resist this and just keep ourselves in the dark ages.” Emilio Casalicchio and Dan Bloom contributed to this report. The Tory leader asked the PM to confirm income tax, national insurance and VAT wouldn’t be increased next month. He refused to answer. Former British PM says Tory pledges to roll back climate reforms are an “extreme and unnecessary measure.” She will serve as Keir Starmer’s deputy from the backbenches — and could cause a headache for the embattled British prime minister. Counterterrorism official says there’s been a spike in ‘proxies’ being recruited by foreign intelligence services.
|
Noah Keate
|
A push to give all Brits digital identification is front and center of the prime minister’s migration-focused relaunch. But his troops fear mixed messaging is missing the point.
|
[
"borders",
"british politics",
"communications",
"crisis",
"data",
"digital",
"digital id",
"elections",
"immigration",
"insurance",
"migration",
"plastics",
"rights",
"services",
"tanks",
"technology",
"vaccines",
"war",
"westminster bubble",
"technology uk"
] |
Politics
|
[
"France",
"United Kingdom"
] |
2025-10-22T02:01:00Z
|
2025-10-22T02:01:00Z
|
2025-10-22T02:01:00Z
| 7,359,198
|
https://www.politico.eu/article/we-need-to-explain-it-better-uk-labour-mps-lament-keir-starmer-digital-id-blitz/
|
Selmayr holds talks for Brussels return — and EU diplomats are freaking out
|
The prospect of the divisive civil servant coming back has sparked panic and plotting among some who remember his reign six years ago. AI generated Text-to-speech BRUSSELS ― Martin Selmayr, one of the EU’s most effective and feared political operators of recent times, has held talks over a job that would see him return to Brussels ― triggering criticism and dread among diplomats. Selmayr met the team of the EU’s chief diplomat Kaja Kallas this month for previously unreported talks, two officials with knowledge of the situation said. He is now in pole position for a newly created senior position inside her European External Action Service, the bloc’s foreign policy wing. Currently serving as the EU’s ambassador to the Vatican, Selmayr is said to be considering taking the job. He is weighing the offer against his current diplomatic post in Rome as well as personal considerations, according to a person familiar with his thinking. But in a bid to scupper the move, officials working for European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen have closed ranks and hatched a plan to offer him an alternative role ― special envoy for religious freedom ― with the idea of keeping him out of the political fray and away from Brussels. The plan was floated at a high-level Commission meeting on Tuesday, three officials said. The German conservative has not always had an easy relationship with the bloc’s executive, including von der Leyen and her team, diplomats and officials said. There are also tensions between von der Leyen and Kallas, they said. Asked by POLITICO whether his return would further strain relations between the Commission and the EEAS, and with national governments, Kallas said only that “we need a strong person” in the job to help ensure “Europe is a geopolitical power.” Selmayr met Kallas’ head of Cabinet, Vivian Loonela, in the lead-up to the posting of the job vacancy earlier this month, with two of the diplomats and officials expressing concern that the role had been created specifically with him in mind. “Ms. Loonela regularly meets with EU ambassadors, including a recent meeting with Martin Selmayr in Brussels,” a spokesperson for Kallas confirmed, declining to comment on whether they had discussed the role directly. The veteran German civil servant served as chief of staff to former Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker from 2014, and briefly as the institution’s secretary-general in 2019, before being cast aside when von der Leyen became president. The new role would be influential and put him in charge of relations between the diplomatic corps, European Parliament and national capitals, according to a job specification. “He will be like the Count of Monte Cristo, coming back to have his revenge against everyone here,” said one diplomat, granted anonymity to speak to POLITICO, adding that Selmayr’s hard-nosed tactics and his deep institutional network would make him invaluable to Kallas and a fearsome rival for others. Selmayr, who has declined to comment publicly so far, would nominally answer to EEAS Secretary-General Belen Carbonell, but the role would give him power to represent the department at meetings with governments, effectively replacing her on some of the most important working groups and setting the stage for future power struggles. Bringing him in over the heads of career diplomats could prove unpopular inside the EEAS, the officials said. “Selmayr has been at the Vatican for the past two years — that’s the sum total of his diplomatic record,” said one of the officials. “To turn around and say to the enormously experienced people in the diplomatic service that they want to bring in someone with a strong record, everyone will wonder, well, don’t we have that already?” During his time as Juncker’s chief of staff, Selmayr riled the hierarchy with his uncompromising grip on power and his at-times fractious relations across Brussels, earning a reputation as the “Monster of the Berlaymont.” According to another person familiar with the matter, the redesign of the deputy secretary-general position reflects Kallas’ focus on strengthening ties with member countries, including at the regular Coreper meetings of ambassadors held several times a week. But another diplomat said there is an awareness the EEAS will have to chart its own course and get tougher to achieve its goals. “Member states don’t love Selmayr. But who do they love? Only puppets who listen to them.” His appointment as secretary-general in 2018 drew opposition from the Parliament for a lack of transparency in the application process and a call “to give other possible candidates within the European public administration the possibility to apply.” Selmayr’s eventual departure in 2019 following von der Leyen’s takeover was seen as a way to rebrand the executive arm of the EU and reduce the level of German dominance in the corridors of power. Gabriel Gavin and Nicholas Vinocur reported from Luxembourg. Hans von der Burchard reported from Berlin. Jacopo Barigazzi reported from Brussels. Gerardo Fortuna contributed to this report. Budapest’s reluctance to point the finger has delayed the bloc’s response for days. Staffers who are most “at risk” are those on short-term contracts, said one official, as employee associations demand transparency. The idea of joint European borrowing is rejected by most of the bloc’s governments. That’s why the Commission is using it as leverage to get them to approve the use of Moscow’s assets for Ukraine. Restrictions imposed by Washington will force the company to end its exports to European countries.
|
Gabriel Gavin
|
The prospect of the divisive civil servant coming back has sparked panic and plotting among some who remember his reign six years ago.
|
[
"diplomacy",
"eu diplomatic service"
] |
Politics
|
[
"Vatican"
] |
2025-10-22T02:01:00Z
|
2025-10-22T02:01:00Z
|
2025-10-22T10:18:10Z
| 7,360,533
|
https://www.politico.eu/article/martin-selmayr-european-external-action-service-diplomacy/
|
European Commission under pressure over Hungarian spying allegations
|
MEPs want to know if the EU executive knew about alleged Hungarian spying. Some are calling for Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi to resign if implicated. AI generated Text-to-speech BRUSSELS — The European Commission is facing an escalating crisis of trust as members of the European Parliament demand answers over what it knew about an alleged Hungarian spy ring operating out of the country's embassy in Brussels. EU lawmakers will grill the Commission on Wednesday over this month's allegations that intelligence officers for Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s government attempted to recruit EU officials as spies between 2012 and 2018. Hungarian officials working in the EU institutions described the network to POLITICO as an open secret in the Belgian capital. The alleged espionage raises questions as to whether Olivér Várhelyi — who ran the embassy during the latter years the spying is alleged to have taken place — should be a European commissioner. The Commission confirmed it is investigating the allegations internally. Belgium's intelligence services will cooperate with the Commission’s investigation, according to a person familiar with the matter who was granted anonymity to discuss details of the probe. Some MEPs say Várhelyi should resign, especially if the probe finds he is linked to the alleged spy network. One NGO said Várhelyi should resign now. Várhelyi told von der Leyen last week that he was “not aware” of the alleged Hungarian efforts to recruit spies in Brussels, according to a Commission spokesperson. Some MEPs said there were warnings to the Commission at the time. "There had already been red flags beforehand," said Greens co-chair Terry Reintke. "The Commission has to really do their job now, investigate, and then, I think, calling for resignation and removing Várhelyi is — if this becomes obvious in this investigation — the next logical step." "We demand his immediate resignation," Martin Schirdewan, co-chair of The Left group, said in a statement ahead of Wednesday's parliamentary debate on the alleged espionage. If the Commission was aware of the alleged Hungarian spying, it also raises the question of what action, if any, it took at the time. “There is an indication that people, having been approached by the Hungarians within the Commission, flagged this to the Commission services,” said Greens MEP Daniel Freund. “And nothing ever happened.” He added this was information he had "heard indirectly." The Commission did not respond to a request for comment on the allegations. A Commission spokesperson has previously said it "takes such allegations seriously because of the implications for the security and integrity of Commission operations. We are committed to protecting Commission staff, information and networks from illicit intelligence-gathering." Freund is one of several MEPs from different groups — including the Socialists and Democrats (S&D) and centrist Renew — who are also calling for a political inquiry by a European Parliament committee into the allegations of Hungarian spying at EU institutions. This would also demand answers from the Commission’s top officials as to whether they were tipped off by staffers a decade ago. S&D chair Iratxe García told POLITICO the group supports looking for “an instrument to carry out accountability, a follow-up on this issue of the espionages.” However, the center-right European People’s Party would oppose a political inquiry committee, its spokesperson Daniel Köster told POLITICO, meaning the instrument is unlikely to be used. To secure approval, the initiative would require support from the EPP, the largest political group. Elio Di Rupo, Belgium's prime minister at the moment the alleged spying was supposed to have begun, told POLITICO he hadn't heard of the allegations at that time. "There was no sign at that time of what we are speaking about now," he said. "Absolutely nothing." The criticism isn't just coming from lawmakers. Von der Leyen is also under pressure from civil society to fire Várhelyi. The Good Lobby Profs NGO argued that fresh revelations this week — including the former head of Hungarian intelligence confirming the existence of the espionage network — “significantly strengthens the credibility of earlier claims” and justifies Várhelyi's resignation. Several people who worked with Várhelyi in Brussels told POLITICO that it was common knowledge in the city that a spy network was operating from the permanent representation. They were all granted anonymity to speak openly on the sensitive subject. One of these people said he had been approached by a staffer from the permanent representation to be a spy, and that his colleagues had raised it with their superiors at the EU institutions — raising questions as to how much the Commission might have known at the time. “There’s two options,” the official said. “That the European Commission didn’t know and learnt [about the spy ring] from articles. If that’s the case, that’s a disaster. “The other is that they knew and didn’t act. The real question is why did they let this spy network function without any controls? “Again, there’s two options. They knew but they didn’t have the measures to step up against it. Or they know it but found it to be so amateur that they thought that they had managed it.” Orbán’s political rival, Péter Magyar, who also worked at the Hungarian permanent representation under Várhelyi, accused him last week of holding back information about his time as an ambassador. “In my opinion, Olivér Várhelyi, the current EU Commissioner and former EU Ambassador (and my former boss), did not reveal the whole truth when he denied this during the official investigation the other day,” Magyar wrote in a Facebook post. “It was a common fact at the EU Embassy in Brussels, that during the period of János Lázár’s ministry in 2015-2018, secret service people were deployed to Brussels,” he continued. Hungariang government minister Lázár, who oversaw the Hungarian intelligence service while Várhelyi worked as ambassador, said last week that although he didn’t recall “the exact details, my duty is to protect my country," adding: "If Hungarian intelligence had gone to Brussels ... I would honor them, not reprimand them.” The spying allegations also raise the question of why von der Leyen sought to keep Várhelyi in place. Several people with knowledge of her support for him say the president intervened to put pressure on MEPs to accept Várhelyi as commissioner in 2024, after he was forced to undergo another round of written questions from lawmakers who remained unconvinced. "The president(-elect)’s role is in the process of candidate proposals from the member states, the agreement of the list with the Council, and the presentation of the whole college [of commissioners]," a European Commission spokesperson said. "After that it is in the hands of the European Parliament." Várhelyi is currently health commissioner. In von der Leyen's first term he was in charge of EU enlargement. “When the renomination of Várhelyi was announced, I expected more hesitancy from von der Leyen, given his track record,” said Katalin Cseh, a Hungarian lawmaker and former Renew MEP, which she said had caused “embarrassment and humiliation for the entire Commission.” “I was a bit surprised that during his nomination process, these serious ethical concerns did not come up more,” Cseh added. Max Griera Andreu, Antoaneta Roussi and Gerardo Fortuna contributed to this story. This story has been updated with comment from Martin Schirdewan, co-chair of The Left group. The watchdog is examining a complaint that the executive has been “evasive” about its meetings with lobbyists. Piotr Serafin promises MEPs the Commission will “raise its concerns” with Budapest over alleged spying from Hungary’s EU embassy. Robert W. Malone was launching the Make Europe Healthy Again movement in the European Parliament. Challenger Peter Magyar holds a sharp lead on the Hungarian prime minister ahead of the April election in Hungary.
|
Mari Eccles
|
MEPs want to know if the EU executive knew about alleged Hungarian spying. Some are calling for Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi to resign if implicated.
|
[
"health care",
"agriculture and food"
] |
Politics
|
[] |
2025-10-22T02:00:00Z
|
2025-10-22T02:00:00Z
|
2025-10-22T15:30:45Z
| 7,368,171
|
https://www.politico.eu/article/european-commission-hungary-spying-allegations-oliver-varhelyi/
|
Germany’s politics of compromise has been compromised
|
The onus is on Merz and his ministers not just to deliver on policy but to clearly demonstrate that all isn’t lost for the painstaking politics of reason. John Kampfner is a British author, broadcaster and commentator. His latest book “In Search of Berlin” is published by Atlantic. He is a regular POLITICO columnist. One of the most common headlines in the German newspapers used to be a reassuringly long compound noun: Koalitionsverhandlungen. Coalition and negotiations — these were the two words Germany’s postwar democracy was based on, as mainstream parties would come together to forge deals to run the country and the Länder. No group or individual would ever again get close to untrammeled power — a rule that applied not only to the formation of governments but to each and every measure, requiring committees to pore over details, cabinet meetings to discuss the big picture and compromise, and then gain parliamentary approval. Plus, if politicians overstepped, the courts could always restrain them. This system of multiple checks and balances provided reassurance and stability since the establishment of the Federal Republic in 1949. But now, all this is under threat. In today’s new age, deliberative politics is regarded as the antithesis of what is needed. It’s a reappraisal that’s affecting many liberal democracies in Europe — but none more so than Germany, which long advertised the virtues of compromise that are now denounced as vices. Some Germans, particularly those on the right, now negatively compare their government’s approach to domestic and foreign policy to that of U.S. President Donald Trump, asking why Christian Democrat (CDU) Chancellor Friedrich Merz can’t be more like the American leader. Why can’t he bulldoze his way to get what he wants and then bask in the glory, rather than wheeling and dealing with his coalition partners over everything from aid for Ukraine to unemployment benefits. It’s not just the politicians who complain about this supposed weakness either. Much of the German media fulminates about it every day, as opposed to how they embraced compromise before. As a result, Merz has found himself wading through in the worst of both worlds. When recently challenged by one of Germany’s top television hosts about watering down so many of his party’s election promises, he responded: “I am no longer the representative of the CDU. I am the representative of the government. And that government is a coalition of two parties.” That, alas, is no longer enough. Instead, everyone must fight to get their own way in a new form of public disputatiousness that took root during the last government’s three-party “traffic light” coalition. Leading members battled over everything: The Social Democrats (SPD) , then the largest party, pursued their welfare agenda; the pro-market Free Democrats (FDP), which had barely scraped into parliament, controlled the purse strings; and the only thing they could agree on was ganging up on the Greens’ agenda. It was dispiriting to watch, and it came crashing down when then-Chancellor Olaf Scholz fired his minister of finance, FDP leader Christian Lindner, with ostentatious acrimony. All three parties were subsequently punished in last February’s general election, ushering in the new era under Merz. But even before he took the seals of office, Merz was being undermined by all sides — including within his own ranks. The players might be different, but the fighting remains the same. Right before parliament went into recess in July, for instance, several CDU MPs signaled they’d vote against a judge nominated to the Constitutional Court — an unprecedented break with protocol — prompted by a far-right storm portraying the moderately liberal candidate as dangerously left-wing. The vote was postponed, and the judge eventually withdrew her candidacy. Amid fears that a Rubicon had been crossed, both ruling parties then vowed to behave and better cooperate when the Bundestag resumed in September. But have they? Yes and no. In the age of social media, with its onus on brevity and bombast, German politicians are having to relearn their craft. Dogged and discreet participation in committees is no longer the route to success. Therefore, the negotiations required for two or more parties to come together and strike a deal are inevitably being portrayed in an argumentative manner. And it’s a shift that’s taking place across pretty much all areas of government business. For example, both the CDU and SPD already agree on the reintroduction of military service in some form, and the details being haggled over are just that — details. The fundamental question is what happens if the required threshold isn’t met through voluntary recruitment. Is it a form of lottery — absurd, but under consideration — or something else? And yet, the discussions led to a public row between senior politicians. What Merz promised was an “autumn of reforms,” and these are gradually being rolled out. But instead of hailing what is being achieved, all sides are publicly complaining they haven’t got what they wanted, and it’s taking up all the oxygen. Indeed, that is politics — but as ever, there’s also the looming specter of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) to consider. Still riding high in the polls, the party has five regional elections to look forward to in 2026, including one in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt, where polls predict it might even win an overall majority — an extraordinary prospect. And the AfD’s promises, such as those to slash immigration, point to a wider phenomenon — the simplification of political solutions — which, again, brings us back to Trump. By riding roughshod over constitutional and societal norms, the U.S. president has changed both the American and global landscape in less than a year. The German political system, which is nearly 80 years old now, was built to withstand the exercise of muscular power. But if the very type of politics that it introduced — the politics of compromise — is now scorned by so many, the onus is on Merz and his ministers not just to deliver on policy but to clearly demonstrate that all isn’t lost for the painstaking politics of reason. The fate of the chancellor, his coalition government and his traditionally conservative party all depends on how they counter the AfD challenge. While Merz’s approach has already paid dividends in terms of mood music in the German establishment, in concrete terms, it hasn’t. Pessimism is the German national sport, but the new chancellor will be determined to prove his compatriots wrong. The White House appears hell-bent on destroying not just economic and political paradigms, but a higher education system that really did make America great.
|
John Kampfner
|
The onus is on Merz and his ministers not just to deliver on policy but to clearly demonstrate that all isn’t lost for the painstaking politics of reason.
|
[
"cooperation",
"donald trump",
"elections in europe",
"far right",
"german election 2025",
"german politics",
"germany interpreted",
"governance",
"media",
"military"
] |
Commentary
|
[
"Germany"
] |
2025-10-22T02:00:00Z
|
2025-10-22T02:00:00Z
|
2025-10-22T02:00:00Z
| 7,366,866
|
https://www.politico.eu/article/germany-politics-democracy-cdu-friedrich-merz-spd/
|
Von der Leyen to push even harder on housing in 2026
|
While the Commission president says the focus on housing is about competitiveness, it’s also about stopping the far right. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced major housing-related initiatives while unveiling Brussels’ legislative agenda for 2026 on Tuesday, underscoring the EU’s ongoing bid to take on the bloc-wide cost of living crisis. “Affordability is a main subject of this Commission Work Program for 2026,” von der Leyen said in a speech to the European Parliament in Strasbourg, stressing the need to address the high price of housing in order to “protect our citizens and uphold our values.” “How can Europe be competitive if people working full time cannot make a living?” she asked. “If they cannot afford to live where the good jobs are, because they do not find housing?” Brussels’ agenda for the next year will include a landmark initiative on short-term rentals that is due in the spring. Tourist flats — furnished accommodation for brief stays — are a major factor in sky-high housing costs in the bloc’s major cities, and Housing Commissioner Dan Jørgensen has signaled a desire to regulate such properties. “We cannot allow that locals are pushed out of their neighbourhoods,” Jørgensen said Tuesday, adding that the Commission’s proposal “will strike the right balance with a firm but fair approach.” Toward the end of 2026 Brussels will publish its Construction Services Act, which aims to slash regulations related to the building sector and accelerate the construction of new homes. The new law will follow up on the Commission’s upcoming Affordable Housing Plan, which is due to be released in December and according to Jørgensen will “target the financialization of our housing stock” and help end “selfish speculation on a basic need like our homes.” The EU’s main institutions are scrambling to address the housing crisis, which is fueling the growth of far-right parties throughout the EU. In the Netherlands, Geert Wilders and his far-right Party for Freedom won the 2023 national vote campaigning on a housing shortage he said was being exacerbated by migrants and asylum seekers. Likewise, Portugal’s Chega party surged to become the country’s leading opposition this year by railing against the failure of establishment parties to tackle soaring home prices. Von der Leyen signaled her personal commitment to take on the issue ahead of her reelection as Commission president in 2024, and described the housing shortage as a social crisis in this year’s State of the European Union address. The European Parliament launched a special committee on the crisis at the beginning of this year, and national leaders are due to discuss the issue at this week’s European Council summit in Brussels. “Across all sectors, my point is the same,” von der Leyen told lawmakers on Tuesday. “Europe must deliver for all of its people.” Pulled support leaves Spain’s minority government incapable of passing legislation. The pressure is now on Brussels to adopt real measures — or risk pushing more voters into the arms of the far right. Brussels proposed ending seasonal time changes in 2018, but seven years later everyone’s still winding their clocks back and forth. Competition chief said the EU must stand firm in the face of the American president’s “outbursts.”
|
Aitor Hernández-Morales
|
While the Commission president says the focus on housing is about competitiveness, it’s also about stopping the far right.
|
[
"affordable housing",
"cities",
"living cities"
] |
Policy
|
[] |
2025-10-21T18:02:53Z
|
2025-10-21T18:02:53Z
|
2025-10-21T18:10:03Z
| 7,366,725
|
https://www.politico.eu/article/ursula-von-der-leyen-housing-2026-agenda-brussels-europe/
|
Kosovo in talks with UK on migrant returns deal
|
Embattled Starmer hopes a deal with Kosovo will help meet his migration pledge. AI generated Text-to-speech LONDON — Kosovo is willing to help the U.K. clamp down on illegal migration, the Kosovan prime minister has said on the eve of a major summit of Western Balkan leaders. Kosovo’s Prime Minister, Albin Kurti, confirmed that he is in talks with the U.K. over reaching a deal to target irregular migration and said his country has a “duty” to help tackle the problem. Keir Starmer will host talks with the leaders of six nations from the region on Wednesday in London, as he seeks to fulfill his promise to reduce the number of immigrants residing in the U.K. illegally. Ahead of the meeting, Kurti spoke positively about the prospect of a partnership between his country and the U.K., which officials are expected to discuss on the sidelines of Wednesday’s gathering. He told a private meeting: “We want to help the U.K. — we consider that that is our friendly and political duty. We have limited capacity but still we want to help, and as we speak there is regular communication between our teams of state officials from our ministry of internal affairs and lawyers about how to do this smoothly for mutual benefit.” He said that in return, Kosovo would seek greater security cooperation, specifying that the two sides were still working out the details, “but I think this will have a successful result.” Referring to Britain’s role in efforts to end the Bosnian war in the 1990s, Kurti added that his country had an obligation to assist “because you helped us a great deal and will never forget that.” U.K. officials confirmed that they were in talks with counterparts about potential return hubs, but stressed it was only one proposal among several being explored. Starmer has previously voiced enthusiasm for the idea of securing a bilateral agreement for processing people who have exhausted all their options to stay in the U.K. , but has not confirmed active talks with any one country. Migration hubs were recently discussed at a meeting of Western Balkan foreign ministers at Hillsborough Castle in Belfast, and analysts have pointed to Kosovo as one of the most attractive options for a deal. Kosovo would likely seek stronger U.K. diplomatic support in the face of threats from Serbia, repelling Russian influence, and securing its own borders. Ukraine’s leader capped a week of dramatic escalation by solidifying Europe’s unified front. Amid a row over a collapsed China spying trial, it’s not just Keir Starmer who relies on veteran Northern Ireland peace negotiator Jonathan Powell. Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomes ideas from Europeans about the terms of a truce but says no final proposal has been agreed yet. British troops will join a US-led task force that is overseeing the fragile truce brokered by Donald Trump last week, amid violence on both sides.
|
Esther Webber
|
Embattled Starmer hopes a deal with Kosovo will help meet his migration pledge.
|
[
"balkans",
"borders",
"communications",
"cooperation",
"migration",
"security",
"uk",
"war"
] |
Politics
|
[
"Kosovo",
"Serbia",
"United Kingdom"
] |
2025-10-21T18:00:04Z
|
2025-10-21T18:00:04Z
|
2025-10-21T18:00:04Z
| 7,365,669
|
https://www.politico.eu/article/kosovo-uk-migrant-returns-deal-albin-kurtin/
|
Trump’s anti-climate crusade crashes EU’s COP30 preparations
|
A Greek veto prevents the EU from reendorsing a global carbon price on shipping in its position for next month’s climate summit. BRUSSELS — The Trump administration’s campaign to kill the world’s first global carbon price for shipping upended internal EU climate discussions on Tuesday after Greece prevented the bloc from reendorsing the embattled levy. At a meeting of the International Maritime Organization last week, Athens dropped its support for the fee and other measures meant to reduce planet-warming pollution from shipping, bowing to pressure from industry and the U.S. On Tuesday, EU environment ministers approved the bloc’s joint negotiating position for this year’s COP30 climate summit — largely a rubber-stamping exercise — with significant delay after Greece initially vetoed the text over a reference to the IMO agreement. Five diplomats present at the talks told POLITICO that Athens objected to a single passage, the final paragraph of the text, that “welcome[d]” the IMO measures “as the first legally binding global sectoral climate regulation that will contribute to the reduction of emissions from shipping.” Three of the diplomats, who were granted anonymity to discuss closed-door talks, said Greece had opposed any mention of the IMO levy and rejected several attempts at compromise. With the text requiring unanimous approval from the EU’s 27 governments, ministers adjourned the debate for several hours while diplomats scrambled to find a solution. But Greece even rejected a last-ditch proposal, seen by POLITICO, to merely "recall" that the IMO negotiations took place. In the end, ministers could only agree on deleting the IMO reference entirely. U.S. President Donald Trump threatened sanctions against countries backing a tax on climate pollution from shipping. The IMO meeting was adjourned for a year on Friday. EU governments in September approved a joint endorsement of the IMO measure, but Greece and Cyprus broke ranks and were among the countries abstaining last week. Cyprus did not object to Tuesday's text on COP30. When asked for comment, Greece's permanent representation to the EU merely pointed to an op-ed written by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Monday in the Financial Times. "While European countries still burn coal in our power plants and oil to heat our homes and factories, we are pushing for the decarbonisation of ships and planes and of the most difficult industrial processes," Mitsotakis wrote. "This emphasis on tackling all emissions at once is shortsighted." Louise Guillot contributed reporting. In the words of one diplomat: “Classic balance, everyone equally unhappy.” Commission President Ursula von der Leyen gambles leaders will land a climate target deal without trashing her green legacy. In a letter, the Commission president defends the 2040 goal but offers several concessions to governments. China stands ready to fill the gap as EU infighting leaves a vacuum in global talks.
|
Zia Weise
|
A Greek veto prevents the EU from reendorsing a global carbon price on shipping in its position for next month’s climate summit.
|
[
"climate change",
"cop30",
"emissions",
"environment",
"industry",
"pollution",
"shipping",
"energy and climate uk",
"mobility"
] |
Energy and Climate
|
[
"Cyprus",
"Greece",
"United States"
] |
2025-10-21T17:32:19Z
|
2025-10-21T17:32:19Z
|
2025-10-21T18:40:14Z
| 7,367,286
|
https://www.politico.eu/article/trumps-anti-climate-crusade-crashes-eus-cop30-preparations/
|
EU leaders demand even more simplification, setting tone for summit
|
Friedrich Merz, Emmanuel Macron and Giorgia Meloni all put their names on a call to slash additional business rules. AI generated Text-to-speech Leaders from 19 EU countries wrote to European Council President António Costa on Monday calling for a "constant stream" of proposals to simplify the bloc’s rules. The letter, sent ahead of a key EU summit starting Thursday in Brussels, signals that leaders will push to intensify the EU's deregulation drive in order to boost their economies — and placate U.S. President Donald Trump. “Simplification is key for competitiveness,” reads the letter obtained by POLITICO and signed by the leaders of Germany, France and Italy. The letter calls for “a systematic review of all EU regulations to identify rules that are superfluous,” which requires “a constant stream of Omnibus proposals from the European Commission throughout its term of office.” The leaders hone in on corporate sustainability reporting rules: “We particularly expect swift adoption on CSRD and CSDDD simplification,” they write. They also stress that a proposal for a so-called 28th regime for companies is needed “urgently” to provide a harmonized legal framework for operating in the 27-member bloc. Finally, the leaders call for a special meeting of the European Council on competitiveness in February 2026 and for regular formal updates on progress from the Commission. “The President of the Commission should update the European Council regularly by means of a letter to the EU Leaders ahead of each European Council meeting starting from December 2025,” they write. Francesca Micheletti reported from Brussels. Hans Joachim Von Der Burchard reported from Berlin. The three-way pact between Airbus, Leonardo and Thales would create a challenger to Musk’s SpaceX. PARIS — Some signatories of a joint appeal by French and German business bosses to loosen merger rules and scrap environmental laws to promote European industrial “champions” … Spokesperson Podestà says she was acting in good faith when she said a press conference didn’t go ahead because of the competition chief’s travel arrangements. Appointment of ex-Vestager adviser to Cabinet signals the European Commission chief’s heightened attention to a policy area that has become increasingly political.
|
Francesca Micheletti
|
Friedrich Merz, Emmanuel Macron and Giorgia Meloni all put their names on a call to slash additional business rules.
|
[
"companies",
"competitiveness",
"eu summit",
"omnibus",
"sustainability",
"technology",
"financial services",
"trade",
"energy and climate",
"central banker",
"health care"
] |
Competition and Industrial Policy
|
[
"France",
"Germany",
"Italy"
] |
2025-10-21T16:37:53Z
|
2025-10-21T16:37:53Z
|
2025-10-22T02:13:01Z
| 7,367,289
|
https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-leaders-demand-even-more-simplification-setting-tone-for-summit-european-council-antonio-costa/
|
Chinese minister to visit Brussels amid raw materials crunch
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China and the EU will “intensify contacts at all levels,” says trade chief Maroš Šefčovič. AI generated Text-to-speech BRUSSELS — China and the EU will “intensify contacts at all levels” on Beijing’s expanded export controls on critical raw materials and magnets, the EU’s Commissioner for Trade Maroš Šefčovič told reporters on Tuesday. Wang Wentao, the Chinese trade minister, has accepted an invitation to come to Brussels to discuss the restrictions, Šefčovič said after the two talked on a call earlier. “Our discussion lasted almost two hours,” he told press briefing in Strasbourg. “And at the conclusion of this discussion, I invited the Chinese authorities to come to Brussels in the coming days to find urgent solutions. Minister Wang Wentao has accepted this invitation.” Beijing earlier this month expanded the list of materials and products for which importers have to request export licenses. Rare earths and magnets, the bulk of this round of restrictions, are essential in any electrification process. Šefčovič said EU companies had submitted around 2,000 “priority applications” to the Chinese authorities, while only half of them “were properly addressed.” He added that he had reupped the lists with Wang. “We have no interest in escalation,” the trade commissioner told reporters. “However, this situation casts a shadow over our relationship. Therefore, a prompt resolution is essential.” In a sign of the seriousness of the supply crisis, the European Commission said in its annual work programme for 2026 on Tuessday that it would start stockpiling critical raw materials that are vital to industries from defense to carmaking. Max Griera Andreu contributed to this report. Rare earths and magnets are on the agenda. Berlin-Beijing relations are becoming increasingly fragile. Like in many European countries, the Netherlands faces a severe housing crisis — making where and how to build a major campaign issue. A senior EU official explained that Brussels had wanted to give the rector “the opportunity to share his own experience with students.”
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Koen Verhelst
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China and the EU will “intensify contacts at all levels,” says trade chief Maroš Šefčovič.
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Trade
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"China"
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2025-10-21T16:34:10Z
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2025-10-21T16:34:10Z
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2025-10-21T16:49:24Z
| 7,367,250
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https://www.politico.eu/article/chinese-minister-to-visit-brussels-amid-raw-materials-crunch/
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L’Europe se rapproche d’un accord sur l’utilisation des avoirs russes gelés pour financer l’Ukraine
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La Belgique donnera son feu vert à la Commission pour qu’elle présente une proposition juridique afin de fournir un prêt de 140 milliards d’euros à l’Ukraine. Synthèse vocale générée par l'IA This article is also available in: English BRUXELLES — Les chefs d’Etat et de gouvernement de l’Union européenne s’apprêtent à charger la Commission européenne d’élaborer une proposition juridique visant à utiliser des milliards d’euros d’avoirs gelés de l’Etat russe pour financer un prêt massif à l’Ukraine, après que la Belgique a fait savoir qu’elle ne s’y opposerait pas. La proposition controversée, si elle est adoptée, pourrait débloquer jusqu’à 140 milliards d’euros pour financer l’effort de guerre de l’Ukraine pendant encore deux ou trois ans, en utilisant les avoirs de l’Etat russe qui ont été immobilisés après l’invasion de l’Ukraine en février 2022. La Commission européenne a lancé l’idée pour la première fois en septembre, mais elle attend la bénédiction explicite des chefs d’Etat et de gouvernement européens avant de présenter une proposition concrète. Cette approbation devrait intervenir lors de la réunion trimestrielle du Conseil européen, qui se tient jeudi à Bruxelles, et à laquelle participent les 27 dirigeants de l’UE. En préparation de ce sommet, les ambassadeurs de l’UE se sont mis d’accord de manière informelle sur un projet de conclusions du Conseil européen, consulté par POLITICO, et qui appelle la Commission à présenter une proposition “étayée par une solidarité européenne et un partage des risques appropriés”. Ce texte est “le feu vert politique” pour que la Commission émette une proposition après la réunion de jeudi, explique un diplomate belge. “Je ne suis pas si inquiet que la Belgique” pose problème au sein du Conseil européen, confie un diplomate européen venant d’un autre pays. La Belgique s’est montrée prudente parce qu’elle héberge Euroclear, l’organisme financier qui détient les avoirs gelés, et craint qu’un tribunal ne la force à rembourser l’argent elle-même. Mais le diplomate belge précité indique à POLITICO que le pays ne devrait pas s’opposer jeudi à ce qu’il soit demandé à la Commission de présenter une proposition. Toutefois, même si l’exécutif européen obtient le feu vert, sa proposition juridique devra survivre à des semaines de négociations difficiles avec les Etats membres. Pour l’Ukraine, l’issue pourrait s’avérer existentielle. Sans le prêt de l’UE, le pays est confronté à un déficit budgétaire de 60 milliards de dollars au cours des deux prochaines années. Les Etats-Unis ayant effectivement cessé d’apporter un soutien fiable, les responsables européens décrivent en privé cette initiative comme la “dernière munition” pour renforcer la position de Kiev dans les pourparlers de paix avec la Russie. Cette décision intervient alors que la position imprévisible de Washington sur le conflit a semblé pencher en faveur de la Russie au cours du week-end dernier. Entériner ce “prêt de réparation” de plusieurs milliards avant que le président américain Donald Trump et le président russe Vladimir Poutine ne se rencontrent à Budapest dans les semaines à venir constituerait un coup de pouce majeur pour l’Ukraine, en sapant les tentatives de la forcer à faire des concessions territoriales douloureuses à Moscou. “Les Russes parient sur notre fatigue de guerre, mais le prêt pour les réparations peut montrer à la Russie que l’Ukraine sera financièrement viable au cours des deux ou trois prochaines années”, avance un diplomate de l’UE à qui, comme d’autres personnes citées dans cet article, l’anonymat a été garanti pour pouvoir s’exprimer librement. La Commission est convaincue qu’elle peut concevoir un plan juridiquement solide et éviter les accusations d’expropriation pour les avoirs russes, selon des responsables au fait du dossier. Les avoirs détenus par Euroclear sont investis dans des titres de dette d’Etats occidentaux qui sont arrivés à échéance et ont été transformés en liquidités. Celles-ci se trouvent actuellement sur un compte de dépôt auprès de la Banque centrale européenne et la Commission souhaite les envoyer en Ukraine. Bruxelles affirme qu’il ne s’agit pas d’une confiscation, car la Russie pourrait encore récupérer les avoirs gelés en versant à l’Ukraine des compensations d’après-guerre — ce qui est toutefois considéré comme très improbable. Pour que ce projet se concrétise, la Commission devra encore convaincre le Premier ministre belge de droite, Bart De Wever — qui a le don des commentaires percutants —, de donner sa bénédiction au prêt. Le pays craint de devoir rembourser le prêt si une décision de justice oblige l’UE à restituer l’argent à la Russie. La Commission a qualifié ce scénario de très improbable, car les décisions des tribunaux russes ne seraient pas exécutoires en Europe. Par ailleurs, la Commission a fait un certain nombre de concessions pour apaiser les inquiétudes de la Belgique dans un document informel jeudi. Mais ces garanties sont “trop larges et ne répondent pas à toutes les questions” soulevées auparavant par De Wever, pointe le diplomate belge. Pour qu’Euroclear ne soit pas spécifiquement ciblé, la Commission a indiqué qu’elle étudierait la possibilité d’utiliser 25 milliards d’euros d’avoirs russes déposés dans des établissements bancaires et financiers situés ailleurs dans l’Union européenne — tout en admettant que cette opération était juridiquement délicate. La Belgique craint que les investisseurs de pays comme la Chine ne retirent leurs fonds d’Euroclear par peur qu’ils ne leur soient également retirés pour des raisons politiques. Autre concession : l’exécutif européen a suggéré un filet de sécurité permettant à la Commission de prêter instantanément de l’argent aux pays s’ils doivent un jour rembourser le prêt. Cette mesure vise à rassurer la Belgique sur le fait qu’elle ne sera pas seule et que d’autres pays de l’UE apporteront leur contribution dans le pire des scénarios. Même sans l’approbation finale de la Belgique jeudi, la Commission peut encore présenter une proposition juridique après la réunion des chefs d’Etat et de gouvernement. “La Belgique a mis en avant une position maximaliste afin de parvenir à un compromis une fois qu’une proposition sera sur la table”, décrypte le premier diplomate de l’UE cité. Cet article a d’abord été publié par POLITICO en anglais, puis a été édité en français par Jean-Christophe Catalon. Le sommet de Copenhague de mercredi est un pas vers la transformation de l’Union européenne en puissance militaire. Mais l’Union n’est pas unie et les risques sont grands. Placer 200 milliards d’euros de fonds russes dans des investissements plus risqués augmenterait les paiements à l’Ukraine sans toucher au capital. L’exécutif européen propose également de nouveaux droits de douane et une taxe sur les voyageurs afin de contribuer au remboursement de la dette commune, qui s’élève à 350 milliards d’euros. Quelques heures après la suspension de l’aide à l’Ukraine par Trump, la présidente de la Commission européenne a présenté un projet visant à aider les Etats membres à se réarmer et à envoyer des armes à Kiev.
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Gregorio Sorgi
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La Belgique donnera son feu vert à la Commission pour qu’elle présente une proposition juridique afin de fournir un prêt de 140 milliards d’euros à l’Ukraine.
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[
"actualité"
] |
Uncategorized
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[
"Belgique",
"Russie",
"Union européenne"
] |
2025-10-21T16:24:44Z
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2025-10-21T16:24:44Z
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2025-10-21T16:25:39Z
| 7,364,901
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https://www.politico.eu/article/leurope-se-rapproche-dun-accord-sur-lutilisation-des-avoirs-russes-geles-pour-financer-lukraine/
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London Playbook PM: Rape gang row escalates
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AI generated Text-to-speech Presented by Intuit By EMILIO CASALICCHIO with BETHANY DAWSON PRESENTED BY Send tips here | Subscribe for free | Listen to Playbook and view in your browser Good afternoon. This is Emilio Casalicchio. — The government insisted its grooming gangs probe is not in crisis amid turmoil in the setup process. — Boris Johnson defended the Covid-era chaos over schools and exams … and said lockdowns went too far. — MPs want the not-so-regal Prince Andrew to foot his own rent bills. — Robert Jenrick reckons Britain should ban the Burqa. Which is not the line. **A message from Intuit: Approximately 60% of small businesses use generative AI for writing, design, or admin tasks, often to support their marketing and communications. Explore how AI is reshaping how small businesses work in new research from the British Chambers of Commerce in partnership with Intuit.** RAPE GANG ROW ESCALATES: The government insists its grooming gangs probe is not in crisis — after three abuse survivors helping to launch it quit in protest and one prospective chair withdrew her application. Fleeing the process: GB News hack Charlie Peters confirmed this afternoon a third victim (who is choosing not to be named) has followed Fiona Goddard and Ellie-Ann Reynolds out the door. The three have claimed victims are not being listened to in the process of launching the official investigation and say organizers are attempting to gag them. Reynolds made her case on Woman’s Hour this afternoon. Listen here. Not the best look: No.10 was this afternoon unable to confirm whether any victims are still left on the advice panel. “I’m not going to get into details of the process while that process is ongoing,” a spokesperson for Keir Starmer said. “We are concentrating on getting it right.” But but but: Home Office Minister Jess Phillips insisted claims victims are being silenced are untrue. “Misinformation undermines this process,” she told the Commons. “Allegations of intentional delay, lack of interest and a widening or dilution of the inquiry’s scope are false.” In the House where it happened: Phillips was speaking in the Commons after Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp — who failed to launch a grooming gangs probe while he was in government — secured an urgent question on the issue. He reiterated a number of complaints from the departed victims, who argue the government is overseeing a cover-up. But but but ii: Phillips noted that the government is not running the process to set the probe up — an independent child exploitation charity is doing so. She said Philp “cannot have listened to my remarks at all if he is suggesting that the government have silenced anybody.” And she said if Philp “had done anywhere near the level of work that I have done, he would know that not all victims and survivors are of the same opinion. They are not one homogeneous group of people who all think the same thing.” Chair candidates think different too: Peters (whose deep coverage of the scandal changed the conversation about it in SW1 — albeit with a little help from troublemaker Elon Musk) also revealed this morning that social worker Annie Hudson has backed out of the running to become chair of the probe. There had been complaints from some quarters that social workers were among those who covered up the scandal, so a social worker chair would not be appropriate. But but but: That leaves one candidate remaining: Jim Gamble — whose former role as a police officer prompted similar concerns from some campaigners. No.10 would not comment on whether it means Gamble will end up being the chair. Worth noting: The inquiry into child sexual abuse saw three chairs withdraw before Alexis Jay took on the role and saw it through. So there’s still a few more withdrawals to go before we reach the same level of chaos. FAILING THE TEST: Boris Johnson flipped from contrition to indignance as he was pressed on the exam results disaster during the Covid-19 pandemic. “You try coming up with a system to give a fair exam result for people when they can’t sit exams!” he seethed at Clair Dobbin KC, who probed him for more than two hours this morning about the impacts on kids as the virus raged. Playbook PM was in the room. It was an education: “The system we came up with clearly failed,” Johnson admitted about the botched 2020 A-level regime, which saw the government attempt to combat grade inflation via an algorithm that later had to be abandoned — mirroring an earlier correction in Scotland. But he insisted his administration deployed said algorithm “with good intentions.” More contrition Johnson accepted the whole debacle was “very undermining for the confidence of kids who thought they deserved a better grade.” But he demurred when asked what stopped him sacking bumbling former Education Secretary Gavin Williamson, arguing it was pointless to speculate about “all sorts of changes” he might have made while managing his “beloved colleagues.” He maintained that Williamson did a “heroic job” in tough circumstances — which is kinder than Williamson was about his old boss last week. And that’s despite … the fuming message Johnson sent his top aides Dominic Cummings and Lee Cain about Williamson and education officials following the exam results car crash. “We need a plan for the dept of education,” he huffed at the time. “We can’t go on like this. I’m thinking of going into Number 10 and firing people.” Side plot: In the same message, Johnson also railed against the Mail publishing pics of his week-long break tootling around the Scottish coast while the exams scandal raged. In the hearing room where it happened: There was some muffled sniggering in the vast hearing room as the message flashed up on screens. Campaigners and members of the public — some wearing Covid masks — shifted in their seats at the back, while dozens of staff running the proceedings and representing various interest groups did their best to keep straight faces. Bozza on trial: The hearing room is a lot like a court, except it runs to time, has good tech and doesn’t leak toilet waste onto participants. Each desk has two screens: one to view the action between the witnesses and interrogators (and read documents and expletive-laden messages where relevant) while another shows a live transcript of the exchanges. The maniacal typing that keeps the transcript flowing is one of the few background sounds. Loadsa fluff: Clothing-wise, Johnson plodded into the hearing room smart enough (and therefore respectful enough) for a grilling about a disaster that killed thousands and impacted millions. Sure, his suit wasn’t a perfect fit. But his shirt was white and clear of stains, and someone had even done his tie up. The problem, of course, was the hair — his usual helmet of egg-white omelette dribbling towards his shoulders. The ex-PM also appeared, while shaving this morning, to have forgotten that his face continues beneath his jawline. As such, he was sporting a neckbeard of pure white lint. How it started: After reading an oath to tell the full truth (stop chortling at the back) the ex-PM was dragged straight into the failure to prepare for closing schools during the pandemic. Both Williamson and the then-top official for schools at the education department have argued the government was too slow to prep for the worst case scenario. But Johnson said he had assumed someone was on top of it — citing a short briefing document officials prepared which listed a few issues worth considering in case schools were indeed closed. He said it was “surprising” to later discover more work had not been done. And to be fair: He also argued the government was overwhelmed at the time with other pandemic impacts, the scale of which were still unclear at the time. “The reality was slow to dawn on government generally about the full horror of Covid,” he said, noting that making the right decisions at the time would have required fuller knowledge about the disease. Yet the balls-ups never stopped: Johnson lamented that time in 2021 that he allowed primary schools to open again before shutting them less than 24 hours later. He argued there was little choice but to U-turn, since the virus was surging at the time, and that he had been “very much divided” about whether the re-opening was possible. So divided indeed that he let it happen then backtracked hours later. “We had to make decisions during the pandemic based on our best judgment at the time,” he insisted. Catch-all comment: “In so far as we got things wrong, then of course I apologize for that,” he said. It was his second and final time on the investigation’s witness stand. And so … Johnson used his chance to make a wider comment on the pandemic. “Looking back on it all, the whole lockdowns, the intricacy of the rules, the rule of six, the complexity, particularly for children, I think we probably did go too far and it was far too elaborate,” he said. He said during the next pandemic, Britain might want to reconsider “whether we want to go down that route at all” when it comes to lockdowns. Catnip for the right-wing press. Eager to leave: As chair Heather Hallett began wrapping the session, Johnson sprang from his seat and bolted for the door, before realizing he should wait for her to finish speaking. “When the speaker stands up at the end of PMQs you just run for it,” he confessed. Campaigners screamed “Shame on you!” as he slid into his car outside, flanked by guards. DUKE OF PORKIES: MPs are piling pressure on disgraced Pizza Express-lover Prince Andrew to stump up for his own rent, after the Times revealed the public has been throwing cash at the Jeffrey Epstein pal’s landlord for the past two decades to ensure he can live in his deluxe 30-room mansion. The revelation came after it emerged Andrew misinformed the public broadcaster about when he cut ties with pedophile Epstein, and amid allegations he asked his police protection officers to dig up dirt on an accuser. Get a job, mate: “It’s about time Prince Andrew took himself off to live in private and make his own way in life,” Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick told the BBC this morning. “He has disgraced himself, he has embarrassed the royal family time and again. I don’t see why the taxpayer frankly should continue to foot the bill at all.” Labour MP and Treasury Committee chair Meg Hillier meanwhile said committees would have “a very strong interest” if taxpayer cash is involved, although her own is not looking into the issue. Here’s an idea: The Lib Dems are arguing Andrew could “show contrition” by “returning every penny” of the free rent he’s been benefiting from at the expense of the public purse. The Speccie has an updating list of all the MPs who have now slagged Andrew off. But but but: The government is, of course, shielding the walking anti-perspirant princeling from criticism. A spokesperson for Keir Starmer told hacks the National Audit Office deemed the lease arrangements for the Royal Lodge mansion “appropriate” when it checked in 2005. That was, of course, long before Epstein was convicted of sex offenses, and before Andrew got sucked into allegations. Not scared of anything (except holding princelings to account): The spokesperson said he would not “get drawn into hypotheticals about living arrangements of members of the royal family,” and continues to insist the government cares about victims. It seems not using a few made-up titles might end up being the worst thing that happens to Andrew. COMING ATTRACTIONS: Cabinet ministers Richard Hermer and Darren Jones have been asked to appear at the Joint Committee on National Security Strategy next Tuesday at 2.30 p.m. to discuss the collapsed China espionage case. Playbook PM can confirm that Jones has accepted the invite, while Hermer is expected to do the same. THE NIGEL REVOLUTION MARCHES ON: A Reform government would change the law “to put the police under the control of elected politicians,” new Nigel Farage recruit Danny Kruger told social media in the wake of the Aston Villa debacle, which left ministers begging police to let Israeli fans attend a match. Kruger made the case in the Telegraph at the weekend, too. For the moment: “The police in this country have operational independence to ensure policing is impartial and non-political,” a government official told my POLITICO colleague Mason Boycott-Owen. “That makes us all safer.” Speaking of the Aston Villa row: A spokesperson for Keir Starmer said he was “saddened” that Maccabi Tel Aviv decided to turn down their allocation of tickets for the match in Birmingham next month, amid the furious row about the match. He said “discussions continue” about ensuring the event can be policed, in case the team changes its mind. WHAT THE GOVERNMENT WANTS TO TALK ABOUT: Brexit being a bit crap, in its new guise as Brexit-basher-in-chief. Chancellor Rachel Reeves told her regional investment summit in Birmingham this morning that leaving the EU (alongside cuts to capital and services spending) “had a bigger impact on our economy than even was projected” before the vote to leave in 2016. The Beeb has a fuller writeup of the Reeves speech, while the government published a list of the new investments and priorities for the British Business Bank. What the government doesn’t want to talk about: Overseeing the highest September borrowing figure for half a decade — at £20.2 billion, up £1.6 billion on the same month in 2024. Business Secretary Peter Kyle told LBC Britain is not going bankrupt. “No, because when you look at the debt-to-GDP ratio, we are stable as a country, and we are doing what it takes to invest our way out of the challenge that we have inherited from the Tory government,” he said. Nothing to worry about, then. What else the government wants to talk about: Keir Starmer and fellow European leaders (including Volodymyr Zelenskyy) making a paradoxical statement about the war in Ukraine. It insisted the current front line “should be the starting point” for negotiations with Russia, while also insisting “international borders must not be changed by force.” Which is it, lads? POLITICO writeup here. Speaking of which: There now appear to be “no plans” for Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin to meet anytime soon — and a senior Kremlin aide said too much daylight remains between Moscow and the White House for much progress. WHAT ROBERT JENRICK WANTS TO TALK ABOUT: Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick told Talk that he would “probably ban the burqa” and there is a “strong argument for it.” The view puts him at odds with rival boss Kemi Badenoch, who earlier this year said a burqa ban “won’t fix the problem of cultural separatism.” Tory Chair Kevin Hollinrake described Jenrick’s comments as a “personal view” and noted “it’s not official policy yet,” according to the Daily Mail. Who needs certainty with party policy, eh? STILL TO COME: The PM and King are hosting Balkan leaders ahead of a reception tomorrow. RETWEET: Conservative MP George Freeman told Matt Chorley there was an immediate “firefight” after a deepfake was posted to Facebook, which falsely depicted him saying he had defected to Reform UK. He said such content was “undermining democracy” — but Meta refused to take it down. OFF THE LIST: The government is de-proscribing Syrian group Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham in a bid to get closer engagement with the new Syrian government, the Home Office announced. Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham, formerly an opposition rebel group, now forms part of the country’s transitional government. MIDDLE EAST LATEST: U.S. President Donald Trump vowed a “brutal” end to Hamas if the group “continues to act badly.” Writing on Truth Social, Trump said, “There is still hope that Hamas will do what is right. If they do not, an end to Hamas will be FAST, FURIOUS, & BRUTAL!” IN FRANCE: Nicolas Sarkozy became the first ex-president to go to jail. More than 100 people applauded and shouted his name as he left his villa to go to the slammer, holding his wife’s hand. The BBC has a write-up. IN AUSTRIA: Vienna deported a convicted Afghan criminal to Kabul, the first such deportation from Austria since the Taliban returned to power in the war-ravaged country in 2021. Read more on POLITICO. **A message from Intuit: In a survey of over 1,500 UK business leaders, 6 in 10 say they are turning to generative AI for writing, editing, design, and brainstorming. By comparison, 30% use AI integrated into business software for administrative tasks and note-taking, while 10% apply it to internal systems or operations. AI is helping level the playing field for small businesses. Intuit will soon introduce new agentic AI experiences to help small businesses and accountants using QuickBooks in the UK unlock next-level efficiency. These AI agents are designed to manage everything from routine tasks to complex workflows, giving entrepreneurs more time to focus on customer service. Learn more about how AI is shaping small business growth in a new British Chambers of Commerce report in partnership with Intuit.** LEADING THE NEWS BULLETINS: Channel 5 News (5 p.m.), BBC News at Six and ITV Evening News (6.30 p.m.) all lead on Prince Andrew … Channel 4 News (7 p.m.) focuses on grooming gangs. Tom Swarbrick at Drive (LBC, until 6 p.m.): Rotherham child abuse and grooming survivor Sammy Woodhouse … Chief Secretary to the Treasury James Murray. Drive with John Pienaar (Times Radio, until 7 p.m.): Former U.S. Special Envoy to Ukraine Kurt Volker … U.S. Army Europe former commanding general Ben Hodges … member of the Israeli Parliament Ofer Cassif. The News Agents (Podcast, drops at 5 p.m.): Co-author of Virginia Giuffre’s book, “Nobody’s Girl,” Amy Wallace. Tonight With Andrew Marr (LBC, 6 p.m.): Non-affiliated peer and former Conservative Party Chair Sayeeda Warsi … former Supreme Court Justice Jonathan Sumption … crossbench peer and ex-Foreign Office boss Simon McDonald. Dewbs and Co (GB News, 6 p.m.): Conservative peer Jacqueline Foster. Farage (GB News, 7 p.m.): Tory former Cabinet minster Ranil Jayawardena. Politics Hub (Sky News, 7 p.m.): Former Labour Director of Policy Andrew Fisher … former Reform spinner Gawain Towler … Lib Dem MP Lisa Smart … broadcaster and historian Tessa Dunlop. The Evening Edition with Kait Borsay (Times Radio, 7 p.m.): Former British Army Colonel Simon Diggins. Cross Question with Iain Dale (LBC, 8 p.m.): Labour MP Calvin Bailey … Tory peer Rachel Maclean … the Telegraph’s Liam Halligan … broadcaster Jemma Forte. Jacob Rees-Mogg’s State of the Nation (GB News, 8 p.m.): Shadow Business Secretary Andrew Griffith. Newsnight (BBC 2, 10.30 p.m.): Labour MP Nadia Whittome … historian Andrew lownie. TWEETING TOMORROW’S PAPERS TONIGHT: Alfie Tobutt. REVIEWING THE PAPERS TONIGHT: Times Radio (10.30 p.m.): Journalist Laura Trevelyan and Talk’s Peter Cardwell … Sky News (10.30 p.m. and 11.30 p.m.): Journo Jenny Kleeman and ConservativeHome’s Henry Hill. HAPPENING OVERNIGHT: The Public Accounts Committee publishes a report on delivering public services … and the Women and Equalities Committee publishes a report on female entrepreneurship. GROWING CONCERN: Inflation estimates for September drop here at 7 a.m. WHAT THE GOVERNMENT WANTS TO TALK ABOUT: The Western Balkans, migration and fines for water companies. BELFAST AND BENN: Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn appears at the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee from 9.30 a.m. IN THE COMMONS: Health and social care questions kicks the action off from 11.30 a.m. before a whole House committee session on the Sentencing Bill. IN THE LORDS: Peers breeze in for questions from 2.30 p.m. before committee and report stages on the Animal Welfare Bill, Public Authorities Bill and the Deprivation of Citizenship Orders Bill. ALSO IN THE LORDS: The special Lords committee to scrutinize ministerial powers in the assisted dying bill gets going. NEW GIG: Former PM Rishi Sunak has been appointed a columnist for the Sunday Times business section. Announcement here. IN MEMORIAM: Former Conservative MP Oliver Colvile died aged 66. He represented Plymouth Sutton & Devonport between 2010 and 2017. CONGRATULATIONS: To Scottish First Minister SpAd Olaf Stando, who got engaged. WHAT I’VE BEEN READING: The New Statesman piece from Anoosh Chakelian on how the Starmer government has spent more on “leveling up” in the 12 months since taking office than Boris Johnson did in the same timeframe. How are ministers not wanging on about that on repeat? PACKED LUNCH OR PALACE LUNCH: Subject to change, here are the lunch menus on the estate tomorrow: Bellamy’s: Pork and apple burger with sweetcorn relish; mackerel fillet on sundried tomato and cauliflower couscous with dill and lemon crème fraiche; maple and paprika tofu with Mediterranean vegetables, parsley and chive freekeh and toasted pumpkin seeds … The Debate: Korean salmon bulgogi with multigrain rice and cucumber kimchi; Jamaican Ital bean, vegetable and coconut stew with dumpling and pepper sauce; salt beef bagel with mustard mayonnaise and gherkin … Terrace Cafeteria: Beef keema curry with rice, poppadum and mango chutney; cod, salmon and haddock fish pie with dill; sweet potato and bean quesadilla with cheese, jalapeño, tomato and red onion salad. ON THIS DAY IN POLITICS: On October 21 1805, British Admiral Horatio Nelson defeated the French and Spanish fleets at the Battle of Trafalgar. On the same date in 1958, philanthropist Stella Isaacs became the first woman to take a seat in the House of Lords. On the same date in 1982, Sinn Féin won seats to the new Northern Irish Assembly for the first time. Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness were among those elected. WRITING PLAYBOOK TOMORROW MORNING: Dan Bloom. THANKS TO: My editor Matt Honeycombe-Foster, reporter Bethany Dawson and the POLITICO production team for making it look nice. SUBSCRIBE to the POLITICO newsletter family: Brussels Playbook | London Playbook | London Playbook PM | Playbook Paris | EU Election Playbook | Berlin Playbook | Global Playbook | POLITICO Confidential | Sunday Crunch | EU Influence | London Influence | Digital Bridge | China Watcher | Berlin Bulletin | D.C. Playbook | D.C. Influence | All our POLITICO Pro policy morning newsletters
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Emilio Casalicchio
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[] |
Uncategorized
|
[] |
2025-10-21T16:21:01Z
|
2025-10-21T16:21:01Z
|
2025-10-21T16:21:16Z
| 7,360,944
|
https://www.politico.eu/newsletter/london-playbook/london-playbook-pm-rape-gang-row-escalates/
|
|
Das Update zum Interview mit Christina Stumpp und zur AfD-Debatte in der CDU
|
Listen on Die stellvertretende CDU-Generalsekretärin, sorgt mit ihren Antworten zur Tolerierung der AfD für einen Tag voller Rückfragen. Im Update erklärt Gordon Repinski, wie es zu dieser Gesprächssituation kam, warum das Interview so veröffentlicht wurde und welche Gründe es dafür gibt. Das Berlin Playbook als Podcast gibt es jeden Morgen ab 5 Uhr. Gordon Repinski und das POLITICO-Team liefern Politik zum Hören – kompakt, international, hintergründig. Für alle Hauptstadt-Profis:Der Berlin Playbook-Newsletter bietet jeden Morgen die wichtigsten Themen und Einordnungen. Jetzt kostenlos abonnieren. Mehr von Host und POLITICO Executive Editor Gordon Repinski:Instagram: @gordon.repinski | X: @GordonRepinski.
|
Gordon Repinski
|
[
"der podcast",
"german politics",
"playbook",
"politics"
] |
Playbook
|
[] |
2025-10-21T15:25:21Z
|
2025-10-21T15:25:21Z
|
2025-10-21T15:25:25Z
| 7,366,794
|
https://www.politico.eu/podcast/berlin-playbook-podcast/das-update-zum-interview-mit-christina-stumpp-und-zur-afd-debatte-in-der-cdu/
|
|
EU to stockpile critical minerals amid supply chain threats
|
Inclusion in 2026 Commission plan follows China’s move to limit export of rare-earth magnets. BRUSSELS — The EU wants to purchase and stockpile critical raw materials to ensure the supply of minerals and metals critical for industries ranging from defense to carmakers. The proposal is part of a new annual work plan presented Tuesday and designed to meet “Europe’s independence moment.” The move — setting up a Critical Raw Materials Center to “monitor, jointly purchase and stockpile these minerals, which are so essential to our industrial sovereignty” — comes within a 2026 plan peppered with actions to prop up the bloc’s independence. “Our regional and global order is being redrawn. And Europe must fight for its place in a world where some major powers are either ambivalent or hostile to us,” Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told the European Parliament on Tuesday. China — which dominates the supply of critical minerals — earlier this month announced broad export controls on rare-earth magnets and their raw materials on grounds of national security, prompting concerns from industry. The EU’s trade chief Maroš Šefčovič was on Tuesday set to talk with his Chinese counterpart to discuss a path forward. As part of its grand plan to diversify supply of the minerals away from China, unveiled in 2023, the EU executive had already announced plans to increase monitoring and ramp up joint purchasing and stockpiling. “Beyond raw materials, Europe must be in control of the critical technologies that will shape the economy of tomorrow,” von der Leyen said of the 2026 plans — citing moves across sectors including batteries, cloud, artificial intelligence and advanced materials, and plans for a “Made in Europe” criteria for sensitive products in public procurement. Citing the need for a “sovereign and independent” Europe, the Commission organized its 2026 work plan under six headings: sustainable prosperity and competitiveness; defense and security; social model and innovation; quality of life; democracy and rule of law; and global engagement. Among the measures for 2026 are a new “European Product Act,” an update of public procurement rules, new omnibus proposals for deregulation on taxation and energy, an anti-corruption package and an action plan against cyberbullying. It also included a list of 25 bills the EU executive plans to spike next year amid a push to slash red tape. The EU is on a journey to streamline its legislation to become more competitive, amid intense pressure from the industry and EU capitals. The proposals featured on the withdrawal list — which covers bills that have started their legislative journey but have become obsolete or mired in political wrangling — include a proposed monitoring framework for resilient European forests. National governments in the Council and lawmakers in the European Parliament have six months to make a case if they want to save the bills. Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen would jet into Brazil to ink the long-awaited accord on Dec. 20 — as long as EU capitals give the green light. Despite the EU’s efforts to diversify its supply of critical minerals, Beijing’s skillfully crafted dominance gives it immense geopolitical leverage. There’s immense political appetite to clinch a deal in Brussels and New Delhi — but historically thorny issues keep complicating the talks. U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff crusade has pushed the EU toward completing its long-awaited agreement with the South American bloc.
|
Antonia Zimmermann
|
Inclusion in 2026 Commission plan follows China’s move to limit export of rare-earth magnets.
|
[
"critical raw materials",
"defense",
"digital",
"exports",
"raw materials",
"security",
"space",
"mobility",
"sustainability",
"energy and climate",
"technology",
"competition and industrial policy"
] |
Trade
|
[
"China"
] |
2025-10-21T13:42:18Z
|
2025-10-21T13:42:18Z
|
2025-10-21T14:49:26Z
| 7,365,702
|
https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-to-stockpile-critical-minerals-amid-supply-chain-threats/
|
Gunman-poet who shot Slovakia’s Fico handed 21 years in prison
|
The Slovak PM survived the 2024 shooting after emergency surgery. AI generated Text-to-speech A Slovak court on Tuesday sentenced Juraj Cintula, a 72-year-old poet and activist, to 21 years in prison for terrorism after he shot Prime Minister Robert Fico. Cintula’s attorney told journalists after the trial that they will appeal the verdict to the Slovak Supreme Court. In May 2024, Cintula joined a gathering of Fico supporters before firing five shots at the Slovak prime minister with a pistol from close range. Fico survived the attack after emergency surgery. In a message after the shooting, he publicly forgave the attacker and blamed the Slovak opposition for fueling the political climate that led to the attack. Cintula reportedly told police he didn’t intend to kill Fico, but only to injure him so he could no longer serve as the country’s leader. Cintula disagreed on Fico’s Ukraine policy, among other political issues. He was initially charged with attempted murder, but prosecutors later upgraded the charge to terrorism. He faced 25 years behind bars, but received a shorter sentence due to his age. Fico did not attend the trial himself and was represented by his attorney. While Budapest received the worst marks for justice in the bloc, Russia and the U.S. led a broader global retreat from the rule of law in 2025. Berlin-Beijing relations are becoming increasingly fragile. “Criminal networks respond with detours, new transit countries, and often even more potent ‘substitute substances,’” German drug and addiction commissioner says. Cops questioned Norbert Bolz about a post on X that featured a Nazi-affiliated slogan.
|
Ferdinand Knapp
|
The Slovak PM survived the 2024 shooting after emergency surgery.
|
[
"robert fico shooting",
"slovak politics"
] |
Politics
|
[
"Slovakia"
] |
2025-10-21T13:34:13Z
|
2025-10-21T13:34:13Z
|
2025-10-21T13:39:38Z
| 7,363,857
|
https://www.politico.eu/article/gunman-poet-who-shot-slovakia-pm-robert-fico-jailed-21-years/
|
Germany’s Merz faces backlash over tying migrant deportations to ‘problem in the cityscape’
|
Merz is known for occasionally blasting out polarizing statements. But this time, criticism is mounting — including from within. AI generated Text-to-speech BERLIN — German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is facing rising protests for using anti-immigrant language that critics say is retrieved from the far-right playbook, even as he vows to clearly distance his conservatives from the rising Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. Merz, during a visit to the eastern German state of Brandenburg last week, spoke of a “problem in the cityscape” that can be solved by deporting migrants when asked about his strategy for curbing the rise of the far-right, anti-immigration AfD. “We have come a long way on migration. In this federal government, we have reduced the numbers by 60 percent between August ’24 and August ’25, but of course we still have this problem in the cityscape, which is why the interior minister is now also in the process of enabling and carrying out repatriations on a very large scale,” Merz said. The backlash intensified after Merz was asked on Monday whether he wanted to retract some of the comment during a press conference that was largely intended to end an internal discussion about possible future cooperation with the far right. “Let me ask you something in return,” Merz said. “I don’t know if you have children, but if you have daughters, ask them what I might have meant by that. I suspect you’ll get a pretty clear and straightforward answer. I have nothing to take back. On the contrary, I emphasize once again that we must change this.” In response, Germany’s most well-known activist and a member of the Greens called on Germany’s young women to gather in front of the party headquarters of Merz’s center-right Christian Democratic Union party on Tuesday evening. “There are approximately 40 million daughters in this country, and many of us have a genuine interest in ensuring that our safety is taken seriously,” Luisa Neubauer said in a post on Instagram. “What we are not interested in is being misused as a pretext or justification for statements that were ultimately discriminatory, racist and deeply hurtful.” Merz has been known for occasionally blasting out polarizing statements that provoke fierce criticism. He, for example, emphasized that the Bundestag was “not a circus tent” when asked to weigh in on a discussion about raising the LGBTQ+ flag above the Bundestag to celebrate Pride a couple of months ago. On another occasion, before becoming chancellor, he referred to the sons of migrants as “little paschas” following attacks on police and firefighters. In the past, Merz has also tried to siphon off AfD voters and take the wind from their sails by promising a sweeping migration crackdown. Despite his efforts, the AfD has continued to rise in popularity and has even surpassed Merz’s conservatives, according to POLITICO’s Poll of Polls. But after the most recent controversy, members of Merz’s coalition are saying that they expect more from the head of government. “Merz is no longer the witty commentator on the sidelines who knocks you out, as chancellor he has a special responsibility for the cohesion of our society, the culture of debate and a positive narrative for the future,” said Dennis Radtke, a member of the European Parliament for Merz’s CDU. He added that the better way to combat the AfD is to focus on problem-solving and promise-keeping, echoing a strategy presented by the CDU’s general secretary at Monday’s press conference on combating the AfD. Criticism also came from Merz’s coalition partner, the center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD). Politicians should address the problems Germany is facing, said Tim Klüssendorf, the general secretary of the SPD. “But constantly attributing everything to one issue, the issue of migration, and mixing everything together and making sweeping generalizations divides people and destroys trust,” he said during a television interview. “My expectations of the head of a state are significantly higher,” he added. Politicians in Berlin fear that the sharp increase in Ukrainian men coming to Germany could reduce support for military aid to Kyiv. After Ukraine’s leader struck out at the White House last Friday, his European friends will try to strengthen his hand before it’s too late. “The hand that the AfD keeps reaching out is, in reality, a hand that wants to destroy us,” says German chancellor after marathon debate on far-right cooperation. Friedrich Merz’s conservative-led government is close to cutting a deal with the Taliban to deport migrants to Afghanistan, and other EU countries may follow suit.
|
Nette Nöstlinger
|
Merz is known for occasionally blasting out polarizing statements. But this time, criticism is mounting — including from within.
|
[
"far right",
"german politics",
"migration"
] |
Politics
|
[
"Germany"
] |
2025-10-21T13:21:48Z
|
2025-10-21T13:21:48Z
|
2025-10-21T13:47:31Z
| 7,363,605
|
https://www.politico.eu/article/germany-friedrich-merz-backlash-migrant-deportations-problem-cityscape/
|
Brussels U-turns on anti-deforestation law delay
|
The surprise decision follows a string of unexpected changes to the EU’s main tool to end deforestation. LUXEMBOURG — The European Commission has dropped a plan to delay its flagship anti-deforestation law, just a month after announcing it wanted to pause it for another year. However, the EU executive has proposed a number of changes to the law to reduce paperwork, Environment Commissioner Roswall announced on Tuesday during the Environment Council meeting in Luxembourg. The announcement follows a string of unexpected developments regarding the EU Deforestation-free Regulation(EUDR), which was enacted in 2023 and is designed to ensure products such as coffee, beef, cocoa and palm oil imported to the EU do not come from deforested land. It was already delayed by 12 months last year. Under the new proposal, micro- and small businesses will still be given an extra year to comply. The EUDR will come into force on December 30 this year as planned, however companies that can't comply immediately have a six-month grace period until June 30. Only the company that first places a product onto the market will have to submit a due diligence statement for example, she said, with the aim of reducing paperwork and reducing the load on the IT system. The European Parliament and Council of the EU must approve the Commission's proposal. The results highlight the wide reach of a group of chemicals linked to cancer, liver damage and fertility problems. Special Rapporteur Marcos Orellana writes that a European Commission proposal “seems to conflict” with basic “rights to health and environmental protection.” Green Deal backtracking undermines European security and prosperity, European Environment Agency warns. Vice president of the EU executive says computer issues not good enough reason to further delay anti-deforestation law.
|
Leonie Cater
|
The surprise decision follows a string of unexpected changes to the EU’s main tool to end deforestation.
|
[
"beef",
"companies",
"due diligence",
"markets",
"oil",
"palm oil",
"agriculture and food",
"energy and climate",
"trade"
] |
Sustainability
|
[] |
2025-10-21T12:24:05Z
|
2025-10-21T12:24:05Z
|
2025-10-21T15:02:38Z
| 7,364,307
|
https://www.politico.eu/article/brussels-u-turns-on-anti-deforestation-law-delay/
|
Macron publicly backs PM’s decision to freeze landmark pensions reform
|
But the French president still thinks the retirement age will need to rise eventually. French President Emmanuel Macron said Tuesday he supported his hand-picked prime minister's decision to pause plans to raise the minimum retirement age but reiterated his belief that the move will eventually be necessary. "Facts are stubborn, and we’re getting older," Macron said Tuesday during a press conference in Ljubljana, Slovenia. These are Macron’s first public comments on the matter since Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu, announced his intention to temporarily freeze the law incrementally increasing the minimum retirement age in France — which triggered mass protests and remains deeply unpopular — until the next presidential election in 2027. The freeze helped ensure Lecornu's government would at least temporarily have the tacit support of the Socialists, who opposed the 2023 reform. He survived the first no-confidence vote against his government on Thursday by 18 votes. Macron praised Lecornu's decision as a way to "appease the public debate." The French president insisted the reform remains "necessary for the country" and said he saw Lecornu's move as "neither a repeal nor a suspension" but rather a "delay." In a meeting with lawmakers from Macron's Renaissance party, Lecornu said his decision to freeze one of Macron's landmark policies was designed to reopen debates with the "advantage of being on offense," according to a participant in the meeting. The French president reiterated that the future solvency of France’s pension system would not be guaranteed under the current minimum retirement age as more people retire and live longer than previous generations. In France, most workers contribute to a fund that pays the pensions of current retirees. Tiphaine Auzière testified in a cyberbullying trial on Tuesday. A team of thieves accomplished in minutes what museum employees have been trying to do for years: expose the French icon’s fragility due to decades of underfunding. MEP Marion Maréchal called France the “laughingstock of the world” after the robbery. The fallen conservative star is expected to start serving his sentence Tuesday.
|
Victor Goury-Laffont
|
But the French president still thinks the retirement age will need to rise eventually.
|
[
"elections",
"french political crisis",
"french politics",
"pensions",
"central banker",
"politics"
] |
Financial Services
|
[
"France"
] |
2025-10-21T12:22:04Z
|
2025-10-21T12:22:04Z
|
2025-10-21T12:22:53Z
| 7,363,758
|
https://www.politico.eu/article/emmanuel-macron-publicly-backs-pension-law-freeze-says-just-delay/
|
Don’t let AI chatbots tell you how to vote, Dutch authorities warn voters
|
Far-right PVV and GreenLeft-Labor were overrepresented as suggested picks, in a test of how four chatbots gave voter advice. The Dutch data protection watchdog has warned voters not to ask artificial intelligence chatbots for voting advice ahead of the country's general election next week. "AI chatbots give a highly distorted and polarized image of the Dutch political landscape in a test," the data protection watchdog warned in a study published on Tuesday. "We warn not to use AI chatbots for voting advice, because their operations are not transparent and verifiable," Monique Verdier, vice-chair of the authority, said in a statement. She called upon the chatbot developers to "prevent that their systems are being used for voting advice." Dutch voters elect a new parliament next Wednesday. The Dutch data protection authority ran an experiment on how parties were portrayed in voting advice across four different chatbots, including OpenAI's ChatGPT, Google's Gemini, Elon Musk's Grok and French Mistral AI's Le Chat. The authority set up profiles that matched different political parties (based on vetted Dutch voting-aid tools), after which it asked the chatbots to give voting advice for these profiles. Voter profiles on the left and progressive side of the spectrum "were mostly directed to the GreenLeft-Labor" party led by former European Commission Executive Vice President Frans Timmermans, while voters on the right and conservative side "were mostly directed to the PVV," the far-right party led by Geert Wilders that is currently leading in the polls. Centrist parties were hardly represented in the voting advice, even though these parties were represented equally in the voter profiles fed to the chatbots. OpenAI, Google and Mistral have all signed up to the EU's code of practice for the most complex and advanced AI models, while Grok's parent company xAI has signed up to parts of it. Under the code, these companies commit to address risks stemming from their models, including risks to fundamental rights and society. The Dutch authority argued that chatbots giving voting advice could be classified as a high-risk system under the EU's AI Act, for which a separate set of rules will start to apply from mid-next year. Eight investment companies invited to Brussels to discuss their involvement. “I’m not ordered to be the funniest or to make the craziest remarks,” said Christian Democrat Henri Bontenbal. Automakers worry they’re in for a repeat of pandemic-era chip shortages after Dutch seizure of Nexperia. Deepfake video showed Catherine Connolly had withdrawn from race.
|
Pieter Haeck
|
Far-right PVV and GreenLeft-Labor were overrepresented as suggested picks, in a test of how four chatbots gave voter advice.
|
[
"algorithms",
"artificial intelligence",
"big data",
"data protection",
"dutch election 2025",
"elections",
"internet governance",
"internet search",
"privacy",
"rights",
"politics"
] |
Technology
|
[
"The Netherlands"
] |
2025-10-21T11:26:25Z
|
2025-10-21T11:26:25Z
|
2025-10-28T11:19:59Z
| 7,363,356
|
https://www.politico.eu/article/dont-ask-chatbots-how-vote-dutch-authorities-tell-voters-election/
|
Lithuania’s defense minister decides to step down
|
Lithuania’s defense minister Dovilė Šakalienė to resign after prime minister loses trust in her. Lithuania’s Defense Minister Dovilė Šakalienė said Tuesday she has decided to step down after losing the trust of Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė and Social Democratic Party chairman Mindaugas Sinkevičius over the defense budget. Speaking on Tuesday, Šakalienė said she sees “no other opportunities to work when there is no trust,” LRT reported. The decision comes after a public rift with Ruginienė, who last week criticized fellow Social Democrat Šakalienė for lobbying on the budget behind the government’s back. On Monday, the prime minister stripped the minister of responsibility for the defense industry, saying that “trust has definitely weakened.” Before submitting her resignation letter, Šakalienė plans to meet President Gitanas Nausėda, but stressed her decision is final. “I don’t see any reasons that could change my decision — that’s politics,” she said. Nausėda, speaking ahead of the meeting, emphasized that the 2026 defense budget is the country’s top priority and “everything else should be set aside for now,” he told reporters. While the trust “is very important,” he wants to hear Šakalienė’s account of the situation and her vision for her future in the post. Lithuania is expected to spend 5.38 percent of GDP on defense in 2026, above NATO’s recently agreed target of 5 percent. “We are sending a signal to Belarus that no hybrid attack will be tolerated, and we are taking the strictest measures to stop such attacks,” prime minister says. A Russian fighter and a refueler crossed the EU’s external border Thursday night as the bloc’s leaders discussed their defense plans. Inga Ruginienė’s new government suffers second ministerial casualty. Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė points the finger at Belarus over airspace incident.
|
Giedrė Peseckytė
|
Lithuania’s defense minister Dovilė Šakalienė to resign after prime minister loses trust in her.
|
[
"budget",
"industry",
"lobbying",
"procurement",
"defense"
] |
Politics
|
[
"Lithuania"
] |
2025-10-21T11:11:40Z
|
2025-10-21T11:11:40Z
|
2025-10-21T11:12:02Z
| 7,363,863
|
https://www.politico.eu/article/lithuania-defense-minister-decide-resignation-lose-trust-pm/
|
Former Belgian PM Alexander De Croo snags big UN job
|
The U.N. General Assembly is expected to confirm the appointment in the coming days. AI generated Text-to-speech Belgium’s former Prime Minister Alexander De Croo is set to become the next head of the United Nations Development Programme. De Croo, of the Flemish liberal Open VLD party, will succeed current UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner and will also serve as undersecretary-general, working closely with U.N. chief António Guterres. According to reports, De Croo’s nomination followed weeks of deliberations after the selection panel failed to reach a consensus, prompting Guterres to make the final call. The U.N. General Assembly is expected to confirm the appointment in the coming days, a step widely seen as a formality. “It’s a great appointment, it’s also a great honor for Belgium,” Peter Piot, until now the first and only Belgian to have served as a U.N. undersecretary-general, told De Morgen. “UNDP is the most important organization of the U.N. when it comes to general development. There has really been a huge competition for that position, countries are lobbying very hard for it,” he added. The UNDP administrator is the third-highest position in the U.N. hierarchy after the secretary-general and deputy secretary-general. It is also the highest post outside the U.N. Secretariat and serves as vice chair of the United Nations Sustainable Development Group, which coordinates all U.N. agencies operating in the field. De Croo’s move means he will resign his seat in the Belgian parliament, where he was elected last year, according to Flemish public broadcaster VRT. He will be replaced by Sandro Di Nunzio, currently deputy mayor of Lochristi in East Flanders. In Brakel, where De Croo serves as mayor, Marleen Gyselinck will step in as acting mayor. American economist Jeffrey Sachs, a trenchant critic of Western policy toward Russia, met his match in a TV studio last week. Carlo Calenda told POLITICO about the clash heard round the world. France, Austria and the Netherlands say funding should be stripped from groups that fail to uphold EU values. Joint statement from U.K., Germany, France, Italy and the EU comes after U.S. president holds tense meeting with Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Anti-mafia prosecutors have opened a probe.
|
Elena Giordano
|
The U.N. General Assembly is expected to confirm the appointment in the coming days.
|
[
"aid and development",
"belgian politics",
"development",
"diplomacy",
"politics"
] |
Foreign Affairs
|
[
"Belgium",
"France",
"Switzerland"
] |
2025-10-21T11:06:12Z
|
2025-10-21T11:06:12Z
|
2025-10-21T11:06:34Z
| 7,363,518
|
https://www.politico.eu/article/former-belgian-pm-alexander-de-croo-to-lead-un-development-programme/
|
Austria deports first person to Afghanistan since Taliban takeover
|
“Zero tolerance toward all those who have forfeited their right of residence through criminal offenses,” warns Chancellor Christian Stocker. Vienna has deported a convicted Afghan criminal to Kabul, the first such deportation from Austria since the Taliban returned to power in the war-ravaged country in 2021. Austria’s Chancellor Christian Stocker confirmed the deportation on Tuesday morning, writing on X: “Anyone who doesn’t follow our rules will have to leave.” He added: “With this, Austria is sending a clear message: Zero tolerance toward all those who have forfeited their right of residence through criminal offenses.” Deportations to Afghanistan have been controversial. Pro-asylum groups consider it an unsafe country where deportees could face the threat of persecution by the Taliban, which has not been officially recognized as the ruling government by any EU country. According to the Austrian public broadcaster ORF, the deportee was convicted of a sex offense and severe assault, and spent four years in an Austrian prison. A spokesperson for Vienna’s Interior Ministry told POLITICO: “Austria deports convicted criminals to their home countries. If that’s not currently possible in a specific case, we work hard and consistently to make sure it will be possible in the future.” Stocker said the Interior Ministry plans further deportations. His government also resumed deportations to Syria and Somalia earlier this year. The first Afghan deportation came two days after Austrian Interior Minister Gerhard Karner of the conservative Austrian’s People’s Party (ÖVP) discussed the issue with Swedish Migration Minister Johan Forssell. Last Thursday, Karner, Forssell and 18 other EU migration ministers sent a joint letter to EU Migration Commissioner Magnus Brunner, urging the bloc to allow the “voluntary or forced return” of Afghan nationals. European Commission spokesperson Markus Lammert told journalists Monday that the EU was in “close contact with member states” on the issue. “Earlier this year we have initiated exploratory contacts at technical level with the de facto authorities in Afghanistan. We are ready to continue supporting member states in their efforts,” he said. Austria’s neighbor Germany resumed deportations of Afghans to Kabul in August 2024. While Budapest received the worst marks for justice in the bloc, Russia and the U.S. led a broader global retreat from the rule of law in 2025. Berlin-Beijing relations are becoming increasingly fragile. “Criminal networks respond with detours, new transit countries, and often even more potent ‘substitute substances,’” German drug and addiction commissioner says. Cops questioned Norbert Bolz about a post on X that featured a Nazi-affiliated slogan.
|
Ferdinand Knapp
|
“Zero tolerance toward all those who have forfeited their right of residence through criminal offenses,” warns Chancellor Christian Stocker.
|
[
"asylum",
"austrian politics",
"migration"
] |
Policy
|
[
"Afghanistan",
"Austria",
"Germany",
"Somalia",
"Sweden",
"Syria"
] |
2025-10-21T10:49:08Z
|
2025-10-21T10:49:08Z
|
2025-10-21T10:49:28Z
| 7,363,170
|
https://www.politico.eu/article/austria-deport-first-person-afghanistan-taliban-takeover-christian-stocker/
|
Ukraine allies to Trump: Yes to freezing the line, no to changing borders
|
Joint statement from U.K., Germany, France, Italy and the EU comes after U.S. president holds tense meeting with Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy. European leaders and Ukraine’s allies issued a carefully worded warning to U.S. President Donald Trump early Tuesday over his lukewarm support for Kyiv, backing his call to halt fighting but rejecting any suggestion of territorial concessions to Moscow. In a joint statement signed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and other European leaders, the group declared themselves “united in our desire for a just and lasting peace.” The leaders said they “strongly support President Trump’s position that the fighting should stop immediately,” suggesting that the current line of contact could serve as a starting point for negotiations, but they warned that “international borders must not be changed by force," — a veiled rebuke to Trump’s openness to freezing the war along Russian-occupied front lines. The statement comes just days ahead of a critical European Council meeting on Thursday, where leaders will debate using frozen Russian assets to fund Ukraine and tightening sanctions on Moscow. Zelenskyy and members of the so-called Coalition of the Willing are then set to gather Friday in London to coordinate further military and financial support. Trump said late Sunday that the war should be frozen along the current battle lines, a proposal that would leave Moscow in control of vast areas of occupied Ukrainian territory. The current front line cuts through the industrial Donbas region, in Ukraine’s east, where fighting remains intense. His comments came just days after a reportedly tense White House meeting with Zelenskyy, during which Trump initially suggested Kyiv should consider ceding land to Moscow to end the conflict, according to a person familiar with the talks. He later denied pushing Ukraine to surrender the entire Donbas region to Russia, insisting instead that the region should be divided as it is. "I think 78 percent of the land is already taken by Russia. You leave it the way it is right now," he said. American economist Jeffrey Sachs, a trenchant critic of Western policy toward Russia, met his match in a TV studio last week. Carlo Calenda told POLITICO about the clash heard round the world. France, Austria and the Netherlands say funding should be stripped from groups that fail to uphold EU values. The U.N. General Assembly is expected to confirm the appointment in the coming days. Anti-mafia prosecutors have opened a probe.
|
Elena Giordano
|
Joint statement from U.K., Germany, France, Italy and the EU comes after U.S. president holds tense meeting with Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
|
[
"defense",
"military",
"negotiations",
"u.s. foreign policy",
"war",
"war in ukraine"
] |
Foreign Affairs
|
[
"France",
"Germany",
"Italy",
"Russia",
"Ukraine",
"United States"
] |
2025-10-21T09:09:34Z
|
2025-10-21T09:09:34Z
|
2025-10-21T09:16:18Z
| 7,362,927
|
https://www.politico.eu/article/ukraine-allies-us-trump-yes-freezing-line-no-changing-borders-putin-russia/
|
Chances dwindle of quick Trump-Putin meeting in Budapest
|
Top Russian official says “no agreement” so far on meeting between top diplomats Sergey Lavrov and Marco Rubio. Prospects for an imminent meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Budapest appear to be fading, judging by new signals from Moscow. Trump said last week he and Putin had held a lengthy phone call in which “great progress was made” and announced the two leaders had agreed to meet in the Hungarian capital, with a first round of talks to involve U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. But even the Rubio-Lavrov sit-down is not imminent, according to a top Russian official. “It’s impossible to postpone something, about which there was no agreement,” Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said Monday, according to state-owned RIA Novosti news agency, shortly after CNN reported the meeting had been postponed. RIA later posted an update, saying Ryabkov had added that the meeting of top diplomats requires further preparation. “Preparation is needed, serious preparation. You have heard statements from both the American side and ours that this may take time. Therefore, there were actually no precise terms set at the beginning,” added Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov during a briefing to reporters. Ryabkov’s remarks pour cold water on the idea that Putin and Trump, who is hoping to use the momentum and credibility from his Middle East peace deal to broker an end to the Kremlin’s war in Ukraine, could meet anytime soon. The proposed summit in Budapest, which Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán touted as “great news for the peace-loving people of the world,” earned the ire of other European capitals, with some vowing to close their airspace to Putin. “Europe has no place for war criminals. There is no route through Europe for war criminals to attend any events,” Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys told reporters. Putin also currently faces a warrant for his arrest from the International Criminal Court for war crimes, but Budapest has vowed not to enforce it and withdrew from the ICC earlier this year. This article has been updated. Vilnius is just being “petty,” Belarusian leader says. “The battle is not over yet,” Hungarian prime minister says, teeing up a possible fight with the White House. A packed agenda promised a summit of fireworks. Nothing really took off. From the climate to critical minerals to Russia’s frozen assets, the agenda of Thursday’s European Council is jam-packed.
|
Seb Starcevic
|
Top Russian official says “no agreement” so far on meeting between top diplomats Sergey Lavrov and Marco Rubio.
|
[
"airspace",
"diplomacy",
"u.s. foreign policy",
"war",
"war in ukraine"
] |
Politics
|
[
"Russia",
"United States"
] |
2025-10-21T08:55:29Z
|
2025-10-21T08:55:29Z
|
2025-10-21T10:53:57Z
| 7,362,816
|
https://www.politico.eu/article/chances-dwindle-quick-us-trump-russia-putin-meeting-budapest/
|
EU conservative chief warns he may blow up deal with Socialists on Parliament presidency
|
Manfred Weber delivers warning to the European center left. STRASBOURG — The center-right European People’s Party President Manfred Weber on Tuesday refused to commit to handing the European Parliament’s presidency to the Socialists as scheduled in 2027. In what would be a major blow to the stability of the EU’s governing coalition, Weber hinted he could be seeking a third term for Roberta Metsola, a Maltese conservative and incumbent president of the Parliament. The president of the Party of European Socialists, Stefan Löfven, said last week that the EPP needs to abide by the accord it signed after the European election in 2024, agreeing to hand over the Parliament presidency to the center-left in 2027. During a press conference in Strasbourg Tuesday morning, Weber snarked back at Löfven. “It was also agreed that the socialists are ready to work together, and I think the next one and a half years the socialists can show their reliability,” he said, after being asked by POLITICO whether he committed to upholding the deal. Weber referred to a vote on a green simplification package scheduled for Wednesday in which some Socialist MEPs will break the group line to vote against it, despite an earlier agreement to support it with the EPP. “The socialists are grabbing for jobs but not delivering on what the people really expect from them,” Weber added. The Socialists say there is a written power-sharing agreement signed between the EPP, Socialists & Democrats and centrist Renew Europe divvying up the EU’s top jobs — with the Parliament presidency remaining split between the center right and the center left. “We have a deal, the deal was made after the election, and that deal is still valid,” Löfven said Friday, warning that the EPP needs to comply “if they still want a decent working environment in Brussels.” But behind the scenes, many center-left MEPs and staffers expect that the EPP will try to breach the agreement to give a third term to Metsola. Their fears are growing because the Socialists also have the top post at the European Council, where Portugal’s former Prime Minister António Costa runs the show, and it is unlikely the EPP would let the center-left — which has lost political heft across the bloc in recent years — lead two of the three EU policymaking institutions. “About Roberta Metsola’s future … let me first of all underline that I think I can, as EPP representative, be proud about the job Roberta Metsola has delivered,” Weber said. “She’s a great president of the European Parliament, very respected, the institution can be proud to have such a personality in the lead.” “When the time comes to make decisions regarding the midterm, I think it will also be the time when we all demonstrate if we are people of word and where we demonstrate if agreements are respected,” S&D group chair Iratxe García said in reaction to Weber’s comments. “I think we now have very important issues about which to work and in which citizens are really attentive and waiting for us… housing, decent employment, public services, a Europe that defends peace, and that is where we are.” This article has been updated. The underdog-turned-front-runner tells POLITICO the Netherlands must embrace a more central role in Europe. Political group leaders voiced concern the move could set a precedent for restricting media in the European Parliament. The European Parliament’s center right weighs turning its back on historical mainstream alliances in its push to cut red tape. A draft of a letter seen by POLITICO being drawn up by all four mainstream political groups demands major changes to Commission plan.
|
Max Griera
|
Manfred Weber delivers warning to the European center left.
|
[
"brussels bubble",
"elections",
"eu election",
"meps"
] |
Politics
|
[
"Portugal"
] |
2025-10-21T08:44:34Z
|
2025-10-21T08:44:34Z
|
2025-10-21T08:50:31Z
| 7,362,756
|
https://www.politico.eu/article/epp-chief-manfred-weber-threaten-blow-up-agreement-socialists-parliament-presidency/
|
Is Prince Andrew a problem for politics?
|
Listen on What is parliament’s role in what happens to Prince Andrew from here?With Virginia Giuffre’s book released today and new reports that he’s not paid rent on the Royal Lodge in Windsor for two decades – Sam Coates and Anne McElvoy discuss how uncomfortable Westminster might be feeling about the former trade envoy.Outside of London, how are the parties feeling about this week’s Senedd by-election in Caerphilly?Plus, in our weekly check-in on polling, are the Greens cutting through with the voters and could that be encouraging Keir Starmer to change his plans for the COP summit in Brazil? The full list of candidates standing at the Caerphilly by-election can be found here.
|
Anne McElvoy
|
[
"british politics",
"politics at sam and anne’s"
] |
Politics
|
[] |
2025-10-21T07:33:49Z
|
2025-10-21T07:33:49Z
|
2025-10-21T07:33:55Z
| 7,362,795
|
https://www.politico.eu/podcast/politics-at-sam-and-annes/is-prince-andrew-a-problem-for-politics/
|
|
Princed out
|
AI generated Text-to-speech Presented by Intuit By ANDREW MCDONALD with MARTIN ALFONSIN LARSEN PRESENTED BY Send tips here | Subscribe for free | Listen to Playbook and view in your browser Good Tuesday morning. This is Andrew McDonald. STICKY WICKET: Rachel Reeves and a herd of Cabinet ministers are assembling at Edgbaston Cricket Stadium in Birmingham for a regional investment summit. The chancellor has a speech and plenty of media lined up to push her key message on the importance of cutting “pointless” red tape. The Treasury reckons these measures will prove to the OBR that it is too pessimistic about U.K. growth … and eventually save Reeves from having to find quite so much cash through spending cuts and tax rises at the budget. Sounds simple, right? But there’s just one problem … as a story about public money has exploded onto the front page of today’s Times that poses awkward questions for a government keen to distance itself from Prince Andrew’s dominance of the current news cycle. The peppercorn prince: The Times’ investigations team reports — following the fastest FOI response Playbook has ever seen — that Prince Andrew has not paid rent on his grace-and-favor mansion, Royal Lodge, for two decades. The prince’s leasehold agreement, which Playbook has also seen, states that while the prince paid £1 million for the lease plus at least £7.5 million for refurbishments completed in 2005, he has paid “one peppercorn (if demanded)” in rent per year since 2003. Which will pile pressure on the non-sweating royal to give up one of the last remaining symbols of his declining status. **A message from Intuit: Only 11% of UK small and mid-sized businesses say they use technology to a ‘great extent’ to automate or streamline operations. Despite rising AI usage, many face barriers to AI adoption. Explore insights like these and learn how AI can level the playing field for small businesses.** But from the government’s POV: The Crown Estate manages Crown properties for the sake of the taxpayer. A 2005 National Audit Office report on the lease noted it was “appropriate” given the sensitive location of Royal Lodge in the center of Windsor Great Park, but it did accept that this “clearly constrained the Crown Estate’s ability to realise the highest market value for such a property.” Have circumstances changed? Who will join in the calls? Former Public Accounts Committee Chair Margaret Hodge, who is no leftie government critic, told the Times: “The Crown Estate is owned by us, and the onus is on those running the estate to maximise our income out of it. We should not be treating anyone in a different way.” It won’t move the OBR … but the obvious question is whether the government is happy to lose out on income for the taxpayer so that Prince Andrew can live rent free. Son and heir of nothing, in particular: Ministers will also face further questions on whether they fancy getting into the thorny problem of passing legislation to formally remove Andrew’s titles, as my colleague Emilio Casalicchio covered in Playbook PM. The SNP — part of a lefty coalition taking aim at the government on this, according to the i — is putting forward an early day motion calling for a short government to bill to swiftly remove them. Ever the opportunists, they’ve lumped removing Peter Mandelson’s peerage into the mix too. And on his birthday. Interestingly … one senior government source tells the i’s Kitty Donaldson that any government move on this would be done privately, rather than through parliament. “I would have thought in terms of advising them to go further we would probably land on advising them to move him out of Royal Lodge. We don’t want to give up parliamentary time to this,” they said. It may rest on whether even more damaging allegations emerge. And all this … as Virginia Giuffre’s posthumous memoir “Nobody’s Girl” is released today, with horrific details written up in most of the papers. She alleged Andrew had sex with her on three separate occasions, the first when she was 17. The book’s ghostwriter, Amy Wallace, detailed the first alleged occasion on Newsnight. The prince denies the allegations. BACK TO BIRMINGHAM: Edgbaston Cricket Ground will be opening its doors shortly to more than 350 business bods and a handful of Cabinet ministers including Reeves, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy and Trade Secretary Peter Kyle. The regional investment summit is billed as the, err, regional version of last year’s national gathering. The agenda: West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker will kick off the summit at 9.55 a.m. before passing on to Trade Secretary Peter Kyle at 10 a.m. (he has a full morning round to get through first) … and then Reeves is up with a speech at 10.10 a.m. The ministers’ speeches will be streamed on the Treasury’s LinkedIn. Batter up: Reeves will do interviews with the FT and Guardian just before 2 p.m., followed by broadcast interviews with BBC West Midlands and ITV West Midlands, and then a regional print huddle all wrapped up within an hour. Expect lines and clips to drop throughout the afternoon. Rev up the chainsaw: As for what the chancellor is actually selling … it’s a red-tape-cutting “blitz,” as the Treasury is calling it. In her speech, she will say that the government is scrapping “pointless paperwork” and “needless form-filling” for small businesses — in an effort to attract investors to Britain’s regions. She’ll unveil £10 billion of private funding into the U.K., the bulk of which is via an investment by U.S. real estate company Welltower in the care home sector. In a fun coincidence, the Crown Estate will also say it has unlocked £4.5 billion of new value after buying land in Harwell East science park. As for the actual aim: It’s all about the OBR and the budget, innit. Reeves is desperate for the budget watchdog to upgrade its gloomy growth forecasts for the U.K. The Times’ Oliver Wright reports the Treasury will submit these plans as evidence it’s being too pessimistic, and Reeves hopes the OBR will score the new measures and reduce the size of the looming black hole she’ll have to fill at the budget. It’s nice to have hopes and dreams. Déjà vu: And so, Reeves is once again gunning for the regulators — which she already bollocked earlier this year — and warning they have a duty to prioritize economic growth over enforcing regulations (which the government itself sets, mind). Regulators will be set targets and judged in published league tables. We’ll see which ones end up in a relegation dogfight. Plan B: But the government’s other approach to the budget will also be on show in Birmingham — blaming any tough decisions Reeves takes on Brexit and Nigel Farage. Playbook hears the government’s shift toward being rude about Brexit’s impact on the economy, which has ramped up since the reshuffle of No. 10 officials in September, will continue today. In his speech, Kyle will namecheck the B word as an example of one of the things which has hit the economy hard … and don’t be surprised if Reeves follows suit in either her speech or the interviews after. It ain’t universally popular as a strategy in government, as our own Dan Bloom explored in his piece on the move Friday. In the Times, Steven Swinford quotes a senior government source who says it’s a “gift for Farage” which voters won’t buy. Keep an eye on how long the government sticks with its Plan B — which will show just how well it’s going down in the focus groups. Pre-summit reading: Government borrowing stats have just dropped here. TODAY AT THE COVID-19 INQUIRY: Boris Johnson is up from 10 a.m. in Paddington — where he will face the ultra-awkward spectacle of having to respond publicly to the very rude texts his former Education Secretary Gavin Williamson sent him at the height of the pandemic. Key questions will focus on Johnson’s chaotic opening and closing of schools, as well as the conditions inside them. Coming attraction: The Covid inquiry will release its report into Module 2 on Nov. 20. That’s the section of work that dominated headlines for weeks, focused on Johnson’s political response to the pandemic. FRIENDLY FIRE: A government adviser has warned that the drive toward digital ID could make Britain’s “two-tier public service” problem even worse, the Times’ Aubrey Allegretti reports (not online). He interviewed Helen Milner, a non-exec director at DSIT, who said older people and those on low incomes could be at risk from the policy. GROOMING GANG INQUIRY TURMOIL: A second grooming gang survivor quit the panel overseeing the incoming inquiry last night, after Fiona Goddard resigned earlier Monday. Ellie-Ann Reynolds accused the Home Office of treating her with “contempt.” More from the Telegraph’s Charles Hymas, who interviewed Goddard. And then today: Two prospective candidates to chair the inquiry are due to meet those who remain on the panel later. GB News’ Charlie Peters reports that some members of the panel, made up of victims and survivors, won’t be permitted to question the candidates. TAKING THE BALL AND STAYING HOME: Israeli football club Maccabi Tel Aviv has decided it won’t accept any tickets from Aston Villa even if the government successfully overturns the decision to bar them from next month’s Europa League match. More from the Beeb here. LAST NIGHT IN THE COMMONS: MPs voted to approve the Chagos bill late last night, paving the way for the islands to be handed to Mauritius by the end of the year. The Telegraph’s Tony Diver has more. ISLAMOPHOBIA DEFINITION: PoliticsHome’s Tom Scotson, following reporting in the Sunday Telegraph, writes that the government will refer to “anti-Muslim hostility” instead of “Islamophobia” or “Muslimness” in official wording, to assuage concerns that a new definition of Islamophobia could undermine freedom of speech. That should please Policy Exchange, which is releasing a new report warning that creating a new Islamophobia definition risks making fundamental policy changes to counterterrorism laws and immigration rules without democratic consent, netting a write-up in the Telegraph. NOT ON THE LAM: The Lib Dems are piling heat onto Tory rising star Katie Lam, who told the Sunday Times she believes lots of legally settled people must be deported to ensure Britain is mostly “culturally coherent.” The Guardian’s Jessica Elgot has a letter from Ed Davey to Kemi Badenoch asking her if Lam was reflecting party policy. Not saying anything yet: Labour. SOFTENING THE BLOW: The Treasury is considering expanding a £3,750 grant for purchasing electric vehicles, cutting VAT costs for juicing-up EVs using public chargers and scrapping business rates for charging infrastructure, according to the i Paper’s Richard Vaughan. The moves would work to offset potential tax increases on EVs in the budget, which Chancellor Rachel Reeves is reportedly mulling. DEPUTY LEADERSHIP LATEST: The Indy — almost alone in not splashing on Prince Andrew — leads on an interview with Lucy Powell, who goes a little further in direct criticism of the PM. She told the paper’s David Maddox that if she wins she will push Starmer to reconsider the direction of his party to try to rescue it from polling doom. WAR LATEST: Britain is ready to spend more than £100 million on deploying troops to Ukraine to secure its borders in the event of a ceasefire, Defence Secretary John Healey indicated in his Mansion House speech last night. Sky’s Deborah Haynes wrote it up. Even more war: Defense firms are giving evidence on AUKUS to the defense committee from 10.30 a.m. I HEAR YOU’RE NOT A CRIMINAL NOW, FATHER: The Met will stop investigating “non-crime hate incidents” following the furor over the dropped case against “Father Ted” creator Graham Linehan. However, as Policy Exchange’s David Spencer writes, that doesn’t mean cops will stop “recording” these incidents, which the right-wing think tank reckons still has a “chilling” effect on free speech. EASIER TO SAY WHEN YOU’RE A “FORMER” SOMETHING: Former First Secretary of State Damian Green has called for the triple lock to be scrapped in an op-ed for PoliticsHome. “Let’s be brave for once,” he writes. “The triple lock has served its purpose and has had its day. We need a new settlement that is fair to all generations.” SW1 EVENTS: Former Conservative MP Bob Seely launches his book “The New Total War” on how Russia wages war in the 21st century with the Henry Jackson Society (6 p.m., Millbank Tower). NEETS IN NEED: The Resolution Foundation, in partnership with the Health Foundation, has analysis finding that the number of 16- to 24-year-olds not in education, employment or training — aka NEETs — is on track to reach 1 million for the first time since the financial crisis due to rising disability and ill health. It gets a write-up in the Guardian. HOUSE OF COMMONS: Sits from 11.30 a.m. with health and social care questions … Conservative MP Bradley Thomas has a 10-minute rule motion on reporting cyberextortion and ransomware … a whole-House Committee on the Sentencing Bill … and a motion on behalf of the Selection Committee. Lib Dem MP Roz Savage has the adjournment debate on social housing in her South Cotswolds constituency. WESTMINSTER HALL: Sits from 9.30 a.m. with debates on topics including progress on ending homelessness (Conservative MP Bob Blackman and Labour MP Paula Barker) … the impact of electricity infrastructure on rural communities (Conservative MP John Lamont) … and on mandatory digital ID (SNP MP Pete Wishart). Also on committee corridor: The Science, Innovation and Technology Committee grills Information Commissioner John Edwards on its response to the Afghan data breach, the rollout of universal digital ID and online safety (9.45 a.m.) … and the Lords’ Financial Services Regulation Committee questions Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey on the growth of U.K. private markets following post-financial crash reforms (11.30 a.m.). HOUSE OF LORDS: Sits from 2.30 p.m. with questions on topics including the government’s progress toward its home building target and the EU’s Erasmus program … committee stage of the Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Bill … report stage Day 2 of the Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill … and committee stage and all remaining stages of the Deprivation of Citizenship Orders (Effect during Appeal) Bill. GIVING AWAY THE STORE: France’s far right blamed President Emmanuel Macron and his political allies for the theft of the country’s crown jewels, saying they were being soft on crime and failing to sufficiently protect the nation’s heritage. My French colleague Victor Goury-Laffont has the latest on the politics of the broad-daylight robbery. TRUMP WHIPLASH: Donald Trump again changed his tune on Ukraine last night, saying he didn’t think it could win the war against Russia despite suggesting just weeks ago it could retake all its lost territory. Back in Europe, Ukraine’s European allies are racing to reinforce the country’s position ahead of talks between the U.S. president and Russia’s Vladimir Putin — with a summit on Thursday in Brussels and then a coalition of the willing call Friday. My colleagues have more details. Alb of the deal: Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Trump inked a rare earths and critical minerals agreement in their first bilateral summit, a move which both hope will ensure steady access to the materials despite China’s attempts to control the world’s supply. The visit was a success for Albanese, who also eked out a commitment to the AUKUS submarine deal from Trump, even as the president told Australia’s U.S. Ambassador Kevin Rudd (a former Trump critic) to his face: “I don’t like you.” He did say it cheerfully, to be fair. Reuters has the rundown on Albanese’s Stateside trip. The Trump House: Demolition crews began tearing down a portion of the East Wing in the White House Monday to build a ballroom Trump said would be used for “grand parties, State Visits, etc.” The president had promised earlier that his ballroom would not interfere with the White House’s existing structure. The Washington Post has more. A NEW LEADER: Sanae Takaichi is set to become Japan’s first female prime minister today after her Liberal Democratic Party secured a coalition agreement with the Japan Innovation Party. It will end a three-month political vacuum that ensued after Takaichi’s Liberal Democratic Party lost its majority in the country’s upper house in a July election. The AP has more details. **A message from Intuit: In a survey of over 1,500 UK business leaders, only 11% say they use technology to automate or streamline operations “to a great extent,” revealing a significant efficiency gap despite growing AI adoption. Larger firms with 250+ employees and business-to-business firms were more likely to report using AI tools to streamline their business operations. AI is helping level the playing field for small and mid-sized businesses to compete globally, but many face barriers to adoption. Intuit will soon introduce agentic AI experiences to help small businesses and accountants using QuickBooks in the UK unlock next-level efficiency. These agents are designed to manage everything from routine tasks to complex workflows, freeing up time to focus on what matters most. Discover how UK small and mid-sized businesses are leveraging AI in the new report from the British Chambers of Commerce in partnership with Intuit.** Business Secretary Peter Kyle broadcast round: GB News (6.50 a.m.) … Times Radio (7.05 a.m.) … Sky (7.15 a.m.) … BBC Breakfast (7.30 a.m.) … LBC (7.50 a.m.) … Today (8.30 a.m.) … GMB (8.30 a.m.). Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick broadcast round: BBC Breakfast (6.50 a.m.) … GB News (7.30 a.m.) … Today (7.50 a.m.). Shadow Justice Minister Kieran Mullan broadcast round: Times Radio (7.45 a.m.) … LBC (8.05 a.m.) … Sky (8.15 a.m.). Also on Today: Labour peer Helena Kennedy (8.10 a.m.). Also on Nick Ferrari at Breakfast: Former Metropolitan Police Detective Chief Superintendent Kevin Hurley (8.10 a.m.). Also on Times Radio Breakfast: Reform UK Deputy Leader Richard Tice (7.35 a.m.) … former British Transport Police Chief Constable Andy Trotter (8.05 a.m.) … American lawyer Gloria Allred (8.20 a.m.) … comedian and podcaster Matt Forde (8.25 a.m.) … former Conservative Party Leader William Hague and the Times’ Manveen Rana (9 a.m.) … and grooming gang victim Fiona Goddard (9.45 a.m.). Also on Sky News Breakfast: UNRWA’s Sam Rose (7.30 a.m.). Politics Live (BBC Two 12.15 p.m.): Labour MP Jo White … Conservative MP Alec Shelbrooke … Runnymede Trust boss Shabna Begum. POLITICO UK: Ukraine’s allies rush to bolster Zelenskyy ahead of possible Trump-Putin talks. Daily Express: ‘For the safety and dignity of every woman and girl.’ Daily Mail: Just how can Andrew afford Royal Lodge? Daily Mirror: What did the palace know? Daily Star: Stuart Pearce son dies in tractor horror. The i Paper: Revolutionary bionic chip helps blind patients to regain chronic sight. Metro: Something went wrong. The Daily Telegraph: Grooming inquiry ‘sabotaged by Labour.’ The Guardian: Prince tried to hire ‘trolls’ to target Giuffre, book claims. The Independent: Frontrunner’s attack on Starmer: We must turn Labour around. The Sun: Katie ex charged with raping girl, 13. The Times: Andrew has not paid rent since 2003. WESTMINSTER WEATHER: Clouds in the morning with a brief spell of sun in the afternoon. Low 9C, high 15C. ON THE MENU … at last night’s Regional Investment Summit dinner: To start, a local apple puree with piccalilli vegetables and a pease pudding, and for the vegans, a green pea, mint and leek terrine … for the main, a Birmingham balti chicken breast with a saffron and coriander rice cake, saag aloo, cauliflower puree, a balti sauce and a poppadom crumb, and for the vegans, a Birmingham balti cauliflower steak with the same sides … for dessert, a Typhoo tea and Birds custard, complete with a spiced apple burnt cream … and shortcake biscuits and coffee to finish. By order of the … Attendees at the dinner, who included Cabinet ministers and business folks, were entertained by what was described to Playbook as a “‘Peaky Blinders’-themed ballet.” WRITING PLAYBOOK PM: Emilio Casalicchio. WRITING PLAYBOOK WEDNESDAY MORNING: Dan Bloom. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO: Keir Starmer’s PPS Catherine Fookes … former U.K. Ambassador to the U.S. Peter Mandelson … Dundee West MP Chris Law … Crossbench peers Richard Benyon and John Stevens … former Witney MP Robert Courts … former Guildford MP Angela Richardson … former Cabinet Secretary Mark Sedwill … SDLP MLA Colin McGrath … activist and writer Tariq Ali … and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. PLAYBOOK COULDN’T HAPPEN WITHOUT: My editors Zoya Sheftalovich, Alex Spence and Dan Bloom, researcher Martin Alfonsin Larsen and producer Dean Southwell. SUBSCRIBE to the POLITICO newsletter family: Brussels Playbook | London Playbook | London Playbook PM | Playbook Paris | EU Election Playbook | Berlin Playbook | Global Playbook | POLITICO Confidential | Sunday Crunch | EU Influence | London Influence | Berlin Bulletin | Living Cities | D.C. Playbook | D.C. Influence | Canada Playbook | All our POLITICO Pro policy morning newsletters
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Andrew McDonald
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[] |
Uncategorized
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[] |
2025-10-21T05:59:48Z
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2025-10-21T05:59:48Z
|
2025-10-21T06:00:28Z
| 7,360,029
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https://www.politico.eu/newsletter/london-playbook/princed-out/
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|
Inside the Commission reshuffle
|
AI generated Text-to-speech Presented by Amazon By GERARDO FORTUNA with ZOYA SHEFTALOVICH PRESENTED BY Send tips here | Contact us on X @gerardofortuna @NicholasVinocur | Listen to Playbook and view in your browser CIAO THERE. This is Gerardo Fortuna, back for another week after indulging in my favorite fall hobby: going for long walks, pretending I’m not procrastinating, watching the foliage turn shades of gold and red. The Japanese have a word for it: momijigari. But it’s not just the trees turning — Brussels is too, with posts shifting and power moving. MUSICAL CHAIRS IN THE BERLAYMONT: European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and her chief of staff, Bjoern Seibert, are sketching out a high-stakes reshuffle of the EU executive’s top ranks. Several directors-general could move places in what one official described as a “chess play” by von der Leyen’s arch-strategist to fill strategically vital positions with figures aligned with the president’s political vision. “Big changes are on the horizon,” one Commission insider said, but only a restricted group of officials know what’s going on. There were whispers last week it might even have sneaked onto the agenda at the College of Commissioners today, but it’s still being worked on behind closed doors. In recent days, POLITICO’s Mathieu Pollet, Jacopo Barigazzi, Gabriel Gavin, Seb Starcevic and yours truly spoke to 13 Commission officials in the Cabinets and deep in the machine — all granted anonymity to speak freely — to piece together secretive high-level discussions. Ch-ch-ch-changes: Top staffers in trade, competition, communications, enlargement, communications network, health and energy are expected to be on the move. The reshuffle is driven partly by structural realities: some directors-general have hit their tenure limits, others are retiring, and in one case a DG shares the same nationality as her commissioner (never ideal). **A message from Amazon: 60% of sales on Amazon come from independent sellers like Caroline from 3Bears in Munich, Germany. “We're beginning to reach customers across Europe and, as a small team, it's so exciting to see where we'll go next,” says Caroline. Learn how Amazon helps European small businesses grow.** Why it matters: The names circulating are familiar — and so are their loyalties — but where they land could reshape the power balance inside the Berlaymont. Some DGs are particularly strategic, too. Take DG COMP, for instance: not just any directorate, but also the one where Teresa Ribera, von der Leyen’s most powerful internal critic, holds sway. Interim chief Linsey McCallum — seen as Ribera’s favorite — has already ruled herself out. Whether the next appointee is a von der Leyen loyalist or simply someone Ribera can work with will say a lot. The shake-up began with the need to replace Olivier Guersent, who left his post as head of DG COMP in August. That vacancy has set off a domino effect across the institution. Once one piece moves, the rest follow. COMP contenders: The strongest contenders for DG COMP are Gert Jan Koopman, the enlargement DG chief (yes, the one known for owning that eco-luxury resort in Bali with its famous infinity pool), and Ditte Juul Jørgensen, current boss of DG ENER. Some insiders also float Céline Gauer, head of the reform and investment task force, though she’s seen as a more likely pick for Commission secretary-general. Who’s not going to COMP: Sabine Weyand — the familiar face from DG TRADE … and the “sad face” from the U.S.-EU deal — is expected to leave her post, where she’s served with distinction. She could move to DG GROW or even DG ENEST, especially if the directorate is split again into Enlargement and Neighborhood, as it has been in the past (insiders say the current setup is overstretched). Energy shifts: At DG ENER, the departure of Jørgensen — who shares the same nationality and surname as her commissioner, Dan Jørgensen — looks increasingly likely. She’s being talked about for both DG TRADE and DG COMP. Other question marks: Then there’s Anthony Whelan, another of von der Leyen’s close aides. He’s rumored to be in line to replace Roberto Viola at DG CONNECT, though some suggest he could instead take a deputy role in state aid in DG COMP, which would suit von der Leyen’s “go and spend” stance on the matter. Meanwhile, the potential retirement of DG SANTE’s Sandra Gallina could open yet another vacancy in the coming months. The biggest mystery: The job of secretary-general remains the toughest nut to crack. Weyand would be a natural choice — but as a German senior figure in the European People’s Party (sounds familiar, right?), politically complicated. That leaves Gauer as the frontrunner. Still, the post doesn’t carry the same clout it once did under Martin Selmayr, as one source put it. Timing? The reshuffle isn’t “imminent imminent,” according to one official. Whatever happens, the changes will only take effect next year, two officials told Playbook. A Commission spokesperson said there’s “no comment on the timing or scope” of the planned reshuffle. Cautionary tale: This whole process is extremely delicate. One senior Commission official recalled Jean-Claude Juncker’s reshuffle in 2018 — the one that elevated Selmayr to sec-gen — also paved the way for his downfall, after it was handled entirely in-house without consulting member countries. Could von der Leyen and Seibert be making the same mistake? THREE IS THE MAGIC NUMBER: There’s action today across all three EU institutions and in all three of the bloc’s main centers — Brussels, Luxembourg and Strasbourg. COMMISSION — MOMENT OF TRUTH FOR YOUNG FARMERS: It’s College day, with the unveiling of the 2026 work program (the Commission’s to-do list, which we talked about last week) and the long-awaited strategy on generational renewal in farming — Brussels’ bid to tackle the bloc’s looming rural demographic crunch. Farmers, endangered species: It’s a slow-moving crisis that looks more like the EU’s mission impossible: stopping young farmers giving up before they’ve even begun. Curtain-raiser here. COUNCIL — BUYING OFF THE DOUBTERS: EU climate chief Wopke Hoekstra will tell environment ministers in Luxembourg today that Brussels plans to rein in its new carbon price — a move aimed at winning support for the bloc’s 2040 climate target. What to expect: In a letter Monday, von der Leyen said Hoekstra would propose tweaks to the carbon price on heating and transport fuels to calm fears of “too high or volatile prices.” The goal: get leaders on board with climate targets ahead of this week’s European Council. Full story by my colleague Zia Weise. PARLIAMENT — MEPs TAKE THE AX TO FOREST MONITORING: The EU’s plan to track the state of Europe’s forests faces another likely defeat in Parliament today, after the environment and agriculture committees voted it down. The issue: Lawmakers from the EPP, European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) and Patriots for Europe argue the proposal oversteps national powers — and this right- to far-right majority is expected to hold in today’s plenary. Last-ditch push: The Socialists and Democrats’ Eric Sargiacomo and co-rapporteur Emma Wiesner have put forward amendments to save the file, with support from the Greens, but few expect a miracle. Even if rejected, the ball moves to the Council, which can either shelve the file or send its own position back for a second reading. CAN YOU HEAR ME, BEIJING? When Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič and China’s Commerce Minister Wang Wentao speak on the phone today, they won’t be short of issues to discuss. On Brussels’ mind: Beijing’s recent export controls on rare-earth magnets and their raw materials top the agenda. On China’s mind: Brussels’ plans to require Chinese companies to transfer technology to European firms as a condition for investing in the EU. What now: “We need to get the Chinese to agree to carve-outs and waivers on certain issues that are particularly sensitive for us,” former Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy told my colleague Camille Gijs. “And that’s something that can be negotiated. Basically, the Commission is saying to the Chinese, ‘Look, we understand that you’re at loggerheads with the Americans, but if you want us to stay somewhere in between, don’t treat us the way you treat the Americans. There are five or six issues where, if you hurt us, we will be forced to react.’” One of them is rare earths: China dominates the global rare earths supply chain, controlling 61 percent of extraction, 92 percent of refining, and supplying nearly all of the EU’s rare earths and magnets, per the IEA. Case in point: The Dutch government this month moved to seize control of Chinese-owned chipmaker Nexperia, barring it from transferring assets or appointing executives without approval. Lamy called the move “embarrassing,” saying it showed Dutch sensitivity to U.S. pressure — a claim the Netherlands denies. Coming up: EU leaders are set to discuss rare earth dependency at Thursday’s European Council. “That is a topic that can no longer be avoided,” a German official told our Berlin-based colleague Nette Nöstlinger, though they added no decisions are expected yet. BELGIUM BLINKS ON FROZEN ASSETS: In a key shift, Belgium signaled it won’t block an EU plan to tap billions in frozen Russian state assets to fund a major loan for Ukraine. My colleague Gregorio Sorgi has everything you need to know about it. All systems go: Euroclear, the financial giant that holds the assets, is based in Belgium. The country’s government was against seizing the money due to fears a court could one day hold Belgium liable and order it to repay the funds. But a Belgian diplomat told POLITICO his country will not oppose a call for the Commission to draft a legal proposal on the use of frozen assets. A draft of European Council conclusions seen by Playbook will give the “political go-ahead” for the Commission to move forward after the EU summit on Thursday. The stakes: If approved, the plan could unlock up to €140 billion for Kyiv — enough to finance two to three years of military and budget support — by leveraging interest from frozen Russian state assets seized after the February 2022 invasion. Even with the green light, though, the Commission’s proposal faces tough negotiations with national capitals in the weeks ahead. Meanwhile, in Washington: The Trump administration is stalling the EU-led plan for the G7 to expand the use of frozen Russian assets to help Ukraine, Bloomberg reports. PUTIN’S FLIGHT OF FANCY? European countries are grappling with the prospect of Russian President Vladimir Putin — who is wanted by the International Criminal Court on war crimes charges — paying a visit to an EU capital in the coming days. The plans, endorsed by Donald Trump, have divided governments and raised both practical and legal questions. Not for us: Responding to a question from POLITICO’s Gabriel Gavin in Luxembourg on Monday, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys said he “cannot imagine him [Putin] crossing our airspace” to take part in a proposed summit in Hungary. Others are more cynical … “If the U.S. wants Putin to come, he’ll find a way to get there,” said a senior European diplomat, granted anonymity to speak frankly. “The real challenge is responding to the constant changes — it’s two or three new developments a day from Trump.” Romain where you are: Romania — which sits between the Black Sea and Hungary — said Monday it had not received any requests to use its airspace for the Russian leader. The country’s foreign minister, Oana-Silvia Țoiu, said Moscow would have to ask if it planned to fly over its territory, despite Budapest’s insistence it can host the talks. Meanwhile … Top EU diplomat Kaja Kallas told journalists in Luxembourg that the principle of territorial integrity for Ukraine should be non-negotiable in any discussions. More from Playbook’s Nick Vinocur. CALLS GROW FOR VÁRHELYI TO RESIGN OVER SPY CLAIMS: Ursula von der Leyen is facing growing calls to force Health Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi to resign over the alleged spying scheme that operated out of the Hungarian permanent representation during his time as the country’s ambassador. The push: More than 60 academics from the Good Lobby Profs network have written to von der Leyen saying new revelations — including the former Hungarian intelligence chief confirming the network’s existence — “significantly strengthen the credibility of earlier claims.” The demand: If she doesn’t ask him to resign, von der Leyen should “explain publicly why she doesn’t do so despite having manifestly lost confidence,” the group says — and to refer him to the EU Court of Justice for possible sanctions. The reply: A Commission spokesperson told my colleague Mari Eccles that Brussels takes the allegations “very seriously” given their security implications and has launched an internal group to examine the claims. The spokesperson added that Várhelyi told von der Leyen he was not aware of recruitment attempts by Hungarian intelligence services targeting European Commission staff while he was at Hungary’s permanent representation and declined to comment further. SWEDISH PLAN TO TURN SCREWS ON HUNGARY: Stockholm is circulating a proposal to restrict access to EU funding for countries that flout the bloc’s rules. Harsher than Brussels: The Commission has already proposed tightening “conditionality” for obtaining EU funds under the bloc’s long-term budget, but Stockholm’s plan, seen by Nick Vinocur, aims to close loopholes that could allow scofflaw states to keep pulling in EU cash. No names (but no doubts): Under the draft plan, loopholes in the conditionality restrictions would be closed. While Stockholm doesn’t name Hungary in its paper, it’s the country most immediately concerned by such moves. It’s simple — no EU funds without rule of law: Sweden’s European Union Affairs Minister Jessica Rosencrantz told Playbook: “Our position is clear — all screws need to be tightened to implement President von der Leyen’s clear principle: no EU-funding without the rule of law. I don’t want to see a single euro to member states that do not respect our fundamental European values.” FALL OF THE GENERAL: Roberto Vannacci, the colorful ex-general who has become a far-right firebrand in Brussels and Rome, is heading toward a reckoning in Italy after embarrassing the League party in a regional election. A general with an army: Vannacci made his name with a controversial book entitled “The World Upside Down” that slammed progressive values, and he has since been made deputy of Matteo Salvini’s League party, while overseeing an array of “teams” that function as a kind of parallel organization. Fall from grace: But now the erstwhile military man is under a growing barrage of criticism after garnering a miserable 4.48 percent of the vote in a regional election in Tuscany following a campaign for which Salvini gave him full responsibility. Do or die: According to one League grandee, speaking on condition of anonymity, Salvini is now expected to present Vannacci with an ultimatum at a party council scheduled for today. The choice: either he keeps his prestigious deputyship of the League but dismantles the “teams,” or leaves the party altogether. “I don’t expect the general to attend the board meeting, so it could become a sort of trial in absentia,” the official said. Ripples in Brussels: That could knock Vannacci’s standing not only in Rome but also in the European Parliament’s Patriots family, in which he became a prominent member after last year’s EU election. That’s if he doesn’t take a good chunk of the League’s constituents — and MEPs — with him. Italian media also reported on the meeting. LIKE CLOCKWORK: Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has revived the never-ending EU debate on scrapping daylight saving time ahead of this week’s clock change. “I, frankly, no longer see the point in it,” he said in a social media post Monday. SARKOZY BEHIND BARS: Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy is expected to begin a five-year sentence today in Paris. My Playbook Paris colleagues report that Sarkozy’s children are organizing a rally in support of their father before he heads to La Santé prison. — General Affairs Council in Luxembourg. Arrivals from 9 a.m. … Press conference around 5:30 p.m. Full agenda. Watch. — Environment Council in Luxembourg. Arrivals and doorsteps around 8 a.m. … Press conference around 5:25 p.m. Watch. — EU-Uzbekistan Council. Arrivals at 7:30 a.m. EU High Representative Kaja Kallas chairs the meeting. — Weekly College of Commissioners meeting. — European Parliament plenary session continues in Strasbourg. Debate on the recent Gaza peace agreement and the role of the EU at 9 a.m. Full agenda. — European Parliament President Roberta Metsola addresses the #All4Cyber Exhibition at 4 p.m. … attends award ceremony for the Daphne Caruana Galizia Prize at 6 p.m. Watch the ceremony. — Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič has a videoconference call with India’s Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal. WEATHER: High 17C, cloudy with a chance of rain. GREEN GOALS: After POLITICO’s global breaking news editor Ali Walker sliced down Commission staffer Ignazio Cocchiere to concede a penalty in the amateur BXL Euroleague cup final last season, he was inspired to track down the former professional footballer who scored one of the most consequential goals in recent Belgian football history — and now works as a policy assistant in the cabinet of climate chief Wopke Hoekstra. Big stage: Before two of Cocchiere’s former clubs — Union Saint-Gilloise, where he remains a club legend, and Inter Milan — face off in the Champions League in Brussels tonight, read our profile of the man who went from playing with Mario Balotelli to working in the Berlaymont. FRAUD WARNING: Limburg police are warning against a growing number of scammers targeting users of the Belgian digital identity card Itsme. One victims lost €100,000 last week, VRT reports. ON STAGE: The Bridge Theatre is putting on rock musical “tick, tick … BOOM!” It runs until Nov. 2. BIRTHDAYS: MEP Rosa Estaràs Ferragut; former MEP Matthias Groote; Mastercard’s Katie LaZelle; European Commission’s Tobias Müllensiefen and Annemarie Huber; Israel’s PM Benjamin Netanyahu. THANKS TO: Mathieu Pollet, Jacopo Barigazzi, Gabriel Gavin, Seb Starcevic, Zia Weise, Leonie Cater, Max Griera, Camille Gijs, Antonia Zimmermann, Gregorio Sorgi, Gabriel Gavin, Mari Eccles, Ben Munster, Nicholas Vinocur, Ali Walker; Playbook editor Alex Spence, reporter Ketrin Jochecová and producer Dean Southwell. **A message from Amazon: Caroline's 3Bears started as a dream. “It was kind of a fairytale idea, but we made it a reality,” says Caroline. “We wanted to help people start their day with high-quality porridge.” 3Bears represents thousands of European success stories selling on Amazon. In 2024, EU-based small businesses sold more than 1.3 billion products and generated more than €34 billion in sales within the EU alone. These entrepreneurs are creating an estimated 350,000 jobs across the EU, many in rural areas. Learn more about how Amazon helps European businesses thrive in our latest EU Small and Medium Enterprises Impact Report at AboutAmazon.eu.** SUBSCRIBE to the POLITICO newsletter family: Brussels Playbook | London Playbook | London Playbook PM | Playbook Paris | EU Election Playbook | Berlin Playbook | Global Playbook | POLITICO Confidential | Sunday Crunch | EU Influence | London Influence | Berlin Bulletin | Living Cities | D.C. Playbook | D.C. Influence | Canada Playbook | All our POLITICO Pro policy morning newsletters
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2025-10-21T05:10:02Z
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Synthèse vocale générée par l'IA Présenté par Amazon Par ANTHONY LATTIER Avec SARAH PAILLOU PRÉSENTÉ PAR Envoyez vos infos | Abonnez-vous gratuitement | Voir dans le navigateur À L’OMBRE, DES JEUNES FILS EN PLEURS. Agitation à prévoir ce matin du côté d’Auteuil, dans le 16e arrondissement de Paris, où réside Nicolas Sarkozy : ses fils Louis, Pierre et Jean y organisent un rassemblement de “soutien” avant le départ de leur père pour la prison de la Santé. Au-delà de sa famille, la colère ne retombe pas dans la presse de droite contre sa condamnation. Car, fait inédit, un ancien président de la République dormira ce soir derrière les barreaux. Bonjour à tous, nous sommes mardi 21 octobre 2025. LE CHÂTEAU AVANT LA CABANE. Quelques jours avant l’incarcération de Nicolas Sarkozy, Emmanuel Macron a estimé, depuis la Slovénie, “normal sur le plan humain” de recevoir à l’Elysée, vendredi dernier, celui qui a été jugé coupable d’association de malfaiteurs et condamné à cinq ans de prison ferme, dans l’affaire du financement de sa campagne présidentielle de 2007. Inspection. Nicolas Sarkozy, qui est présumé innocent depuis qu’il a fait appel, aura aussi droit, durant sa détention, aux égards d’une autre haute personnalité de l’Etat, Gérald Darmanin. Le ministre de la Justice (contrairement à celui de l’Intérieur Laurent Nuñez) ira lui rendre visite pour “[s’]assurer de ses conditions de sécurité”, a-t-il fait savoir sur France Inter hier — non sans susciter l’incompréhension de syndicats de la magistrature vis-à-vis de ce traitement de faveur. A l’intérieur. Nicolas Sarkozy séjournera seul, dans une cellule de 9 mètres carrés (détails et infographie par ici). Il devrait être placé en isolement pour limiter les interactions avec les autres détenus afin d’assurer sa sécurité. L’ex-président restera en prison en attendant une libération conditionnelle éventuelle, que demanderont très vite ses avocats. **Un message d'Amazon : Amazon développe sa flotte de livraison pour atteindre 10 000 véhicules électriques en Europe cette année. En savoir plus.** A l’extérieur. Durant ce séjour, les moyens alloués par l’Etat à son bureau seront réduits, a appris mon collègue Nicolas Barré auprès de l’entourage de l’ancien président. Alors qu’un cuisinier et trois administratifs travaillaient jusqu’ici pour Nicolas Sarkozy, seules deux secrétaires sont maintenues à leur poste pour assurer un service minimum. Quant à ses locaux situés rue de Miromesnil, loués par l’Etat à la chambre des notaires, l’ex de l’Elysée n’en conservera qu’une partie (un tiers de la surface) dont il prendra la location à sa charge. CE QU’ILS FOURGONNENT. Beaucoup de débats et quelques surprises : l’examen du budget 2026 en commission des Finances a tenu ses promesses pour son premier jour. A retenir : le rejet de la “taxe Zucman” sur les patrimoines des plus riches (du fait des votes contre des macronistes et des lepénistes)… la prolongation de la contribution des hauts revenus … la réintégration de l’indexation sur l’inflation de l’impôt sur le revenu pour la première tranche … ou encore le rétablissement de l’exit tax. Le cafouillage du jour a eu lieu sur l’article sur la taxation des holdings patrimoniales. Un amendement de la droite vidant le dispositif de sa substance a été validé par erreur par les députés macronistes et de gauche. Mes collègues de Paris Influence racontent tout de cette première séance à nos abonnés PRO. Pour rappel, les députés repartiront de la copie de départ dans l’hémicycle et non de la version votée par la commission. Mais du côté du Premier ministre, on étudie déjà l’hypothèse d’un rejet au Palais Bourbon de la première partie du projet de loi de finances, selon une source parlementaire contactée à l’issue d’une réunion qui s’est tenue à Matignon hier soir avec les présidents des groupes qui soutiennent le gouvernement (macronistes et LR). Il s’agissait (de tenter) de mieux coordonner les positions des uns et des autres. En cas de rejet de la première partie, la seconde (celle sur les dépenses) ne sera pas examinée par l’Assemblée et le PLF tout entier partirait directement au Sénat. DANS LES TUYAUX. Concernant la suspension de la réforme des retraites, la proposition des socialistes d’en passer par une “lettre rectificative” adossée au budget de la Sécurité sociale plutôt que par un amendement (Playbook vous en parlait hier) est plus que jamais étudiée par l’exécutif, selon plusieurs sources contactées hier soir. “On se met en capacité de faire, et à la fin c’est le Premier ministre qui choisi[ra]”, a soufflé à mon collègue Paul de Villepin un conseiller de Bercy. Pour mémoire, les socialistes pensent que cette piste serait une manière de garantir une suspension de la réforme dans le cas où le gouvernement devrait en passer par des ordonnances pour faire appliquer le budget. UNION PAR LE BAS. L’avez-vous relevé ? Deux maires socialistes sortantes ont passé ces derniers jours des accords avec les Ecologistes dans la perspective des municipales de mars prochain. A Nantes, Johanna Rolland, numéro deux du PS, est parvenue à faire l’union dès le premier tour, contrairement à la dernière élection, au grand dam de La France insoumise. Même scénario à Rennes où les écolos ont rallié Nathalie Appéré, là aussi dès le premier tour, une “décision consternante”, a fustigé LFI. Chambre à part. Plusieurs stratèges de gauche, contactés hier, y voient la preuve par l’exemple que la désunion des députés sur la stratégie à adopter pour s’opposer au gouvernement n’aura pas de conséquences néfastes au-delà de l’Assemblée. En sera-t-il de même pour la présidentielle ? Certains s’inquiètent malgré tout du fait que ces divisions ne rejaillissent sur le processus en cours de désignation d’un candidat de la gauche non-mélenchoniste à la présidentielle de 2027, lancé à Bagneux en juillet. C’est ce que pense Clémentine Autain, membre de L’Après. Interrogée hier par Playbook, elle craignait que la “sincérité” de l’éventuelle primaire en soit affectée. “Plus la gauche se fracture, plus nous reculons dans cette tâche de rassemblement et d’une candidature unique”, développait la députée de Seine-Saint-Denis. Gauche plurielle. Pas de quoi paniquer ce cadre socialiste avec qui votre infolettre échangeait la semaine dernière. “Le principe de Bagneux, c’est de reconnaître la diversité de la gauche mais qui, après, est capable de s’unir”, expliquait-il. Même tonalité du côté du sénateur Thomas Dossus, chargé de mener les négociations pour les Ecologistes. “Si on doit attendre d’être en phase sur tout, alors on n’y arrivera pas”, défendait-il. Peu importe le contexte parlementaire, donc, les Ecologistes avancent : ils ont lancé hier leur processus interne pour désigner leur candidat à la primaire dont la grandissime favorite est leur cheffe, Marine Tondelier. ÇA CHAUFFE À PARIS. Rachida Dati et ses partisans en ont fait une bataille politique. La concession pour le réseau de chaleur urbain et son renouvellement semblaient pourtant être l’un de ces sujets techniques à même de refroidir toutes les ardeurs. Il n’en est rien : ce dossier brûlant, l’un des derniers de l’ère Hidalgo, est au cœur d’un bras de fer, là aussi à quelques mois des municipales. De quoi parle-t-on : d’une bataille économique titanesque entre Engie (le sortant) et Dalkia, filiale d’EDF. Les deux mastodontes et leurs partenaires avaient jusqu’à hier pour remettre leur dossier auprès de la mairie de Paris, selon les informations de mon collègue Arthur Nazaret. L’enjeu ? Une concession courant sur 25 années et qui devrait générer 15 milliards de chiffres d’affaires. L’affaire prend une tournure politique parce que le dossier doit être tranché par le conseil de Paris, en décembre. La droite demande un report de la décision, arguant qu’une telle décision, qui engage la mairie pour un quart de siècle, ne peut pas être prise dans les trois derniers mois de mandat de la maire. Pour tout comprendre sur ce dossier aussi technique que politique, plongez-vous dans l’article d’Arthur (gratuit, en français). **Le Weekly n'attend plus que vous ! Abonnez-vous à notre nouvelle newsletter hebdomadaire en français, dispo chaque samedi à 10h, et découvrez un récap' des principaux articles qui ont marqué la semaine de nos rédactions internationales. Pour vous inscrire, c'est par ici.** Emmanuel Macron poursuit son déplacement en Slovénie. A 9h40, il s’entretient avec la présidente Nataša Pirc Musar, au Palais présidentiel, à Ljubljana. A 10h30, avec Robert Golob, Premier ministre, il participe à une séquence sur la compétitivité automobile européenne. A 11h10, ils tiennent ensemble une conférence de presse et signent plusieurs accords. A midi, le président participe à un déjeuner de travail. Sébastien Lecornu se rend à 11h30 à la réunion de groupe des députés EPR, en présence d’Amélie de Montchalin et Laurent Panifous. Benjamin Haddad poursuit son déplacement au Luxembourg pour le Conseil des Affaires générales. Roland Lescure s’entretient successivement avec Valdis Dombrovskis, commissaire européen, Paulo Castellari, directeur général d’ERAMET et Anthony Gutman, codirecteur général de Goldman Sachs International. Philippe Baptiste se rend à l’Université Paris-Est Créteil (UPEC) pour une table ronde sur la santé mentale. Laurent Panifous s’entretient avec les députés du groupe LIOT à 20 heures. Charlotte Parmentier-Lecocq participe à un comité de direction “Autonomie et personnes handicapées”. Mathieu Lefèvre se rend au Meetup Greentech 2025 organisé à la Station F. Yaël Braun-Pivet participe à la célébration du 80e anniversaire de l’élection des premières femmes députées, à l’Assemblée nationale. Elle assiste à la conférence de l’association Les Engagés d’Assas. Assemblée nationale : De 9 heures à 21 heures, la commission des Finances poursuit l’examen de la première partie du projet de loi de finances (PLF) 2026. A 15 heures, séance de questions au gouvernement. A 16h30, auditions en commission de la Défense nationale de Catherine Vautrin et Alice Rufo sur le PLF. Audition en commission des Affaires sociales de Jean-Pierre Farandou, Stéphanie Rist, Amélie de Montchalin et Charlotte Parmentier-Lecocq sur le projet de loi de financement de la Sécurité sociale (PLFSS). En commission des Affaires étrangères, Jean-Noël Barrot est interrogé sur le PLF. En commission des Lois auditions de Laurent Nuñez et Gérald Darmanin. En délégation aux outre-mer, Manuel Valls est entendu sur la situation en Nouvelle-Calédonie. A 17 heures, dans la délégation aux collectivités territoriales et à la décentralisation : audition conjointe de David Lisnard et André Laignel. Sénat : A 14h30 et le soir, en séance publique, suite de la proposition de loi (PPL) relative aux formations en santé et deuxième lecture de la PPL, visant à encourager, à faciliter et sécuriser l’exercice du mandat d’élu local. Nicolas Sarkozy est incarcéré à la prison de la Santé à Paris, à 9h30. Louis, Pierre et Jean Sarkozy organisent un rassemblement pour soutenir leur père, à 8h30, entre la rue Pierre Guérin et la rue de la Source, dans le 16e arrondissement. Suite de la session plénière du Parlement européen à Strasbourg. 7h10. RMC : Evelyne Sire-Marin, magistrate honoraire et vice-présidente de la Ligue des droits de l’Homme. 7h15. France 2 : Vincent Sizaire, maître de conférence associé, membre du centre de droit pénal et de criminologie, Université Paris Nanterre – Alliance Paris Lumières. 7h30. Public Sénat : Muriel Jourda, présidente LR de la commission des Lois du Sénat. 7h40. TF1 : Renaud Muselier, président Renaissance de la région PACA … RTL : Olivier Faure, premier secrétaire du PS … RMC : Xavier Haquin, maire d’Ermont dans le Val d’Oise. 7h45. Radio J : Pierre-Henri Dumont, secrétaire général adjoint de LR. 7h50. France Inter : Laurence Bloch, ancienne directrice de France Inter, autrice de Radioactive. 8h00. Public Sénat : Sébastien Chenu, député RN du Nord. 8h10. Europe 1/CNEWS : Béatrice Brugère, magistrate à la tête du Syndicat unité magistrats SNM-FO et auteure de Justice : la colère qui monte … France 2 : Eric Coquerel, président LFI de la commission des Finances à l’Assemblée nationale. 8h15. Radio Classique : Philippe Aghion, Prix Nobel d’économie 2025 … Sud Radio : Charles de Courson, député LIOT de la Marne … RTL : Eric Zemmour, président de Reconquête. 8h20. France Inter : Kamel Daoud, journaliste et écrivain, auteur de Meursault contre enquête et François Ozon, réalisateur du film L’Etranger … RFI : Gershon Baskin, négociateur israélien indépendant. 8h30. Franceinfo : Louis Aliot, maire RN de Perpignan … BFMTV/RMC : Me Christophe Ingrain, avocat de Nicolas Sarkozy. DANS NOS NEWSLETTERS PRO CE MATIN : PARIS INFLUENCE : La Poste + Temu : la Caisse des dépôts pas fâchée, la presque patronne en première ligne … Ce qu’on a retenu des amendements au PLF à J+1 et au PLFSS à J-2 … Les députés en pointe pour imaginer un nouveau traité de coopération France-Maroc. TECH MATIN : Tech matin a épluché pour vous les 1 700 amendements déposés sur le Budget 2026 … Darmanin veut piocher dans les bases génétiques américaines pour résoudre des cold cases … 45 minutes pour évoquer le suicide : TikTok dans le viseur d’Amnesty, et bientôt de l’Arcom ? ÉNERGIE & CLIMAT : Monique Barbut, en mission pour apaiser le climat… Le RN met MaPrimeRénov à zéro et tous les CEE dans le même panier… L’EPR submergé par l’Autorité environnementale. DANS LE JORF. Aurore Bergé reconduit son cabinet, dirigé par Laurent Doraï. Zénaïde Romaneix (conseillère culture, patrimoine et archives) et Mélanie Peter (conseillère droit à réparation et plan blessés) rejoignent l’équipe d’Alice Rufo. MÉTÉO. Des nuages, des nuages, et encore des nuages pour les prochains jours à Paris. ANNIVERSAIRES : Eric Jeansannetas, sénateur PS de la Creuse … Daniel Salmon, sénateur EST d’Ille-et-Vilaines … Charles Alloncle, député UDR de l’Hérault. PLAYLIST. GAMMAGAMMA, Avrio Vrady Un grand merci à : Paul de Villepin, Arthur Nazaret, Nicolas Barré, Pauline de Saint Remy, Elisa Bertholomey, notre éditeur Matthieu Verrier, Kenza Pacenza pour la veille et Dean Southwell pour la mise en ligne. **Un message d'Amazon : Amazon s'est engagé à atteindre zéro émission de CO2 pour l'ensemble de ses activités d'ici 2040. Pour cela, nous mettons en place des actions concrètes sur toute notre chaîne logistique, le transport étant central dans cette stratégie. Dans des dizaines de villes françaises, plus de 2 colis sur 3 sont livrés en véhicules électriques, vélos-cargo ou à pied, représentant plus de 35 millions de colis en 2024. Nous accélérons nos efforts avec le déploiement de 5 000 utilitaires électriques en Europe, dont 600 en France, pour atteindre 10 000 véhicules d'ici fin 2025. Cette initiative s'appuie sur un investissement de 250 millions d'euros pour la décarbonation du transport en France. Notre action s'étend au transport longue distance avec 200 nouveaux poids lourds électriques pour 2025 et plus de 500 lignes ferroviaires et maritimes en Europe. En renforçant notre flotte électrique, nous franchissons une nouvelle étape vers des livraisons plus silencieuses et respectueuses de l'environnement. En savoir plus.** ABONNEZ-VOUS aux newsletters de POLITICO (en anglais): Brussels Playbook | London Playbook | London Playbook PM | Playbook Paris | Berlin Playbook | POLITICO Confidential | Sunday Crunch | EU Influence | London Influence | Berlin Bulletin | Living Cities | D.C. Playbook | D.C. Influence | POLITICO Pro newsletters
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Anthony Lattier
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Uncategorized
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2025-10-21T05:00:00Z
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2025-10-21T05:00:00Z
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2025-10-21T05:00:00Z
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https://www.politico.eu/newsletter/playbook-paris/a-la-sante/
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Merz, die CDU und der Eiertanz um die Brandmauer
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KI generierte Text-to-Speech Präsentiert von YouTube Von RASMUS BUCHSTEINER Mit PAULINE VON PEZOLD PRÄSENTIERT VON Schicken Sie uns Ihre Tipps hier, hier oder hier | X @GordonRepinski @vonderburchard @R_Buchsteiner | Das Playbook anhören oder online lesen Guten Morgen! Hier ist Rasmus Buchsteiner. Hier ist das Berliner Regierungsviertel. Ich erinnere mich noch sehr gut an Olaf Scholz. 23 Mal traf er sich mit Robert Habeck und Christian Lindner und verhandelte mehr als 80 Stunden über einen Haushalt, der dann nie beschlossen wurde. Wenn Kanzler Dinge zur Chefsache erklären, liegt nicht immer Segen drauf. Friedrich Merz hat die Dinge zu Beginn eher laufen lassen. Inzwischen hat er seine Strategie geändert. Dazu gleich mehr. Heute im Playbook: Wir sehen uns an, welche Streitthemen der Kanzler jetzt an sich zieht. Außerdem blicken wir nach Baden-Württemberg, wo Merz heute zum Spatenstich für einen KI-Innovationspark kommt. Und: Sie lesen hier heute, warum Viktor Orbán auf dem großen Gipfel Ende der Woche in Brüssel so wichtig wird. Meine Empfehlung: Gordon Repinski spricht im Playbook Podcast mit CDU-Vize-Generalsekretärin Christina Stumpp über das Szenario einer von der CDU tolerierten AfD-Minderheitsregierung. Achtung: Es ist das erste 200-Sekunden-Interview, bei dem jemand seine Aussagen noch vor Erscheinen des Podcasts selbst dementiert hat. **(Anzeige) Eine Nachricht von YouTube: YouTube schafft in Deutschland echten wirtschaftlichen Mehrwert. Als Plattform für Kreativunternehmer*innen leistet YouTube einen wichtigen Beitrag für die Kreativwirtschaft. Eine neue Studie belegt: Über 1 Milliarde Euro trug das kreative Ökosystem von YouTube 2024 zum deutschen BIP bei. Hier klicken und mehr über YouTubes Beitrag zur deutschen Wirtschaft erfahren.** AFD-HARDTALK IM PODCAST: Christina Stumpp ist nicht irgendwer in der CDU. Als Vize-Generalsekretärin der Kanzlerpartei gehört sie dem Parteipräsidium an — und war auch bei der Klausurtagung dabei, in der die Führung jetzt ihren Kurs für das Superwahljahr 2026 abgesteckt hat. Ergebnis: Nicht nur die Brandmauer zur AfD soll bleiben, sondern auch der Unvereinbarkeitsbeschluss zur Linken und zur AfD, gefasst 2018, nachzulesen hier. Mit beiden Parteien werden Koalitionen oder ähnliche Formen der Zusammenarbeit also weiter abgelehnt. Nachgefragt bei Stumpp: Mit ihr war Gordon gestern Nachmittag zum Interview verabredet. Er wollte wissen, ob das Tolerieren einer Regierung als Zusammenarbeit zu betrachten sei. Die (Nicht-)Antwort: „Ich bleibe dabei. Wir haben eine klare Haltung. Keine Zusammenarbeit.“ Nochmal die Frage: Ist eine Tolerierung eine Zusammenarbeit? Stumpp: „Nein!“ Macht sie da die Tür zur AfD auf? Die Worte sind eindeutig. Minuten später der Anruf bei Gordon: Erst ihr Sprecher, dann Stumpp selbst. Es sei „ein Missverständnis“ gewesen. Wir hören die Passage erneut, die Frage ist aber mehrfach eindeutig gestellt. Wir bleiben dabei: Das bewusst Gesagte wird nicht noch einmal aufgezeichnet. Zurück in die Zukunft: Am frühen Abend machte Stumpp die Sache dann öffentlich. Sie habe die Frage falsch verstanden, erklärte sie auf X. Wirklich? Hier können Sie den ganzen Podcast hören. Tolerierung, Brandmauer, rote Linien: Alles, was Sie zur Kursdebatte in der CDU wissen müssen, hat mein Welt-Kollege Nikolaus Doll aufgeschrieben. Außerdem lohnenswert: ein Blick nach Magdeburg. Und ein Blick nach Potsdam. Noch mehr Fehlerkultur: In der Pressekonferenz zur Klausur räumte Merz Versäumnisse seiner Koalition ein: „Die Regierung darf nicht den Eindruck erwecken, dass sie zerstritten ist.“ Merz’ neue Anti-Streit-Strategie: Der Kanzler zieht Dinge an sich, macht sie zur Chefsache. Und er begibt sich in die Rolle des Bundes-Troubleshooters. Hat schon beim Bürgergeld ganz okay geklappt, am Ende jedenfalls. Es gab eine Lösung, die für Carsten Linnemann fein war, für Bärbel Bas aber auch. Jetzt also weiter so? Am Sonntag hat Merz länger mit Boris Pistorius telefoniert, der Verteidigungsminister war gerade in Island gelandet. Die Ansage dürfte gewesen sein: Den Streit über den Wehrdienst bitte schnell ausräumen, liebe SPD! Mehr dazu weiter unten im Bendlerblock. Schon kniffliger ist die Sache mit dem Rentenpaket, das schon vom Kabinett beschlossen ist, also auch von Merz und den Ministern von CDU und CSU. Jetzt aber begehren die Jungen in der Fraktion, die U-35-Truppe der Union, auf. Eine Renten-Lösung zu finden, die Bärbel Bas gefällt, der Jungen Gruppe aber auch — schon schwierig. Aber egal: Merz will dazu jetzt selbst Gespräche führen, sagte er gestern. Sollte Streitschlichter Merz beim Schlichten Erfolg haben, könnte er bald bei weiteren Koalitions-Konfliktherden als Mittler gefragt sein: Zum Beispiel, wenn es um das von Markus Söder geforderte Komplett-Aus für das Verbrenner-Aus geht. Oder um weitere Sozialreformen, früher oder später auch um das >30-Milliarden-Euro-Loch im Etat 2027. Gerhard Schröder regierte einst mit Basta, stellte auch mal die Vertrauensfrage. Angela Merkel verhandelte ganze Nächte durch. Und Olaf Scholz nutzte mehr als einmal seine Richtlinienkompetenz. Merz, der (immer noch) neue Kanzler, tastet sich jetzt vor. Bald ist es wieder Zeit für einen Koalitionsausschuss. IM LÄNDLE: Heute reist Friedrich Merz zum Antrittsbesuch nach Baden-Württemberg. In Stuttgart wird er im Staatsministerium des Landes von Winfried Kretschmann empfangen und nimmt dann an der Kabinettssitzung teil. Danach geht es weiter nach Heilbronn, wo er am Spatenstich des Innovation Park Artificial Intelligence (IPAI) in Heilbronn teilnimmt und eine Rede hält — es soll Europas größter KI-Innovationspark werden. Mit dabei: Dorothee Bär und Karsten Wildberger. Mehr zu dem KI-Großprojekt lesen Sie heute im Pro Industrie und Handel. HEUTE IN DREI WOCHEN, am 11. November, wird der Kanzler 70, mitten in einer Bundestags-Sitzungswoche also. Zu seinem runden Geburtstag will die Fraktion mit ihm feiern — und richtet ihm einen Empfang auf der Präsidialebene aus, berichtet Focus. Das Programm: Beim „Get-together mit ein bisschen Musik“ sollen Jens Spahn und Alexander Hoffmann eine Rede halten. Auch Merz selbst wird voraussichtlich sprechen — und ein Geschenk entgegennehmen. Auf der Gästeliste: Neben der gesamten Unionsfraktion offenbar auch einige SPDler. Anzeige VIKTOR ORBÁN PLÖTZLICH IM ZENTRUM: Ausgerechnet der umstrittene ungarische Premierminister hat beste Aussichten, den EU-Gipfel am Donnerstag zu dominieren. Durch das baldig in Budapest angestrebte Trump-Putin-Treffen ist er plötzlich wichtiger Gastgeber für die große Friedensdiplomatie, die auch beim Treffen der EU-Chefs (mit voraussichtlich Sondergast Wolodymyr Selenskyj) eine zentrale Rolle spielt, wie Hans von der Burchard berichtet. Doch zuerst lässt Orbán alle auf sich warten: Zum Gipfel nach Brüssel wird er verspätet anreisen — offiziell wegen der Feierlichkeiten zum ungarischen Nationalfeiertag daheim. Oder könnte es noch andere Gründe geben? Schließlich ist diese Tage ja auch noch ein vorbereitendes Treffen von Marco Rubio und Sergej Lawrow geplant. In jedem Fall dürfte es Orbán gefallen, dass er die anderen EU-Chefs zappeln lässt, die sich auf dem Gipfel ein Update von ihm bezüglich der Vorbereitungen des Trump-Putin-Treffens erwarten. Während seiner Abwesenheit lässt sich Orbán durch den slowakischen Premier Robert Fico vertreten — der aktuell in Brüssel das 19. Russland-Sanktionspaket blockiert. In deutschen Regierungskreisen ist man zumindest „recht optimistisch“, dass sich das Sanktionspaket auf dem Gipfel „deblockieren“ lasse. Gleichzeitig erwartet man — Orbán hin, Orbán her — eine „politische Entscheidung“ zum Einsatz des eingefrorenen russischen Staatsbankvermögens für einen neuen Ukraine-Kredit, auch wenn im Anschluss noch viele technische und rechtliche Fragen zu klären seien. Bei dem für Merz so wichtigen Bürokratieabbau soll es schon heute vorangehen: Die EU-Kommission will ihr Arbeitsprogramm für 2026 und ihren jährlichen Report über die Vereinfachung von EU-Gesetzen vorlegen — und so die Grundlage für die weitere Diskussion beim EU-Gipfel. Wie der Stand bei den Verhandlungen zwischen Parlament, Rat und Kommission zum ersten Omnibus-Entlastungspaket ist, erfahren Sie in der aktuellen Ausgabe unseres Europa-Briefings Brussels Decoded, das Sie hier kostenlos zur Probe abonnieren können. IN DER OFFENSIVE: Weil Kaja Kallas Israel mit Sanktionen droht, „solange wir keine echten und nachhaltigen Veränderungen vor Ort sehen“, kritisierte Armin Laschet sie auf X scharf. „Wie konnte nur eine solch unbedarfte Person wie Kaja Kallas hohe Beauftragte der EU für Außenpolitik werden? […] Die europäische Außenpolitik ist in einer ernsthaften Krise.“ MIT EINER STIMME SPRECHEN: Um künftig die politischen Botschaften präziser abzustimmen, schalten sich neuerdings Mitarbeiter aus dem Willy-Brandt-Haus mit der Partei- und Fraktionsspitze zweimal in der Woche zu virtuellen Gesprächen zusammen. Eine Initiative von Tim Klüssendorf: Der Generalsekretär berät sich jetzt immer montags und mittwochs um 8:45 Uhr für 15 Minuten mit gut 40 eingeladenen Personen — also unter anderem direkt vor der regelmäßigen Präsidiumssitzung am Montagmorgen. Mit dabei ist das Team von Matthias Miersch, auch Dirk Wiese und Derya Türk-Nachbaur stehen auf der Einladungsliste, die Jasper Bennink gesehen hat. DER NEUE DARLING: Gestern Abend deutscher Zeit ist Boris Pistorius in Ottawa gelandet — auf großer (Unterwasser-)Mission. Mit Norwegen will Deutschland U-Boote an Kanada verkaufen. Nach der maritimen Sicherheitspartnerschaft beim Nato-Gipfel in Washington soll die Zusammenarbeit nun konkret werden, berichtet Rixa Fürsen. Lobby-Rallye: Mit an Bord ist TKMS-Chef Oliver Burkhard. Der U-Bootbauer tourt mit Pistorius und dem Norweger Tore Sandvik durch Ottawa — Gespräche mit Abgeordneten, dem Staatssekretär für Rüstungsbeschaffung Stephen Fuhr, Ressourcenminister Tim Hodgson und Lockheed Martin Canada inklusive. Ziel: Kanada überzeugen, dass das U212CD das bessere Boot ist — made in Germany, armed with Norwegian torpedoes. Gemeinsame Sache: Kanada pocht auf Offset-Regeln. Sprich: Wer hier Geschäfte macht, muss ebenfalls im Land investieren. Mit Lockheed Martin Canada wird daher besprochen, wie man Know-how bei Kampfmanagementsystemen teilt — und mit dem Ressourcenminister, wie man Rohstoffe und Lieferketten nutzen kann. Zeitplan: Ende des Jahres soll Berlin ein Angebot abgeben. Bis Juni 2026 soll die Entscheidung zwischen Deutschland und Südkorea fallen. Auf dem Spiel: zwölf U-Boote, Milliardeninvestitionen — und eine Partnerschaft fürs nächste halbe Jahrhundert. WEHR AND PROGRESS: Während Pistorius auf Reisen ist, laufen die Beratungen zum Wehrdienstgesetz weiter. Union und SPD baten das Verteidigungsministerium gestern um Formulierungshilfen für Änderungen im Gesetzestext. An ihrem Kompromiss wollen die Fraktionen weitgehend festhalten, erfuhr Rixa. Konkret geht es um Anpassungen bei Zielzahlen und Messbarkeit des Aufwuchses. Zudem soll ein Konzept für eine Kontingent-Wehrpflicht kommen — Pistorius lehnte zuletzt ein Losverfahren ab, nun müsse man eine andere Lösung finden. Rote Linie: Für die Union bleibt der Status „Freiwillig Wehrdienstleistender“ unverrückbar. Pistorius will dagegen alle Wehrdienstleistenden zu „Soldaten auf Zeit“ machen. Für CDU/CSU ist das nicht verhandelbar — und mit der SPD-Fraktion bereits geklärt. Pistorius gelte es jetzt noch zu überzeugen (oder vor vollendete Tatsachen zu stellen). Chance nutzen: Der verteidigungspolitische Sprecher der Union, Thomas Erndl, begleitet Pistorius auf der Reise. Beide wollen in den nächsten Tagen unter vier Augen die Differenzen beim Vorhaben beseitigen. SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL DEALER: Boris Rhein, Olaf Lies, Markus Söder, Hendrik Wüst und Winfried Kretschmann verlangen in einem Brief an den Kanzler, bei der Beschaffung von Rüstungsgütern vorrangig auf deutsche Hersteller zu setzen. Das Schreiben hat Gordon Repinski erhalten. O-Ton: „Unser Ziel muss sein, bei der Nutzung von Verteidigungsmitteln und Beschaffungsentscheidungen ein Kampffähigkeitspaket für die Bundeswehr mit einem Konjunkturpaket für unser Land zu verbinden.“ Konkretes Beispiel: der Transportpanzer Fuchs und dessen Nachfolger. Die MPs bitten, hier „auch rein nationale Lösungen zusätzlich zu berücksichtigen“. Den ganzen Brief gibt es hier zum Nachlesen. „SIE KÖNNTEN NOCH IMMER GEWINNEN“, sagte US-Präsident Donald Trump gestern bei einer Pressekonferenz mit Australiens Anthony Albanese auf Nachfrage zu seiner früheren Bemerkung, die Ukraine könne mit EU-Hilfe besetzte Gebiete zurückerobern: „Ich glaube nicht, dass sie es werden — aber sie könnten immer noch.“ Beim geplanten Gipfel mit Putin in Budapest will Trump über eine mögliche Annexion von Teilen des Donbass sprechen. Der Kreml reagierte gestern vorsichtig. Zur Vorbereitung des Treffens telefonierten die beiden Außenminister Sergej Lawrow und Marco Rubio. PACKEN FÜR ASIEN: Ende der Woche wird Trump Richtung Asien aufbrechen, unter anderem nach Malaysia und Südkorea. Gestern unterzeichnete Trump ein Abkommen über Seltene Erden und kritische Mineralien mit Australien. „Eine Pipeline im Wert von 8,5 Milliarden Dollar, die wir startbereit haben“, nannte Albanese die Vereinbarung. Die vollständigen Bedingungen des Abkommens bleiben vorerst unter Verschluss. Ein Schwerpunkt soll aber auf der Verarbeitung der Mineralien liegen. Good timing: Details zu der Asienreise sind bisher noch rar — so auch rund um ein erwartetes Treffen mit Chinas Präsident Xi Jinping. Kurz vor dem möglichen Gipfeltreffen — eine offizielle Bestätigung aus Peking steht weiter aus — zeigte sich Trump gelassen. Die Erwartungen des US-Präsidenten für eine Begegnung mit Xi und welche Rolle der Deal mit Australien spielen könnte, lesen Sie heute Morgenin unserem US-Newsletter DC Decoded. **(Anzeige) Shifting Power, Shaping Prosperity. Berlin Global Dialogue vereint vom 23.–25. Oktober führende Persönlichkeiten aus Wirtschaft, Wissenschaft und Politik an der ESMT Berlin. Wandel, Wirkung und Weltpolitik im Herzen der Hauptstadt. Erfahren Sie mehr.** LADEINFRASTRUKTUR: So intensiv wie in den vergangenen Wochen über das Verbrenner-Aus diskutiert wurde, konnte man fast vergessen, dass der Hochlauf der E-Mobilität vor und nach 2035 trotz allem beschleunigt werden muss. Kernelement dabei ist die Ladeinfrastruktur: Dem Pro Industrie und Handel liegt der Entwurf des Masterplans dafür vor. Hier können Sie sich testweise und kostenlos anmelden, um das Dokument einzusehen. BRIEFWECHSEL: Gestern berichtete unser Pro Energie und Klima über den Entwurf eines Briefes mehrerer EU-Mitgliedstaaten an Ursula von der Leyen, in dem um eine Verschiebung des ETS2 gebeten werden sollte. In der heutigen Ausgabe können Sie lesen, wie die Bundesregierung auf diese Initiative reagiert — und was in einem Brief steht, den von der Leyen ihrerseits gestern an die EU-Staaten verschickt hat. Hier können Sie Energie und Klima kostenlos testen. HEUTE JOURNAL: Am Abend verteidigte Manuel Hagel die Stadtbild-Aussage seines Parteichefs und Kanzlers: „Da hat sich doch ganz offensichtlich etwas verändert in unserem Land. Und diese Frage hat etwas mit Migration zu tun — […] aber nicht nur“, so der CDU-Fraktionsvorsitzende in Baden-Württemberg. Dennoch rate er dazu „verbal etwas abzurüsten und sehr differenziert in dieser Debatte vorzugehen“. Der Kanzler bleibt bei dem, was er gesagt hat. 5 Uhr – Leichtes Steuerplus: Die Steuereinnahmen von Bund und Ländern haben sich im September zum Vorjahresmonat um 2,6 Prozent auf 88,43 Milliarden Euro erhöht, wie aus dem Monatsbericht des Bundesfinanzministeriums hervorgeht. Die Einnahmen aus der Mehrwertsteuer stagnieren, Zuwächse gibt es bei Lohn- und Tabaksteuer. — Griaß di: Bis Donnerstag ist Frank-Walter Steinmeier zum Staatsbesuch in Österreich. Heute wird er vom österreichischen Bundespräsidenten Alexander Van der Bellen in Wien mit militärischen Ehren empfangen. Nach einer Kranzniederlegung an der Shoah-Namensmauer-Gedenkstätte trifft er sich am Abend mit Kanzler Christian Stocker, anschließend folgt ein Besuch des Nationalrats und eines Staatsbanketts. Begleitet wird der Bundespräsident von Karin Prien. — Hoch hinaus: In Heilbronn besucht Dorothee Bär ab 11 Uhr das Raumfahrt-Start-Up HyImpulse. — Viel los: In Luxemburg tagen heute drei EU-Räte, die zur Außenpolitik, zu allgemeinen Angelegenheiten und zur Umwelt. An letzterem nimmt Carsten Schneider teil. SCHON WIEDER FRÜHLING? Der freundliche Wochenstart setzt sich auch heute fort. Bei bis zu 16 °C wechseln sich Sonne und Wolken ab, es bleibt aber trocken. GRUSS AUS DER KÜCHE: — Mitarbeiterrestaurant JKH: Gefüllte Kartoffel-Kürbisgnocchi mit Mangold-Brokkoli-Kokos-Soße oder geschmorter Weißkohl mit Hackfleisch und Penne — Lampenladen PLH: Kohlroulade mit Petersilienkartoffeln, dazu Eisbergsalat mit Mais oder Hühnerfrikassee mit Spargel und Champignons, dazu feine Erbsen und Langkornreis — Kantine RTG: Putenschnitzel oder gebackener Blumenkohl, beides mit Nudelsalat, Paprika, Mais und Blattsalat GEBURTSTAGE: Ann-Sophie Bohm, Co-Landessprecherin der Thüringer Grünen (32), Denis Alt, Arbeitsstaatssekretär in Rheinland-Pfalz (45), Thomas Bagger, Botschafter in Italien (60), Klaus Holetschek, CSU-Fraktionsvorsitzender im Bayerischen Landtag (61) Regierungsviertel: Jasper Bennink, Hans von der Burchard, Carlotta Diederich, Rixa Fürsen, Jürgen Klöckner, Franziska Nocke Pauline von Pezold und Gordon Repinski Internationales Team: James Angelos, Chris Lunday und Nette Nöstlinger Industrie und Handel: Laura Hülsemann, Thorsten Mumme, Romanus Otte, Frida Preuß und Tom Schmidtgen Energie und Klima: Josh Groeneveld, Frederike Holewik, Joana Lehner und Johanna Sahlberg. Brussels Decoded: Oliver Noyan und Anouk Schlung DC Decoded: Julius Brinkmann, Maximilian Lembke, Franziska Nocke und Oliver Noyan Produktion: Dean Southwell Das war die 408. Ausgabe des Berlin Playbook! Schicken Sie mir Feedback hier. Wenn Sie es noch nicht abonniert haben, können Sie das hier kostenlos tun. Ich wünsche Ihnen einen wunderschönen Dienstag! Herzlichst Rasmus Buchsteiner **(Anzeige) Eine Nachricht von YouTube: Die Creator Economy steht erst am Anfang, doch ihre Wirkung ist bereits enorm. YouTube bietet Kreativunternehmer*innen in Deutschland eine ideale Plattform, um mit lokalen und globalen Zielgruppen in Kontakt zu treten und nachhaltige Unternehmen aufzubauen. Dieser positive Beitrag zur deutschen Kreativwirtschaft ist messbar. Wie eine neue Studie von YouTube und Oxford Economics zeigt, trug das kreative Ökosystem von YouTube im Jahr 2024 über 1 Milliarde Euro zum deutschen BIP bei. Dieses Wachstum wird durch das Modell der Umsatzbeteiligung angetrieben, bei dem YouTube die Hälfte seiner Einnahmen durch Anzeigen und YouTube Premium Mitgliedschaften an die Creator*innen weitergibt. Hier klicken und den vollständigen Bericht lesen.** ABONNIEREN Sie die Newsletter von POLITICO: Brussels Playbook | London Playbook | London Playbook PM | Playbook Paris | EU Election Playbook | Berlin Playbook | Global Playbook | POLITICO Confidential | Sunday Crunch | EU Influence | London Influence | Berlin Bulletin | Living Cities | D.C. Playbook | D.C. Influence | Canada Playbook | POLITICO Pro
|
Rasmus Buchsteiner
|
[] |
Uncategorized
|
[] |
2025-10-21T05:00:00Z
|
2025-10-21T05:00:00Z
|
2025-10-21T05:00:00Z
| 7,361,661
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https://www.politico.eu/newsletter/berlin-playbook/merz-die-cdu-und-der-eiertanz-um-die-brandmauer/
|
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Climat : Monique Barbut, une ministre rompue aux négociations internationales
|
Nommée ministre à quelques encablures de la COP30 sur le climat, cette spécialiste de la diplomatie environnementale devra jongler entre ses obligations internationales et un contexte politique globalement défavorable à la transition écologique. Synthèse vocale générée par l'IA PARIS — En assistant au Conseil Environnement avec ses homologues européens à Luxembourg ce mardi, Monique Barbut va faire ses premiers pas sur la scène internationale en tant que ministre. Mais elle est rompue depuis longtemps aux rencontres de haut niveau. Vingt jours plus tard, elle devrait d’ailleurs mener la délégation française à Belém, pour la COP30. Nommée le 13 octobre ministre de la Transition écologique, de la Biodiversité et des Négociations internationales sur le climat et la nature dans le second gouvernement de Sébastien Lecornu, Monique Barbut était déjà dans la délégation française des discussions climatiques en 1992 et a occupé plusieurs fonctions liées au climat aux Nations unies. Cette fine connaisseuse des arcanes diplomatiques onusiens est une proche d’Emmanuel Macron, dont elle était l’envoyée spéciale pour le climat. En matière de diplomatie verte, elle a l’oreille du chef de l’Etat. C’est d’ailleurs à elle qu’il a confié l’organisation de l’anniversaire des 10 ans de l’Accord de Paris. “Sur la diplomatie environnementale, il était fréquent qu’elle ait le premier et dernier mot à l’Elysée”, certifie Arnaud Gilles, ex-responsable de la diplomatie environnementale au WWF. Selon lui, elle est “au-dessus des conseillers [élyséens]” parmi ceux qui ont accès au président sur ces thématiques. Dans ses fonctions précédentes, elle accompagnait souvent les délégations françaises lors de déplacements à l’étranger. Par exemple, elle était aux côtés d’Agnès Pannier-Runacher, sa prédécesseure, à Pékin au printemps pour convaincre la Chine de redoubler d’ambition climatique — avec un succès mitigé. Il s’agit d’une position de longue date de la nouvelle ministre, partisane d’une implication plus importante des grands pays émetteurs, comme la Chine ou l’Inde, dans la lutte contre le réchauffement climatique. Elle est par ailleurs favorable au recours aux crédits carbone dans les pays riches, comme sa prédécesseure. D’ici à l’ouverture de la COP30 le 10 novembre, Monique Barbut devra faire atterrir les délicates négociations sur les cibles climatiques européennes pour 2035 et 2040, qui font l’objet de discussions entre son ministère, Bercy et le Quai d’Orsay, non sans quelques désaccords entre les ministres. Son collègue chargé de l’Europe, Benjamin Haddad, est partisan d’une ligne plus favorable à l’industrie. Mais il est ouvert à ce que l’objectif pour 2035 — celui que l’Union européenne doit présenter à Belém — soit “exprimé sous forme de fourchette”, glisse, par exemple, une de ses conseillères. Lorsqu’Agnès Pannier-Runacher occupait l’Hôtel de Roquelaure, elle poussait pour l’objectif le plus élevé possible au sein de la fourchette retenue par l’Union européenne, alors que les scientifiques estiment qu’une cible de réduction de 70% minimum des émissions est nécessaire pour tenir l’objectif de neutralité carbone au mitan du siècle. Une cible inférieure à 70% équivaudrait à “un ralentissement de l’effort par rapport à la période antérieure”, a averti Jean-François Soussana, président du Haut conseil pour le climat, en conférence de presse la semaine dernière. Elle serait même en contradiction avec l’Accord de Paris et les attentes de la COP30, a-t-il insisté. Le second volet des négociations porte sur l’objectif pour 2040, considéré comme crucial pour l’avenir de l’économie européenne par l’exécutif tricolore. D’ailleurs, Emmanuel Macron et l’Elysée pilotent étroitement les discussions. Cette cible devrait être négociée jeudi à l’occasion du Conseil européen, qui réunit les chefs d’Etat et de gouvernement, avant d’être acté le 4 novembre par les ministres de l’Environnement. En parallèle de son travail à l’international, Monique Barbut ne pourra pas négliger les affaires domestiques, dans un contexte politique défavorable à la transition écologique, et alors que la planification patine. Dans cette tâche, elle est épaulée par deux ministres délégués, Catherine Chabaud pour la Mer et Mathieu Lefèvre pour la Transition écologique. Le second devrait se concentrer sur la prévention des risques environnementaux et le travail avec les parlementaires, indique-t-on au ministère. “Monique Barbut a l’air compétente, elle connaît les enjeux internationaux, ce qui est important à l’approche de la COP30”, se félicite Anne Bringault, du Réseau action climat. Elle regrette néanmoins que les composantes de la transition énergétique restent démembrées entre plusieurs ministres de plein exercice. “La vraie question, ce sera les arbitrages effectués à Matignon et donc la priorité donnée, ou pas, par Sébastien Lecornu à l’écologie”, ajoute Anne Bringault. Monique Barbut devra donc convaincre au sein d’un gouvernement fragile et peu porté sur l’écologie, mais aussi auprès des acteurs politiques français, qui la connaissent peu. Sa nomination a d’ailleurs été l’occasion d’une première polémique, quelques phrases défavorables au nucléaire endossées par le WWF lorsqu’elle le présidait (ici et là) lui valant d’être taxée d’antinucléaire par certains partisans de l’atome, notamment au Rassemblement national. Une polémique qu’elle a cherché à éteindre rapidement : quelques heures après la passation de pouvoir, elle répondait à TF1, promettant de se battre “pour que toutes les énergies possibles [...] qui assurent notre souveraineté nationale soient mises en place”, en ironisant sur cette étiquette d’antinucléaire, qu’elle disait ne pas comprendre. “A l’heure où les filières énergétiques s’opposent malheureusement entre elles, la nomination à la Transition écologique d’un profil qui a tenu des positions antinucléaires ne va pas dans le sens de l’apaisement”, s’inquiète toujours un lobbyiste de l’atome. Celui-ci se demande si le ministre de l’Economie, Roland Lescure, pronucléaire affirmé, “fera le poids [...] pour défendre la taxonomie et la contribution du nucléaire à la transition énergétique”. D’autres sont un peu plus mesurés. “Elle a été antinucléaire, mais je ne sais pas si c’est un vrai parti pris”, tempère un ex-conseiller ministériel. Alexandre Léchenet a contribué à cet article. PARIS — Moins de vingt-quatre heures après avoir dévoilé la liste de son gouvernement, le Premier ministre Sébastien Lecornu a remis sa démission à Emmanuel Macron, qui … Alors que la collecte lancée par le Shift Project atteint des montants records, Jean-Marc Jancovici a répondu aux questions de POLITICO. La France veut voler au secours du traité fondateur de la gouvernance climatique mondiale, qui souffle cette année ses dix bougies — mais son chemin est semé d’embûches. Pas à pas, l’ancien militant écologiste s’est frayé un chemin jusqu’au sommet de la diplomatie climatique. Il a été nommé ambassadeur pour le climat ce vendredi.
|
Nicolas Camut
|
Nommée ministre à quelques encablures de la COP30 sur le climat, cette spécialiste de la diplomatie environnementale devra jongler entre ses obligations internationales et un contexte politique globalement défavorable à la transition écologique.
|
[
"accord de paris",
"actualité",
"climat",
"négociations climatiques"
] |
Energie et Climat France
|
[
"France"
] |
2025-10-21T04:30:00Z
|
2025-10-21T04:30:00Z
|
2025-10-22T16:11:09Z
| 7,357,791
|
https://www.politico.eu/article/climat-monique-barbut-une-ministre-rompue-aux-negociations-internationales/
|
Merz, die AfD und ein Interview, das so nicht sein sollte
|
Listen on Friedrich Merz hat seine erneuerte Strategie gegen die AfD vorgelegt. Die untermauert er mit starken Worten, sie hat aber schwache Perspektiven. Im Podcast blickt Gordon Repinski auf das Szenario einer ostdeutschen Landtagswahl 2026, in der die CDU zwischen Linken und AfD steht und kein Ausweg ohne Dilemma bleibt.Im 200-Sekunden-Interview spricht Christina Stumpp, stellvertretende CDU-Generalsekretärin, über rote Linien, Tolerierung und Zusammenarbeit. Eindrücke, die aus dem Interview entstehen könnten, hat sie noch vor Veröffentlichung dementiert. Das gab’s so in unserem Podcast auch noch nicht. Außerdem erklärt Rasmus Buchsteiner, wie der Kanzler jetzt die Dinge jetzt zur Chefsache machen will: Rente, Wehrdienst, Bürgergeld und ob das funktionieren kann.Das Berlin Playbook als Podcast gibt es jeden Morgen ab 5 Uhr. Gordon Repinski und das POLITICO-Team liefern Politik zum Hören – kompakt, international, hintergründig. Für alle Hauptstadt-Profis:Der Berlin Playbook-Newsletter bietet jeden Morgen die wichtigsten Themen und Einordnungen. Jetzt kostenlos abonnieren. Mehr von Host und POLITICO Executive Editor Gordon Repinski:Instagram: @gordon.repinski | X: @GordonRepinski.
|
Gordon Repinski
|
[
"budget",
"der podcast",
"energy prices",
"german politics",
"governance",
"military recruitment",
"pensions",
"playbook",
"politics"
] |
Playbook
|
[
"Germany"
] |
2025-10-21T03:59:24Z
|
2025-10-21T03:59:24Z
|
2025-10-21T03:59:29Z
| 7,361,304
|
https://www.politico.eu/podcast/berlin-playbook-podcast/merz-die-afd-und-ein-interview-das-so-nicht-sein-sollte/
|
|
Brussels’ Brexit reset demands put Keir Starmer in a migration bind
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The European Union’s pitch for youth mobility is asking Keir Starmer to break his manifesto pledges on migration. AI generated Text-to-speech LONDON — Britain vowed to patch things up with the EU. Now for the hard part. Brussels and London committed to a youth mobility deal at this May's much-hyped EU “reset” summit, with the details to be thrashed out in long-running talks. On one point, there's already a flashing red light. Signing up to an uncapped EU youth mobility scheme — which would give British and European youngsters the right to live abroad for a time-limited period — would put the U.K. government in “very clear breach” of Labour's manifesto commitment to reduce net migration, the chair of the U.K. government's Migration Advisory Committee has warned. Brian Bell, a professor of economics at King’s College London, told a hearing of the U.K. Business and Trade Commission this month that it was “utterly implausible” that the government — which wants a capped scheme — would sign up, despite EU demands to do so. The U.K. and EU committed to a new youth mobility program at this May’s EU reset summit — but the details are still to be worked out. London wants the scheme to include a hard cap on numbers, fearful of the effect on politically sensitive net migration statistics. Brussels says it doesn't need one. Bell said many more Europeans would likely come to the U.K. under an uncapped scheme then Brits who would go abroad. “The government would be in breach, very clear breach, of its manifesto commitment to reduce net migration if it agreed to anything like that,” he argued. “So I just don’t think that’s possible. I don’t think any political party, or any politician that’s likely to be in power, would agree to that.” The chair of the Migration Advisory Committee, a body of six senior academics that advises the British government on migration issues, explained his reasoning. “There are six or seven times as many Europeans as there are Brits. So if the probability of wanting to move is the same for Brits as it is for Europeans, you’d have seven times as many Europeans coming here as leaving in that world. Suppose 50,000 Brits wanted to go every year. The equivalent will be 350,000 Europeans arriving,” he said. “Net migration will be 300,000 up in the first three years of the scheme, when you’re getting the new cohorts arriving, and you’d have a 900,000 additional people in the UK, once you got steady state, and that would be a big effect on net migration.” The agreement to set up a scheme, signed at a landmark summit at Lancaster House in May, doesn’t explicitly include a cap, only stating that the scheme will “ensure that the overall number of participants is acceptable to both sides.” But Keir Starmer and his EU Relations Minister, Nick Thomas-Symonds, have repeatedly said that they’ll only sign up to a scheme with a hard limit on numbers. EU officials believe there are other ways to keep everyone happy when it comes to numbers. “The Youth Mobility Scheme is not about free movement,” one EU official told POLITICO. “We are talking about an age-limited, time-limited mobility, subject to the fulfillment of certain conditions to be checked before the mobility can take place.” Bell's example figures are based on the core assumption that people in the U.K. and EU would have the same propensity to make use of the scheme. However, there's little data to say for certain whether that would be the case, either way. Historic numbers for the Erasmus program — a different, but related exchange scheme — seem to suggest that British young people may have a higher propensity to move across the channel. Between 2014 and 2020, Erasmus took around 113,000 British students, while the U.K. hosted 190,000 EU students through the program. While higher, that’s far from seven times as many. The estimate may not tell the whole story. There are also currently more European citizens leaving the U.K. than arriving — 95,000 a year in net emigration, according to the government’s own statistics. Crucially, Bell reckons there’s no such issue with a capped scheme, which the U.K. government is happy to sign up to. “If it’s a balanced scheme, my guess is the overall effect on net migration is essentially zero, essentially all the time. And so it’s not worth worrying about,” he told the same meeting. He also dismissed hints by Chancellor Rachel Reeves that a scheme could be a major boost for the economy. “We issue 25,000 youth mobility visas at the moment [to non-EU countries] per year. 35 million people work in the UK. It’s a drop in the ocean.” He said it was important not to “over-egg” the economic benefits. Labour's manifesto at the election last year said a government led by the party “will reduce net migration.” The figure, which takes into account the number of people moving both to and from the U.K., has already fallen sharply to 431,000 in 2024, around half the level in the year to June 2023, when it peaked at a historic high of 906,000. Labour took office in July 2024. The party’s new leader calls for the migration pact to be reinstated as he sets out his stall on Brexit. The idea under consideration is for the U.K. and EU to form a Western steel alliance — potentially including Washington — that would align tariff policies. The idea was that leaving the bloc would give the U.K. back “control” of its borders and create a fairer system. But the widespread perception is it didn’t turn out that way. The EU is preparing to reduce foreign steel quotas by almost half as part of new measures set to be proposed next week.
|
Jon Stone
|
The European Union’s pitch for youth mobility is asking Keir Starmer to break his manifesto pledges on migration.
|
[
"data",
"elections",
"erasmus",
"migration",
"rights",
"uk",
"visas",
"youth",
"politics"
] |
Trade UK
|
[
"United Kingdom"
] |
2025-10-21T02:24:00Z
|
2025-10-21T02:24:00Z
|
2025-10-22T11:28:22Z
| 7,365,270
|
https://www.politico.eu/article/brussels-brexit-reset-keir-starmer-migration-youth-mobility/
|
The 3 fault lines emerging on kids’ social media ban
|
Countries are not yet on the same page about how to protect children from the harms of the online world. AI generated Text-to-speech BRUSSELS — Getting kids to spend less time on social media is now a major priority for politicians across the European Union. But countries are far from being on the same page as to what protections should look like. EU leaders meeting this week in Brussels are expected to describe the protection of minors online as “particularly important,” according to a draft agreement obtained by POLITICO. That’s after 25 EU countries, plus Norway and Iceland, signed a declaration earlier this month calling for stronger protections for children online and backing a digital age of majority, which would set a minimum age for kids to access social media. The declaration sends “some very concrete vibes” to the European Commission “for them to work with and to hopefully also propose some new regulation at some point that entails the points made in this declaration,” said Danish digital minister Caroline Stage Olsen, who spearheaded the declaration on behalf of Denmark’s EU presidency. POLITICO surveyed a host of countries to figure out what they want. The reporting showed that — despite the concrete vibes — there are still big fault lines that need to be reconciled. EU countries are strongly divided between a full-blown ban on children’s access to social media — which France’s Emmanuel Macron has called for — and requiring parents to consent for their kids to get onto sites. Alongside France, Slovak minister Radoslav Štefánek said in an interview that his country prefers “clear age restrictions” rather than consent-based ones because parents are already not using the consent tools they have available. Slovakia’s position is still under review, however, he noted. Norway is working to set a hard limit for using social media at 15 and above, and its digital minister, Karianne Oldernes Tung, encouraged EU countries to do the same at a gathering of digital ministers in Horsens, Denmark, this month. But many countries, including Greece, the Netherlands and Spain, interpret a digital age of majority to mean that minors below that age will be able to sign up on social media with the consent of their parents. “We think it’s the responsibility of the parents to guide their children,” with the state providing guidelines, said Dutch digital minister Eddie van Marum. Below 15, “platforms should be required to obtain verified parental consent for access,” Greece’s digital minister, Dimitris Papastergiou, told POLITICO. The Commission said over the summer that it wouldn’t consider an EU-wide social media ban, nor would it attempt to set an age of majority across the bloc. But Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has warmed up to both of these scenarios in recent weeks. Most EU countries want the freedom to set their own age limits. Not only would that be the legal status quo — experts have pointed out the EU can coordinate rules but cannot harmonize them, as is the case for tobacco and alcohol — but capitals also say it is necessary to account for cultural differences. Germany, Denmark and Greece are very much in this camp. Latvia’s Gatis Ozols, deputy minister for digital transformation, touted a “hybrid approach” with a “minimum level set horizontally across Europe” and countries picking a lower age if they want. That’s similar to how the General Data Protection Regulation sets rules on collecting data from minors — the age for kids to consent to data processing is 16 by default, but countries can choose to lower it to 13. But setting different ages might prove difficult to implement, for example, if teens are traveling between countries. There’s a hot debate on what the right minimum age should be, with 15 or 16 being the main contenders. Denmark, France and Greece are in the 15 and above camp. Denmark is moving ahead, with Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen announcing plans this month to demand parental controls for social media platforms for children under 15. Spain supports a digital age of majority at 16, which Slovakia has also previously expressed support for. Australia — one of the few countries worldwide to take action — also set the minimum age at 16. Many countries have yet to make up their minds. In September, Germany set up an expert commission to determine the best way forward. Two countries declined to sign the widely supported declaration — Estonia and Belgium. Tallinn said it is in favor of enforcing existing rules, such as the GDPR, rather than new restrictions — and investing in education. “Estonia believes in an information society and including young people in the information society,” said Estonia’s minister of justice and digital affairs, Liisa-Ly Pakosta. Belgium is struggling with regional differences, with the Flemish region vetoing the declaration. Belgian minister Vanessa Matz said there is still “determination to advance this fight for a safer internet.” Move comes as EU faces pressure over enforcing its tech lawbooks. Monday’s disruption comes as EU leaders prepare to address digital sovereignty at a gathering this week. The call comes as the EU progresses investigations into Meta, TikTok and others. Most EU countries have backed the idea of a digital age of majority.
|
Eliza Gkritsi
|
Countries are not yet on the same page about how to protect children from the harms of the online world.
|
[
"artificial intelligence",
"data protection",
"platforms",
"social media"
] |
Technology
|
[
"Denmark",
"France",
"Germany",
"Greece",
"Iceland",
"Latvia",
"Norway",
"Slovakia",
"Spain",
"The Netherlands"
] |
2025-10-21T02:08:00Z
|
2025-10-21T02:08:00Z
|
2025-10-21T02:09:48Z
| 7,318,191
|
https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-social-media-ban-kids-three-fault-lines/
|
The EU’s mission impossible: Stopping young farmers giving up before they’ve even begun
|
Brussels wants to fix Europe’s aging farm problem, but its new plan may lack the cash to pull it off. AI generated Text-to-speech BRUSSELS — Europe’s food system depends on an endangered species: its farmers. Every year, thousands of them retire and fewer take their place. Across the countryside, barns are shuttered, land is leased to ever-larger holdings and rural schools quietly close. The result is fewer people growing food, more imports filling supermarket shelves and a profession slipping into decline. That’s the slow-moving crisis Brussels is set to confront on Tuesday, when Agriculture Commissioner Christophe Hansen unveils the EU’s Strategy for Generational Renewal in Agriculture — a plan to keep the next generation of food producers from giving up before they’ve begun. Young farmers have been asking lawmakers to act for well over a decade, said Peter Meedendorp, the 25-year-old president of the European Council of Young Farmers, or CEJA, speaking by phone as he rushed back from his tractor on the Dutch farm he runs with his father and brothers. In the run-up to the strategy’s release, Meedendorp has been splitting his time between the fields and Brussels. While he’s eager to see what Hansen delivers, he’s also wary: “To what extent can we make all the nice recommendations reality in the field if no finance is attached?” The European Commission wants member countries to spend 6 percent of their Common Agricultural Policy money on generational renewal — double the current level. If countries make good on that target, CEJA’s cause could be on the receiving end of over €17 billion between 2028 and 2034, a budgetary boost compared with recent years. The question is whether the plan can actually stop Europe’s farms from disappearing. Over a third of farm managers in Europe are over 65, while less than one in eight are under the age of 40. “It’s not that young people don’t want to farm — it’s that it’s nearly impossible to start,” said Sara Thill, the 21-year-old vice president of Luxembourg’s young farmers group LLJ, in an interview in Brussels last week. Young farmers struggle to find available and affordable land to start working. One hectare of arable land in the EU costs almost €12,000. That price rises to over €90,000 on average in Meedendorp’s native Netherlands, up from €56,000 a decade ago. “When you start, the banks ask for guarantees your parents can’t give — it’s a vicious circle,” said Florian Poncelet, a 29-year-old beef farmer who heads Belgian regional young farmers’ association FJA. Roy Meijer, chair of the Dutch young farmers farmers’ group NAJK, put it bluntly: “Banks look at young farmers as risk. If you’re 25 and want to buy land, forget it.” Across Europe, young farmers sound more impatient than nostalgic. They see agriculture not as a tradition to protect but a business to reinvent. “Young farmers aren’t waiting for subsidies,” Meijer said, pushing back against the idea that they expect easy money from Brussels. What they want, he argued, is predictability — rules that don’t change with every new reform, and recognition that they’re entrepreneurs like any others. “People my age aren’t afraid of innovation,” he added. “We want to use drones, data, AI. But to invest, we need clear, long-term rules. You can’t build a business on shifting ground.” Brussels has been trying to lure new farmers for decades through its CAP, with mixed results. Member countries currently dedicate 3 percent of their EU-funded farm payments to young farmer schemes — about €6.8 billion between 2023 and 2027. Now Hansen wants to up the ante. A recent draft of the strategy, obtained by POLITICO, sets a goal to double the share of EU farmers under 40 to nearly a quarter by 2040. To get there, the Commission wants countries to spend 6 percent of their CAP budgets on young farmers, limit payments to retirees and offer loans of up to €300,000 for new entrants. It also urges capitals to use tax reform and land-use policies as tools to make farming more attractive, while touting the Commission's own plans to publish a bioeconomy strategy next month. Young farmers’ groups worry the ambition may outstrip the means. Unlike the current farm budget, which enforces the 3 percent minimum, the 6 percent target is only aspirational. That has left CEJA concerned that some governments could spend even less. Young farmers fear that generational renewal will struggle to compete against other funding priorities, and that the new strategy’s fate may hinge less on good intentions than on the next CAP itself — a reform already under fire from both farm lobbies and lawmakers. Commission officials have pushed back on those criticisms, pointing to the various funding streams young farmers could access through the new “starter pack” in the future CAP and the upcoming generational renewal strategy. The Commission has also suggested restructuring CAP payments to divert funding from large farmers to smaller — and younger — ones. Nonetheless, “not earmarking any money for a specific group of young farmers is a signal,” Meedendorp insisted. “We have a commissioner who bills himself as a young farmer commissioner, who is also the one proposing a CAP without any earmarking for young farmers.” The European Parliament slips prohibition of plant-based “burgers” into wider farm reform, sparking NGO outrage and political splits. Small versus large, young against long-established — farm policy reform sets up clash over scarce funding. Most European farmers wouldn’t feel the pinch from the new rules, but large landholders could lose out massively. We crunched the numbers on the European Commission’s tweaks to its second package of countermeasures against American goods.
|
Lucia Mackenzie
|
Brussels wants to fix Europe’s aging farm problem, but its new plan may lack the cash to pull it off.
|
[
"agriculture",
"common agricultural policy (cap)",
"eu budget",
"small farmers",
"sustainable agriculture",
"financial services"
] |
Agriculture and Food
|
[
"Belgium",
"Luxembourg",
"The Netherlands"
] |
2025-10-21T02:07:00Z
|
2025-10-21T02:07:00Z
|
2025-10-21T02:08:03Z
| 7,358,268
|
https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-mission-impossible-stop-young-farmer-give-up/
|
EU closes in on deal to use Russian frozen assets to fund Ukraine
|
Belgium will give the nod for the Commission to put forward a legal proposal outlining the €140 billion Ukraine loan. AI generated Text-to-speech This article is also available in: French BRUSSELS — EU leaders are set to instruct the European Commission to design a legal proposal to use billions of euros in Russian frozen state assets to fund a massive loan to Ukraine, after Belgium signaled it would not stand in the way. The controversial proposal, if adopted, could release up to €140 billion to fund Ukraine's war effort for another two to three years, using Russian state assets that were immobilized after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. The European Commission, which has executive power in the EU, first floated the idea in September, but has been waiting for the explicit blessing of European heads of state and government before it moves ahead with a concrete proposal. This is likely to come when the 27 EU leaders hold their quarterly European Council meeting in Brussels on Thursday. In preparation for the meeting, EU ambassadors informally agreed draft European Council conclusions seen by POLITICO that call on the Commission to put forward a proposal that is "underpinned by appropriate European solidarity and risk-sharing." This text is "the political go-ahead” for the Commission to issue a proposal after Thursday's meeting, a Belgian diplomat said. "I’m not so worried about Belgium" creating problems in the European Council, echoed an EU diplomat from another country. Belgium has taken a cautious approach because it hosts Euroclear, the financial body that holds the frozen assets, and fears a court could force it to repay the money itself. But the Belgian diplomat told POLITICO the country would not oppose the call this Thursday for the Commission to come forward with a proposal. Still, even if the Commission gets a green light, its legal proposal will have to survive weeks of difficult negotiations with national capitals. For Ukraine, the outcome could prove existential. Without the EU loan, Ukraine faces a $60 billion budget shortfall over the next two years. With the U.S. effectively pulling reliable support for the war-torn country, European officials privately describe this initiative as the “last bullet” to strengthen Kyiv’s hand in peace talks with Russia. It comes as Washington's inconsistent position on the conflict appeared to swing in Russia's favor over the weekend. Securing the multi-billion "reparations loan" to Ukraine before U.S. President Donald Trump and Russia’s Vladimir Putin meet in Budapest over the coming weeks would be a major boost for Kyiv, undermining attempts to force it to make painful territorial concessions to Moscow. “The Russians are betting on our war fatigue, but the reparations loan can show Russia that Ukraine will be financially viable for the next two or three years,” said an EU diplomat who, like others quoted in this story, was granted anonymity to speak freely. The Commission is confident it can design a plan that is legally sound and avoids accusations of expropriating Russian assets, according to officials briefed on the matter. The assets held by Euroclear are invested in Western government bonds that have matured into cash. The cash is now sitting in a deposit account with the European Central Bank that the Commission wants to send to Ukraine. Brussels argues this does not amount to confiscation as Russia could still regain the frozen assets by paying post-war compensations to Ukraine — something that is, however, seen as very unlikely. In order for this plan to come to fruition, the Commission will still have to convince Belgium's right-wing Prime Minister Bart De Wever — who has a knack for punchy comments — to give the loan his blessing. The country fears it could end up having to repay the loan if a court ruling compels the EU to return the money to Russia. The Commission described this scenario as very unlikely as Russian court rulings wouldn't be enforceable in Europe. Separately, the Commission floated a number of concessions to quell Belgium's concerns in an informal document on Thursday. But these guarantees are “too broad and don’t answer all the questions” raised by De Wever in a previous statement, the Belgian diplomat added. In order not to single out Euroclear, the Commission said it will explore using €25 billion of Russian assets held by bank accounts and depositories elsewhere in the bloc — but admitted that operation is legally tricky. Belgium fears that investors from countries such as China will withdraw their investments from Euroclear over fears that their funds will also be taken away for political reasons. In a further concession, the EU executive suggested a safety net that allows the Commission to instantly lend money to countries if they ever have to repay the loan. This is meant to reassure Belgium that it won’t be left alone, and that other EU countries will contribute in the worst-case scenario. Even without Belgium's final approval on Thursday, the Commission can still put forward a legal proposal after the leaders' meeting. "Belgium has put forward a maximalist position in order to compromise once there is a proposal on the table," said the first EU diplomat. A draft of a letter seen by POLITICO being drawn up by all four mainstream political groups demands major changes to Commission plan. The idea of joint European borrowing is rejected by most of the bloc’s governments. That’s why the Commission is using it as leverage to get them to approve the use of Moscow’s assets for Ukraine. Calls to rebuild economic ties with Russia are “an alarm bell,” Polish prime minister says in Sunday Times interview. One suspect was taken into custody while trying to leave the country, Paris prosecutor says.
|
Gregorio Sorgi
|
Belgium will give the nod for the Commission to put forward a legal proposal outlining the €140 billion Ukraine loan.
|
[
"banks",
"bonds",
"budget",
"conflict",
"courts",
"negotiations",
"rights",
"safety",
"war",
"central banker",
"defense"
] |
Financial Services
|
[
"Belgium",
"China",
"Russia",
"Ukraine",
"United States"
] |
2025-10-21T02:05:00Z
|
2025-10-21T02:05:00Z
|
2025-10-21T02:07:09Z
| 7,357,533
|
https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-deal-russian-frozen-assets-ukraine-loan-belgium/
|
Greenland could become biggest car crash in transatlantic relations
|
The Danes are right: If the U.S. president presses ahead in the autonomous territory, others can and will follow elsewhere. AI generated Text-to-speech Mujtaba Rahman is the head of Eurasia Group’s Europe practice. He tweets at @Mij_Europe. All’s quiet on the northern front. Or so it seems. Several months have gone by since U.S. President Donald Trump last boasted of his ambition to seize Greenland “one way or another.” But this silence is misleading and his obsession with the giant ice-bound territory hasn’t diminished. Senior Danish officials fear that Trump is still determined to become the first U.S. president to make a significant expansion to American territory since Andrew Johnson bought Alaska in 1867. And that regardless of the recent deals over defense and trade, Greenland could yet become the Trump 2.0 era’s biggest car crash in transatlantic relations. The Danes also fear that some of their European partners in the EU and NATO have failed to grasp how existential a threat to U.S. relations, and to global respect for sovereignty and international borders, Trump’s Greenland fixation could become. French President Emmanuel Macron is an exception here, as he delighted both Denmark’s and Greenland’s leaders by reiterating that the autonomous territory is not “for sale or for taking” during his brief visit to Nuuk in June. But others have been reluctant to provoke the volatile American leader, particularly when talks on trade and a U.S. backstop for a European-Ukrainian security guarantee seem to be heading in a more constructive direction. Instead, they prefer to treat Trump’s plans to annex Greenland as a distraction or joke — but no one in Copenhagen is laughing. Denmark believes Trump’s obsession with Greenland is both irrational and genuine. Irrational because there’s no immediate security threat to Greenland from Russia or China, and any such future threat could be handled by NATO. Moreover, the exploitation of Greenland’s minerals and rare earths is already open to U.S. investors but few have shown interest. But senior Danish officials also believe Trump’s territorial ambitions are, indeed, real, even if they aren’t based on practical objectives. They’re all about the untidiness of the map. Trump regards the huge, empty foreign landmass to his northeast as an affront to American greatness — a piece of real estate that both Manifest Destiny and the Monroe Doctrine dictate should belong to the Land of the Free. The U.S. president takes the same map-driven view of Canada. However, there he suspects the annexation of some 40 million people might be impossible or, at the very least, a long-term project. Grabbing a large island, with the population of a medium-sized town (56,000 Greenlanders) and 80 percent covered in ice, should be simpler. And what about sovereignty or self-determination? When Trump was asked this back in January, he replied: “I’m sure Denmark will come along.” He also made no mention of the Greenlanders, 89 percent of whom are Inuit and 85 percent of whom rejected an American future in a January poll. So, Danish officials are convinced the Trump White House is planning something — a view substantiated by a Wall Street Journal report in May about U.S. intelligence agencies trying to identify “useful” Greenlanders sympathetic to Trump’s agenda, as well as news that Denmark summoned a top U.S. diplomat in August to discuss reports of three American citizens with alleged links to Trump conducting covert operations in Greenland. Their objective, the Danish public broadcaster DR reported, was to foment ill feeling against Copenhagen. Hence, the Danish government doesn’t expect a military invasion — it expects an invasion of dollars. Either as an outright offer to pay a large sum to each Greenlander, or a campaign to buy influence and local politicians. And the fear in Copenhagen is that a slow-motion land grab won’t provoke a strong enough response in Brussels or among its EU partners. To this end, Danish officials have been making their case in European capitals to varying degrees of success. They were delighted with Macron’s visit to Greenland, as the French president lectured Trump — without using his name — on the importance of international law and behavior between allies. Their strategy now is to further raise the cost to Trump by gaining similar backing from Berlin and EU institutions for a commitment to Greenland’s security and a program of sensitive economic development. Greenland voted and left the European Community 50 years ago, but Greenlanders retain Danish nationality — and, therefore, European passports. This potentially gives them the best of both worlds: a large degree of political autonomy, as well as access to European investment and protection. A Trumpian takeover would mean the exact opposite: insensitive U.S. investment with little concern for indigenous culture. The treatment of the Inuit populations in Alaska is a warning for the Inuit population of Greenland. So, while in the brief lull in Trump’s northern expansion strategy, Europeans would be right to take the concerns of their Danish allies seriously. Somewhere down the line, a transatlantic — or Arctic — collision seems inevitable. Trump’s designs on Greenland challenge international law regarding territorial integrity and the inviolability of borders. And the Danes are right: If the U.S. president presses ahead in Greenland, others can and will follow elsewhere. The French prime minister has set aside his guillotine powers at the expense of endless complications — though he has one more constitutional weapon in his arsenal. As Berlin inevitably becomes the EU’s dominant military power, its billions could either build or blur Macron’s vision of European defense. If the prime minister fails to navigate between the demands of the Socialists and his center-right coalition partners, he’ll be leading France into uncharted territory. Trump’s return to power has created the potential for a real economic revival in Europe — and the answers are in Draghi’s report.
|
Mujtaba Rahman
|
The Danes are right: If the U.S. president presses ahead in the autonomous territory, others can and will follow elsewhere.
|
[
"borders",
"cooperation",
"donald trump",
"intelligence",
"raw materials",
"security",
"transatlantic relations",
"u.s. foreign policy"
] |
Commentary
|
[
"Canada",
"Denmark",
"EU27",
"Greenland",
"United States"
] |
2025-10-21T02:01:00Z
|
2025-10-21T02:01:00Z
|
2025-10-21T02:01:00Z
| 7,358,226
|
https://www.politico.eu/article/greenland-could-become-biggest-car-crash-in-transatlantic-relations-us-donald-trump-denmark/
|
Ukraine’s allies rush to bolster Zelenskyy amid fears over Trump-Putin deal
|
After Ukraine’s leader struck out at the White House last Friday, his European friends will try to strengthen his hand before it’s too late. Ukraine’s allies are racing to reinforce Kyiv’s position ahead of talks between Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, amid concern that the two leaders could stitch up a bad ceasefire deal that would weaken all of Europe. At a summit this week, European leaders aim to agree on a three-pronged package of support for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to give him the strongest possible hand in negotiations over any potential truce. At the heart of their strategy is a plan to mobilize more funding to Kyiv from frozen Russian assets, alongside more weapons, and moves to hit Russia’s economy with new sanctions, according to diplomats and officials preparing Thursday’s gathering in Brussels. The renewed urgency among Kyiv’s allies comes after Trump once again flipped his position on the war, saying he’d be open to freezing the conflict along its current battle lines — less than a month after he suggested Ukraine could win back all its territory. His comments have revived concerns that he could force Zelenskyy to hand over territory to Russia. That outcome, European officials say, would be a disaster, not just for Ukraine but also for them. “International borders must not be changed by force,” declared Zelenskyy and the leaders of the U.K., Germany, France, Italy, Poland, Norway, Finland and Denmark, in a joint statement on Tuesday. “Russia’s stalling tactics have shown time and time again that Ukraine is the only party serious about peace,” read the statement, which was also signed by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa. “Ukraine must be in the strongest possible position — before, during, and after any ceasefire,” the leaders said. “We are developing measures to use the full value of Russia’s immobilized sovereign assets so that Ukraine has the resources it needs.” Zelenskyy said that European leaders will ask Trump to provide long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles to Ukraine, after he came away from a meeting with the U.S. president empty-handed last week. Diplomats expect Zelenskyy will address leaders at Thursday’s summit, either in person or via video call, to rally their support. Other allies including the U.K.’s Keir Starmer will join for a broader discussion among the so-called “coalition of the willing” later this week. Aside from arming Ukraine, EU countries are close to agreement on two other critical planks of their support: a 19th round of economic sanctions to hit Putin’s war chest, and drawing up plans to raid Russia’s frozen financial assets to unlock some €140 billion for Ukraine. The cash is desperately needed in Kyiv and progress toward releasing the funds this week will signal to Putin that Ukraine will have the means to keep fighting for at least the next two years, officials said. The European efforts come at a pivotal moment in Ukraine’s three-and-a-half-year war against invading Russian forces. Looming over Thursday’s European Council summit will be the shadow of a planned meeting in Budapest in the coming weeks between Trump and Putin to discuss the terms of a possible truce — an initiative that follows Trump’s hitherto successful efforts to broker a ceasefire in Gaza. Hungarian leader Viktor Orbán is an ally of Trump who has remained on good terms with Putin throughout the war, to the consternation of other EU leaders. He has repeatedly held up EU sanctions against Russia and called for “peace,” arguing that Ukraine’s war is not Europe’s to fight. Some EU leaders will be lobbying to attend the Trump-Putin meeting as well as to ensure Zelenskyy has a seat at any negotiations, according to one diplomat familiar with the matter, who like others quoted here was granted anonymity to speak candidly. Zelenskyy said on Monday he would be willing to go to Budapest if he’s invited. For Europeans, the big fear is that Trump will again side with Putin in determining what peace will look like and will pressure Zelenskyy to accept Russian terms — potentially ceding swaths of territory in the east of the country. They worry that Putin’s two-hour call with Trump left the U.S. president less willing to help Zelenskyy when they met in Washington last week. There’s also widespread skepticism among EU diplomats that Putin is at all serious about engaging in peace talks. Many see his offer to meet Trump again as another stalling tactic to buy time while he continues to bombard Ukraine with intensifying missile and drone attacks. The key initiative that leaders will discuss this week is a plan to exploit €140 billion in frozen Russian assets held in Europe, to provide what officials are calling a “reparations loan” to Ukraine. The money would only be repaid to Moscow in the unlikely event that Russia pays war damages to Ukraine in the future, under the outline proposals European officials have readied. Belgium, where the biggest share of these assets is held, has been anxious about the potential reputational damage the country could suffer in the financial sector if the cash deposits are raided. Other countries have voiced concerns about the potential risk to the euro’s international credibility and want the U.S. and Japan, among other countries, to adopt similar policies. On Thursday, EU leaders are due to decide whether they should formally request that the European Commission draft the detailed legal proposals for creating the reparations loan in full. Officials working on the summit preparations believe Belgium’s Prime Minister Bart De Wever will agree to let the Commission, the EU’s executive, go ahead and draw up the legal plan. He would still be able to block it at a later date. “We expect the European Council to take a political decision here to use these frozen Russian assets and to mandate the Commission to submit appropriate legislative proposals,” a German government official said. But the fact that the plan was progressing would again pressure Putin and give Ukraine the hope that the EU would be able to meet its funding needs for two or three more years, diplomats said. “If we send the message that we are willing and able to support Ukraine for the next two or three years, that will enter into their calculations when they’re discussing peace,” one diplomat added. Meanwhile, the EU’s top diplomat Kaja Kallas suggested leaders would sign off this week on the bloc’s 19th package of sanctions, designed to hit foreign banks and cryptocurrencies that Russia uses to evade sanctions. Slovakia’s leader Robert Fico had been holding up the sanctions to protest efforts to shut off the flow of Russian gas, which his country still relies on for energy. Diplomats involved in the negotiations said a deal is now close to secure Fico’s support. The more fundamental anxiety among EU governments is that Trump might be swayed by Putin to pressure Kyiv into giving up land in eastern Ukraine. Trump suggested the war should be frozen on its current territorial lines, with what he said was “78 percent” of the Donbas region in Russian hands. “You leave it the way it is right now, they can negotiate something later on down the line,” Trump said. But the diplomat quoted earlier warned that if Putin wins land, the EU’s Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, among others, will “freak out” and worry that Russia will come for them next. The result would be “a massive rearmament” in many European countries that would upend their internal politics, the diplomat said. The EU’s Kallas rejected the idea of any peace deal that forced Ukraine to give up Russian-occupied land. “Everybody says territorial integrity is an important value that we stand for,” Kallas said. “We have to keep to that, because if we just give away the territories then, this gives a message to everybody that you can just use force against your neighbors and get what you want.” Esther Webber, Koen Verhelst, Gregorio Sorgi, Gabriel Gavin, Clea Caulcutt, Jamie Dettmer and Jacopo Barigazzi contributed reporting. This article has been updated. Hadja Lahbib tells POLITICO she has ‘doubts’ about Netanyahu’s commitment to Trump’s ceasefire, and vows to keep up the pressure on Israel. Hadja Lahbib defends Prime Minister Bart De Wever’s blockade of a disputed plan to help Kyiv fight Vladimir Putin. EU chiefs lost some credibility when they failed to get a deal to fund Ukraine using Russian assets. Zelenskyy could lose a lot more. Prime Minister Petteri Orpo tells POLITICO Ukraine must be equipped to match or exceed Russia’s capabilities because Vladimir Putin only responds to strength.
|
Tim Ross
|
After Ukraine’s leader struck out at the White House last Friday, his European friends will try to strengthen his hand before it’s too late.
|
[
"baltics",
"banks",
"currencies",
"drones",
"economic sanctions",
"energy",
"lobbying",
"missiles",
"negotiations",
"rights",
"sanctions",
"war"
] |
Uncategorized
|
[
"Belgium",
"Estonia",
"Japan",
"Latvia",
"Lithuania",
"Luxembourg",
"Russia",
"Slovakia",
"Ukraine",
"United Kingdom",
"United States"
] |
2025-10-21T02:00:00Z
|
2025-10-21T02:00:00Z
|
2025-10-21T09:09:34Z
| 7,359,462
|
https://www.politico.eu/article/ukraine-russia-war-donald-trump-deal-economy-sanctions/
|
The European official who saved the EU’s favorite football team
|
From playing with Mario Balotelli to helping craft policy in the Berlaymont, Ignazio Cocchiere has been on quite the journey in football and politics. AI generated Text-to-speech BRUSSELS — Meet the EU official who has worked with Zlatan Ibrahimović and Ursula von der Leyen. Ignazio Cocchiere has traveled the world, from New York to Brazil, as a policy assistant in the Cabinet of EU Climate Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra since December, but he used to be a professional footballer who trained with legends including Ibrahimović, Patrick Vieira and Luís Figo — and later scored one of the most important goals in recent Belgian football history. To this day, Union Saint-Gilloise supporters in Brussels sing Cocchiere’s name, after he saved them from relegation to the fourth tier of Belgian football with a crucial late strike against Leopoldsburg in a decisive late-season match in 2013. The historic Brussels club — widely beloved by football fans around the European quarter, including past and present European commissioners — spent the next decade climbing back to the summit of Belgian football, culminating in winning the top division in 2025 and qualifying for this year’s Champions League: the pinnacle of European club football. On Tuesday night, USG plays against Italian giants Inter Milan. The game has special significance for Cocchiere: He played for both clubs. In an interview with POLITICO, the 38-year-old Cocchiere discussed his journey from playing in the same Inter Milan under-20 team as Italian maverick Mario Balotelli, to his pivotal role in saving USG from potential extinction, to working as an EU official in the Berlaymont — and why he wouldn’t change a thing. “No regrets, zero. Because I would rather do my smaller football career and end up where I am right now,” Cocchiere said of his origin story, while wolfing down a bufalina pizza and Coca-Cola in an Italian restaurant near the Commission’s headquarters. The significance of Cocchiere’s goal isn’t lost on senior figures at USG, not least current owner-chairman Alex Muzio, the benefactor of and mastermind behind the club’s ascension to the summit of Belgian football. “Reality is that without Union legends of their time like Ignazio, there might not have been a club to revive,” Muzio told POLITICO. A career path from parading the Italian under-20 winners’ trophy alongside the victorious Inter senior team in front of 80,000 raucous fans in Milan’s iconic San Siro stadium to eventually writing a thesis on the EU’s Civil Protection Mechanism is untypical, to say the least. Cocchiere started studying political science at the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Milan after his season among the legends at Inter, a decision for which he credits his mother and father. “One of the things I don’t regret at all is that I listen to my parents, who said, ‘we give you these small tips, please don’t leave your studies … go to a university, try it.’ When I look back, it’s so true,” he said. From there, he began a nomadic football career, moving from Lombardy to Switzerland to Brussels to Flanders, all while stacking academic degrees in European and international politics. Those stints in the inhospitable lower divisions around Europe, among hard-as-nails professional footballers whose salaries and livelihoods depend on a certain level of success, reinforced the necessity of pursuing a parallel career. Not every young player making their way through the ranks has the career of an Ibrahimović or a Figo. For every Champions League superstar, there are 10 cautionary tales about what happens to unfulfilled talent when the bright lights dim. “I’m lucky that I listened to my parents and also see a little bit when I was playing professional football. I don’t want to be that difficult guy at 35, 36. I saw really bad things in football, people fighting in the streets, fighting on the pitch, because if we don’t win, we don’t bring the salary home,” he recalled. After finishing his studies, Cocchiere began working in the European Parliament in 2015 as an aide to Italian conservative MEPs Lorenzo Cesa and then Stefano Maullu. After three years at the Parliament, Cocchiere moved into roles as a policy officer in the Commission’s sports unit (naturally), then a gig as a press officer in the spokesperson’s service and — eventually — in the Cabinet of Hoekstra, whose management he compares to that of a successful football coach. Cocchiere’s association with USG began by accident, when he bumped into an old football contact from Inter while watching a game at the Petit Heysel stadium in the north of Brussels, after he moved to the EU capital to pursue his studies. “He said ‘come to play here. This is a historical club. It’s not now, it’s in a really shitty moment, but in general we need players. They’re going down. You have to come to practice for a few days,’” Cocchiere recalled. The club had won 11 league titles before World War II, but had spent years languishing down the Belgian football pyramid. The start of their improbable resurrection can be traced to Cocchiere’s last-gasp, left-foot volley against Leopoldsburg in May 2013, one of 29 goals he scored for USG. Cocchiere told POLITICO that he’s as proud of carving out a successful career in the Brussels institutions as anything he achieved on the field — though the iconic goal that helped save USG holds a special place in his memory. “Because that was a kind of turning point in the club’s history. So it’s something bigger than you. Something that is more for a club, for a community, for a city,” he said. Between the possibilities football offered and the certainty academics delivered, does Cocchiere have any regrets about where he ended up? One of his former Inter teammates, Leonardo Bonucci, won the Euro 2021 championship for Italy and became only the sixth man to make more than 500 appearances for iconic club Juventus. Balotelli carried Italy to the Euro 2012 final and starred in the English Premier League for Manchester City. “I think it’s probably the best decision — one of the things that I don’t regret at all,” he said. But yes, he is still playing — now at Braine-l’Alleud, south of Brussels. Still trying to add to the 150-plus goals he’s scored in Belgian league football. You never really kick the addiction. “BIG WIN in Argentina for Javier Milei, a wonderful Trump Endorsed Candidate! He’s making us all look good,” U.S. president cheers. Crowd misbehavior in New York fires up victorious European team. The European Commission has intervened strongly against games being played in foreign countries. As wars rage in Ukraine and Gaza, European football’s figurehead explains why he thinks the world is at its most dangerous point since the 1930s.
|
Ali Walker
|
From playing with Mario Balotelli to helping craft policy in the Berlaymont, Ignazio Cocchiere has been on quite the journey in football and politics.
|
[
"brussels bubble",
"sport"
] |
Politics
|
[
"Italy"
] |
2025-10-21T02:00:00Z
|
2025-10-21T02:00:00Z
|
2025-10-21T10:33:34Z
| 7,357,530
|
https://www.politico.eu/article/euorpe-official-football-champions-leauge-zlatan-ibrahimovic-politics-football/
|
Pour la première fois, un sommet européen pour enrayer la montée de l’extrême droite
|
Logement, régulation des réseaux sociaux, immigration, défense… Autant de sujets sur lesquels vont plancher les responsables politiques pour freiner la progression des populistes. Synthèse vocale générée par l'IA This article is also available in: English BRUXELLES ― Les dirigeants européens se livrent au combat de leur vie. Pour la première fois, le sommet qu’ils organisent cette semaine se concentrera sur des sujets visant à reprendre du terrain à l’extrême droite. Les responsables politiques issus des partis traditionnels, qu’ils soient de centre droit, de centre gauche ou libéraux, sont au pouvoir en Europe depuis la Seconde Guerre mondiale, mais ils voient leur hégémonie s’estomper. Ils espèrent que le Conseil européen de jeudi — qui réunit les 27 chefs d’Etat et de gouvernement — montrera que l’UE se préoccupe des sujets qui ont créé du mécontentement chez les électeurs. Dans les plus grandes capitales de l’Union, de Paris à Rome, en passant par Amsterdam et Berlin, les forces nationalistes, voire prorusses, sont soit déjà au pouvoir, soit aux portes du pouvoir, car elles se sont montrées capables d’exploiter la colère. “Défendre le projet européen aujourd’hui signifie plus qu’investir dans nos armées, cela signifie aussi tenir la promesse sociale qui unit l’Europe”, a plaidé Hannah Neumann, eurodéputée Verte membre de la commission de la Sécurité et de la Défense du Parlement. “L’une des principales tactiques de Poutine est de diviser nos sociétés.” L’ordre du jour du sommet est dominé par des thèmes que les dirigeants associent à un défi fondamental : empêcher un scénario dans lequel quatre ou cinq dirigeants d’extrême droite, qui pourraient rejeter l’existence même de l’UE, siègeraient au Conseil européen dans quelques années. Ce scénario soulèverait d’énormes questions sur la puissance militaire de l’Occident et sur l’avenir de l’Union elle-même.Une version provisoire des conclusions du sommet, vue par POLITICO, sur laquelle les diplomates des Etats membres travaillent avant de la soumettre à leurs dirigeants, reflète cette inquiétude sous-jacente. Les chefs d’Etat et de gouvernement discuteront du logement, de la défense, de la compétitivité, des transitions verte et numérique, et de l’immigration, autant de questions que les responsables gouvernementaux européens considèrent comme essentielles pour contenir l’extrême droite. La réunion qui se tiendra à Bruxelles cette semaine est “un Conseil européen qui cherche une nouvelle identité pour l’UE”, expose un diplomate européen qui participe aux préparatifs et s’exprime anonymement pour parler de délibérations confidentielles. “C’est une recherche très difficile, avec un processus interne très difficile, pour trouver des réponses aux questions que l’UE n’a pas réussi à appréhender jusqu’à présent.” En particulier, mettre le logement à l’ordre du jour aurait semblé impensable il y a encore quelques années. Mais son coût influence aujourd’hui la politique dans l’ensemble de l’Union, et il a permis à l’extrême droite de remporter d’importantes victoires. Aux Pays-Bas, Geert Wilders et sa formation d’extrême droite, le Parti pour la liberté, ont remporté les législatives de 2023 en faisant campagne sur la pénurie de logements qui, selon lui, est exacerbée par les migrants et les demandeurs d’asile. Au Portugal, Chega est devenu le premier parti d’opposition du pays cette année en dénonçant l’incapacité des partis de l’establishment à lutter contre la flambée des prix de l’immobilier. Le Conseil européen s’intéresse tardivement à la question. La présidente de la Commission européenne, Ursula von der Leyen, a décrit la pénurie de logements comme une crise sociale depuis plus d’un an et a consacré un portefeuille pour cette thématique au sein du collège des commissaires ― occupé par le Danois Dan Jørgensen, qui présentera le tout premier plan pour le logement abordable de l’Union européenne en décembre et s’est engagé à lutter contre les locations de courte durée en 2026. Le Parlement européen a créé une commission spéciale sur la crise en début d’année. Le président du Conseil européen, António Costa, affirme depuis longtemps que la crise du logement est un défi aussi urgent que l’invasion de l’Ukraine par la Russie. “La seule manière de renforcer la confiance des citoyens dans le projet européen est de montrer que nous avons la capacité de nous occuper du logement et des problèmes concrets qui les affectent personnellement”, a-t-il défendu dans les colonnes de POLITICO l’année dernière. Jusqu’à présent, les prix du logement et les loyers n’étaient pas considérés comme un sujet sur lequel l’UE pouvait agir. Alors que la crise du logement est un problème qui touche l’ensemble de l’Union, il n’y a pas de consensus sur la manière d’y remédier. Les dirigeants nationaux sont divisés sur des lignes politiques différentes et risquent d’être à couteaux tirés lorsqu’il s’agira de s’attaquer à la spéculation immobilière, aux locations de courte durée ou à l’expansion des programmes de logements sociaux. Les divisions sont évidentes dans la version provisoire des conclusions du sommet, où les dirigeants considèrent la crise comme “urgente”, mais se contentent de demander à ce que la Commission présente son plan comme prévu. La progression des populistes est déjà bien réelle. Le Hongrois Viktor Orbán et le Slovaque Robert Fico siègent au Conseil européen, rendant parfois difficile, voire impossible, la prise de décisions à l’unanimité, pourtant souvent nécessaire. La République tchèque pourrait bientôt rejoindre leur camp : le populiste de droite Andrej Babiš ayant remporté les élections au début du mois. En Slovénie, le parti ultraconservateur de l’ancien Premier ministre Janez Janša est en tête des sondages, selon le Poll of Polls de POLITICO. Dans les deux pays les plus grands et les plus puissants de l’UE, la France et l’Allemagne, l’extrême droite est également en pleine ascension. Jordan Bardella, du Rassemblement national, est régulièrement en tête des intentions de vote pour l’élection présidentielle française de 2027. L’Alternative pour l’Allemagne (AfD) est arrivée en deuxième position aux législatives l’année dernière. La défense est un autre sujet sur lequel les responsables politiques de l’UE du centre gauche au centre droit espèrent riposter. Le commissaire européen à la Défense estime qu’en additionnant les budgets de défense des Etats membres et les fonds européens, l’Union déboursera 2 400 milliards d’euros sur quatre ans, un chiffre faramineux par rapport aux investissements précédents. Ce boom de la défense pourrait, en théorie, compenser l’industrie automobile européenne en difficulté, qui représente près de 14 millions d’emplois, soit environ 6% de l’emploi européen. Le sujet devrait être abordé lors du sommet, le Slovaque Robert Fico liant son soutien aux nouvelles sanctions contre la Russie à l’aide au secteur automobile, étant donné que la Slovaquie est le premier producteur mondial de voitures par habitant. “La défense est essentielle pour empêcher une montée de l’extrême droite, car elle crée des emplois”, souligne un autre diplomate de l’UE. La réglementation des réseaux sociaux constitue un autre front dans les efforts visant à endiguer la vague d’extrême droite. L’UE est en conflit avec Washington au sujet des règles applicables aux géants américains de la tech, tels que Meta et X — cette plateforme appartient à Elon Musk, qui l’a utilisée pour donner plus de visibilité aux partis d’extrême droite, à l’image de l’AfD en Allemagne lors des dernières élections. L’UE a reproché à TikTok d’avoir joué un rôle important dans la diffusion de messages d’extrême droite lors des élections en Roumanie fin 2024. “Face aux changements géopolitiques […] il est crucial de faire progresser la transformation numérique de l’Europe, de renforcer sa souveraineté et de consolider son écosystème numérique ouvert”, peut-on lire dans la version provisoire de la déclaration des dirigeants européens. Toutefois, les solutions concrètes restent difficiles à trouver. “Qu’est-ce que nous sommes censés faire ? Créer notre propre plateforme européenne de réseaux sociaux pour contrer cette influence néfaste ?” s’interroge un troisième diplomate. Les diplomates européens sentent déjà le sol se dérober sous leurs pieds. La semaine dernière, une discussion entre ambassadeurs de l’UE sur la “simplification” ― le mot à la mode dans l’UE qui signifie alléger les réglementations ― s’est muée en un plaidoyer plus général de certains gouvernements en faveur d’une déréglementation à l’américaine. Un ambassadeur est intervenu pour préciser que la déréglementation devait consister à s’attaquer aux lourdeurs administratives plutôt qu’à se débarrasser complètement des règles européennes, selon deux diplomates présents. Les ambitions écologiques ont, elles aussi, été édulcorées sous la pression de l’extrême droite, les dirigeants devant discuter d’un retour en arrière sur les objectifs de réduction des émissions carbone de l’Union pour 2040. L’un des exemples les plus flagrants de cette volonté des responsables politiques centristes d’aller sur le terrain de l’extrême droite est celui de l’immigration. L’idée autrefois taboue de traiter les demandes d’asile en dehors des frontières de l’UE — dans des centres fermés et “protégés” — est aujourd’hui régulièrement débattue, même des dirigeants socialistes comme la Danoise Mette Frederiksen y sont favorables. Cette idée fait écho aux appels du Premier ministre hongrois d’extrême droite Viktor Orbán et figure dans son plan Schengen 2.0 de 2016. En fin de compte, certains de ces sujets risquent de passer à la trappe jeudi. L’ordre du jour est chargé et la conversation sera probablement dominée par des questions géopolitiques plus urgentes, telles que la manière de renforcer le soutien à l’Ukraine. Puis, il y a les profondes divisions qui subsistent entre le Parti populaire européen, qui domine les principales institutions de l’UE, et l’Alliance progressiste des socialistes et démocrates. Mais c’est un début. Cet article a d’abord été publié par POLITICO en anglais, puis a été édité en français par Jean-Christophe Catalon. Le sommet de Copenhague de mercredi est un pas vers la transformation de l’Union européenne en puissance militaire. Mais l’Union n’est pas unie et les risques sont grands. Ankara est un allié trop important pour se le mettre à dos, peu importe ce qui se passe dans les rues d’Istanbul, estiment des responsables européens auprès de POLITICO. Le président américain a annoncé que les pourparlers avec le dirigeant russe sur la fin de la guerre allaient commencer “immédiatement”. Peu avant, son secrétaire à la Défense avertissait que les objectifs de paix de l’Ukraine ne seraient pas atteints. Certains dirigeants ont demandé au nouveau président du Conseil européen, António Costa, de les aider à la contenir.
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Jacopo Barigazzi
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Logement, régulation des réseaux sociaux, immigration, défense… Autant de sujets sur lesquels vont plancher les responsables politiques pour freiner la progression des populistes.
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[
"actualité"
] |
Uncategorized
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[
"Allemagne",
"Danemark",
"France",
"Russie",
"Union européenne"
] |
2025-10-20T20:03:54Z
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2025-10-20T20:03:54Z
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2025-10-20T20:04:54Z
| 7,358,022
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https://www.politico.eu/article/pour-la-premiere-fois-un-sommet-europeen-pour-enrayer-la-montee-de-lextreme-droite/
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EU pushes back on Trump’s demand Ukraine cede territory to Putin
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Top diplomat Kaja Kallas said EU countries should stand behind the principle of territorial integrity for Ukraine. AI generated Text-to-speech LUXEMBOURG— Ukraine shouldn’t have to give up territory as part of a peace deal with Russia, the EU’s top diplomat Kaja Kallas said on Monday after U.S. President Donald Trump pushed Kyiv to give up land to end the war. “If we just give away the territories, then this gives a message to everybody that you can just use force against your neighbors and get what you want,” Kallas told journalists in Luxembourg after a meeting of foreign ministers. “I think this is very dangerous. That’s why we have the international law in place, [so] that nobody does that.” The comments come after Trump’s chief negotiator, Steve Witkoff, pressed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to cede the Donbas region in the east of the country as part of a ceasefire deal, and the U.S. president told Fox News Sunday that Russia would be keeping some of the territory it has taken over in the war. EU leaders rallied around Zelenskyy after the White House meeting last Friday, which one person briefed on the encounter said had left the Ukrainian side “unhappy.” However, leaders were cautious about saying that Ukraine should keep all its territory as part of a deal. “What you can conquer back is one question, but the other question is also what do you recognize as the territory of another country?” said Kallas, a former prime minister of Estonia. “I come from a country that was occupied for 50 years, but [a] majority of the countries in the world didn’t recognize them to be Russian territories. And that also meant a lot.” Budapest wants to boost its political alliances in Brussels, Viktor Orbán’s political director says. The idea of joint European borrowing is rejected by most of the bloc’s governments. That’s why the Commission is using it as leverage to get them to approve the use of Moscow’s assets for Ukraine. Jan Lipavský told POLITICO he’s worried Czechia will be diminished on the world stage under likely incoming PM Andrej Babiš. France, Austria and the Netherlands say funding should be stripped from groups that fail to uphold EU values.
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Nicholas Vinocur
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Top diplomat Kaja Kallas said EU countries should stand behind the principle of territorial integrity for Ukraine.
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[
"war"
] |
Uncategorized
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[
"Estonia",
"Luxembourg",
"Russia",
"Ukraine",
"United States"
] |
2025-10-20T17:01:56Z
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2025-10-20T17:01:56Z
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2025-10-20T17:02:01Z
| 7,358,661
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https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-kaja-kallas-pushes-back-on-donald-trump-demand-ukraine-cede-territory-to-russia-vladimir-putin/
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London Playbook PM: Royal non-rumble
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AI generated Text-to-speech Presented by Intuit By EMILIO CASALICCHIO with BETHANY DAWSON PRESENTED BY Send tips here | Subscribe for free | Listen to Playbook and view in your browser Good afternoon. This is Emilio Casalicchio. — No.10 insists stripping Prince Andrew of his title is up to the king. But is that true? — Whitehall officials say the government is not “scared” of winding up the monarch. — Reform yanked the whip from four Kent councillors suspected of leaking footage of internal rows. — Ministers urged the Tories to stop “throwing mud” over the collapsed Chinese espionage case. — The government insisted it will ensure police have the resources needed to police a controversial football match. **A message from Intuit: Small and mid-sized businesses are increasingly using AI, though usage varies by sector. 46% of business-to-business service firms in sectors like finance, law, and marketing use AI, compared to just 26% of business-to-consumer firms and manufacturers. Explore these insights in new research from the British Chambers of Commerce in partnership with Intuit.** WHO RULES BRITAIN? The government is keeping as far as possible from calls for sweat-less princeling Andrew Edward to be stripped of his titles for real over his association with pedophile Jeffrey Epstein. Case for the prosecution: Prince Andrew is under pressure amid allegations he asked police to find dirt on Epstein’s sex trafficking victim Virginia Giuffre (whose damning memoir is out tomorrow and reviewed in plenty of papers) and after the revelation he sent a cosy email to Epstein in 2011 — despite telling the BBC he ceased contact in 2010. What an honorable bloke: Andrew agreed over the weekend not to use titles including “Duke of York,” but seems intent on continuing as a prince. The palace briefed reporters that he has relinquished the titles, but a constitutional mole tells our Esther Webber that wording is wide of the mark, since honors holders cannot relinquish them without some combination of legislation or letters patent. Not our problem, guv: Ministers say stripping Andrew of his “prince” title has nothing to do with them. Downing Street says it’s all a question for Buckingham Palace, as did Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson during her morning broadcast round. “This isn’t a matter for the government,” she insisted to Radio 4, citing “longstanding convention.” But but but: Esther’s mole argues that makes little sense too, since legislation starts with the government and only becomes a matter for the palace at the point of royal assent. To argue otherwise “is as if we’ve flipped back in time and the Glorious Revolution never happened,” the person argued. Indeed: Labour MP Rachael Maskell (who represents York as an elected politician, what a novel idea!) told Radio 4 the government should legislate to allow monarchs to strip people of titles. The Palace has been insisting doing so would be a waste of parliamentary time, but Maskell reckons it “would take very little time at all,” seeing as it’s a case of adding a single line to an existing constitutional bill. Bear in mind: We’ve seen the government pass one-line legislation in a matter of hours when it wants to. Plaid and the SNP would back parliamentary action to strip Andrew of his titles, too. But of course: The PM is loathe to tread on the toes of the palace, despite being the sole route the public has to hold the bloodline to account. “The government isn’t scared of anyone or anything,” one Whitehall official insisted. “But clearly this is a matter for the palace.” Sure thing, lads. THE TEETHING CONTINUES: Reform stripped the whip from four councillors in its flagship local administration, after video of an online row was leaked to the Guardian. Kent councillors Paul Thomas, Oliver Bradshaw, Bill Barrett and Maxine Fothergill had the whip “suspended pending investigation, following evidence that they brought the party into disrepute,” a Reform spokesperson confirmed this morning. Going well: The chaotic meeting showed Kent Council leader Linden Kemkaran telling colleagues to “f*cking suck it up” if they did not agree with decisions. She then condemned the “cowards” who leaked the footage and meted out the suspensions to suspects. Fothergill issued a statement insisting she ain’t the leaker, adding: “Reform UK has a once-in-a-generation mission to save our country. Distractions like this only play into the hands of our opponents.” Indeed: Their opponents are LOVING IT. The Lib Dems said Reform meetings “are starting to sound more like an episode of The Traitors than the running of a major council.” Labour said the councillors were fighting “like rats in a sack” and the administration was in “complete chaos.” Freefall mode: Kemkaran was said to be facing a no-confidence vote after the video emerged. THE TAXMAN IS ALWAYS WATCHING: Reform UK is meanwhile investigating whether it underpaid VAT, the Times reports. TEL AVIV US WHAT YOU NEED: The government is waiting for West Midlands Police to set out what resources are needed to allow the Nov. 6 Europa League match between Maccabi Tel Aviv and Aston Villa to go ahead with Israeli fans present. The Football Policing Unit is also contacting its counterpart organization in Israel to learn more about the disorder there ahead of a match over the weekend (details of that here.) Regardless: Ministers are insisting whatever happened at the weekend should not bar Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from attending the match in Birmingham. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy told the Commons in the past half hour that banning away fans (as the police have proposed) “chooses exclusion, rather than looking at the options available to manage that risk.” She said the government will ensure the police have the resources needed to cope. SINO A RECEDING ROW: Ministers continued to field (and give the official lines in response to) the same questions about the collapsed China espionage case as last week — given the gaping information hole on the issue the Crown Prosecution Service has left. MPs (and hacks) still pressed ministers on the PM doing nothing to check if all evidence possible had been given to prosecutors when he found out the case would collapse (No.10 insists that would amount to political interference) and what stopped the evidence being stronger (it was hinged on the weak lines on China from the previous government.) Blame game latest: The PM’s political press spokesperson said the Tories “failed to fix the holes in our national security laws” until 2023. She said the government at the time “sat on their hands” while being “tied up with infighting.” Nevertheless: The Tories continue to insist ministers cooked up a plot to see the case fail and during another Urgent Question in the Commons this afternoon Security Minister Dan Jarvis told them to stop “throwing mud.” Jarvis also rejected the claim from Dominic Cummings about officials writing a note for the PM’s red box to sign off on having the case dropped. STILL TO COME: Housing Sec Steve Reed will address Labour MPs on committee corridor from 6 p.m. … and Defense Secretary John Healey will deliver his Mansion House speech from 6.30 p.m., talking about unidentified drones and threats from Russia. On which note … Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper is coordinating efforts for further sanctions targeting Russian oil and gas, according to a person familiar with the plans, who said the U.K. will “keep going for Putin’s pocket.” AND WHAT ABOUT MY PARCELS: The Treasury Committee fired off a letter to Economic Secretary to the Treasury, Lucy Rigby, after a big Amazon Web Services outage caused havoc for Snapchat, Reddit, banks and more. The MPs want to know whether HM Revenue and Customs has been affected and why AWS hasn’t yet been added to the government’s “Critical Third Parties Regime,” meant to manage risks to firms whose wobbling could upset the economy. WHAT THE GOVERNMENT WANTS TO TALK ABOUT: Its big skills white paper and plans for V-levels which Keir Starmer lauded as he chaired Cabinet this morning. He said it was “striking how many of the senior management of Britain’s biggest businesses are ex-apprentices,” according to the usual nothing-to-see-here readout of the meeting. “He added he would like to see a world where ex-apprentices sat around the Cabinet table, as well as those who had gone to university,” it adds. COMING ATTRACTIONS: Keir Starmer will host Vietnamese General Secretary Tô Lâm for a state visit from October 29, my POLITICO colleagues Caroline Hug and Esther Webber revealed. More coming attractions: The PM will attend the COP30 United Nations climate summit in Brazil in November, No.10 confirmed. MIDDLE EAST LATEST: U.S. Vice President JD Vance is expected to visit Israel Tuesday, after Donald Trump’s second-in-command said he was thinking of popping over to “check on how things are going.” Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and adviser (and son-in-law) Jared Kushner arrived in Israel this morning to oversee the shaky Gaza ceasefire agreement. The Guardian live blog has swift rolling updates. BRING DOWN THE BILLS: The U.K. must lower energy costs and doing so is “essential” to the cross-Atlantic partnership, U.S. ambassador to the U.K. Warren A. Stephens wrote in the Telegraph. THE SUN MIGHT COME OUT TOMORROW: Spain is demanding Brussels fulfill its promise to end daylight saving time, my EU colleagues report. “As you know, the clocks will change again this week and I, frankly, no longer see the point in it,” Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said Monday. **A message from Intuit: In a survey of over 1,500 UK business leaders, nearly half – 46% – of business-to-business firms in sectors, such as finance, law, and marketing, say their organisation currently uses AI. This contrasts just 26% of business-to-consumer firms and manufacturers that report using AI. AI is helping small businesses boost productivity and resilience across sectors. Intuit will soon introduce agentic AI experiences to help small businesses and accountants using QuickBooks in the UK unlock next-level efficiency. These AI agents are built to handle everything from routine tasks to complex workflows, helping every business unlock efficiency, agility, and clarity. Learn more about how AI is transforming the small business landscape in a new report from the British Chambers of Commerce in partnership with Intuit.** LEADING THE NEWS BULLETINS: Channel 5 News (5 p.m.) leads on Prince Andrew … as does Channel 4 News (7 p.m.), which has an interview with Virginia Giuffre’s brother Sky and sister-in-law Amanda Roberts. Aasmah Mir at Drive (LBC, until 6 p.m.): Labour Muslim Network chair Ali Milani. Drive with John Pienaar (Times Radio, until 7 p.m.): Former Middle East Peace Negotiator Aaron David Miller … former Colombian ambassador to the U.S. Juan Carlos Pinzón Bueno … Skills Minister Jacqui Smith … Met Police former head of royal protection Dai Davies. BBC PM (Radio 4, 5 p.m.): Jacqui Smith. News Hour (Sky News, 5 p.m.): Plaid Cymru Westminster Leader Liz Saville-Roberts … Chatham House Senior Research Fellow for Latin America Christopher Sabatini. Tonight With Andrew Marr (LBC, 6 p.m.): Jacqui Smith … SNP Westminster Leader Stephen Flynn … Former World Bank Chief Economist Nicholas Stern. Dewbs and Co (GB News, 6 p.m.): Reform’s DOGE boss Zia Yusuf … Labour MP Barry Gardiner. GBN Tonight (GB News, 7 p.m.): Conservative MP Nick Timothy. Politics Hub (Sky News, 7 p.m.): Former SNP MP John Nicolson … former Conservative MP Tom Pursglove … Independent MP Rachael Maskell … Jacqui Smith. The Evening Edition with Kait Borsay (Times Radio, 7 p.m.): Former U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Matthew Spence … Rachael Maskell. Cross Question with Iain Dale (LBC, 8 p.m.): Lib Dem MP Joshua Reynolds … Tory peer Gavin Barwell … former UKIP Deputy Chair Suzanne Evans. Jacob Rees-Mogg’s State of the Nation (GB News, 8 p.m.): Former Conservative MP John Redwood … former Labour MP Stephen Pound … former Leader of the House of Commons Penny Mordaunt. Peston (9 p.m. on Twitter, 10.45 p.m. on ITV): Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson … Green Party Leader Zack Polanski … Conservative MP Katie Lam. Patrick Christys Tonight (GB News, 9 p.m.): Former Conservative Party Chair Jake Berry … grooming gang survivor Fiona Goddard. Newsnight (BBC 2, 10.30 p.m.): Co-author of the Virginia Giuffre autobiography, Amy Wallace. TWEETING TOMORROW’S PAPERS TONIGHT: Alfie Tobutt. REVIEWING THE PAPERS TONIGHT: Times Radio (10.30 p.m.): FT Political Editor George Parker and journalist Carolyn Quinn … Sky News (10.30 p.m. and 11.30 p.m.): The Times’ Aubrey Allegretti and former Tory SpAd Salma Shah. SHOTS (IN THE MOUTH NOT THE ARM): Labour MP Surenna Brackenridge and the Independent Pharmacies Association are hosting a reception in support of moving more vaccinations into high street pharmacies. From 6.30 p.m. in the Thames Pavilion. PROUD MOMENT: The Pride of Britain awards ceremony takes place tonight, and will be aired Thursday at 8 p.m. on ITV. STILL IN THE RED: Government borrowing stats will drop here at 7 a.m. IS THERE A CHINA ANGLE? Information Commissioner John Edwards chats data security with the Science, Innovation and Technology Committee at 9.45 a.m. CHAOS REMINDER: Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson appears at the Covid-19 inquiry from 10 a.m. (after his former Cabinet colleague Gavin Williamson slagged off his governance skills last week) while former Home Office Permanent Secretary Matthew Rycroft appears in the afternoon. HOLDING LINES: The Home Affairs Committee releases the government response to its VAWG report at 10 a.m. while the housing committee releases the government response to its council finances report at 11 a.m. WHAT THE GOVERNMENT WANTS TO TALK ABOUT: Chancellor Rachel Reeves is hosting her Regional Investment Summit in Birmingham. Her speech (at 10.10 a.m.) will be streamed on LinkedIn here. What else the government wants to talk about: The Balkans and the Pride of Britain awards. IN THE COMMONS: MPs sit from 11.30 a.m. with health questions before the Sentencing Bill at committee stage. WHAT THE TORIES WANT TO TALK ABOUT: Their proposed amendments to the Sentencing Bill aimed at stopping premature prisoner releases. NIGE’S BESTIE: Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama speaks at a Chatham House event about the Western Balkans and EU membership, from 2 p.m. IN THE LORDS: Peers sit for questions from 2.30 p.m. followed by the Animal Welfare (Import of Dogs, Cats and Ferrets) Bill at committee stage, the Public Authorities (Fraud, Error and Recovery) Bill’s second day at report stage and all remaining stages of the Deprivation of Citizenship Orders (Effect during Appeal) Bill. NOW HIRING: A U.K. ambassador to Washington DC … after the previous role-holder was, erm, recalled. Ad here. Interviews start Nov. 10. “Please ensure your application is factually accurate,” it helpfully adds. MEA CULPA: Net Zero Sec Ed Miliband‘s pledge for an up to £300 reduction in fuel bills before 2030 was an election promise — but not in the Labour manifesto. ALL CHANGE: The New Statesman quietly renamed “The Hitch” gossip column — styled after the late Christopher Hitchens — to “the Pygge,” after the pseudonymous Edward Pygge character (H/T Guido). PACKED LUNCH OR PALACE LUNCH: Subject to change, here are the lunch menus on the estate tomorrow: Bellamy’s: Minute steak with toasted ciabatta, roasted tomato and rocket salad, plus chimichurri dressing; sesame tuna poke bowl with rice, cucumber, edamame beans, mango, cherry tomatoes and lime dressing; vegetable and puy lentil lasagne with garlic sourdough … The Debate: Tamarind haddock with coconut dhal, cauliflower and cucumber salad and coriander chutney; Filipino sweet and sour tofu with garlic fried rice; tonkatsu pork cutlet in a bun with sesame cabbage and Japanese brown sauce … Terrace Cafeteria: Haddock fillet with creamed spinach, new potato, spring onion and juniper hollandaise; cauliflower, tarragon and mozzarella with filo topping; chicken katsu with rice and pickled vegetables. ON THIS DAY IN POLITICS: On Oct. 20, 2022 Liz Truss announced her resignation as prime minister. WRITING PLAYBOOK TOMORROW MORNING: Andrew McDonald. THANKS TO: My editor Matt Honeycombe-Foster, reporter Bethany Dawson and the POLITICO production team for making it look nice. SUBSCRIBE to the POLITICO newsletter family: Brussels Playbook | London Playbook | London Playbook PM | Playbook Paris | EU Election Playbook | Berlin Playbook | Global Playbook | POLITICO Confidential | Sunday Crunch | EU Influence | London Influence | Digital Bridge | China Watcher | Berlin Bulletin | D.C. Playbook | D.C. Influence | All our POLITICO Pro policy morning newsletters
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Emilio Casalicchio
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Uncategorized
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[] |
2025-10-20T16:21:11Z
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2025-10-20T16:21:11Z
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2025-10-20T16:23:20Z
| 7,350,303
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https://www.politico.eu/newsletter/london-playbook/london-playbook-pm-royal-non-rumble/
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Far right hits Macron’s government for Louvre heist as blame game begins
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MEP Marion Maréchal called France the “laughingstock of the world” after the robbery. PARIS — The blame game and finger pointing following Sunday’s heist at the Louvre Museum kicked off almost as quickly as the seven-minute robbery itself. France’s far right was quick to assign fault to President Emmanuel Macron and his allies for the brazen, broad-daylight theft of the French crown jewels, accusing them of being soft on crime and failing to sufficiently protect the nation’s heritage. MEP Marion Maréchal proposed eliminating the €200 cultural vouchers offered to French high school students, a measure put in place under Macron, and redirecting those funds toward protecting France’s “national treasures.” She later called France the “laughingstock of the world” and called on Culture Minister Rachida Dati — who has acknowledged “failures” in securing the world’s most visited museum in several interviews — to demand the resignations of the museum’s director and head of security. “The responsibility lies with 40 years of abandonment during which problems were swept under the rug … We always focused on the security of cultural institutions for visitors, much less for that of the artworks,” Dati told broadcaster M6 on Monday. Jean-Philippe Tanguy, a high-ranking official with the country’s biggest far-right party, the National Rally, accused the French “political and media system’s … soft-on-crime ideology” of being “responsible” for the heist. In a series of angry social media posts, he claimed that “French museums, like our historic buildings and churches, are DELIBERATELY not secured to the same standard as the treasures they contain.”National Rally President Jordan Bardella called the incident a “humiliation” before asking: “How far will the breakdown of the state go?” Meanwhile, conservative lawmaker Alexandre Portier announced plans to propose a parliamentary inquiry into the protection of French heritage and museum security, as first reported by POLITICO. Security concerns have long been a point of contention within the museum. Trade unions have repeatedly sounded the alarm over what they describe as poor working conditions and understaffing among security personnel — who have gone on strike several times, most recently in June, amid growing visitor numbers driven by mass tourism. In a bid to modernize the museum’s aging infrastructure, Macron in January announced an ambitious renovation project featuring a new entrance and a dedicated room for the Mona Lisa. The plan — dubbed Louvre — Nouvelle Renaissance — also includes security upgrades such as next-generation surveillance cameras, enhanced perimeter detection and a new central security control room, according to the culture ministry. As of Monday, the perpetrators remain at large — and the Louvre was closed to the public for a second consecutive day. Tiphaine Auzière testified in a cyberbullying trial on Tuesday. A team of thieves accomplished in minutes what museum employees have been trying to do for years: expose the French icon’s fragility due to decades of underfunding. But the French president still thinks the retirement age will need to rise eventually. The fallen conservative star is expected to start serving his sentence Tuesday.
|
Victor Goury-Laffont
|
MEP Marion Maréchal called France the “laughingstock of the world” after the robbery.
|
[
"buildings",
"culture",
"far right",
"french politics",
"history",
"infrastructure",
"macron",
"renovation",
"security",
"tourism"
] |
Politics
|
[
"France"
] |
2025-10-20T14:34:26Z
|
2025-10-20T14:34:26Z
|
2025-10-20T14:34:33Z
| 7,358,061
|
https://www.politico.eu/article/cinematic-louvre-heist-triggers-political-finger-pointing-reckoning/
|
Germany’s Merz rejects working with far right, says AfD wants to ‘destroy’ his conservatives
|
“The hand that the AfD keeps reaching out is, in reality, a hand that wants to destroy us,” says German chancellor after marathon debate on far-right cooperation. BERLIN — German Chancellor Friedrich Merz ruled out working with the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party following a debate within his Christian Democratic Union about possible future cooperation with the rising far-right force. “This party [the AfD] has declared its intention to destroy the CDU,” Merz, who is also the CDU’s leader, told reporters in Berlin on Monday. “We accept this challenge. We will now make very clear where the AfD stands in terms of content. We will distance ourselves very clearly and distinctly from them. And above all, it is important that we counter this with successful government work.” Merz’s conservatives have long struggled to find the right approach to the AfD, which has seen its support soar since the country’s February election. Merz, in the immediate run-up to that vote, tried to push a controversial immigration bill backed by the far right through the German parliament. That move drew heavy criticism, including from within his own ranks. Back then, Merz defended his approach, but pledged to uphold the firewall in German politics that was set up to prevent cooperation with the far right. But as the AfD keeps gaining traction, members of Merz’s conservatives — especially from eastern German states — have argued that the firewall is no longer sufficient to stop the rise of the far right. The AfD is now the largest opposition party in the Bundestag. The far-right party has found success by depicting itself as the only truly anti-immigration force in Germany, mixed with an anti-war rhetoric that is skeptical of Germany’s ongoing support for Ukraine and Berlin’s efforts to turn the Bundeswehr into Europe’s strongest army. Merz’s comments come as a discussion unfolded last week within his center-right party about its handling of the AfD in advance of a series of state elections next year, including two in eastern German states where the AfD is polling around 40 percent, far ahead of all other parties. “We want and can win all of these elections, and we can remain the strongest political force in Germany,” Merz said following a seven-and-a-half-hour-long meeting with party leadership on Sunday that was focused on developing a strategy for the upcoming election year. The secretary-general of the CDU, Carsten Linnemann, presented a three-pronged approach to combat the AfD. Firstly, the CDU’s presence is to be strengthened in the two eastern German states where the AfD is leading in the polls, to counter the dominance of the party at the local level. Secondly, expert committees are to be set up to develop ideas to shape the political agenda, which in turn should lead to the third goal, namely to create a positive image of the CDU as a party that seeks solutions, in contrast to the AfD, which focuses on problems. Germany’s mainstream political forces have had a Brandmauer, or firewall, in place since the end of World War II to prevent cooperation with far-right parties. Merz’s plan earlier this year to accept AfD support to pass an immigration bill was part of a preelection effort to win back voters who had defected to the far right. The tactic drew heavy criticism from Merz’s left-leaning rivals, who accused him of breaking Germany’s postwar quarantine of the far right and forgetting the lessons of the country’s history. As chancellor, Merz pointed to the need to clearly distinguish his conservatives from the AfD. “The public perception is increasingly solidifying that we could achieve a great deal together if we only wanted to. No, ladies and gentlemen, that is not the case,” he said Monday. “The AfD is questioning the fundamental decisions made by the Federal Republic of Germany since 1949. It is questioning all the fundamental decisions that we too have helped to shape. And that is why the hand that the AfD keeps reaching out is, in reality, a hand that wants to destroy us.” However, he added, “Neither the secretary-general nor I used the word firewall. That is not the way we speak.” For more polling data from across Europe visit POLITICO Poll of Polls. Politicians in Berlin fear that the sharp increase in Ukrainian men coming to Germany could reduce support for military aid to Kyiv. Merz is known for occasionally blasting out polarizing statements. But this time, criticism is mounting — including from within. After Ukraine’s leader struck out at the White House last Friday, his European friends will try to strengthen his hand before it’s too late. Friedrich Merz’s conservative-led government is close to cutting a deal with the Taliban to deport migrants to Afghanistan, and other EU countries may follow suit.
|
Nette Nöstlinger
|
“The hand that the AfD keeps reaching out is, in reality, a hand that wants to destroy us,” says German chancellor after marathon debate on far-right cooperation.
|
[
"cooperation",
"elections",
"elections in europe",
"far right",
"german politics",
"rule of law",
"war",
"war in ukraine"
] |
Politics
|
[
"Germany",
"Ukraine"
] |
2025-10-20T12:47:52Z
|
2025-10-20T12:47:52Z
|
2025-10-24T09:37:57Z
| 7,356,909
|
https://www.politico.eu/article/germany-friedrich-merz-vows-combat-afd-latest-attempt-rule-out-cooperation/
|
Ukraine and US prepare a contract for 25 Patriot systems
|
Even though the need is high, Kyiv is still forced to wait its turn unless “there is goodwill,” the Ukrainian president said. AI generated Text-to-speech KYIV — Ukraine and the U.S. are preparing a contract for 25 Patriot air defense systems, said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Patriots are one of the most effective defenses against Russian ballistic missiles targeting Ukraine's energy system. However, it will take years to get them, as Kyiv will have to wait in line behind other customers, Zelenskyy said during a meeting with journalists on Sunday. “The difficulty lies in the production queue — a line of countries that have signed relevant contracts. We will be receiving these 25 systems over the years, with different quantities each year,” Zelenskyy said, adding: “The White House can change the queue if there is political will.” He said that some European countries could give priority to Ukraine over their own Patriot deliveries, or else send batteries they currently possess to Ukraine. "If everyone works together and there is goodwill, the White House could assist us specifically with these American systems that are already in those European countries — so that we can receive them,” Zelenskyy said. Each system costs about $1 billion, and Ukraine’s finances are scarce. Kyiv hopes to get cash from a €140 billion reparations loan financed by frozen Russian assets that is being considered by EU countries. However, that is still not a done deal. “Naturally, we also need to work on other sources of financing. Currently, we have 28 bilateral security agreements with various countries. The task is to secure funds and make advance payments, and within the framework of these agreements, it can be done,” Zelenskyy added. A third way is the Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List, a NATO initiative to have allies buy weapons from the U.S. for delivery to Ukraine. Under Donald Trump, new donations of U.S. military aid have slowed to a trickle. "This initiative is very important because it allows us to purchase the necessary American weapons, in particular missiles for the Patriot systems and some other things, and it also helps relations with the United States in general," Zelenskyy said. Ukraine’s president also wants the EU to step up by unlocking Moscow’s frozen assets to help Kyiv. Pyongyang’s soldiers helped the Kremlin repel an offensive by Ukraine on Russian territory in 2024. Moscow digests the U.S. decision to target its oil giants. “The beauty of this decision is its comprehensiveness,” says Ukraine’s sanctions envoy.
|
Veronika Melkozerova
|
Even though the need is high, Kyiv is still forced to wait its turn unless “there is goodwill,” the Ukrainian president said.
|
[
"air defense",
"defense",
"missiles",
"nato",
"war in ukraine"
] |
Defense
|
[
"Russia",
"Ukraine",
"United States"
] |
2025-10-20T12:38:57Z
|
2025-10-20T12:38:57Z
|
2025-10-20T12:51:29Z
| 7,356,633
|
https://www.politico.eu/article/ukraine-us-prepare-contract-25-patriot-systems-volodymyr-zelenskyy-said/
|
Von der Leyen tries to appease EU climate target skeptics
|
In a letter, the Commission president defends the 2040 goal but offers several concessions to governments. AI generated Text-to-speech BRUSSELS — European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has pledged to adjust key green laws to secure support for a new climate target. In a letter to national leaders circulated on Monday, von der Leyen outlined plans to change the EU’s carbon pricing and existing climate targets for forests, among others. The Commission president’s unusual intervention comes days before leaders are set to debate the EU’s new overarching emissions-reduction target for 2040 at their European Council summit. Governments have been unable to agree on the new target, with several EU countries expressing concern about the economic impact of the bloc’s new and existing climate measures. Leaders will discuss the link between competitiveness and climate on Thursday in Brussels. In her letter, von der Leyen defends the upcoming target, insists that Europe’s future competitiveness requires a decarbonized economy — and hints that this means leaving some sectors behind. “If a robust, resilient, sustainable and innovative economy is our goal, then dogmatically clinging to our existing business models, whatever their past successes, is not the solution,” she writes. “For the EU’s economy to take its rightful place in the global economy, we must be among those who are driving the response to the challenges of our time.” Those challenges include “the scientific reality that we are increasingly putting our prosperity and our social models at risk, while our communities risk becoming uninhabitable,” she adds, while warning that the EU cannot afford complacency given China’s accelerating dominance in clean technologies and raw materials. Yet von der Leyen also offers several key concessions to leaders, acknowledging that “no one should be able to submit our economic and social fabric to so much tension that it breaks down.” Her Commission has proposed slashing the bloc’s planet-warming emissions by up to 90 percent below 1990 levels by 2040, albeit allowing countries to outsource up to 3 percentage points of this goal by purchasing carbon credits from other nations rather than achieving these reductions with domestic measures. In her letter, von der Leyen opens the door to an increase in credit use, writing: “Part of the target — 3% in the Commission’s proposal, which ministers will further discuss — can be reached with high-quality international credits. Our domestic target … can be lower than 90%, as long as this is compensated by similar … reductions outside of the EU.” She also responded to a key demand from governments to adjust the bloc’s new carbon price on transport and heating, plans that were controversial from the beginning as they are expected to lead to higher fuel bills for most consumers. On Tuesday, she writes, the EU’s climate chief Wopke Hoekstra will announce specific tweaks to the measure, addressing “concerns of too high or volatile prices.” The Commission is looking at a “more robust price stabilisation system” as well as options to provide additional support for households to cope with the increased bills. Von der Leyen also said she shared some governments’ concerns about the carbon price the EU currently imposes on heavy-polluting industries such as steel, and promised a “realistic and feasible” future trajectory, without providing details. She then pointed to upcoming changes in the EU’s targets for how much carbon dioxide is absorbed by forests and soils, known as LULUCF. Several governments have described the current goals as unrealistic, with some pointing to increased wildfires and others to the needs of their forestry industry. “Already we can see the challenges that several of you are facing .... We are working on pragmatic solutions to alleviate these challenges, within the existing LULUCF Regulation,” von der Leyen writes. Carbon markets and the LULUCF rules, together with national emissions targets, are the core sub-targets of the bloc’s climate framework. The letter also reiterates already announced tweaks and plans, such as an accelerated review of the bloc’s combustion engine phaseout, and contains a lengthy annex outlining all the upcoming announcements. In the words of one diplomat: “Classic balance, everyone equally unhappy.” Commission President Ursula von der Leyen gambles leaders will land a climate target deal without trashing her green legacy. A Greek veto prevents the EU from reendorsing a global carbon price on shipping in its position for next month’s climate summit. China stands ready to fill the gap as EU infighting leaves a vacuum in global talks.
|
Zia Weise
|
In a letter, the Commission president defends the 2040 goal but offers several concessions to governments.
|
[
"2040 climate target",
"carbon",
"competitiveness",
"emissions",
"emissions trading system",
"energy prices",
"european green deal",
"forestry",
"fuels",
"industry",
"transport",
"sustainability",
"mobility",
"competition and industrial policy"
] |
Energy and Climate
|
[
"China",
"EU27"
] |
2025-10-20T11:21:50Z
|
2025-10-20T11:21:50Z
|
2025-10-20T14:22:39Z
| 7,357,023
|
https://www.politico.eu/article/ursula-von-der-leyen-tries-buy-off-eu-climate-target-skeptics/
|
Amazon cloud outage fuels call for Europe to limit reliance on US tech
|
Monday’s disruption comes as EU leaders prepare to address digital sovereignty at a gathering this week. AI generated Text-to-speech A major outage of Amazon Web Services servers affecting multiple websites Monday morning prompted immediate calls for Europe to boost its tech sovereignty. Slack, Snapchat, Signal and Perplexity were among the affected sites. Amazon Web Services (AWS) offers cloud servers that allow these services and millions of other websites and platforms to run. Brussels is in the midst of a debate on how to achieve digital sovereignty, and what that means exactly, with cloud services at the center of the conversation. EU leaders are expected to take a position during a high-level summit meeting later this week. “Today’s outage shows how concentrated power makes the internet fragile and this lack of resilience hits our economies as a result,” technologist Robin Berjon said in an email. Berjon co-founded the Eurostack project — an initiative campaigning to make Europe self-reliant in digital services. “Europe’s dependency on monopoly cloud companies like Amazon is a security vulnerability and an economic threat we can’t ignore,” Cori Crider, executive director of the Future of Technology Institute, said in an email. According to AWS's health dashboard, which shows a "running log of AWS service interruptions for the past 12 months," the outage originated with servers in North America and specifically Virginia. That prompted reaction including from Ulrike Franke, senior fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations: “My robot vacuum cleaner no longer works and can someone explain why a robot in Paris is linked to U.S. East? Talk about European digital sovereignty…” she posted on Bluesky. “These disruptions are not just technical issues, they’re democratic failures,” said Corinne Cath-Speth, head of digital at civil society group Article 19. “When a single provider goes dark, critical services go offline with it — media outlets become inaccessible, secure communication apps like Signal stop functioning, and the infrastructure that serves our digital society crumbles.” “We urgently need diversification in cloud computing,” she added. Transcription service Trint said in an email that it had experienced disruption but "customers on our EU servers should be largely unaffected." In a statement shared with media outlets, Amazon Web Services said: “We continue to observe recovery across most of the affected AWS Services. We can confirm global services and features that rely on US-EAST-1 have also recovered. We continue to work towards full resolution and will provide updates as we have more information to share.” Asked at a briefing of reporters in Brussels on Monday, European Commission spokesperson Markus Lammert said the outage "would be a question for the companies, this is not for us to comment on.” With regard to how it had affected the Commission’s own operations, Paula Pinho, chief spokesperson for the European Commission, said: “We were more using for instance e-mails. We go back to our traditional methods.” Move comes as EU faces pressure over enforcing its tech lawbooks. Countries are not yet on the same page about how to protect children from the harms of the online world. The call comes as the EU progresses investigations into Meta, TikTok and others. Most EU countries have backed the idea of a digital age of majority.
|
Eliza Gkritsi
|
Monday’s disruption comes as EU leaders prepare to address digital sovereignty at a gathering this week.
|
[
"cloud",
"critical infrastructure",
"data protection",
"infrastructure",
"internet of things",
"network security",
"resilience",
"security",
"strategic autonomy",
"supply chain security",
"cybersecurity and data protection"
] |
Technology
|
[
"United States"
] |
2025-10-20T11:12:59Z
|
2025-10-20T11:12:59Z
|
2025-10-20T12:15:51Z
| 7,356,891
|
https://www.politico.eu/article/aws-amazon-web-services-outage-europe-limit-reliance-us-tech/
|
Macron hosted Sarkozy at Elysée before former French president heads to prison
|
The fallen conservative star is expected to start serving his sentence Tuesday. AI generated Text-to-speech PARIS — French President Emmanuel Macron said he had invited his predecessor Nicolas Sarkozy to the Elysée Palace before the fallen star of French conservativism becomes the first former head of state in modern history to step into a prison cell. Sarkozy was sentenced to five years in prison last month for allegedly having permitted his “close collaborators” and “unofficial intermediaries” to attempt to obtain financial backing from Moammar Gadhafi’s regime in Libya in exchange for economic and diplomatic favors as he prepared for his first presidential campaign ahead of 2007. Sarkozy indicated over the weekend he would begin serving his sentence Tuesday. Macron said the visit was not meant to infringe on the independence of France’s judiciary. “It was normal, on a personal level, for me to host one of my predecessors in this context,” Macron told reporters during a trip to Slovenia. Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin, who served as Sarkozy’s spokesperson in 2014 and with whom he has remained close, said he had met with Sarkozy since the guilty verdict and would also visit him in prison out of “concern for his security.” Sarkozy said in an interview with Sunday paper La Tribune Dimanche that he will serve his sentence in the Prison de la Santé, the only prison located within the Paris’ city limits. He will become the first French head of state to step behind bars since Nazi collaborator Philippe Pétain, who signed the French armistice with Germany in 1940. Pétain’s legacy is now firmly associated with collaboration and one of the darkest chapters in French history. It’s unclear how long Sarkozy will remain incarcerated. Once behind bars, he will be able to request a sentence adjustment, which could allow him to serve his sentence differently, for example at home with an electronic bracelet. Sarkozy has appealed the verdict and repeatedly professed his innocence, but the three-judge panel that heard the case found that the seriousness of the charges warranted Sarkozy’s immediate imprisonment, despite his appeal. Appeals in France typically allow defendants to delay any punishments until the appeals process is concluded. Appeal dates are also set on shorter deadlines for people being held while awaiting their new trial. Though the ex-president has had several run-ins with the law since leaving office in 2012, he remains an influential figure on the French right. He met with new Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu shortly after his appointment in September and with Jordan Bardella, the president of the far-right National Rally, in August. In an interview with conservative daily Le Figaro, Sarkozy said he spoke on the phone with the National Rally’s Marine Le Pen — who was sentenced earlier this year for allegedly having embezzled funds from the European Parliament — and his former prime minister, François Fillon, who has also been convicted for embezzling public funds. Le Pen has appealed her sentencing and continues to say she is innocent. Fillon has exhausted all his appeals. Sarkozy was definitively found guilty of corruption in a separate case after exhausting all appeals earlier this year, which led him to briefly being placed under house arrest. A French supreme court is also set to render a final verdict on Nov. 26 in a case related to campaign finance law violations allegedly committed during his second presidential run in 2012, in which he was previously found guilty by two lower courts. Sarkozy has repeatedly said he is innocent in both those cases as well. In the Gadhafi trial, Sarkozy was cleared of corruption charges, as the court could not establish that the alleged deal between Sarkozy’s associates and Libya had continued once Sarkozy took office, presiding judge Nathalie Gavarino explained as she unveiled the verdict. The court’s ruling indicated that it could neither establish nor rule out whether Libyan money had reached Sarkozy’s 2007 campaign. In his Le Figaro interview, Sarkozy said he would be bringing a copy of Alexandre Dumas’ “The Count of Monte Cristo,” which tells the story of a man who escapes prison after being falsely accused of treason and locked up without trial, along with a biography of Jesus Christ. Tiphaine Auzière testified in a cyberbullying trial on Tuesday. A team of thieves accomplished in minutes what museum employees have been trying to do for years: expose the French icon’s fragility due to decades of underfunding. But the French president still thinks the retirement age will need to rise eventually. MEP Marion Maréchal called France the “laughingstock of the world” after the robbery.
|
Victor Goury-Laffont
|
The fallen conservative star is expected to start serving his sentence Tuesday.
|
[
"corruption",
"courts",
"french politics"
] |
Politics
|
[
"France",
"Libya"
] |
2025-10-20T10:17:16Z
|
2025-10-20T10:17:16Z
|
2025-10-20T15:18:12Z
| 7,318,350
|
https://www.politico.eu/article/former-french-president-nicolas-sarkozy-go-prison-tuesday/
|
UK ‘deeply concerned’ about Gaza clashes in spite of Trump’s peace deal
|
AI generated Text-to-speech The UK government is “deeply concerned” about clashes and the return of violence in Gaza, despite Donald Trump’s peace deal being in place since last week. On Sunday, Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper wrote on X that the “escalation” in Gaza is “deeply concerning.” Israel’s military said it had struck multiple targets in Gaza on Sunday, using aircraft and artillery, after it said that Hamas militants had shot at Israeli soldiers. The strikes killed at least 26 people, according to Reuters. Cooper, Britain’s top diplomat, said that the ceasefire “must hold and humanitarian aid must get through to those in need.” She urged that “all parties” uphold the ceasefire agreement to “avoid any further bloodshed.” Speaking to reporters on Air Force One Sunday night, US President Donald Trump said the ceasefire in Gaza was still in effect, despite the deadly strikes. Trump was unable to say if the Israeli strikes were justified: “I’d have to get back to you on that.” The Hamas-run government media office in Gaza says Israel has killed 97 Palestinians and violated the ceasefire agreement 80 times since it went into force. Steve Reed’s donning the red hat and bringing the energy — but is he risking Labour seats? She will serve as Keir Starmer’s deputy from the backbenches — and could cause a headache for the embattled British prime minister. Deputy national security adviser also emphasized Britain’s pursuit of “positive” ties with Beijing, according to evidence released in response to an escalating political row in Westminster. Labour MPs hope Trump’s ceasefire deal will lower the political temperature in the U.K.
|
Bethany Dawson
|
[
"artillery",
"foreign policy",
"gaza",
"media",
"military",
"uk"
] |
Politics
|
[
"Israel"
] |
2025-10-20T10:08:23Z
|
2025-10-20T10:08:23Z
|
2025-10-20T10:08:52Z
| 7,356,360
|
https://www.politico.eu/article/uk-yvette-cooper-deeply-concerned-about-gaza-clashes-in-spite-of-donald-trump-peace-deal/
|
|
Spain restarts push to kill daylight saving time in EU
|
Brussels proposed ending seasonal time changes in 2018, but seven years later everyone’s still winding their clocks back and forth. AI generated Text-to-speech Spain will attempt Monday to reenergize the EU's stalled proposal to end seasonal clock changes and demand Brussels fulfill its promise to end daylight saving time. "As you know, the clocks will change again this week and I, frankly, no longer see the point in it," Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said in a video posted on X Monday morning. "In all the surveys in which Spaniards and Europeans are asked, the majority are against changing the time," he said. "Moreover, there's plenty of scientific evidence that shows it barely helps to save energy and has a negative impact on people's health and lives." The bloc's transport, telecoms and energy ministers have traditionally handled discussions regarding the EU's time policies, which can affect the functioning of the all-important single market and have an impact on power use and transport safety. The issue was not scheduled to be debated at Monday's ministerial summit in Luxembourg but, upon his arrival at the meeting, Spanish Secretary of State for Energy Joan Groizard announced he had requested its inclusion on the agenda. "The energy system is changing a lot, and it's important to reopen the debate to find a solution that works as well as possible," Groizard said. Representatives from northern EU members including Finland and Poland have repeatedly raised concerns about clock-changing, citing data which shows the practice has negative physical or mental effects on an estimated 20 percent of Europe's population. Indeed, 84 percent of the 6.4 million Europeans who participated in a 2018 European Commission public consultation on the matter said the bloc should put an end to daylight saving time. In his social media post, Sánchez said it was high time for the EU to carry out the proposal announced by then-European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker during his 2018 State of the Union address in the European Parliament. "Clock-changing must stop," Juncker told lawmakers, insisting that daylight saving shifts would end by October 2019 at latest. "We are out of time." But Juncker's proposal irritated national leaders, who questioned the Commission's mandate for proposing such a shift, let alone imposing a short timeline for its costly implementation. Then-Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa — who became the president of the European Council last year — rejected the idea altogether, citing the advice of technical experts who said the change would be detrimental to his country's citizens. Greece, too, was opposed to the change. The split among national leaders permitted daylight saving to survive Juncker's 2019 deadline and the European Parliament's later call for time changes to end by 2021. It's unclear if Spain's effort is quixotic: to secure the Council's endorsement of the proposal, it requires the backing of a qualified majority of member countries. Sánchez will need to convince 15 out of the bloc's 27 member countries, or a group of countries representing at least 65 percent of the EU's population, to back the idea — and hope fewer than four capitals oppose it outright. Seasonal clock-changing was first introduced in Europe during World War I in a bid to conserve coal, but was abandoned after the conflict ended. Similar energy concerns prompted most countries to reintroduce the scheme during World War II, and in response to the 1970s global oil crisis. In 1980 the then-European Communities issued its first directive on time arrangements to ensure all EU members followed the practice and made the biannual switch at the same date and time. The current EU rules, which have been in place since 2001, specify EU member countries move their clocks forward one hour at 1 a.m. on the last Sunday of March, and wind back one hour on the last Sunday in October. Pulled support leaves Spain’s minority government incapable of passing legislation. The pressure is now on Brussels to adopt real measures — or risk pushing more voters into the arms of the far right. While the Commission president says the focus on housing is about competitiveness, it’s also about stopping the far right. Competition chief said the EU must stand firm in the face of the American president’s “outbursts.”
|
Aitor Hernández-Morales
|
Brussels proposed ending seasonal time changes in 2018, but seven years later everyone’s still winding their clocks back and forth.
|
[
"spanish politics",
"energy and climate",
"mobility"
] |
Politics
|
[
"Spain"
] |
2025-10-20T10:06:20Z
|
2025-10-20T10:06:20Z
|
2025-10-20T10:07:13Z
| 7,356,087
|
https://www.politico.eu/article/spain-sanchez-restarts-push-eu-finally-end-daylight-saving-time/
|
Ribera says Trump’s tariff threat against Spain makes ‘little sense’
|
Competition chief said the EU must stand firm in the face of the American president’s “outbursts.” AI generated Text-to-speech European Commission Vice President Teresa Ribera said Donald Trump's threat to slap tariffs on Spain over its lax defense spending made "little sense" and called for the EU to stand firm against the U.S. president's "outbursts." "Competition in foreign trade is a shared responsibility," Ribera, a former deputy prime minister of Spain, said in an interview with the Cadena Ser radio network on Monday. The bloc's competition chief explained that the EU is a trade bloc and any measures targeting one of its individual members would trigger a collective response. "I think the EU must be firm, and threatening a member state makes little sense," she said. "Europe must remain united." Ribera lamented that the bonds Brussels and Washington have forged "over decades" are now being tested by "tones, behaviors and outbursts" the bloc never expected would characterize its relationship with a trusted partner like the United States. "This 'America First' thing is worrying, because what it really means is 'America Alone,'" she said, adding that while the EU is determined to avoid escalating tensions, it also refuses to be pushed around. "We have to remain firm and defend our principles and our values," Ribera said. "And we have to work to strengthen our capabilities so that we can reduce our dependence on the fronts we've identified over this past year." Pulled support leaves Spain’s minority government incapable of passing legislation. The pressure is now on Brussels to adopt real measures — or risk pushing more voters into the arms of the far right. While the Commission president says the focus on housing is about competitiveness, it’s also about stopping the far right. Brussels proposed ending seasonal time changes in 2018, but seven years later everyone’s still winding their clocks back and forth.
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Aitor Hernández-Morales
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Competition chief said the EU must stand firm in the face of the American president’s “outbursts.”
|
[
"competition",
"defense",
"tariffs",
"trade",
"competition and industrial policy"
] |
Trade
|
[
"Spain",
"United States"
] |
2025-10-20T10:00:35Z
|
2025-10-20T10:00:35Z
|
2025-10-20T10:04:46Z
| 7,356,486
|
https://www.politico.eu/article/ribera-says-trumps-tariff-threat-against-spain-makes-little-sense/
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British parliament mulls crackdown on Chinese visitors
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Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle reportedly spoke to his European Parliament counterpart about restricting parliamentary access for Chinese officials. LONDON — The Palace of Westminster is contemplating tightening parliamentary access for Chinese visitors in the wake of a collapsed spying case, according to media reports. The Telegraph newspaper reported Sunday evening that House of Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle is looking to mirror measures introduced by the European Parliament, which banned lobbyists for Chinese tech company Huawei from the premises earlier this year. The European legislature also imposed restrictions on Chinese officials entering the buildings in April 2023 after tit-for-tat sanctions were imposed over human rights abuses in Xinjiang. Those restrictions were eventually lifted earlier this year. Speaker Hoyle discussed the situation with his European counterpart to learn how such restrictions could be practically imposed in the U.K., the Telegraph reported. A parliamentary spokesperson said: “The safety and security of all those who work in parliament is our top priority. We do not comment on our security arrangements, because we would not wish to compromise the safety of MPs, peers, parliamentary staff or members of the public, but these are kept under continuous review.” The move comes amid intense scrutiny of Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government and the Crown Prosecution Service after charges against two men — including a former researcher for a Conservative MP — accused of spying for China were dropped. It’s not the first time Hoyle has flexed his muscles on China. Beijing’s Ambassador to the U.K. Zheng Zeguang was banned from parliament in 2021 in retaliation for China imposing sanctions on British MPs critical of the country’s human rights record. The Tory leader asked the PM to confirm income tax, national insurance and VAT wouldn’t be increased next month. He refused to answer. Former British PM says Tory pledges to roll back climate reforms are an “extreme and unnecessary measure.” She will serve as Keir Starmer’s deputy from the backbenches — and could cause a headache for the embattled British prime minister. Counterterrorism official says there’s been a spike in ‘proxies’ being recruited by foreign intelligence services.
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Noah Keate
|
Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle reportedly spoke to his European Parliament counterpart about restricting parliamentary access for Chinese officials.
|
[
"british politics",
"buildings",
"human rights",
"media",
"rights",
"sanctions",
"spying",
"westminster bubble"
] |
Politics
|
[
"China",
"Russia",
"Ukraine",
"United Kingdom"
] |
2025-10-20T08:59:37Z
|
2025-10-20T08:59:37Z
|
2025-10-20T10:21:05Z
| 7,356,225
|
https://www.politico.eu/article/uk-parliament-mull-crackdown-chinese-visitors/
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UK gives troops more power to shoot down unidentified drones
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Measures — amid spate of incursions across Europe — will be introduced in the U.K.’s forthcoming Armed Forces Bill. LONDON — The U.K.'s armed forces will get fresh powers to bring down suspicious drones over military sites, the defense secretary will announce Monday, amid a spate of aerial incursions across Europe. John Healey will use a speech to business leaders at Mansion House Monday to warn that Britain faces an increasing threat from state-sponsored drone activity, according to the Ministry of Defence. “The U.K. is not immune from these threats,” Healey will say, according to extracts of his speech trailed in advance. “We continue to defend ourselves daily from dangers reaching from the seabed to cyberspace." "We will always do what’s needed to keep the British people safe, and as we speak, we are developing new powers to shoot down unidentified drones over U.K. military sites.” The defense secretary will highlight Russia's targeting of Ukraine’s critical energy infrastructure ahead of winter, while Poland and Estonia have also seen incursions into their airspace attributed to Moscow. The measures will be introduced in the U.K.'s forthcoming Armed Forces Bill. It follows a series of moves by the U.K. to bolster NATO's eastern flank, including ordering air defense patrols by RAF Typhoon jets over Poland and deploying counter-drone specialists to Denmark after suspicious aerial activity in its airspace. The EU is meanwhile pursuing plans led by Ursula von der Leyen for a "drone wall" to counter incursions, despite misgivings expressed by some member states. Ukraine’s leader capped a week of dramatic escalation by solidifying Europe’s unified front. Amid a row over a collapsed China spying trial, it’s not just Keir Starmer who relies on veteran Northern Ireland peace negotiator Jonathan Powell. Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomes ideas from Europeans about the terms of a truce but says no final proposal has been agreed yet. British troops will join a US-led task force that is overseeing the fragile truce brokered by Donald Trump last week, amid violence on both sides.
|
Esther Webber
|
Measures — amid spate of incursions across Europe — will be introduced in the U.K.’s forthcoming Armed Forces Bill.
|
[
"air defense",
"airspace",
"defense",
"drones",
"energy infrastructure",
"military"
] |
Defense
|
[
"Denmark",
"Estonia",
"Poland",
"Russia",
"Ukraine",
"United Kingdom"
] |
2025-10-20T08:57:23Z
|
2025-10-20T08:57:23Z
|
2025-10-20T08:57:51Z
| 7,356,270
|
https://www.politico.eu/article/uk-gives-troops-more-power-shoot-down-unidentified-drones/
|
Trump’s Ukraine solution: Russia has ‘78 percent’ of the Donbas, leave it like that
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Moscow and Kyiv should “stop at the lines where they are,” the American president suggests. U.S. President Donald Trump said late Sunday the war in Ukraine should be frozen along the current front lines, days after a reportedly tense meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House. Speaking to reporters, Trump said he and Zelenskyy “never discussed” ceding the Donbas region in Ukraine’s east entirely to Russia, denying media reports about the meeting. “We think that what they should do is just stop at the lines where they are, the battle line,” Trump said. While open-source maps of the conflict show that Russian forces have occupied most of the Donbas, Ukrainian troops maintain hard-fought, heavily fortified defenses in the rest of the region, which Kyiv is loathe to abandon over fears it paves the way for Vladimir Putin to further invade the country. “Let it be cut the way it is, it’s cut up right now,” Trump added about the Donbas. “I think 78 percent of the land is already taken by Russia. You leave it the way it is right now, they can negotiate something later on down the line.” During the talks with Zelenskyy in Washington, a person familiar with the matter told POLITICO that Trump initially suggested Kyiv should give up territory to Moscow to end the war, adding the “Americans said that Putin wants to keep fighting, and he has a strong war machine.” But Trump ultimately ended the meeting by saying: ‘OK, let’s try to end this on the current line,’” the person said. Friday’s Trump-Zelenskyy summit came a day after the American president announced he’d spoken by phone with Putin and the two had agreed to restart peace talks with a meeting in Budapest. That prompted fear among Ukrainian and European officials that the American leader was again being swayed by Kremlin talking points. Another account of Friday’s meeting with Zelenskyy, published in the Financial Times, reported that Trump told the Ukrainian he could either accept Putin’s terms for peace or be “destroyed” by Russia — and that the conversation devolved into a shouting match. Vilnius is just being “petty,” Belarusian leader says. “The battle is not over yet,” Hungarian prime minister says, teeing up a possible fight with the White House. A packed agenda promised a summit of fireworks. Nothing really took off. From the climate to critical minerals to Russia’s frozen assets, the agenda of Thursday’s European Council is jam-packed.
|
Seb Starcevic
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Moscow and Kyiv should “stop at the lines where they are,” the American president suggests.
|
[
"kremlin",
"missiles",
"negotiations",
"u.s. foreign policy",
"u.s. politics",
"war",
"war in ukraine"
] |
Politics
|
[
"Russia",
"Ukraine",
"United States"
] |
2025-10-20T07:50:29Z
|
2025-10-20T07:50:29Z
|
2025-10-20T19:41:21Z
| 7,356,069
|
https://www.politico.eu/article/donald-trump-ukraine-solution-russia-donbas-war/
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Putin’s looming visit riles EU and Kyiv. Budapest? Try The Hague instead.
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Talks proposed by the U.S. in Hungary sparked debate over flight restrictions and international arrest warrants. AI generated Text-to-speech LUXEMBOURG — Russian leader Vladimir Putin should be blocked from taking part in high-stakes negotiations designed to freeze the war in Ukraine, one of Europe’s top diplomats warned after U.S. President Donald Trump touted Hungary as a host country. Ahead of a meeting of EU member countries in Luxembourg on Monday, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys blasted plans for the talks in Hungary, which would mark Putin’s first trip to an EU country since he launched the full-scale invasion in February 2022. “I cannot imagine him crossing our airspace,” Budrys said. “There is no place for war criminals in Europe,” he said. “The only place for Putin in Europe, that’s in The Hague, in front of the tribunal, not in any of our capitals.” Asked whether the refusal to support the potential summit, brokered by the White House, would risk angering Trump, Budrys said only that “there are other ways, you know, if he wants to get there, but I would look for alternatives as well.” On Sunday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told reporters that while Kyiv was “ready for a meeting in any format that will be effective,” he does “not consider Budapest to be the best venue for such a meeting.” Referring to Hungarian leader Viktor Orbán, Zelenskyy said: “I do not believe that a prime minister who blocks Ukraine everywhere can do anything positive for Ukrainians.” Orbán has carefully cultivated ties with both Putin and Trump, and has enthusiastically endorsed plans for his country to host the summit. Zelenskyy said “there were many other worthy options” for the venue, name-checking Switzerland, Austria, the Vatican, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey. On Monday, the EU’s foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas said plans for Putin — who is wanted by the International Criminal Court on war crimes charges — to come to Budapest are “not nice to see.” However, she went on, “America has a lot of strength to pressure Russia to come to the negotiation table; if they use that, [then] of course, this is good.” French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot added the talks could make sense, but only if they lead to an “immediate ceasefire.” The European Commission has hinted that airspace restrictions preventing Russian diplomats from traveling to much of the continent could be relaxed to allow Putin to take part in the talks. POLITICO reported Monday that Trump had told Zelenskyy that he will “try to end this [war] on the current line” of military contact, rather than push for Kyiv to give up territory in the Donbas that Moscow’s forces have been unable to conquer on the battlefield. Veronika Melkozerova contributed to this report. This article has been updated. Budapest’s reluctance to point the finger has delayed the bloc’s response for days. Staffers who are most “at risk” are those on short-term contracts, said one official, as employee associations demand transparency. The idea of joint European borrowing is rejected by most of the bloc’s governments. That’s why the Commission is using it as leverage to get them to approve the use of Moscow’s assets for Ukraine. Restrictions imposed by Washington will force the company to end its exports to European countries.
|
Gabriel Gavin
|
Talks proposed by the U.S. in Hungary sparked debate over flight restrictions and international arrest warrants.
|
[
"diplomacy",
"judiciary",
"rule of law",
"war in ukraine",
"mobility",
"defense",
"politics"
] |
Foreign Affairs
|
[
"Hungary",
"Russia",
"Ukraine"
] |
2025-10-20T07:19:03Z
|
2025-10-20T07:19:03Z
|
2025-10-20T12:10:30Z
| 7,356,033
|
https://www.politico.eu/article/budapest-try-the-hague-instead-putin-visit-divides-eu-ukraine-war-lithuania/
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Succession: Who will be the next UK ambassador to the US?
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Listen on The week kicks off with a rare Monday morning cabinet meeting – but have the government managed to shake off all the stories about China? With Anne still in Washington, she has the latest gossip on the race to replace Peter Mandelson as the UK’s ambassador to the U.S. – as the job advert goes live. Back in Westminster, all eyes are on the Lords as the Planning and Infrastructure bill returns, but will it help or hinder the Rachel Reeves’ quest for growth? Plus, are the UK going to follow Canada with a new pension and insurers partnership?
|
Anne McElvoy
|
[
"british politics",
"politics at sam and anne’s"
] |
Politics
|
[] |
2025-10-20T07:17:34Z
|
2025-10-20T07:17:34Z
|
2025-10-20T07:17:42Z
| 7,356,141
|
https://www.politico.eu/podcast/politics-at-sam-and-annes/succession-who-will-be-the-next-uk-ambassador-to-the-us/
|
|
Spies, damned spies and linguistics
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AI generated Text-to-speech Presented by Intuit By ANDREW MCDONALD with MARTIN ALFONSIN LARSEN PRESENTED BY Send tips here | Subscribe for free | Listen to Playbook and view in your browser Good Monday morning. This is Andrew McDonald. HAPPY MONDAY: Keir Starmer will chair his Cabinet this morning as the start of another week is dominated by foreign policy issues effectively out of his control — and by more intrigue around the collapsed China spying case, which ministers continue to desperately insist was out of his control. No. 10’s efforts to talk about its domestic grid (a “regional investment summit,” “V-levels” and “Technical Excellence Colleges”) are gonna be a tricky sell while issues around Beijing, Israel and Ukraine eat up so much energy. All that taking the fight to Nigel Farage stuff from Labour conference might have to wait. Ministers assemble: Cabinet takes place at 11 a.m. — an unusual timing because ministers (including Rachel Reeves) will head to a regional investment summit in Birmingham Tuesday. The usual readout will come afterward, and any of the actually interesting bits will come via Chinese spies in the room WhatsApps to hacks. Good luck, have fun: But the main event — at least, for those Westminster-brained enough to be reading long political newsletters — is the first daily Lobby briefing of the week with the PM’s spokesperson at 1.30 p.m. Most of these sessions last week became shooting galleries given the unanswered questions still whirling around the collapsed spy case (the two chaps involved, of course, deny spying for China). **A message from Intuit: AI boosts productivity and unlocks growth opportunities for small businesses. Today, more than a third of UK small and mid-sized businesses are using AI, up 10% in just a year. Discover the latest insights on AI adoption in new research from the British Chambers of Commerce in partnership with Intuit.** And today … won’t be that different after a drip-drip of new tidbits over the weekend, even though most questions have already been asked and batted away. Hacks — and twitchy No. 10 aides, no doubt — will be watching to see if the Crown Prosecution Service and DPP Stephen Parkinson break cover. Questions will also continue to be asked about the extent to which the government interfered politically (which it denies). In the room where it could have happened: There is still some mystery around the Jonathan Powell-chaired meeting of up to 20 senior mandarins and spy chiefs in the Cabinet Office on Sept. 1 — which just so happened to be taking place at the same time as a reshuffle of No. 10 officials took up a lot of internal bandwidth. The Sunday Times had a lot of new detail and vicious briefing about the meeting, which was called to discuss the case and how Britain’s relationship with China would be damaged by it. Classic “truth” bomb: And so if anyone fancies tossing an imaginary hand grenade over their shoulder … they could ask the question proposed by Dominic Cummings on X Sunday: Did Powell write a note for the PM’s ministerial red box on the case after that meeting? Did the PM read and approve it? (And if so, does this blow a hole in insistences that the PM didn’t interfere?) This was strongly denied last night, and HuffPost’s Kevin Schofield got the same denials. Remember: No. 10 has insisted the Sept. 1 meeting was about handling the wider relationship, not the evidence itself, and that Powell didn’t get involved in the evidence. But but but: We don’t know if the PM was briefed on the case in another way after this meeting, or if someone else gave him written advice presenting him with options to, well, interfere afterward. Watch the exact wording of any denials carefully. Other outstanding questions include: Did ministers give Beijing assurances about its hopes for a mega embassy/spying center in London? Because, if so, one legal opinion seen by the Guardian’s Eleni Courea says this would constitute unlawful interference with a planning application. Government officials won’t be jumping up and down with glee at the thought of having its lawyers fight for a Chinese embassy in court (if it ever is approved). And elsewhere: It doesn’t seem very cricket that no one in government thought to give China hawk Luke de Pulford a heads-up that loads of information on him had allegedly been passed to one of the most senior officials in the CCP, as he writes in the Times. ISLANDS IN THE STREAM (OF NEWS): Back in parliament, the Chagos bill returns to the Commons this afternoon for its remaining stages — and the Tories have written their own letter to Cabinet Secretary Chris Wormald (which is pretty similar to Kemi Badenoch’s letter to Starmer last week) attempting to make a wider argument about the government “kowtowing to China.” The graveyard shift: FCDO Minister Stephen Doughty will be the government’s man in the chamber charged with shooting down planned Tory efforts to kill the handover of the islands to Mauritius. As the Telegraph reported Saturday, the Tories will force a vote on holding up payments to Mauritius agreed as part of the deal — constructed by Powell, remember. You can guess how the government will answer this one: Even Nigel Farage is turning up for the Chagos debate, and he asked the question over the weekend of whether “Jonathan Powell is selling us out to China.” More China backlash: The speaker is considering tightening Chinese access to parliament, the Telegraph’s Ben Riley-Smith reports. Lindsay Hoyle is said to be looking at ideas from the European Parliament, which banned Huawei lobbyists from its premises earlier this year. And meanwhile, in Beijing … Xi Jinping and his elites are meeting to map out their next five-year plan, as a four-day plenary begins. We probably aren’t important enough to come up. LATEST IN WAR: Top officials — likely including the ever-busy Powell — will otherwise be spending their time nervously making calls about the two wars dominating geopolitics, after a weekend of troubling headlines on both fronts. First, on Ukraine: The FT dropped a yarn late Sunday which poured ice water all over hopes that Trump had slowly moved around to the European way of thinking on Ukraine. According to the four-bylined piece, Trump’s meeting with Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Friday was a bit of a disaster — descending into a shouting match where Trump warned him that Vladimir Putin would “destroy” Ukraine if it didn’t come to terms on peace. From orange to red: The FT, which interestingly sources its info to Europeans briefed on the discussions, reckons Trump was “cursing all the time,” tossed aside maps of the frontline in Ukraine, insisted Zelenskyy surrender the entire Donbas region to Putin and repeatedly echoed talking points the Russian leader had made to him. More intel: My European colleagues at POLITICO hear it was actually a Trump aide that demanded Zelenskyy hand over the Donbas, which obviously pissed off the Ukrainian side. “With a single phone call, Putin appears to have changed President Trump’s mind on Ukraine once again,” an EU diplomat said. Though in better news: One person tells POLITICO’s Veronika Melkozerova and Joe Stanley-Smith that the Trump-Zelenskyy meeting ended with an agreement to “try to end this on the current line.” The rally round: While ministers who face cameras today (including Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson on the morning round and Defense Secretary John Healey at a speech later) will likely be asked about the reporting, my colleagues in Europe also hear a top-level gathering with Zelenskyy and leaders is being arranged for later this week in Brussels. Playbook heard of plans for some kind of call involving Starmer at the end of the week, too. AND ON GAZA: The world — and Labour MPs — are nervously watching for more news from the Middle East after Israel launched waves of lethal airstrikes on Gaza and cut off all aid, following claims of an attack from Hamas that killed two Israeli soldiers. Palestinian officials said dozens have already died in retaliatory strikes. So far: The hope is that the ceasefire is returning, after both Hamas and the IDF issued statements saying they were committed to the agreement. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper put out a statement last night saying the escalation is “deeply concerning” and that all parties should “uphold President Trump’s peace plan.” Speaking of which: Trump told reporters on Air Force One overnight that the ceasefire is “still in place.” In the meantime: More footage of the devastation in Gaza will likely continue to emerge as aid trucks and residents venture back into the rubble. Take this one from U.N. Relief chief Tom Fletcher over the weekend. BACK IN BRITAIN: Lots of focus will continue to be on the admittance of away fans to a football match, after leaders from Britain’s center-left to right united Friday to demand West Midlands Police reverse a decision to bar Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from traveling to Birmingham for a European game against Aston Villa. As it stands: We’re still in a holding pattern, with officials expecting West Midlands Police to now come forward early this week with plans for how the game could be safely managed with both sets of fans present. That includes “resourcing requirements” — ie how many millions of taxpayer cash and extra coppers the police reckon are needed to ensure fan clashes don’t get out of hand. Adding a few zeros to the West Mids Police’ price tag: An Israeli Premier League derby clash between Maccabi and Hapoel Tel Aviv on Sunday was abandoned before the match even started due to clashes between fans and the police. “Disorderly conduct, riots, object throwing, smoke grenades, fireworks, injured police officers, and damage to stadium infrastructure — this is not a football match, this is a serious public disturbance and violence,” an Israeli police statement read. So don’t be surprised if … after a weekend of criticism from across the political divide, any of the independent MPs attempt to place a UQ in parliament today following Sunday’s violence. Indy MP Ayoub Khan was already demanding an apology from “Kier Starmer” on X last night. STILL, AT LEAST WE’RE NOT AT WAR. RIGHT? Well … Britain is ill-prepared for war and must be ready for widespread conflict in Europe within the next three to four years, according to the chair of the U.K.’s National Preparedness Commission Toby Harris. Harris tells the i Paper’s Jane Merrick that the public should stockpile emergency supplies in the event of a war or a major attack on national infrastructure, especially in light of Russia’s “grey war” of sabotage, cyberattacks and disinformation. Happy Monday indeed! TODAY, BUT NOT REALLY IN WESTMINSTER: Outside of the bubble, most of the papers splash on Prince Andrew — with extracts aplenty from Virginia Giuffre’s coming book everywhere over the weekend and the Met revealing last night it is looking into claims the prince asked one of its officers to dig for dirt on Giuffre. But there is a Westminster context … and it comes in calls from MPs, including SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn to the Telegraph, for the government to pass a law allowing MPs to strip the prince of his dukedom — which he retains despite giving up his Duke of York title on Friday. MPs speaking to the Guardian are also calling for more action. Is there any chance Buckingham Palace will give the government the green light to draw up an act of parliament? A LABOUR GRANDEE. A LABOUR GRANDEE! Former Labour Leader Neil Kinnock stuck the boot into Starmer on last night’s Westminster Hour, insisting he has “months, not years” to turn around his party and demonstrate “effective management.” He also said he had “reservations” about the capabilities of some of the people around Starmer, which is a polite way of saying he thinks the No. 10 operation is sh*t. WHAT THE GOVERNMENT WANTS TO TALK ABOUT: V-levels. The government is rolling out new vocational courses (hence the V) for 16-year-olds to simplify the current “confusing” landscape of qualifications in England — the next step following Starmer’s conference announcement on the importance of non-uni training and apprenticeships for kids. Here’s the BBC’s write-up. Best of luck … to the teachers who will have to tell teenage boys to stop sniggering when they offer them the chance to study for their “V-Levels.” WHAT THE GOVERNMENT WILL NOT WANT TO TALK ABOUT: Fiona Goddard, a grooming gang victim, has walked away from a Home Office panel set up to look into a national grooming gangs inquiry — according to an email sent to Playbook late overnight. In her letter to the Home Office, Goddard said she was concerned by the “condescending and controlling language used towards survivors” and by the proposed candidates to lead the national inquiry, as revealed by Sky News. ALSO ON THE GRID: Rachel Reeves’ big regional investment summit on Tuesday in Birmingham, where she will try to drive up investment into local projects and town centres outside of London. She will come armed with an announcement, trailed into today, that twenty pension providers and insurers are launching a new investor-led partnership aimed at boosting affordable housing and broadband in rural areas. The blame Brexit strategy continues: The chancellor did some more Brexit-bashing in words released over the weekend, saying: “The UK’s productivity challenge has been compounded by the way in which the UK left the European Union.” Quote via the BBC. DOWNING DRONES: Defence Secretary John Healey will use a Mansion House speech tonight (6.45 p.m., and streamed on MoD channels) to announce new powers for troops to shoot down drones threatening U.K. military bases. The Telegraph has more. He will also … call on businesses to do more to support employees who want to serve as reservists, my colleague Esther Webber writes in. He will urge bosses to go beyond the legal minimum by offering paid leave or flexible work patterns to make it easier to commit to reserve service, as ministers try to tackle the armed forces’ struggle with recruitment and retention. STRIKE THROUGH YOUR LECTURE PLANS: The University and College Union will ballot more than 65,000 members on whether to undertake a nationwide strike over jobs, wages and working conditions. If the ballot, which begins today and will run until late November, is successful, it will mean strike actions at 137 university campuses next year. CLASSIC 2025 HEADLINE: Decades of neglect and overcrowding in the U.K.’s prison system have resulted in squalid conditions that are exceedingly expensive to address, according to an investigation by the Independent’s Amy-Clare Martin. To pick one from many an eye-opening repair in the piece, a project to fix 50 showers at HMP Wandsworth is set to cost £7.8 million, the equivalent of £156,000 per shower. The story splashes the paper. ALL GOOD (?) THINGS COME TO AN END: It’s the last week of the Labour deputy leadership contest, with voting closing Thursday and results Saturday. You can read both candidates’ final week message here. While elsewhere: Bridget Phillipson has done a punchy interview with the i’s Kitty Donaldson, where she hit back at the Equality and Human Rights Commission for urging her to speed up approval of new guidance on trans people using single-sex spaces. AT THE COVID INQUIRY: England’s Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty is up at the Covid-19 inquiry at 10.30 a.m. (streamed here), where he will discuss his advice to the government on school closures and on how schools can become more resilient to future pandemics. Later in the day, the National Police Chiefs’ Council’s Martin Hewitt will give evidence. A POINTS-BASED SYSTEM, BUT NOT LIKE THAT ONE: The Good Growth Foundation think tank close to No. 10 has a new report out calling for a “work and teach program” which would require skilled migrants to spend their time mentoring Brits, in order to gain points as part of a new points-based system. OTHER REPORTS OUT TODAY: The Center for Policy Studies is out with new analysis of the annual Tax Foundation international tax competitiveness index, which argues that the U.K. could slide lower than its current 32nd place out of 38 OECD countries if tax rises at the budget go ahead. SW1 EVENTS: Conservative MP Nick Timothy will give the keynote speech at a Policy Exchange event on free speech and Islam in the U.K. (noon, livestream here) … Advice UK launches its annual campaign on how the government can bolster the free and independent advice sector with Courts and Legal Services Minister Sarah Sackman (3 p.m.-5 p.m., Commons Terrace Dining Room A) … and the Independent Pharmacies Association hosts pharmacists with Labour MP Sureena Brackenridge to argue pharmacies should administer vaccine shots (6.30 p.m., Thames Pavilion). HOUSE OF COMMONS: Sits from 2.30 p.m. with education questions … the final stages of the Diego Garcia Military Base and British Indian Ocean Territory (aka the Chagos Islands) Bill. Labour MP Jacob Collier has the adjournment debate on the A50/A500 corridor. WESTMINSTER HALL: Sits from 4.30 p.m. with a debate on support and accommodation for asylum-seekers (Labour MP Tony Vaughan). On committee corridor: Cabinet Office perm sec Cat Little is questioned on the government not knowing the cost of many of the services it provides (3.30 p.m.). HOUSE OF LORDS: Sits from 2.30 p.m. with questions on HIV testing rates, the latest estimates of the current GDP per capita and health care among different population groups … a repeat of an urgent question on the alleged breach of the Official Secrets Act on behalf of China (Labour peer Ruth Anderson) … parts one and two of report stage day one for the Planning and Infrastructure Bill … and a statement on the Troubles in Northern Ireland (Labour peer Ruth Anderson). GOOD LUCK WITH THAT: The Reform Kent county council leader and star of the extraordinary leaked recording from a meeting of Reform’s councillors in the area — obtained by Ben Quinn — has launched a leak inquiry to hunt down the “weak … foolish … cowards” who sent the footage to the Guardian. Linden Kemkaran’s angry message to fellow councillors on Sunday was, obvs, leaked to Quinn at the Guardian. COURT CIRCULAR: A court will determine today in a review hearing whether the case of former DUP Leader Jeffrey Donaldson can go ahead. Donaldson has been accused of 18 offences, including one count of rape, while his wife Eleanor — whose ill health has held up the trial — faces five charges related to aiding and abetting. Both have denied the charges. GET A LOAD OF THIS: Russia’s foreign intelligence service has direct links with the gangs facilitating illegal immigration to the EU, Bulgarian Interior Minister Daniel Mitov tells the Times’ Matt Dathan in an interview that makes the paper’s front page. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper seconded his remarks, saying it was “clear that illegal migration into Europe and beyond” is being driven by “hostile state actors seeking to destabilise Europe.” ARRIVAL IN TRUMP LAND: Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will meet Trump in the White House today. Expect Albanese to bring up AUKUS and the country’s abundant supply of critical minerals, while Trump could call on Albanese to boost his country’s defense spending and for a firm commitment that Australia would defend Taiwan in any potential conflict with China. The Guardian has a download on how the meeting could shake out. THAT’S A WRAP: Center-right senator Rodrigo Paz Pereira triumphed overnight in Bolivia’s presidential election, ending two decades of socialist rule. More in the Guardian. **A message from Intuit: In a survey of over 1,500 UK business leaders, 35% say they’ve adopted AI technology, representing a 10% jump from last year. AI adoption among small and mid-sized businesses is accelerating quickly. For many small businesses, AI is becoming central to growth, helping small business owners automate administrative tasks and streamline operations. Intuit will soon introduce agentic AI experiences to help small businesses and accountants using QuickBooks in the UK unlock next-level efficiency. These AI agents are designed to handle everything from routine tasks to complex workflows, helping business owners stay efficient, agile, and in control. Discover how AI is transforming small business growth in the UK in the new report from the British Chambers of Commerce in partnership with Intuit.** Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson broadcast round: Sky (7.15 a.m.) … BBC Breakfast (7.30 a.m.) … LBC (7.50 a.m.) … Today (8.20 a.m.) … GMB (8.30 a.m.). Conservative MP Nick Timothy broadcast round: Sky (7.45 a.m.) … GB News (8.05 a.m.) … LBC (8.20 a.m.) … Times Radio (8.45 a.m.) … Talk (9.30 a.m.). Also on Nick Ferrari at Breakfast: Former Met Police Head of Royal Protection Dai Davies (7.10 a.m.) … and Shadow Attorney General David Wolfson (8.05 a.m.). Also on GB News Breakfast: Children and Families Minister Josh MacAlister (9.05 a.m.). Also on Times Radio Breakfast: Children and Families Minister Josh MacAlister (7.05 a.m.) … the Campaign Against Antisemitism’s Stephen Silverman (7.45 a.m.) … IDF international spokesperson Nadav Shoshani (8.20 a.m.) … and England’s Women’s Health Ambassador Lesley Regan (8.50 a.m.). Also on Sky News Breakfast: Liberal Democrat education spokesperson Munira Wilson (7.30 a.m.). Politics Live (BBC Two 12.15 p.m.): Labour MP Rosie Wrighting … Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Alex Burghart … and Best for Britain’s Naomi Smith. POLITICO UK: Here comes the EU’s first anti-far right European Council. Daily Express: Mayor accused over grooming gangs ‘cover-up’ in capital. Daily Mail: King’s threat to shame Andrew by stripping titles. Daily Mirror: Scandal with no end. Daily Star: The only way is lettuce. Financial Times: Trump warned Zelenskyy in meeting that Russia could “destroy” Ukraine. The i Paper: Ceasefire in peril as Israel bombs Gaza, blocks aid and accuses Hamas of attack. Metro: And when he was down he was down. The Daily Telegraph: Trump tells Kyiv: take deal or be destroyed. The Guardian: Scramble to shore up ceasefire as Israel hits Gaza with deadly raids. The Independent: Revealed: the true costs of letting our prisons crumble. The Sun: Andy sweats over police probe. The Times: Prince’s ‘bid for police to investigate his accuser.’ WESTMINSTER WEATHER: Heavy rain all day, changing to partly cloudy by the evening. Low 11C, high 15C. NEW GIG: The architect of Britain’s post-Brexit trade strategy and former DBT Second Permanent Secretary Crawford Falconer is joining Bradshaw Advisory as a senior adviser. SPAD NEWS: Former Labour Party staffer and selections veteran Charlie Atkins joins DBT as a SpAd. IN MEMORIAM: Labour MP Claire Hazelgrove announced her mother Ruth died over the weekend aged 61. JOB ADS: Labour is after an executive director for communications … a PLP secretary to replace Matthew Faulding … and the CBI is looking for a policy adviser. NOW READ: Former Bank of England chief economist Andy Haldane says in an FT op-ed that the all-powerful OBR should be stripped of its responsibility to produce economic forecasts, instead auditing Treasury-produced forecasts to move away from its “fiscal conservatism” and encourage growth. WRITING PLAYBOOK PM: Emilio Casalicchio. WRITING PLAYBOOK TUESDAY MORNING: Andrew McDonald. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO: Home Office Permanent Secretary Antonia Romeo … Lib Dem peer Jane Bonham-Carter … Treasury international economics director Robert Woods. PLAYBOOK COULDN’T HAPPEN WITHOUT: My editors Zoya Sheftalovich and Dan Bloom, researcher Martin Alfonsin Larsen and producer Dean Southwell. SUBSCRIBE to the POLITICO newsletter family: Brussels Playbook | London Playbook | London Playbook PM | Playbook Paris | EU Election Playbook | Berlin Playbook | Global Playbook | POLITICO Confidential | Sunday Crunch | EU Influence | London Influence | Berlin Bulletin | Living Cities | D.C. Playbook | D.C. Influence | Canada Playbook | All our POLITICO Pro policy morning newsletters
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Andrew McDonald
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Uncategorized
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[] |
2025-10-20T06:04:33Z
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2025-10-20T06:04:33Z
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2025-10-20T07:23:05Z
| 7,353,339
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https://www.politico.eu/newsletter/london-playbook/spies-damned-spies-and-linguistics/
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Ukraine’s poorly timed heave in Washington
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Zelenskyy’s meeting with Trump could have been much more productive had he recalibrated his thinking and rejigged his agenda after Putin’s lengthy call with the U.S. leader. Jamie Dettmer is opinion editor and a foreign affairs columnist at POLITICO Europe. Last week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had hoped to capitalize on his warming relations with U.S. President Donald Trump to secure a supply of U.S. Tomahawk cruise missiles — weapons Kyiv believes could be a game-changer and deliver a decisive blow to the Kremlin’s war economy. Fresh off successfully brokering a ceasefire in Gaza, surely Trump would have the appetite to give Ukraine what it needs to force Russian President Vladimir Putin into getting serious about negotiations. But that isn’t what happened. Zelenskyy’s meeting in the White House was perfectly cordial — Trump used that word himself to characterize their encounter. There was no frostiness, and no return to the nastiness of last February’s now infamous Oval Office brawl. Zelenskyy learned his lesson thoroughly on that score and now knows deference is obligatory when approaching “daddy” Trump. The meeting was, however, fluffed, mainly because Ukraine was in too much of a hurry. “It wasn’t a bad meeting, just a victim of poor timing and inflated expectations,” said one Republican foreign-policy insider who was granted anonymity to speak candidly. But it could have been much more productive if Zelenskyy had readjusted his thinking and rejigged his agenda after the lengthy phone call Trump had with Putin the day before. During that two-and-a-half hour call, Trump teased Putin with the prospects of supplying Ukraine with Tomahawks: “I did actually say, would you mind if I gave a couple of thousand Tomahawks to your opposition? I did say that,” the U.S. president told reporters. “He didn’t like the idea.” And the outcome was an agreement to meet at another summit — this time in Budapest — with Trump once again seemingly persuaded that Putin might be ready to end the war. The Ukrainian leader doesn’t believe “Putin is ready just to finish this war,” as he told NBC’s “Meet the Press” in an interview Sunday. Nonetheless, Putin’s call should have prompted Zelenskyy and his team to recalibrate, dial down their expectations and, above all, downgrade their push for Cruise missiles, said the insider. “There was no way Trump was going to agree to Tomahawk acquisitions ahead of his meeting with Putin in Budapest.” But Ukraine ignored the counsel of its Republican friends in Washington — many of whom are skeptical Trump will agree to give Ukraine Tomahawks under any circumstances, for fear of escalation and drawing the U.S. deeper into the war. That’s not even considering the Pentagon’s worries about the U.S.’s own stockpiles, which Trump himself mentioned to reporters on Friday. By failing to drop the Tomahawk request, Ukraine squandered an opportunity to focus on a slew of other crucial items — foremost among them, air-to-air missiles for their F-16 and MiG warplanes and surface-to-air interceptor missiles for Patriot air-defense systems. Both are needed to shoot down drones and ballistic missiles, and Ukraine is desperately short of them because of the record airstrikes Russia is now mounting. The focus on Tomahawks also distracted from other key asks, such as getting Trump’s approval for the use of immobilized Russian sovereign assets to fund Ukraine’s defense. For his part, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is in favor of this proposal. The U.S. only holds $7 billion in Russian assets, but the EU’s big three in the G7 — Germany, France and Italy — want Japan and America actively involved, as they worry that tapping into the €140 billion in Russian assets held in Europe could undermine the euro’s global credibility. If Washington and Tokyo were to take similar action, their fears would be allayed. There was also only limited progress on discussions about Ukraine importing liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the U.S., now that Russian airstrikes on Ukraine’s natural gas infrastructure have increased in both intensity and frequency. So far, Ukraine’s state oil and gas firm Naftogaz has bought around 0.5 billion cubic meters of U.S. LNG, but more will be needed if the country is to endure the winter. And earlier this month, Ukrainian Minister of Energy Svitlana Hrynchuk said Kyiv was aiming to increase its overall gas imports by 30 percent. Along these lines, the country’s Minister of Economy Oleksii Sobolev noted last week that Ukraine was “considering mechanisms to finance the purchase of American LNG and compressor equipment.” But according to an official from America’s export credit agency the Export-Import Bank, who asked to remain anonymous as they’re not authorized to speak with the media, these discussions are now bogged down because Ukraine is objecting to the rather restrictive loan terms being offered. And the bank has only limited legal maneuver to amend the terms. In fact, the huge delegation of Ukrainian ministers and officials — including Zelenskyy’s powerful Chief-of-Staff Andriy Yermak and Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko — sent to Washington ahead of Friday’s White House meeting struck out across the board, failing to finalize several major agreements involving both the U.S. government and the private sector. “The idea was that there would be massive things readied, including some agreements with major U.S. defense companies and energy players, all to be inked during the White House meeting,” said the Republican insider. But in the end, nothing was oven-ready. “Unfortunately, nothing really concrete was agreed during the entire week,” another Republican foreign-policy adviser concurred. He also said the misguided focus on Tomahawks was only part of the problem — the other was the timing of Zelenskyy’s visit and the overall Ukrainian lobbying push in Washington. “We had urged them to delay,” he said. It was important that Svyrydenko and the economy officials were in Washington because of the annual IMF and World Bank meetings, but the rest of the lobbying effort should have been delayed for a week or so. And certainly, Zelenskyy’s offer of exchanging Ukrainian drone technology for Tomahawks was far too premature. For one, the Trump administration was still very much focused on the Middle East. Plus, with the government shutdown and the blame game over the budgetary battle between Democrats and Republicans, there wasn’t enough oxygen for Ukraine. In their defense, the adviser added, there’s rising alarm in Kyiv about how Ukraine will make it through this winter — likely the worst of the war so far. Zelenskyy hinted at this worry on Sunday, telling NBC that because Russia isn’t winning on the battlefield, it’s escalating airstrikes on infrastructure. “He’s using missiles and drones on our — he wants disaster — energy disaster during this winter by attacking us, each day [with] 500 Iranian drones and 20-30 missiles,” he said. And the Republican adviser agrees: “There’s a real danger is that Ukraine is headed for an energy catastrophe if the Russian strikes on the energy infrastructure persist.” Politicians in Berlin fear that the sharp increase in Ukrainian men coming to Germany could reduce support for military aid to Kyiv. As it was in Northern Ireland, disarmament is shaping up to be the Gaza plan’s most likely stumbling stone. Relations between the two leaders have warmed since Kyiv learned there could only be “one diva” in the room. U.S. president wades into domestic Israeli politics from his bully pulpit in the Knesset.
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Jamie Dettmer
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Zelenskyy’s meeting with Trump could have been much more productive had he recalibrated his thinking and rejigged his agenda after Putin’s lengthy call with the U.S. leader.
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[
"critical infrastructure",
"defense",
"diplomacy",
"donald trump",
"energy",
"lng",
"missiles",
"negotiations",
"unpacked",
"war",
"war in ukraine"
] |
Commentary
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[
"Russia",
"Ukraine",
"United States"
] |
2025-10-20T05:24:07Z
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2025-10-20T05:24:07Z
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2025-10-20T05:24:19Z
| 7,352,619
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https://www.politico.eu/article/ukraine-trump-zelenskyy-poorly-timed-heave-in-washington/
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Europe to Zelenskyy: Come to mama
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AI generated Text-to-speech Presented by Amazon By NICHOLAS VINOCUR with ZOYA SHEFTALOVICH PRESENTED BY Send tips here | Contact us on X @gerardofortuna @NicholasVinocur | Listen to Playbook and view in your browser GREETINGS, it’s Nick Vinocur. I’ll be traveling to Luxembourg for the first time ever today for the Foreign Affairs Council — tips welcome! We have a packed agenda. Let’s dive in … EU LEADERS EMBRACE ZELENSKYY AFTER TOUGH TRUMP MEETING: European leaders are rallying around Volodymyr Zelenskyy after a disappointing encounter with Donald Trump in the White House. The Ukrainian president is expected to participate in a top-level gathering later this week in Brussels, according to two people briefed on the European Council meeting’s preparations. Huddle with the home team: Zelenskyy will seek to “galvanize support” from the EU in the wake of the Washington summit, during which a Trump aide demanded Ukraine hand Donbas to Russia as part of a peace deal, leaving Kyiv “unhappy,” according to two people familiar with the White House talks and planning for Thursday’s EUCO in Brussels. Playing it down: An EU diplomat said the encounter had not been “as bleak as reported,” but still demonstrated that Trump’s position on Ukraine keeps changing. **A message from Amazon: 60% of sales on Amazon come from independent sellers like Caroline from 3Bears in Munich, Germany. “We're beginning to reach customers across Europe and, as a small team, it's so exciting to see where we'll go next,” says Caroline. Learn how Amazon helps European small businesses grow.** Just one call away: “American weapons remain absolutely crucial for Ukraine’s defense,” the EU diplomat said. “But with a single phone call, Putin appears to have changed President Trump’s mind on Ukraine once again.” “Four days ago, we were discussing Tomahawk missiles; now, the focus is on Ukraine making territorial concessions. It falls to Europe to ensure that the next shift in Trump’s position goes in Ukraine’s favor,” the same diplomat said. Standing with Z: That message echoed a flurry of social media posts from the leaders of Germany, the U.K., Poland, Finland and the European Council, all of whom voiced full-throated support for Ukraine. “None of us should put pressure on Zelenskyy when it comes to territorial concessions. We should all put pressure on Russia to stop its aggression,” wrote Polish PM Donald Tusk. Only so much we can do: But EU support is likely to come in the form of warm words and a potential deal at EUCO on using Russia’s frozen assets as the basis for ramped up financial aid for Kyiv — not the powerful armaments Zelenskyy was seeking in Washington, nor even a firm pledge to back Ukraine’s full territorial integrity in any peace deal. Indeed, absent from the European leaders’ statements was any clear pushback against the idea that Ukraine would have to give up land as part of a peace deal. Asked whether the EU’s position on this question, which has been to reject territorial concessions, remained unchanged, an EU official texted Playbook: “No comment.” Rock, meet hard place: A second EU diplomat said the EU was in a tough spot, with “no choice” but to accept the final shape of any peace deal brokered by Trump. “We stand behind territorial integrity at this stage,” said the diplomat, adding that the EU had “no choice” but to accept the decisions on a final peace deal once they have been made. FAC/EUCO lookahead: The shifting U.S. position raises the stakes of the gathering of foreign ministers in Luxembourg today and the EUCO summit kicking off Thursday in Brussels, where ministers and leaders will zero in on plans to mobilize Russia’s frozen assets in the form of a “reparation loan” to Ukraine. Slowly does it: However, per three EU diplomats who briefed journalists ahead of the gatherings, chances of a quick deal to unleash the assets are slim given ongoing concerns from Belgium, where most of the assets are stored, and Hungary’s staunch opposition. Meanwhile, trepidation is growing in EU capitals over a planned but as yet unscheduled meeting between Trump and Putin in Budapest (catch up here on the complications the Russian leader will face in getting there). The subs that stack: In a lengthy Substack post on Friday, Balazs Orbán — political director to the Hungarian PM, no relation — argued “there is a real risk that European leaders will not even be invited to the negotiating table.” The bottom line: It’s hard to argue with him on that score. Europe is once again in danger of being left on the sidelines, and bearing the costs, as Trump pursues his aggressive form of conflict diplomacy. NOW READ THIS: Jacopo Barigazzi, Aitor Hernández-Morales and Gabriel Gavin explain how the upcoming EUCO summit is all about fending off the far right with its focus on issues like migration, housing and cutting EU red tape. NEW PLAN TO LIMIT VOTING RIGHTS OF NEXT EU MEMBERS: In this exclusive piece out today, Hans von der Burchard and your Playbook author report on a new initiative to unblock the EU’s enlargement process by limiting the voting rights of potential new joiners by removing their veto. Thinking outside the box: Currently under consideration in Brussels, the initiative is at an early stage and would require support from all EU leaders to become reality. But it’s already garnered backing from countries that are ready to think outside the box to get around Hungary’s determined opposition to Ukraine joining the bloc. Try something, anything: The idea is that by removing the veto, the EU could win over countries which fear new members could hijack major aspects of the bloc’s foreign policy (any resemblance to Hungary, which joined the EU in 2004, is purely coincidental). Positive feedback: The plan for new members to join without full voting rights would “ensure that we remain capable of acting even in an enlarged EU,” said Anton Hofreiter, chair of the German Bundestag’s European Affairs Committee. “From discussions with representatives of the Western Balkan states, I am receiving clear signals that this approach is considered constructive and viable.” Ready, Player 2: The push comes after EU countries shot down an attempt by European Council President António Costa, first reported by POLITICO, earlier this month to move ahead with expansion, and coincides with growing frustration among EU candidate countries. Let’s go: “If the EU does not step up its game, we will lose ground to third actors who are already waiting to take our place,” warned Claudia Plakolm, Austria’s Europe minister. INTERVIEW — UKRAINE REMAINS UPBEAT ON EU TALKS BY YEAR-END: On the same theme, Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister Taras Kachka told Playbook that Kyiv was banking on a breakthrough in its membership process at a December gathering of EU leaders. Christmas present? “I believe that member states will find a solution in December,” he said after sharing notes on Ukraine’s internal reforms with EU national representatives. Read the interview here. STEPPING ON THE GAS: Energy ministers from all 27 EU member countries will today be asked to sign off on landmark proposals to ban the import of Russian gas by 2027 — plans that put the bloc’s leadership on a collision course with Kremlin-friendly Hungary and Slovakia. The two countries fiercely oppose the move, which can be forced through with a qualified majority of support from capitals, circumventing their no. Full details here. Time to decide: Gabriel Gavin is in Luxembourg following developments in the Council and spoke with Energy Commissioner Dan Jørgensen, who vowed he will “make sure the EU no longer imports one single molecule of Russian gas in the future. And I count on the member states to support this effort. Today we have a key chance … to bring this unprecedented ambition closer to reality,” he said. No backing down: But it has already been an uphill struggle to convince other countries, including France, that new rules designed to prevent Russian gas slipping in the back door won’t create unnecessary red tape for businesses. A draft of the latest proposal, obtained by POLITICO, reveals the Commission is not bowing to critics, and four diplomats say they expect the measures to be passed regardless. Taking on Orbán and Fico: While most EU countries have slashed their dependency on Moscow, anger is growing at those who refuse. “Billions of euros have been paid … by Hungary and Slovakia to Russia,” said Lithuanian Energy Minister Žygimantas Vaičiūnas. “They are using this for their war machine.” However, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has promised to hold up the passage of more sanctions on Russia and a discussion on support for Ukraine at this week’s EUCO in retribution. More on that from Victor Jack. SHADOW FLEET: Meanwhile, a new internal options paper developed by the EU’s External Action Service and obtained by Jacopo ahead of the FAC reveals Brussels wants to strengthen powers to board tankers illegally shipping Russian oil and gas in violation of sanctions. Details here. PARIS WANTS FLEXIBILITY: France will put forward a discussion on the 2035 de-facto combustion engine ban at Tuesday’s Environment Council meeting in Luxembourg, a French official told my colleague Jordyn Dahl. “We want to get it back in the right forum,” the person said. Pressure ramps up: Germany and Italy wrote to the Commission to call for a radical overhaul of the legislation, stopping just short of campaigning for it to be reversed entirely, as we reported earlier this month. Not a done deal: Germany’s coalition between the Christian Democrats and the Social Democrats remains divided. While the CDU campaigned on undoing the ban, the SPD wants it to remain. A similar proposal: France’s peace offering to Germany and its supporters mirrors the SPD’s demands. It is going to offer automakers that meet certain local content requirements flexibility to use alternative fuels, hybrids or range extenders past 2035. But the emissions target cannot change, the French official said, because “2035 is a symbol that we want to keep.” BIG BASH RECAP: The Party of European Socialists met over the weekend in Amsterdam to plot how to battle the right-wing surge across the continent. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez — the sole Socialist PM to show up — was praised as the savior of social democracy in Europe, with leaders tripping over themselves to get a handshake, Max Griera reports. But the real talk of the town … was the upcoming midterm Parliament reshuffle, when all the institution’s top jobs will be up for grabs. Socialist MEPs told Max they expect the European People’s Party to try to keep the European Parliament presidency, despite a power-sharing agreement signed after the 2024 EU election that ought to see it go to the S&D. Publicly, the Socialists are standing their ground, with party boss Stefan Löfven insisting the agreement stands. “If they want a decent working environment in Brussels, they need to stick to the deal,” Löfven told Max. BEIJING ON THE LINE: EU trade chief Maroš Šefčovič is set to talk to his Chinese counterpart Wang Wentao on Tuesday, a European Commission spokesperson confirmed to my colleague Camille Gijs on Sunday, as tensions between Brussels and Beijing heat up over China’s expanded export controls over critical minerals. Stronger together? The EU, Canada and the U.K. are mulling a coordinated response at the G7 level to Beijing’s tightening grip over the critical materials, my POLITICO colleagues report. BEIJING BOUND: A delegation from the European Parliament is planning an official visit to Beijing in May, despite the fact the first meeting in seven years between the two sides last week ending with huge tensions. (The Chinese delegation told lawmakers that NATO’s existence is to blame for Russia’s war in Ukraine, and that NATO is unnecessary and its rearmament poses a threat, the Parliament’s China delegation Chair Engin Eroglu told Max.) Long-term therapy: “Many issues have accumulated, and both sides now need to gain a better understanding of how each other’s systems function,” said Eroglu, who will travel to China in November to lay the ground for the future visit. The Parliament is also pondering whether to invite Chinese representatives “to a special session in December dedicated to Russia’s war against Ukraine,” Eroglu said. MOSCOW MONTHLIES: Meanwhile, Luxembourgish MEP Fernand Kartheiser announced on Sunday evening that he has independently agreed with Leonid Slutsky, chair of the Russian Duma’s international affairs committee, to hold monthly meetings between select MEPs and Duma members, following an initial meeting on Oct. 1. Backstory here. CEASEFIRE WOBBLES: Israel announced last night that it was once again observing the ceasefire after bombing several Hamas targets in Gaza on Sunday — a reminder of just how fragile the situation remains. Meanwhile, in Luxembourg … the EU’s foreign ministers will mull the question of what to do about Ursula von der Leyen’s proposed sanctions against Benjamin Netanyahu’s government. Spoiler alert: European capitals are rallying around the Trump peace plan, and EU leaders are expected to shelve the sanctions at this week’s Council summit, Jacopo Barigazzi and Gabriel Gavin report. Two states: Meanwhile, the EU is pushing to maximize the EU’s leverage in the implementation of the Washington-brokered agreement. A note from the EU’s External Action Service — obtained by Jacopo and Gabriel — outlines steps to ensure the bloc’s positions remain respected, including continued support for a two-state solution. SIMPLIFICATION DRIVE: European Parliament President Roberta Metsola is determined to deliver votes on two of the biggest bills in the EU’s simplification drive before the end of this week, a Parliament official told Playbook. While the Left group is likely to protest against both files, if all goes to Metsola’s plan they are expected to pass muster during a vote on Wednesday — in time for EUCO. SEE YOU IN COURT: The European Central Bank’s staff union is taking the bank to court, accusing ECB management of trying to silence and intimidate its representatives, Johanna Treeck reports. FUN ONE: My colleague Pieter Haeck asked three different AI chatbots to imagine they’re a top adviser to Ursula von der Leyen and to suggest ways to handle the Commission’s chief’s thorniest political and policy queries. Check out the results. — Foreign Affairs Council in Luxembourg kicks off at 9:15 a.m. — Ministerial meeting on cross-regional security and connectivity takes place after the FAC. Session 1: security, stability and resilience in the Black Sea region, to be attended by EU High Representative Kaja Kallas, Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos and the heads of delegations of EU countries, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, Turkey and Ukraine. Session 2: Working dinner on advancing a cross-regional connectivity agenda, with Kallas, Kos, International Partnerships Commissioner Jozef Síkela and the heads of delegations of EU countries, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. — Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council (Energy) in Luxembourg kicks off at 9:30 a.m. — EU ambassadors meet in Coreper II in Luxembourg at 8:15 p.m. — European Parliament plenary in Strasbourg from 5 p.m. Agenda. — Summit of Southern European Union countries (MED-9) in Portorož, Slovenia. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and French President Emmanuel Macron among those to attend. WEATHER: Top of 18, showers. REGIONS BEAT THE COMMISSION AT B-BALL: THE CoR and EESC team won the EU Institutions basketball tournament, beating DG Connect in the final, 58-40. Captain Alvaro Rojas lifted the trophy for the winners, Matteo Albania writes in to report. DANISH TREATS: The Brussels Chamber Ensemble is holding a concert of Danish classical music this Wednesday at Flagey Studio 4 in celebration of the Danish presidency of the Council of the EU. Famed Danish trombonist Jesper Busk Sørensen and 17-year-old composer Noah Z. Værum will feature. Details. BIRTHDAYS: MEPs Erik Marquardt and Fabienne Keller; former MEPs Leopoldo López Gil and Carlos Iturgaiz; former EU Ombudsman Emily O’Reilly; European Parliament’s Anne Liekenbrock; Cristiano Bosco from the Italian Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport; Permanent Representation of Finland to the EU’s Melis Yasat; consultant Helen McAvoy; U.S. presidential candidate Kamala Harris. THANKS TO: Max Griera, Hans von der Burchard, Camille Gijs, Gabriel Gavin; producer Dean Southwell. **A message from Amazon: Caroline's 3Bears started as a dream. “It was kind of a fairytale idea, but we made it a reality,” says Caroline. “We wanted to help people start their day with high-quality porridge.” 3Bears represents thousands of European success stories selling on Amazon. In 2024, EU-based small businesses sold more than 1.3 billion products and generated more than €34 billion in sales within the EU alone. These entrepreneurs are creating an estimated 350,000 jobs across the EU, many in rural areas. Learn more about how Amazon helps European businesses thrive in our latest EU Small and Medium Enterprises Impact Report at AboutAmazon.eu.** SUBSCRIBE to the POLITICO newsletter family: Brussels Playbook | London Playbook | London Playbook PM | Playbook Paris | EU Election Playbook | Berlin Playbook | Global Playbook | POLITICO Confidential | Sunday Crunch | EU Influence | London Influence | Berlin Bulletin | Living Cities | D.C. Playbook | D.C. Influence | Canada Playbook | All our POLITICO Pro policy morning newsletters
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Nicholas Vinocur
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Uncategorized
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2025-10-20T05:08:05Z
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2025-10-20T05:08:05Z
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2025-10-20T05:08:20Z
| 7,355,184
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https://www.politico.eu/newsletter/brussels-playbook/europe-to-zelenskyy-come-to-mama/
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So will Merz die Brandmauer-Debatte beenden
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KI generierte Text-to-Speech Präsentiert von YouTube Von RASMUS BUCHSTEINER Mit JASPER BENNINK PRÄSENTIERT VON Schicken Sie uns Ihre Tipps hier, hier oder hier | X @GordonRepinski @vonderburchard @R_Buchsteiner | Das Playbook anhören oder online lesen Guten Morgen! Hier ist Rasmus Buchsteiner direkt aus dem Berliner Regierungsviertel. Der Kanzler muss heute Problemlösungskompetenz beweisen. Oder zumindest den Eindruck erwecken, sie zu haben. Sein größtes Problem: Er hat (zu) hohe Erwartungen geweckt. Das gilt für die von ihm angekündigte Anti-AfD-Strategie. Es gilt aber auch für die Wirtschaftswende. Für mich geht es später nach Hannover, wo Friedrich Merz der Chemie-Gewerkschaft IG BCE einen Besuch abstattet. Heute bei uns im Playbook: Der Kanzler und das Problem mit der Brandmauer-Debatte, Merz sorgt sich um die Industrie, der Verteidigungsminister tourt durch den hohen Norden — dazu die Lage in Nahost, die genau eine Woche nach der Geisel-Freilassung immer fragiler wird. Hörtipp: Mit IG-BCE-Chef Michael Vassiliadis spreche ich im 200-Sekunden-Interview darüber, warum die Regierung auf Auto- und Stahlgipfel setzt, (bisher) aber keinen Chemiegipfel angekündigt hat. **(Anzeige) Eine Nachricht von YouTube: YouTube fördert die deutsche Kreativwirtschaft maßgeblich. Die Plattform ist mehr als nur Unterhaltung; sie ist ein Treiber für wirtschaftliches Wachstum. Eine neue Studie belegt: Das kreative Ökosystem von YouTube trug 2024 über 1 Milliarde Euro zum deutschen BIP bei. Hier klicken und mehr über YouTubes Beitrag zur deutschen Wirtschaft erfahren.** DAS ABC DER KANZLER-PROBLEME SIEHT HEUTE SO AUS: A wie AfD, B wie Brandmauer, C wie Chemieindustrie. Los geht es heute früh im Konrad-Adenauer-Haus. Gegen 10 Uhr soll Friedrich Merz im Atrium vor den Kameras Rede und Antwort stehen, zum Abschluss einer Klausurtagung des Präsidiums, die gestern Nachmittag in einer Eventlocation in Berlin-Grunewald begonnen hatte. Zentraler Punkt: Wie soll die Kanzler-Partei künftig mit der AfD umgehen? Merz ist jemand, der bei diesem Thema in der Vergangenheit höchste Erwartungen geweckt hat — hier. Übrigens: nicht nur er. Dieser Auftritt muss sitzen: Für Merz geht es heute auch darum, die Reihen zu schließen und die Partei hinter sich zu bringen. Gar nicht so leicht. AKK weiß, wovon ich spreche. Argumentative Vorarbeit hat der Kanzler am Wochenende geleistet: mit diesem Interview und mit diesem Bürgerdialog im Sauerland. „Dieses Land braucht stabile Mehrheiten“, so Thorsten Frei in der ARD. „Friedrich Merz hat alles dazu gesagt, was man sagen muss, das ist an Klarheit nicht zu überbieten und wenn ich mir die Debatten in der Partei übers Wochenende anschaue, dann findet er dafür auch ganz klare Stärkung und Rückendeckung.“ Wahrscheinliche Merz-Botschaft heute: Die CDU soll sich nicht mit Brandmauer-Klein-Klein aufhalten, sondern die Debatte beenden und sich darauf konzentrieren, bei den Wahlen im kommenden Jahr möglichst stark zu werden. Unterstützung von der Bundespartei ist im Gespräch: Ich höre von einem „Weiße-Flecken-Programm“ für die Ost-Landesverbände, das dort helfen soll, wo Strukturen nach dem Verlust von Bundestags- und Landtagsmandaten weggebrochen sind. Besonders heikel: Die Lage in Sachsen-Anhalt, wo die CDU derzeit (noch?) in Regierungsverantwortung ist und Umfragen zufolge inzwischen weit hinter der AfD liegt. Magdeburg-Szenario: Gut möglich, dass der CDU-Spitzenkandidat Sven Schulze nach der Landtagswahl am 6. September gezwungen ist, auch mit der Linken über eine Regierungsbildung zu sprechen. Mehr zum Thema: Heute im Playbook Podcast mit Rixa Fürsen und mir. DIE AFD RÜTTELT WEITER AN DER BRANDMAUER: Sie veranstaltete am Wochenende ihr erstes kommunalpolitisches Forum — bei dem es neben einer angestrebten Professionalisierung auch darum ging, wie die Union in den Kommunen in Bündnisse gelockt werden soll. Der Plan: Dort müsse man die Brandmauer umpusten und nicht einreißen, hieß es auf der Veranstaltung, wie ntv berichtet. Von dort geht es über die Landesebene irgendwann auf die Bundesebene. Wie es auf kommunaler Ebene laufe, sei dann „die Vorlage“ für die nächsten Ebenen. NÄCHSTES KANZLER-PROBLEM: Der Herbst der Entscheidung, der zwar immer wieder beschworen wird, aber bisher nichts an der Alarmstimmung in der Industrie geändert hat. Heute wird er dies bei seinem Auftritt in Hannover zu spüren bekommen. Auch hier gilt: zu hohe Erwartungen geweckt. Nice-to-know: Der Kanzler kennt sich mit Chemie einigermaßen aus. Ende der Achtzigerjahre arbeitete er für den Branchenverband VCI. Düster: Im September war Merz bei einer Veranstaltung seines früheren Arbeitgebers zu Gast. Und seine Rede pendelte zwischen Zweckoptimismus und Realismus. Der Standort Deutschland? Der sei inzwischen „zu teuer und zu langsam“. Ähnlicher Sound: IG-BCE-Chef Michael Vassiliadis warnt im Playbook Podcast vor drohendem Jobabbau: „Da kommt einiges auf uns zu.“ Forderung: „Wir müssen uns bei der Frage Rohstoffversorgung, Energiepreise, aber auch bei den Kosten für CO2 neu aufstellen“, so der Gewerkschaftschef. „Ansonsten werden große Teile der Industrie, nicht die komplette, aber große Teile der Industrie das nicht überleben.“ Was Merz nicht gefallen dürfte: Dass sich Vassiliadis am Sonntag zum Kongressstart in Hannover auch an seinen Stadtbild-Äußerungen abarbeitete („Das geht nicht“). Und dass er eine Vermögensabgabe forderte. Um 15 Uhr wird Merz heute im Congress Centrum in Hannover erwartet: Die Frage ist, wie viel Zuversicht er im Gepäck hat. Und ob er über bisherige Ankündigungen hinausgeht. Manche in der Regierung ahnen seit längerem, dass Wachstumsbooster und Körperschaftsteuersenkung (kommt ohnehin erst ab 2028) nicht das letzte Wort gewesen sein können. Anzeige BOT-VERBOT UND DROHNEN-ABWEHRTRAINING: Die CDU schlägt zahlreiche Maßnahmen zur Abwehr hybrider Bedrohungen und Angriffe vor. „Wir werden Deutschland sicherer und widerstandsfähiger machen“, heißt es in einem Beschlusspapier, das Pauline von Pezold vorliegt und an diesem Montag präsentiert werden soll. Wissenstransfer: „Soldaten der Bundeswehr sollen durch Aus- und Weiterbildungsprogramme von den Erfahrungen der ukrainischen Streitkräfte im Drohnenkampf profitieren können“, kündigt die CDU an. Informationskampf: „Es ist richtig, Bots und Fake-Accounts zu verbieten, denn sie verzerren die öffentliche Wahrnehmung und spielen den politischen Rändern in die Hände“, wird in dem Papier argumentiert. Der gesamte Forderungskatalog zum Nachlesen? Hier. GROßE REISE: Bis Donnerstag ist Boris Pistorius auf Tour durch die nördliche Hemisphäre — drei Länder in fünf Tagen: Island, Kanada, Großbritannien. Rixa Fürsen ist mit dabei. — First Stop: Reykjavík. Gestern Abend unterzeichnete Pistorius — direkt nach Ankunft — eine Absichtserklärung mit Außenministerin Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir für mehr Zusammenarbeit in der maritimen Logistik und beim Kampf gegen die hybride Bedrohung durch Russland. Island hat zwar keine eigenen Streitkräfte, spielt wegen seiner Lage aber eine zentrale Rolle für die Sicherung des Nordatlantiks. Nur die USA sind hier dauerhaft stationiert mit dem Luftwaffenstützpunkt Keflavík und Seefernaufklärern P-8A Poseidon. Deutschland hat kürzlich das erste Militärflugzeug des Typ P-8 geliefert bekommen. Für Pistorius ist es die erste Reise nach Island — am Mittag geht es weiter. — Next Stop: Ottawa. Auch in Kanada geht es um die Stärkung der Nato-Präsenz im Nordatlantik. Mit dem Beitritt Finnlands und Schwedens sind nun alle Arktis-Anrainer (außer Russland) Nato-Mitglieder. Das soll sichtbar werden. Im Fokus steht die maritime Sicherheitspartnerschaft, die Deutschland, Kanada und Norwegen im vergangenen Jahr gegründet haben. Spannungsfeld Nordatlantik: „Ich reise nicht nach Island und nach Ottawa, um mich auszutauschen, wie sehr wir unter Druck stehen, sondern um die Rüstungskooperation zu vertiefen“, sagte Boris Pistorius vor der Reise bei Berlin Direkt. Nicht alleine da: Neben Pistorius empfängt Verteidigungsminister David McGuinty auch den Norweger Tore Sandvik. Ziel: engere Kooperation bei Ausbildung, Übungen und Operationen — insbesondere zum Schutz kritischer Unterwasserinfrastruktur und zur U-Boot-Abwehr. — Final Stop: Lossiemouth. Am Mittwoch geht es zurück nach Europa. An der schottischen Küste trifft Pistorius seinen Amtsfreund John Healey. FRAGILER FRIEDEN: Die Bundesregierung schaut heute mit Sorge auf den Nahen Osten, wo Israel der Hamas gestern Verletzungen der Waffenruhe vorwarf und seinerseits Ziele im Gazastreifen bombardierte. Hilfslieferungen wurden vorübergehend gestoppt, gleichzeitig hieß es am Abend von israelischer Seite, man wolle die Waffenruhe wieder einhalten. DRUCK AUF PUTIN ERHÖHEN: Ursprünglich wollte die EU beim heutigen Außenministertreffen in Luxemburg über Israel-Sanktionen abstimmen; diese sind nach dem Trump-Friedensdeal aber erstmal vom Tisch. Stattdessen geht es um Russlands Finanzen. So sollen EU-Staaten zusätzliche Befugnisse erhalten, um Schiffe aus Putins Öltanker-Schattenflotte zu boarden und zu inspizieren, wie Jacopo Barigazzi berichtet. Außerdem soll heute ein Verbot zur Einfuhr von russischem Gas ab 2027 angenommen werden. Ungarn und die Slowakei sind strikt dagegen. Der slowakische Premier Robert Fico droht im Streit um die Sanktionen mit einem Veto beim Gipfel der EU-Chefs am Donnerstag. Auch Georgien ist heute Thema: Die Bundesregierung hat ihren Botschafter in Tiflis, Peter Fischer, aus Protest zurückbeordert, nachdem sich verbale Attacken der georgischen Regierung gegen Deutschland, die EU und auch Fischer persönlich gehäuft hatten. Zum Ärger der Regierung hatte der Botschafter unter anderem Gerichtsverhandlungen gegen Oppositionelle besucht. WENIGER RECHTE FÜR NEUE EU-MITGLIEDER? Brüssel erwägt, EU-Beitrittskandidaten wie den Westbalkan-Staaten oder der Ukraine kein Veto-Recht bei Abstimmungen im EU-Rat zu geben. So soll verhindert werden, dass sich das Risiko von Blockaden weiter erhöht, während man gleichzeitig auf interne Reformen drängt, wie Nicholas Vinocur und ich berichten. Derweil hofft die Ukraine auf Fortschritte bei ihren Beitrittsverhandlungen bis Dezember — trotz des Vetos von Ungarns Viktor Orbán, wie Nicolas schreibt. VOLLER PLAN: Von Mittwoch bis Freitag kommen die 16 Ministerpräsidenten in Mainz zu ihrer Jahreskonferenz zusammen, Alexander Schweitzer hat seit dem 1. Oktober den Vorsitz inne. Die Fokuspunkte des Treffens: Das Konnexitätsprinzip, Staatsmodernisierung und die Zukunft des Sozialstaats. Das zeigt die Tagesordnung der dreitägigen Veranstaltung, sie liegt Jasper Bennink vor. Die MPK-Runde ist die letzte vor dem großen Showdown am 4. Dezember in Berlin, bei dem dann auch der Kanzler dabei sein wird. Bis dahin soll eine Lösung bei der Konnexität gefunden werden. Dazu berichtet die im September ins Leben gerufene Bund-Länder-Arbeitsgruppe. Zwei offene aktuelle Fragen bei der Übernahme der Kosten für die Länder vom Bund: Gastrosteuer und Pendlerpauschale. Niedersachsen möchte zudem die Zukunft des Automobilstandorts diskutieren, Rheinland-Pfalz stellt die zivile Verteidigung in den Vordergrund. Was natürlich auch nicht fehlen darf: der Umgang mit dem Wolf. Aber auch die Zukunft der deutschen Chemieindustrie möchte der Gastgeber ins Bewusstsein rufen. Dazu sollen zum traditionellen Kamingespräch vor der offiziellen MPK-Runde BASF-CEO Markus Kamieth und IG BCE-Chef Michael Vassiliadis eingeladen werden. TON MACHT DIE MUSIK: Nach Merz’ Stadtbild-Aussage, die auch knapp eine Woche später noch nachhallt, sorgt sich die SPD-Fraktion um die generelle Rhetorik des Kanzlers, besonders in Migrationsfragen. Schon Ende der vergangenen Woche machten sich Abgeordnete wie Rasha Nasr bei Instagram Luft — hier, hier und hier. Nasr erwartet nun, dass „insbesondere der Bundeskanzler und der Innenminister die vielschichtige Debatte um Migration endlich sachlich, differenziert und verantwortungsvoll führen, ohne Räume für Interpretationen zu schaffen, die Ressentiments verstärken können“, sagt sie zu Jasper und fordert den Kanzler zur Richtigstellung auf. Auch Fraktionsvize Armand Zorn erwarte „vom Bundeskanzler, dass er in Zukunft auf seine Sprache achtet, Brücken baut und den Zusammenhalt in unserer vielfältigen Gesellschaft stärkt“. Die getätigten Aussagen seien „eines Kanzlers nicht würdig“. Adis Ahmetovic befürchtet bei Aussagen wie denen von Merz ein Fischen nach AfD-Wählern. „Sollte die Absicht dahinter sein, die AfD damit kleinzuhalten, dann muss endlich verstanden werden: Das Gegenteil ist der Fall — diese Sprache beflügelt die AfD und ihre Ideologie“, so der außenpolitische Sprecher der Fraktion. LAUT UND KONFRONTATIV: Das Treffen zwischen Donald Trump und Wolodymyr Selensky am vergangenen Freitag lief laut Informationen der Financial Times stärker aus dem Ruder als bisher angenommen: „Von einem Schreiduell“ sollen mehrere Teilnehmer berichtet haben. Grund war wohl die neueste Kehrtwende des US-Präsidenten: Für ihn sind Gebietsabtretungen wieder auf dem Verhandlungstisch. Er soll Selenskyj gedrängt haben, den Donbass abzutreten. „Nun, er wird etwas nehmen“, antwortete Trump in einem Interview mit Fox News auf die Frage, ob Putin bereit wäre, den Krieg zu beenden, „ohne bedeutende Gebiete der Ukraine zu nehmen“. Für die Tomahawk-Raketen, deren Lieferung bis Freitag noch in Aussicht stand, behielt sich Trump vor, erst mal auf Eigenbedarf zu prüfen: „Wir brauchen sie auch für uns selbst“, sagte er. „Wir können nicht alle unsere Waffen an die Ukraine abgeben.“ Nachjustieren wird Trump auch im Nahostkonflikt — dort aber gezwungenermaßen: Ein Tross um Steve Witkoff und Schwiegersohn Jared Kushner soll bereits unterwegs sein. Mehr dazu lesen Sie heute Morgen in unserem US-Newsletter DC Decoded. SPRENGSTOFF: Mehrere EU-Mitgliedstaaten stellen die Einführung des Europäischen Emissionshandelssystems für Verkehr und Gebäude (ETS2) infrage. Der Entwurf eines entsprechenden Briefes liegt Pro Energie und Klima vor. Was genau darin steht und wer zu den Unterzeichnern gehört, lesen Sie in der aktuellen Ausgabe. Hier können Sie ein kostenloses Probeabo abschließen. GESPRÄCHSSTOFF: Heute Nachmittag will sich Katherina Reiche dem Mittelstand widmen. Das wird auch Zeit, könnte man die Stimmung im Vorfeld des Mittelstandsdialogs im Berliner Futurium pointiert zusammenfassen. Welche Erwartungen die Teilnehmer haben und welche Forderungen auf dem Tisch liegen, lesen Sie heute im Pro Industrie und Handel. Hier können Sie sich testweise und kostenlos dafür anmelden. WER ZULETZT LACHT: Samstagfrüh um 4:10 Uhr war er mit dem Regierungsflieger am BER gelandet — zurück aus Washington. Tagsüber ging es dann nach Amsterdam zum Sozialdemokraten-Treffen vor der Holland-Wahl. Am Abend saß Bayern-Fan Lars Klingbeil schließlich mit Vize-Regierungssprecher Steffen Meyer auf der Tribüne in der Münchener Allianz Arena beim deutschen Clásico, den Bayern am Ende knapp gewann. BACK IN THE GAME: Monatelang vermied Olaf Scholz nach dem Ende seiner Kanzlerschaft öffentliche Auftritte. Nun ist er erstmals in einem ausführlichen Interview zu hören — im Podcast Kaffee und Fluchen von Studopolis, einem Forum für junge Menschen. Vor der Podcastaufnahme stellte sich Scholz in einem Bürgerdialog den Fragen von Studenten. Wie er sich dabei geschlagen hat, können Sie hier noch einmal nachhören. BEWÄHRTES PERSONAL: Philipp Türmer möchte sich Ende November erneut zum Juso-Vorsitzenden wählen lassen. Vom 28. bis 30. November tagen die Jungsozialisten in Mannheim. NEUES PERSONAL: Am Freitag hat sich der Unterausschuss Internationale Ordnung, Vereinte Nationen und internationale Organisationen im Deutschen Bundestag konstituiert. Der Grünen-Politiker Boris Mijatovic wurde dabei zum neuen Vorsitzenden gewählt, wie ich erfahren habe. CAREN MIOSGA: Omid Nouripour forderte am Abend mehr Entschlossenheit gegenüber Donald Trump. Putins Donezk-Deal „hat mit Frieden nichts zu tun. Es ist zu Recht so, dass die Ukrainer das nicht akzeptieren“. Die Europäer müssten endlich verstehen, dass sie von Trump „nicht mehr bekommen, als er geben will“. Stattdessen müssten sie selber den Druck auf Putin erhöhen — etwa durch Taurus-Lieferungen. 4 Uhr – Machtwechsel in Bolivien: Senator Rodrigo Paz Pereira gewinnt die Stichwahl ums Präsidentenamt in Bolivien. Der Kandidat der christdemokratischen Partei wird der politischen Mitte zugerechnet. Damit endet eine fast zwei Jahrzehnte andauernde Ära linker Regierungen in Bolivien. 5 Uhr – China wächst langsamer: Das Wirtschaftswachstum in China verlangsamt sich im dritten Quartal mit einem Plus von 4,8 Prozent weiter, so das Statistikamt der zweitgrößten Volkswirtschaft. In den ersten beiden Quartalen war Chinas Wirtschaft noch um 5,4 Prozent bzw. 5,2 Prozent gewachsen. — Die Regierungspressekonferenz findet um 11:30 Uhr mit Stefan Kornelius statt. — Cyber-Behörde: In München besucht Alexander Dobrindt um 13:50 Uhr die Zentrale Stelle für Informationstechnik im Sicherheitsbereich (ZITiS). — Landwirtschaft und Ernährung: Um 15 Uhr trifft sich Alois Rainer in München zum Gespräch mit dem Geschäftsführer der Messe München, Reinhard Pfeiffer. In Vierkirchen geht es anschließend um 16:45 Uhr für ihn weiter im Gespräch mit dem Fleischprüfring Bayern e.V.. — Mittelstand: Um 15:20 Uhr wird am Futurium in Berlin ein Pressestatement vor dem Mittelstandsdialog von Katherina Reiche und Gitta Connemann erwartet. Zuvor — um 13 Uhr — ist Connemann gemeinsam mit Wolfram Weimer im Kanzleramt im Austausch mit Verbänden der Kultur- und Kreativwirtschaft. — Zukunftstechnologien: Um 18:45 Uhr wird Karsten Wildberger in Ingolstadt bei der Veranstaltung „Zukunftsstrategie Deutschlands in den Bereichen Digitalisierung und Innovation“ der Artificial Intelligence Network Ingolstadt (AININ) gGmbH reden. — Hohe Filmkunst: Ab 16:30 Uhr zeigt die Landesvertretung Nordrhein-Westfalens in Berlin den Film „2000 Meters to Andriivka“, in dem die Auswirkungen des Krieges in der Ukraine in persönlichen Geschichten erzählt werden. Im Anschluss — um circa 18:30 Uhr — folgt dem Film eine Panel-Diskussion mit dem Regisseur Mstyslav Chernov und dem Produzenten Fabian Gasmia. Wer dabei sein möchte, kann sich hier anmelden. BESTES HERBSTWETTER: Bei viel Sonne und bis zu 11 °C bleibt es heute trocken. GRUSS AUS DER KÜCHE: — Mitarbeiterrestaurant JKH: Kartoffel-Eintopf mit Wurzelgemüse wahlweise mit Knacker oder Fruchtiges Linsencurry mit Kokosmilch, Kartoffeln, Kürbis-Falafelbällchen und Dattel-Zimt-Dip — Lampenladen PLH: Spanferkel-Rollbraten in eigener Soße, dazu Rosenkohl und Salzkartoffeln oder Semmelknödel mit Waldpilzragout und Blattpetersilie GEBURTSTAGE: Maximilian Kneller, AfD-MdB (32), Erik Marquardt, Mitglied des Grünen-Parteirats (38), Jessica Heide, Bildungsstaatssekretärin im Saarland (45), Wolfgang Wiehle, AfD-MdB (61) Regierungsviertel: Jasper Bennink, Hans von der Burchard, Carlotta Diederich, Rixa Fürsen, Jürgen Klöckner, Pauline von Pezold und Gordon Repinski Internationales Team: James Angelos, Chris Lunday und Nette Nöstlinger Industrie und Handel: Laura Hülsemann, Thorsten Mumme, Romanus Otte, Frida Preuß und Tom Schmidtgen Energie und Klima: Josh Groeneveld, Frederike Holewik, Joana Lehner und Johanna Sahlberg. Brussels Decoded: Oliver Noyan und Anouk Schlung DC Decoded: Julius Brinkmann, Maximilian Lembke, Franziska Nocke und Oliver Noyan Produktion: Dean Southwell Das war die 407. Ausgabe des Berlin Playbook! Schicken Sie mir Feedback hier. Wenn Sie es noch nicht abonniert haben, können Sie das hier kostenlos tun. Ich wünsche Ihnen einen guten Start in die Woche! Herzlichst Rasmus Buchsteiner **(Anzeige) Eine Nachricht von YouTube: Seit YouTube 2007 das Partnerprogramm startete, ist eine neue Generation von Medienschaffenden entstanden. Die Idee war damals revolutionär: Kreative fair am Wert ihrer Inhalte zu beteiligen und mehr als die Hälfte der Werbeeinnahmen direkt an Creatorinnen und Creator weiterzugeben. Heute ist daraus eine florierende Creator-Branche geworden, die einen signifikanten Beitrag zur deutschen Kreativwirtschaft leistet. Eine von Oxford Economics durchgeführte Studie unterstreicht dies: Das kreative Ökosystem von YouTube trug 2024 über 1 Milliarde Euro zum deutschen BIP bei. Kreativschaffende können so in Inhalte und Teams reinvestieren, was die Wirtschaft weiter stärkt. Alle Details zum Beitrag von YouTube im vollständigen Bericht nachlesen.** ABONNIEREN Sie die Newsletter von POLITICO: Brussels Playbook | London Playbook | London Playbook PM | Playbook Paris | EU Election Playbook | Berlin Playbook | Global Playbook | POLITICO Confidential | Sunday Crunch | EU Influence | London Influence | Berlin Bulletin | Living Cities | D.C. Playbook | D.C. Influence | Canada Playbook | POLITICO Pro
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Rasmus Buchsteiner
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2025-10-20T05:00:00Z
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2025-10-20T05:00:00Z
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2025-10-20T17:12:41Z
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https://www.politico.eu/newsletter/berlin-playbook/so-will-merz-die-brandmauer-debatte-beenden/
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Lettre recommandée
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Synthèse vocale générée par l'IA Présenté par Amazon Par ANTHONY LATTIER PRÉSENTÉ PAR Envoyez vos infos | Abonnez-vous gratuitement | Voir dans le navigateur CHANGEMENT DE BRAQUET. Il a fallu sept minutes hier matin pour braquer le Louvre et un peu plus pour que le fait divers prenne une tournure très politique. En point d’orgue de la journée, Emmanuel Macron a déploré une “atteinte” au patrimoine français. Le chef de l’Etat a promis que les oeuvres — huit bijoux d’une valeur inestimable — seront “retrouv[ées]” et que les auteurs de ce vol sidérant seront “traduits en justice”. Il veut sa com. Alors que les failles de sécurité du Louvre — et des autres musées français — ont rapidement été pointées, le tout nouveau président de la commission des Affaires culturelles a décidé de sauter lui aussi sur l’événement : Alexandre Portier, député Les Républicains, va proposer cette semaine la création à l’Assemblée d’une commission d’enquête parlementaire “sur la protection du patrimoine des Français et la sécurité des musées”, a appris Playbook hier soir. Flagrant débit. La gauche parisienne a immédiatement trouvé la responsable : la ministre de la Culture. Ces accusations, ici ou là, sont à relier bien sûr à l’élection municipale de mars pour laquelle fait campagne Rachida Dati — nous reparlons de ce scrutin un peu plus bas. Bonjour à tous, nous sommes lundi 20 octobre 2025. Bon début de semaine. EN LETTRE CAPITALE. Frappez les trois coups : l’examen tant attendu (surtout pour les no life comme nous) du budget 2026 démarre enfin ce lundi en commission des Finances de l’Assemblée nationale. Place à plusieurs semaines de débats dont l’issue est inextricablement liée à la suspension de la réforme des retraites, condition sine qua non à une non-censure des députés socialistes. **Un message d'Amazon : Chez Amazon, plus de 50 % des commandes sont désormais livrées avec moins d’emballage, voire sans aucun emballage additionnel. En savoir plus.** Un certain cachet. Ce sont eux, justement, qui ont proposé, mercredi dernier, aux services de Sébastien Lecornu de recourir à une “lettre rectificative” pour traduire cette promesse dans la réalité, a appris Playbook auprès de deux cadres du groupe PS, hier soir. La piste est donc sur le bureau de Matignon depuis le milieu de la semaine dernière, même si elle n’a émergé que samedi dans le débat public. Le constitutionnaliste Benjamin Morel en a fait mention sur X avant que Marine Le Pen, Jean-Luc Mélenchon ou encore Eric Coquerel, le président de la commission des Finances, s’en emparent pour réclamer d’en passer par ce moyen. De quoi parle-t-on ? D’une manière plus efficace pour garantir la suspension de la réforme des retraites (la “SRR”, comme nous avons décidé de la surnommer pour gagner de la place). Sa survie politique en dépendant, le Premier ministre “doit choisir le véhicule [législatif] le plus sûr”, soulignait le député socialiste Jérôme Guedj, joint hier, favorable à cette solution. Dans le détail, il s’agirait de compléter le projet de loi de financement de la Sécurité sociale (PLFSS), examiné à partir de jeudi en commission, par une “lettre rectificative” comprenant la SSR, plutôt que d’introduire, pendant les débats, un amendement au budget de la Sécu, piste jusque là privilégiée. Avantage : la mesure serait directement intégrée au texte initial. Or le gouvernement ne pourrait retenir que celui-ci s’il était contraint de recourir à des ordonnances pour faire passer le budget. Autrement dit : même si le PLFSS n’était pas adopté par le Parlement, la suspension de la réforme serait conservée. Le choix, déterminant donc, de la procédure doit être arbitré à Matignon dans les prochains jours. ÇA TAXE OU ÇA CASSE. En attendant, c’est par la première partie du projet de la loi de finances, celle qui fixe les recettes de l’Etat, que démarrent les travaux de la commission des Finances de l’Assemblée à 9 heures — Dimanchissime vous en touchait un mot hier. Une répétition générale avant le débat, forcément plus agité, dans l’hémicycle, à partir de vendredi. Test. Que restera-t-il, fin décembre, de la copie rédigée par Matignon et Bercy ? Difficile de le dire : le non-recours au 49.3 et l’absence de majorité rendent tout pronostic incertain. Le passage en commission permettra d’évaluer les rapports de force. Contributions. 1 749 amendements ont été déposés alors que la commission aurait aimé qu’ils soient limités à 1 250 pour respecter les délais. Les débats porteront notamment sur la taxe sur les “holdings patrimoniales” ou la prorogation de la contribution sur les hauts revenus, voulues par le gouvernement mais rejetées par une partie des députés macronistes. Les demandes des oppositions qui feront parler : la “taxe Zucman” sur les hauts patrimoines voulue par les socialistes, l’“impôt sur la fortune financière” défendu par le Rassemblement national, ou encore l’“impôt sur la fortune climatique” réclamé par la gauche. Une frénésie fiscale qui fait déjà suer à grosses gouttes le nouveau ministre de l’Economie Roland Lescure, qui fixe sa ligne dans Les Echos, ce matin (“attention au ras-le-bol fiscal”, met-il en garde), ainsi que le nouveau rapporteur général du budget, Philippe Juvin. Le député LR veut se battre pour supprimer des dépenses plutôt qu’augmenter les recettes. Il a donné ses priorités dans la presse ce week-end (ici et là). ATTAL S’IMPLIQUE. Rachida Dati saura bientôt si Renaissance la soutiendra ou non dès le premier tour des municipales. Gabriel Attal met les mains dans le cambouis : il va s’entretenir en début de semaine avec les “principaux protagonistes” du feuilleton parisien, nous apprenait l’un de ses proches hier, sans nous dire qui précisément. Le secrétaire général du parti veut prendre une décision “dans les prochains jours” alors qu’en interne, ses troupes sont plus divisées que jamais. Ce qui a (re)mis le feu aux poudres. La présence du président de la fédération Renaissance de la capitale Sylvain Maillard et du ministre Benjamin Haddad à l’inauguration du QG de campagne de Rachida Dati — que vous narrait Playbook vendredi — a fait bondir une partie des cadres parisiens du parti. Jouer collectif. Ceux-là, qui rechignent à se ranger derrière Dati, s’en sont émus sur une boucle interne du “comité politique” de la fédé de Paris de Renaissance — sur laquelle votre infolettre a pu jeter un oeil — accusant Sylvain Maillard d’afficher son choix avant même la décision du parti. Ce à quoi le député de Paris, trouvant “usant” que ce type de reproches lui soit fait, a répondu aux intéressés que lui voulait “vraiment” gagner Paris. Sous-entendu, seul le soutien à Dati le permettrait. Les deux autres options sur la table pour Renaissance : un soutien au candidat philippiste Pierre-Yves Bournazel (envisagé très sérieusement) ou l’investiture d’un candidat Renaissance. L’ex-ministre Clément Beaune défend cette dernière option — espérant être celui-là — et a plaidé ce week-end pour l’organisation d’un vote interne des militants macronistes. ATTENTION FRAGILE. Les frappes sont terminées. Israël a annoncé hier soir qu’il respectait de nouveau la trêve après avoir bombardé plusieurs cibles du Hamas dans la bande de Gaza, démontrant la précarité du cessez-le-feu entre les deux parties. Que fait-on des sanctions ? Cette question sera au coeur des discussions entre ministres européens des Affaires étrangères aujourd’hui à Luxembourg. Souvenez-vous, la présidente de la Commission européenne Ursula von der Leyen avait annoncé en septembre une série de réprimandes vis-à-vis du gouvernement Netanyahou. Mais, les capitales du Vieux continent privilégient désormais l’accord autour du plan Trump, me glissent mes collègues de Bruxelles. Après leurs ministres, les chefs d’Etat et de gouvernement devraient alors remballer les propositions de sanctions lors du Conseil européen, jeudi et vendredi. Garder la ligne. Pas question toutefois que la diplomatie européenne s’efface derrière le succès de Washington. Une note du service extérieur de l’UE, interceptée par POLITICO, détaille les efforts à déployer pour s’assurer que ses positions soient respectées, avec notamment la poursuite d’une solution à deux Etats. Mes collègues Jacopo Barigazzi et Gabriel Gavin vous en disent plus dans cet article (gratuit et en anglais). Emmanuel Macron est en Slovénie à l’occasion du douzième Sommet des pays du Sud de l’Union européenne (Med9), qui se tient jusqu’à demain. Il arrive à 11 heures pour entamer la session de travail. A 14 heures, il participe à un déjeuner avec les chefs d’Etat, de gouvernement et d’institutions, consacré à la situation au Proche et Moyen-Orient. Une conférence de presse est prévue à 16 heures. A 17h30, Emmanuel Macron et Robert Golob, Premier ministre de Slovénie, se rendent au port de Koper pour visiter le navire CMA-CGM Hermes et signer un accord de construction d’un terminal roulier. Ils dînent ensemble à 20h45. Gérald Darmanin se rend au tribunal judiciaire de Nanterre où il participe à une table ronde avec les magistrats du pôle national “Cold Cases”. Benjamin Haddad est en déplacement au Luxembourg jusqu’à demain, pour le Conseil des Affaires générales. Charlotte Parmentier-Lecocq reçoit Constance Bensussan, secrétaire générale adjointe de l’Elysée et Grégory Emery, conseiller santé, handicap et personnes âgées du président. Assemblée nationale : A 9 heures, la commission des Finances nomme les rapporteurs et entame l’examen de la première partie du projet de loi de finances (PLF) 2026. Sénat : A 16 heures, en séance publique, proposition de loi visant à permettre à une commune d’être intégrée, pour une partie de son territoire, à un parc naturel national (PNN) et, pour une autre partie, à un parc naturel régional (PNR). Proposition de loi constitutionnelle visant à garantir la prééminence des lois de la République. Enfin, PPL relative aux formations en santé. Session plénière au Parlement européen, jusqu’au 23. Conférence de presse à l’Assemblée nationale des députés Jean-Philippe Tanguy, Thomas Ménagé, et Frédéric Falcon pour présenter les mesures du groupe Rassemblement national sur la rénovation énergétique des bâtiments. 7h15. France 2 : Bruno Jeudy, directeur délégué de La Tribune Dimanche. 7h30. Public Sénat : Rachid Temal, sénateur PS du Val-d’Oise. 7h40. TF1 : Patrick Martin, président du Medef … RTL : Sébastien Chenu, vice-président RN de l’Assemblée nationale. 7h45. Radio J : Jean-Christophe Cambadélis, ancien premier secrétaire du PS. 7h50. France Inter : Gérald Darmanin, ministre de la Justice. 8h00. Public Sénat : Françoise Gatel, ministre de l’Aménagement du territoire et de la Décentralisation. 8h10. Europe 1/CNEWS : Hervé Morin, président des Centristes, président de la Région Normandie … France 2 : Eric Dupond-Moretti, ancien ministre de la Justice. 8h15. Radio Classique : Dominique Moïsi, membre de l’Institut français des relations internationales (IFRI) … Sud Radio : Othman Nasrou, secrétaire général des Républicains … RTL : Patrick Balkany, ancien maire de Levallois-Perret. 8h20. France Inter : Sylvain Tesson, écrivain, aventurier … RFI : Sylvie Bermann, ancienne ambassadrice de France à Pékin, Londres et Moscou. 8h30. Franceinfo : Michel-Edouard Leclerc, président du comité stratégique des centres E.Leclerc … BFMTV/RMC : François-Xavier Bellamy, eurodéputé LR. DANS NOS NEWSLETTERS PRO CE MATIN : PARIS INFLUENCE : Budget 2026 : prêts, feu, amendez (mais pas trop) ! … Le SNU bien SNUpprimé … Emmanuelle Wargon se verrait bien à la Cour des comptes, et pour longtemps … Les élus parisiens cherchent un coup de main sur leur veille réputationnelle. TECH MATIN : Sommet sur la souveraineté : l’Elysée bat enfin le rappel, les Allemands font partir les invitations … De nouveau reporté, le projet de loi cyber se retrouve sans rapporteur … Exclu : POLITICO publie l’avis du think tank The Good Advertising Project sur le Digital Fairness Act. ÉNERGIE & CLIMAT : Réseau de chaleur, un dossier brûlant dès aujourd’hui entre les mains d’Hidalgo… Budget : La gauche prie pour que le gouvernement ne passe pas l’Ifer … Sortez la clim, le RN dévoile aujourd’hui son plan pour la rénovation énergétique. DANS LE JORF. Laurent Nuñez complète son cabinet avec Xavier Pelletier (dircab adjoint), Julien Robinet (chef adjoint de cabinet) et les conseillers Christelle Monteagudo (communication), Boris Mazeau (Parlement et élus), Juliette de Clermont-Tonnerre (discours), Mathilde Grammont (diplomatie), Caroline Gontran (justice et affaires pénales), Perrine Barré (budget, modernisation du ministère) et Frédéric Garnier (immigration et cultes). Le cabinet de Catherine Chabaud est dirigé par Frédéric de Carmoy et cheffé par Mandy Tinot. A la tête de celui de Sébastien Martin, on retrouve Laurent Suster (dircab), Marie Perra (cheffe de cabinet), alors que Paul-Alexandre Sala est nommé conseiller parlementaire. Telma Poizat rejoint Eléonore Caroit comme cheffe de cabinet. Trois directeurs adjoints de cabinet complètent l’équipe de Stéphanie Rist au ministère de la Santé, chapeautée par Lise Alter : Hadrien Mignon (enfance et famille), Jeanne Lanquetot-Moreno (comptes sociaux) et Stéphane Mulliez (santé), accompagnés des conseillers Clémence Lena (sécurité sanitaire, santé environnementale, outre-mer et diplomatie), Louis Culot (financement du système de santé et produits de santé) et Jordan Challier (formation, compétences, attractivité des métiers et dialogue social). Naïma Moutchou fait appel à Laurent Prevost (dircab), Juan Diaz del Cano (conseiller spécial), Nathalie Fortis (cheffe de cabinet), Nathan Smadja (chef de cabinet adjoint) et Marc Inquimbert (Parlement et élus). Sabry Hani dirige le cabinet de Vincent Jeanbrun, avec Richard Smith comme adjoint et Florent Martel comme conseiller logement. MÉTÉO. Un temps maussade et pluvieux s’installe à Paris pour entamer la semaine. ANNIVERSAIRES : Eric Bothorel, député apparenté EPR des Côtes-d’Armor … Fabienne Keller, députée européenne Renew … André Santini, maire UDI d’Issy-les-Moulineaux … François Vannson, président LR du conseil départemental des Vosges … Georges Ziegler, président LR du conseil départemental de la Loire … Béatrice Bellamy, députée Horizons de Vendée … Stéphanie Galzy, députée RN de l’Hérault. PLAYLIST. Moonshiner, Cat Power. Un grand merci à : Elisa Bertholomey, notre éditeur Matthieu Verrier, Kenza Pacenza pour la veille et Dean Southwell pour la mise en ligne. **Un message d'Amazon : Dans le cadre de son engagement d'atteindre zéro émission nette de CO2 d'ici 2040, Amazon fait de la réduction de l'impact des emballages un pilier essentiel de sa stratégie. Notre priorité est d'éliminer les emballages inutiles grâce à notre programme 'Expédié sansemballage supplémentaire', qui privilégie l'expédition des articles dans leur emballage d'origine. En 2023, 12% de nos colis dans le monde ont voyagé ainsi, représentant plus d'un milliard de livraisons en Europe sur cinq ans. Aujourd'hui, plus de 50% des colis Amazon en Europe sont livrés sans boîte carton, utilisant à la place des sacs en papier et des enveloppes cartonnées plus légers et entièrement recyclables. Nos algorithmes de pointe déterminent la taille optimale des emballages nécessaires, permettant de maximiser l'espace dans nos véhicules de livraison et ainsi réduire le nombre de trajets nécessaires. Ces initiatives ont déjà permis d'économiser plus de 4 millions de tonnes de matériaux depuis 2015. En savoir plus.** ABONNEZ-VOUS aux newsletters de POLITICO (en anglais): Brussels Playbook | London Playbook | London Playbook PM | Playbook Paris | Berlin Playbook | POLITICO Confidential | Sunday Crunch | EU Influence | London Influence | Berlin Bulletin | Living Cities | D.C. Playbook | D.C. Influence | POLITICO Pro newsletters
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Anthony Lattier
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[] |
Uncategorized
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[] |
2025-10-20T05:00:00Z
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2025-10-20T05:00:00Z
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2025-10-20T05:00:00Z
| 7,352,946
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https://www.politico.eu/newsletter/playbook-paris/lettre-recommandee/
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Le réseau de chaleur parisien, le dernier dossier brûlant d’Anne Hidalgo
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Ce marché à 25 milliards d’euros oppose Engie et une filiale d’EDF à la veille d’un changement de main dans la capitale. PARIS — Avant Noël, un cadeau légèrement encombrant doit atterrir au pied du sapin de la mairie de Paris. Lors du prochain conseil, du 16 au 19 décembre, les 163 élus devront se prononcer sur le nom de l’entreprise qui gèrera le réseau de chaleur de la ville, le plus important de France. Selon plusieurs personnes au fait du dossier, les candidats ont jusqu’à ce lundi pour déposer leur offre et espérer remporter ce marché, entouré d’un épais mur de secrets. Deux équipes s’opposent : Engie, gestionnaire sortant, s’est associé pour l’occasion avec Idex, quand Dalkia, filiale d’EDF, est accompagnée par Eiffage et la RATP. Alors que le processus de renouvellement entame enfin sa dernière ligne droite, l’opposition de droite voudrait repousser l’échéance de décembre, pour que le (ou la) maire élu en mars prochain ait le dernier mot après sa victoire. Certains élus parlent de ce contrat comme du contrat du siècle : un chiffre d’affaires estimé à 15 milliards sur 25 ans, soit la durée de la prochaine concession. Le chauffage urbain alimente déjà 100% des hôpitaux parisiens et l’équivalent de 425 000 logements et devra encore s’étendre. Le consortium qui remportera l’appel d’offres devra notamment augmenter de 65% le nombre d’abonnés d’ici à 2050. Il lui faudra en parallèle trouver du foncier et créer entre cinq et neuf nouvelles centrales sur la même période. Preuve que la candidature est en soi une épreuve titanesque : les perdants seront indemnisés à hauteur de 3 millions d’euros. C’est précisément l’ampleur et l’importance de l’enjeu qui justifie, selon la droite parisienne, qu’Anne Hidalgo laisse la voie libre à son successeur. Sinon, “la prochaine équipe se trouvera pied et poings liés pour un quart de siècle”, appuie David Alphand, responsable du programme de Rachida Dati, la candidate soutenue par Les Républicains. Attribuée pour la première fois il y a presque un siècle, en 1927, cette concession a été depuis renouvelée à treize reprises, sans ouverture à la concurrence. Y a-t-il vraiment urgence à tout remettre en jeu maintenant ? “On pourrait imaginer un avenant supplémentaire”, plaide encore David Alphand. Un souhait partagé par Thierry Mariani :“On n’engage pas les 25 prochaines années dans les trois derniers mois” de mandat, s’insurge celui qui sera le candidat RN pour la capitale. Emmanuel Grégoire, ex-bras droit d’Anne Hidalgo et candidat à sa succession, considère qu’il revient à la maire de fixer l’ordre du jour. “C’est à elle seule de décider”, insiste le socialiste, sans trop se mouiller. Quant au candidat écologiste David Belliard, un de ses proches explique qu’en période d’appel d’offres, il lui est impossible de répondre. Les opposants au report expliquent que relancer ce dossier prendrait trop de temps, “un an minimum ou ce n’est pas sérieux”, pointe le communiste Jean-Noël Aqua. La cégétiste Nadia Lahouazi, du syndicat des producteurs d’énergie de la région parisienne, estime elle aussi que le dossier, longtemps retardé, doit maintenant aller vite : “Engie a arrêté d’investir, ce serait catastrophique si ça devait être repoussé.” Politiquement, un point semble — du moins en apparence — faire consensus : le réseau de chaleur sera le principal atout de la ville pour atteindre les objectifs en matière de transition énergétique. Paris vise notamment la neutralité carbone en 2050. Le verdissement du réseau de chaleur est donc un impératif majeur. Il devra être alimenté à 75% d’énergies renouvelables et de récupération en 2030 et à 100 % à l’horizon 2050, contre 51% aujourd’hui. Ce qui veut dire arrêter ou reconvertir les chaudières à gaz existantes. C’est un objectif “exigeant” mais qui n’est “pas irréaliste”, juge Emmanuel Grégoire. Chez LR, David Alphand pense, lui, qu’il ne sera “vraisemblablement pas atteint” et reproche à la majorité de gauche ses effets d’affichage. Côté postulants, impossible d’avoir le moindre avis sur cette question comme sur les autres, Engie et Dalkia étant soumis à des clauses de confidentialité. Yves Lederer, le patron de Coriance, quatrième acteur du secteur — qui gère déjà un réseau de chaleur 100% renouvelables pour la ville de Garges-lès-Gonesse et a un temps envisagé de candidater à Paris — trouve cela “ambitieux mais faisable”, moyennant des investissements. A la mairie de Paris, le mutisme est aussi la règle. Car sans être directement nommé, le dossier a été identifié comme “particulièrement sensible” par le comité de déontologie de la ville en 2023, comme l’a révélé POLITICO. Il faut dire que la mairie est à la fois attributrice du marché public, mais aussi partie prenante de la Compagnie parisienne de chauffage urbain, qui gère l’actuel réseau de chaleur. Le comité a suggéré “une séparation des missions au sein de l’exécutif et de l’administration” tout au long de l’examen des offres, selon son bilan 2023. En janvier dernier, pour continuer de cloisonner, le polytechnicien Antoine du Souich a été recruté pour devenir le directeur de projet de renouvellement de la concession. Prudents, les élus se gardent bien d’émettre une préférence entre Engie et Dalkia. Ils veulent faire de ce marché public un marché au-dessus de tout soupçon. Un élu, qui suit pourtant le dossier de près, note que rien ne fuite sur les projets des deux géants du secteur. Il croit toutefois savoir que tout est “très ouvert”, même si le sortant qui a toujours “plus d’atouts” en main. “Il faut être un mastodonte pour prétendre à un tel marché”, souligne Nadia Lahouazi de la CGT. Et même les mastodonte doivent trouver des alliés. Avec la RATP, Dalkia pourra par exemple compter sur un partenaire qui a déjà expérimenté la récupération de la chaleur du métro pour alimenter un mini-réseau de chaleur ; quant à Engie, l’entreprise a avec elle Idex, le troisième plus important acteur du secteur. Veolia et Coriance ont préféré, eux, lâcher l’affaire. Veolia n’avait pas digéré qu’Engie remporte l’attribution du réseau de froid parisien, alors que son dossier “était mieux disant”, lançait sa PDG Estelle Brachlianoff dans Le Nouvel Obs. “On ne nous y reprendra pas deux fois”, concluait-elle. Ce sentiment de n’être pas vraiment désiré est partagé par Coriance. Son patron Yves Lederer avance également d’autres raisons à sa non-participation : “Les attendus du cahier des charges étaient pour nous une quadrature du cercle : il fallait verser 640 millions à Engie pour reprendre ses usines et il y avait énormément d’investissements à réaliser. De l’ordre de 1,5 à 2 milliards.” Sans compter les sujets de fonciers à trouver et l’augmentation attendue du taux d’énergies renouvelables et de récupération, dans un contexte d’augmentation des prix de la valorisation des déchets ménagers en chaleur. “Le tout en évitant d’augmenter le tarif de chauffage pour les Parisiens”, relève Yves Lederer. Voilà aussi pourquoi le contrat du siècle est un sujet brûlant. Judith Chetrit a contribué à cet article. Il a été corrigé pour préciser l’objectif de décarbonation du réseau de chaleur. Changement ou continuité ? POLITICO vous donne les députés sur la ligne de départ pour les présidences des commissions permanentes et les deux postes de rapporteurs du budget. Le dernier film de Pierre Schoeller met en scène des ingénieurs du nucléaire en proie au doute. Depuis qu’il n’y a plus de rôle politique national, l’ancien ministre de la Transition écologique prospère dans le conseil, au risque du mélange des genres. Peu à l’aise avec les récentes saillies antirenouvelables de leurs collègues, des élus LR travaillent à la définition d’une écologie de droite.
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Arthur Nazaret
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Ce marché à 25 milliards d’euros oppose Engie et une filiale d’EDF à la veille d’un changement de main dans la capitale.
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[
"actualité",
"décarbonation"
] |
Energie et Climat France
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[] |
2025-10-20T04:30:00Z
|
2025-10-20T04:30:00Z
|
2025-10-29T09:38:50Z
| 7,347,903
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https://www.politico.eu/article/le-reseau-de-chaleur-parisien-le-dernier-dossier-brulant-danne-hidalgo/
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Merz’ Spagat zwischen AfD-Debatte und Chemieindustrie
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Listen on Ein Montag mit zwei Baustellen für den Kanzler: Friedrich Merz kämpft parteiintern mit der Frage nach der Brandmauer zur Af – und industriepolitisch mit der schwächelnden Chemieindustrie. In Berlin präsentiert er seine Linie gegen Rechts, in Hannover spricht er beim Kongress der Industriegewerkschaft Bergbau, Chemie, Energie. Rasmus Buchsteiner analysiert beide Baustellen. Im 200-Sekunden-Interview fordert Michael Vassiliadis, Chef der Chemiegewerkschaft, einen echten Chemie-Gipfel, sinkende Energiepreise und mehr Verantwortung von deutschen Managern: Standortflucht ist keine Lösung, sagt er. Und Hans von der Burchard berichtet über das bevorstehende Treffen der EU-Außenminister: neue Sanktionen gegen Russland, Ungarns Blockade und Deutschlands Botschafter-Rückruf aus Georgien. Das Berlin Playbook als Podcast gibt es jeden Morgen ab 5 Uhr. Gordon Repinski und das POLITICO-Team liefern Politik zum Hören – kompakt, international, hintergründig. Für alle Hauptstadt-Profis:Der Berlin Playbook-Newsletter bietet jeden Morgen die wichtigsten Themen und Einordnungen. Jetzt kostenlos abonnieren. Mehr von Host und POLITICO Executive Editor Gordon Repinski:Instagram: @gordon.repinski | X: @GordonRepinski.
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Gordon Repinski
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[
"bergbau",
"der podcast",
"economic performance",
"eu-russia relations",
"european defense",
"german politics",
"negotiations",
"playbook",
"russia sanctions",
"war in ukraine",
"politics"
] |
Playbook
|
[
"Germany"
] |
2025-10-20T04:00:00Z
|
2025-10-20T04:00:00Z
|
2025-10-20T04:00:00Z
| 7,353,045
|
https://www.politico.eu/podcast/berlin-playbook-podcast/merz-spagat-zwischen-afd-debatte-und-chemieindustrie/
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With the rise of AI, reskilling is a necessity, not a choice
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The above column is sponsor-generated content. To learn more about our advertising solutions, click here. The above column is sponsor-generated content. To learn more about our advertising solutions, click here. §§cs§§
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POLITICO Studio
|
[
"artificial intelligence",
"digital skills",
"education",
"higher education",
"labor",
"skills"
] |
Technology
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[] |
2025-10-20T03:00:00Z
|
2025-10-20T03:00:00Z
|
2025-10-20T03:00:00Z
| 7,162,101
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https://www.politico.eu/sponsored-content/with-the-rise-of-ai-reskilling-is-a-necessity-not-a-choice/
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ECB union sues bank over attempts to silence union reps
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Labor relations in Frankfurt have hit a new low. The European Central Bank’s staff union is taking the bank to court, accusing ECB management of trying to silence and intimidate its representatives in violation of the principles of European democracy. The case, lodged with the European Court of Justice on Oct. 13, marks the latest escalation in a battle between union representatives and management, where relations have deteriorated since Christine Lagarde took over as ECB president in 2019. The action contests a series of letters the bank addressed to the International and European Public Services Organization (IPSO) union and one of its senior representatives “restricting staff and union representatives from speaking publicly about workplace concerns, such as favoritism and the ‘culture of fear’ at the ECB,” the union said in a statement. These letters constitute “an unlawful interference” with basic freedoms guaranteed by the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and the European Convention on Human Rights, the union said. “Freedom of expression and association are not privileges; they are the foundation of the European project.” An ECB spokesperson said the bank does not comment on court cases, but that it “is firmly committed to the freedom of expression and the rule of law, operating within a clear employment framework that is closely aligned with EU Staff Regulations and is subject to European Court of Justice scrutiny.” The first letter, signed by the ECB’s Chief Services Officer Myriam Moufakkir, came in response to an interview given by union spokesperson Carlos Bowles to Germany’s Boersen-Zeitung daily paper, published May 7. In it, Bowles had warned that a culture of fear may contribute to self-censorship, groupthink and poor policy decisions. The interview came at a time when the ECB’s failure to anticipate the worst bout of inflation in half a century had provoked widespread and public soul-searching by policymakers. It also followed a union survey in which around two-thirds of respondents said being in the good graces of powerful figures was the key to career advancement at the ECB, rather than job performance. According to the IPSO union, Moufakkir responded with a letter stressing that staff and union representatives must not make public claims of a “culture of fear” within the institution or its possible effects on ECB operations — including its forecasting work, which had come under especially intense scrutiny. It also accused Bowles of breaching his duty of loyalty under the ECB’s internal code of conduct, and instructed him to refrain from public statements that could “damage the ECB’s reputation.” A later letter by Moufakkir, addressed to IPSO dated Aug. 1 and seen by POLITICO, spells out the thinking. In it she stresses that the right of “staff representatives ... to address the media without prior approval ... applies exclusively to ‘matters falling within their mandate’. It does not apply to the ECB’s conduct of monetary policy, including its response to inflation.” In his interview, Bowles made no reference to current or future policy but rather to a work environment that he said fostered groupthink. Lagarde herself had warned against such risks, denouncing economists the previous year in Davos as a “tribal clique” and arguing that a diversity of views leads to better outcomes. Bowles had made similar statements to the media before, such as in an interview with the Handelsblatt daily paper published in January 2016, without eliciting any reaction from the bank’s management. Contacted by POLITICO for this story, the ECB said it had “stringent measures to ensure analytical work meets the highest standards of academic rigor and objectivity, which are essential to the ECB’s mandate of price stability and banking supervision.” Moufakkir suggested that Bowles’ comments undermine trust in the ECB and that this trust is crucial if the ECB is to deliver on its mandate. “Freedom of expression, which constitutes a fundamental right, does not override the duty of loyalty to which all ECB staff are bound,” she argued. Bowles rejected that framing, arguing in a letter to Moufakkir that he had a “professional obligation” to address such issues and their impact on the ECB’s capacity to fulfil its mission. The trouble, according to the union, is that Moufakkir addressed the first two letters to an individual union representative (Bowles) who was speaking on its behalf, effectively undermining the union’s collective voice. In her email, the union said, Moufakkir also “heavily misrepresented” Bowles’s comments and accused him of misconduct without affording him a hearing. In her letter from Aug. 1, Moufakkir maintained that her original letter to Bowles “was not a formal decision” to be recorded in his personal file, but rather a “reminder and clarification of applicable rules.” “Its purpose was not to intimidate or silence Mr Bowles but to highlight to him the importance of prudence and external communications about ECB matters,” she wrote. The union said it sees this framing as an effort by the ECB to shield itself from judicial review: the letter addressed to Bowles was marked ECB-CONFIDENTIAL and Personal, conveying the impression of an official document. According to a person familiar with the matter, a special appeal launched by Bowles to the executive board to retract Moufakkir’s instruction has since been dismissed — without addressing its substance — because the letters had no binding legal effect and were therefore inadmissible. That has now prompted the union to turn to the ECJ; a response to a second appeal by Bowles remains outstanding. The union said that what it perceived as attempts by the ECB to silence union representatives have succeeded: Previously scheduled media interviews have been “cancelled due to fear of retaliation.” When contacted for comment, Bowles declined, citing the same reason. The ECB will have two months to submit its defense to the court. As an EU institution, the ECB is neither subject to German labor laws nor to similar rules in other EU member states and instead enjoys extensive scope to set and interpret its own rules. Out of 91 employment-related court cases since the bank’s inception, the ECB has won 71. Regardless of the legal implications, the union warned that the ECB’s approach undermines its institutional integrity and damages its credibility. “Silencing staff representatives or whistleblowers prevents legitimate issues from being addressed and erodes trust in the institution,” it said. “Reputation cannot be protected by censorship — it must be earned through sound governance, transparency and open dialogue.” It sees the letter as part of a broader pattern in which the ECB has sought to restrict trade union activity and control staff representation, including planned changes to a representation framework that would limit the participation of union members in the ECB staff committee. IPSO is the sole trade union recognized by the ECB and holds seven out of the nine seats on the ECB’s staff committee, which is elected by all ECB staff. The ECB, for its part, has rejected much of the criticism emerging from survey organized by the union and the staff committee, which showed widespread distrust of leadership, surging burnout levels, and complaints about favoritism. The ECB has called the surveys methodologically flawed and unreliable. National champions continue to shed staff as joblessness rises to almost 3 million. The German economy should grow again for the first time in three years this year, but its long-term prospects remain challenging, five leading economic institutes said in … German businesses lack confidence that the government can return the country to a growth path. Frankfurt, home to several EU institutions, still hasn’t identified a site for a new school for Eurocrats’ kids, leaving the existing one severely overcrowded.
|
Johanna Treeck
|
Labor relations in Frankfurt have hit a new low.
|
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"governance",
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"monetary policy",
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Central Banker
|
[
"Germany"
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2025-10-20T03:00:00Z
|
2025-10-20T03:00:00Z
|
2025-10-20T03:11:25Z
| 7,349,769
|
https://www.politico.eu/article/ecb-union-sues-bank-over-attempts-to-silence-union-reps/
|
EU countries move to pull plug on Russian gas to Hungary and Slovakia
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The two Central European countries have long spurned a phaseout. Now, EU capitals are ready to overrule them. AI generated Text-to-speech BRUSSELS — After three years of reasoning, pleading and conceding, the EU has had enough. On Monday, the bloc’s 27 member countries are expected to back a new bill that will permanently cut Russian gas supplies to Hungary and Slovakia — whether they like it or not. Since Moscow launched its all-out war in Ukraine in 2022, the EU has weakened the Kremlin’s long-held grip over the bloc’s energy supply, all but eliminating its imports of Russian oil, coal and gas. But throughout that bitter energy divorce, Budapest and Bratislava have stubbornly refused to play ball. Repeatedly arguing that they have no real alternative, their Russia-friendly governments complained that quitting Moscow would mean exploding prices for consumers. Experts largely dispute those claims. And in any case, EU capitals are ready to overrule them. While Russia repeatedly pummels Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, “billions of euros have been paid … by Hungary and Slovakia to Russia,” said Lithuanian Energy Minister Žygimantas Vaičiūnas. “They are using this for their war machine … this is really not acceptable.” “Now, it is time to demonstrate … political will on the EU level,” he told POLITICO. Since Vladimir Putin first ordered troops into Kyiv, Brussels has slapped an embargo on Russian crude, fuel and coal entering the bloc; it’s imposed a $47.60 per barrel price limit on Moscow’s global oil sales, below the market rate; and it’s whittled down the Kremlin’s share in the EU’s gas market from 45 percent to 13 percent. But Hungary and Slovakia have repeatedly dug their heels in and held up sanctions, winning carve-outs that have allowed them to keep importing Russian crude via the Druzhba pipeline through Ukraine, and blocking efforts to target Moscow’s gas and nuclear sectors. In fact, the two countries are steadily increasing their fossil fuel payments to Moscow, according to Isaac Levi, Russia lead at the Helsinki-based Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air think tank. Budapest and Bratislava have paid Russia €5.58 billion for fossil fuel imports so far this year, he said, already beating the €5.56 billion they forked out last year. Realizing its consensual approach had hit a wall, the European Commission in June decided to change tack. The EU executive unveiled a legal proposal that would impose a ban on Russian gas, starting from next year for short-term contracts and ending in late 2027 for long-term deals. Unlike sanctions, which require unanimity from all EU countries, the proposal — billed as a trade measure — only needs a qualified majority of capitals to approve it, effectively removing Hungary and Slovakia’s veto power over the draft law. On Monday, EU energy ministers will rubber-stamp the bill, sending a signal that they are ready to override both nations before they enter final negotiations with the European Parliament. “We’ll reach an agreement despite their opposition,” said one senior EU diplomat, who, like others for this story, was granted anonymity to speak freely on closed-door discussions. “It’s not an easy subject, but I believe we’ll get there.” In the run-up to the vote, the two countries have pulled out all the stops in a bid to scupper a deal. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has vowed to block the EU’s 19th sanctions package against Russia unless he wins concessions on the gas ban, otherwise known as REPowerEU. But EU countries are holding strong. “That’s always the case, that they are finding ways to make their exit strategies,” Vaičiūnas said, “but now we have to really take a strong [stance] on … REPower.” In the meantime, the two countries have continued to argue the law threatens their energy security, will raise prices for consumers and hurt their heavy industry. Hungary’s state-owned energy firm MVM currently has a long-term contract with Russia’s Gazprom until 2036, as well as shorter-term seasonal deals. Slovak firm SPP is bound by its deal with the Kremlin-controlled export monopoly until 2034. After MEPs agreed on their negotiating stance on the bill last week, Budapest’s Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó called the text “a direct attack on Hungary’s energy security.” It “sets back our economic performance, and threatens the low utility costs of Hungarian families,” he wrote on social platform X. “We won’t let this happen!!” “REPOWER IS A NONSENSICAL IDEOLOGICAL MOVE,” Fico fumed earlier this month. The Hungarian foreign ministry and the Slovak economy ministry did not respond to POLITICO’s requests for comment. But the industry isn’t as vociferous. The proposal is “probably not cataclysmic,” said one Hungarian oil and gas sector insider. “The government and politicians do cry wolf — let’s see if this wolf really comes.” It is true the bill will likely raise prices in the region by “5 to 10 percent” in the midterm, said Tamás Pletser, an oil and gas analyst at Erste bank. But if the Commission works with countries to lower gas transit fees, that could eliminate “up to 40 percent” of the price hike, he added. Meanwhile, MVM is quietly signing new gas deals, Pletser added. Hungary can also find alternatives via liquefied gas from Western Europe and Greece, he said, as well as a new drilling project in Romania from mid-2027. The industry is “absolutely” ready, he said. The EU executive is nonplussed, too. “The measures have been designed to preserve the security of the EU’s energy supply while limiting any impact on prices,” said one Commission official. Whether or not it leads to price increases, EU capitals are ready to pull the trigger. “They didn’t do much to diversify, sabotaged sanctions and had quite a lot of time,” said a second EU diplomat. “There is no other way [than] to make them.” “It’s not yesterday that we started talking about phasing out Russian gas,” said a third EU diplomat. “Russia is not a partner — it’s a problem. It’s time to stop pretending it is not.” Restrictions imposed by Washington will force the company to end its exports to European countries. New U.S. sanctions will be “catastrophic” for Lukoil’s operations across the continent, warns former company executive. A majority of NATO countries have joined the PURL scheme, and the rest are under pressure “to put your money where your mouth is.” The Defense secretary spoke before a meeting of European defense leaders that he has skipped in the past.
|
Victor Jack
|
The two Central European countries have long spurned a phaseout. Now, EU capitals are ready to overrule them.
|
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Energy and Climate
|
[
"Greece",
"Hungary",
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"Russia",
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] |
2025-10-20T02:12:00Z
|
2025-10-20T02:12:00Z
|
2025-10-20T02:13:48Z
| 7,350,183
|
https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-countries-move-pull-plug-on-russia-gas-hungary-slovakia/
|
New EU members could join without full voting rights
|
New plan is the latest attempt to breathe life into an expansion process that is currently being blocked by Hungarian leader Viktor Orbán and others. AI generated Text-to-speech BRUSSELS ― New countries could join the European Union without full voting rights, in a move that could make leaders such as Hungary’s Viktor Orbán more amenable to the likes of Ukraine becoming part of the bloc. The proposal to change EU membership rules is at an early stage and would need to be approved by all existing nations, according to three European diplomats and an EU official with knowledge of the discussions. The idea is that new members would achieve full rights once the EU has overhauled the way it functions to make it more difficult for individual countries to veto policies. It’s the latest attempt by pro-EU enlargement governments to breathe life into an expansion process that is currently being blocked by Budapest and a few other capitals over fears it could bring unwanted competition for local markets or compromise security interests. The European Commission, Nordic and Baltic states, as well as central European countries, have traditionally been favorable to enlargement. The EU has made enlargement a strategic priority amid Russian President Vladimir Putin’s expansionist agenda, although the push to increase the number of members from the current 27 to as many as 30 over the next decade is exposing the bloc’s internal divisions. “Future members should be required to waive their right of veto until key institutional reforms — such as the introduction of qualified majority voting in most policy areas — have been implemented,” said Anton Hofreiter, chair of the German Bundestag’s European Affairs Committee. “Enlargement must not be slowed down by individual EU member states blocking reforms.” The initiative would allow countries currently on the path to membership, such as Ukraine, Moldova and Montenegro, to enjoy many of the benefits of EU membership but without veto rights ― something that EU governments have always cherished as the ultimate tool to prevent EU policies they don’t like. The thinking behind the proposal — which is being informally discussed among EU countries and the Commission, according to the same diplomats and officials — is that bringing in new countries without veto rights, at least at the beginning of their membership, would allow them to join on more flexible terms without requiring an overhaul of the EU’s basic treaties, seen by several governments as a non-starter. Previously, EU leaders had insisted that such an overhaul was needed before the bloc could admit new members like Ukraine, highlighting the risk of increasing deadlocks in Brussels. However, attempts to abolish the veto power for the EU’s existing members as well have run into staunch opposition, not only from Hungary but also France and the Netherlands. The plan for new members to join without full voting rights would “ensure that we remain capable of acting even in an enlarged EU,” Hofreiter said. “From discussions with representatives of the Western Balkan states, I am receiving clear signals that this approach is considered constructive and viable.” Demanding that new countries not be allowed to join until the EU reforms the way it operates risks the bloc being able to “hold up enlargement through the back door,” he said. The push coincides with growing frustration in Eastern European and Western Balkan candidate states that have undertaken far-reaching internal reforms, but are no closer to membership years after applying. In the case of Montenegro, negotiations for joining the EU started in 2012. “The last country that entered [the EU] was Croatia more than 10 years ago ― and in the meantime the United Kingdom left,” Montenegrin President Jakov Milatović told POLITICO in an interview. “So this is why I believe that now is the time to revive the process, to also revive a bit the idea of the EU as a club that still has a gravity towards it.” Ukraine’s deputy prime minister, Taras Kachka, echoed those concerns, calling for “creative” solutions to unblock EU enlargement. Kyiv’s bid to join the EU is currently held up by a veto from Hungary. “Waiting is not an option,” Kachka said in an interview. “So what we need [is] to have a solution here and now. This is important for Ukraine but also for the European Union … I think that as Russia tests European security with drones, the same is done by undermining unity of the European Union.” While European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has put enlargement at the center of her strategic agenda, touting potential membership for Ukraine and Moldova by 2030, EU countries have so far resisted efforts to speed up the process. Earlier this month, EU countries shot down an attempt by European Council President António Costa, first reported by POLITICO, to move ahead with expansion. Leaders from the Western Balkan countries — Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia — will meet with European leaders on Wednesday in London for a “Berlin Process” summit focused on boosting integration among those nations as a precursor to EU enlargement. Ahead of an upcoming Commission assessment on the state of enlargement negotiations with the different candidate countries, the so-called enlargement package, one of the EU diplomats suggested the Commission could also seek to speed up the enlargement process by moving forward on negotiations without seeking formal approval from all 27 EU countries on each occasion. That would also avoid giving Orbán a veto at every stage of the negotiation. Crucially, as part of the enlargement package, the Commission is also expected to float a proposal for internal EU reforms to prepare the bloc for admitting new members. Separately, an early draft of conclusions for the gathering of EU leaders in Brussels on Thursday contains no mention of enlargement — to the outrage of pro-enlargement countries. Membership in the European Union is often touted as the bloc’s key geopolitical tool against an aggressive Russia. Future EU membership was a key issue in recent Moldovan elections, won by pro-EU President Maia Sandu, while EU membership was a key motivation for Ukraine as far back as the 2014 Maidan protests against Russian rule. “Ukrainians have been fighting every day for the past three and a half years to keep Russia out of Europe,” Marta Kos, the EU’s enlargement commissioner, said in written comments to POLITICO. “In Moldova it was the credibility of the EU perspective that was decisive … I am confident that member states will not jeopardize this.” Despite the pressure from Brussels, however, EU leaders facing surging support for far-right parties at home appear to be in no rush to jump-start the bloc’s expansion to 30 members and beyond. At a press conference in July, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz let slip that he did not expect Ukraine to join the EU within the timeframe of its upcoming seven-year budget, which lasts until 2034. Ukraine’s membership would “probably not have any immediate impact on the European Union’s medium-term financial perspective,” Merz said at the time. Hans von der Burchard reported from Berlin and Nicholas Vinocur from Brussels. CLARIFICATION: This article was updated on Oct. 20 to clarify which EU countries have traditionally been in favor of enlargement. Berlin-Beijing relations are becoming increasingly fragile. “We didn’t discuss, or take any decision” on the deal with the Latin American countries, the Council chief says. EU minister says controversial civil servant “very much welcome” in Brussels but German government makes clear that is not its official position. EU Affairs Minister Gunther Krichbaum told POLITICO the legendary backroom dealer is needed in “the right place.”
|
Hans von der Burchard
|
New plan is the latest attempt to breathe life into an expansion process that is currently being blocked by Hungarian leader Viktor Orbán and others.
|
[
"balkans",
"budget",
"elections",
"enlargement",
"negotiations",
"rights",
"security",
"politics"
] |
Foreign Affairs
|
[
"Albania",
"Austria",
"Croatia",
"France",
"Hungary",
"Kosovo",
"Moldova",
"Montenegro",
"North Macedonia",
"Russia",
"Serbia",
"The Netherlands",
"Ukraine",
"United Kingdom"
] |
2025-10-20T02:00:00Z
|
2025-10-20T02:00:00Z
|
2025-10-20T10:58:30Z
| 7,350,462
|
https://www.politico.eu/article/new-eu-members-could-join-without-full-voting-veto-rights/
|
Which chatbot should rule Europe — how we did it
|
To conduct POLITICO’s experiment on which chatbot should rule Europe, we set up new accounts for OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Mistral’s LeChat and DeepSeek to stop the chatbots leaning on our chat history to answer the questions. We conducted the experiment in a clean internet browser, having deleted cookies and web history. We didn’t use any of the “deep reasoning” or “thinking” options, which allow these bots to think for a longer time or to crawl the web more thoroughly before they answer the question. We used the same prompt and the same set of 13 questions for all three chatbots once those had been finalized. We ran several iterations of this experiment, since the outcome varied significantly depending on the prompt. In our first iteration, we asked the chatbots to respond to a set of political and policy questions that Commission President Ursula von der Leyen faces. Those initial answers were lengthy, very technical and heavy on acronyms known only by EU policy experts. But top politicians like von der Leyen need to see the big picture, rather than getting lost in policy details. They also have tight schedules and rely on advisers to give them the TL;DR. Therefore, we tweaked the prompt. We told the chatbots to imagine that they were a top adviser to von der Leyen herself. We asked them to give concise answers (as close to 50 words as possible) and to refrain from using “too many technical or legal terms.” We explained our reasoning, saying that “Mrs. von der Leyen is not a legal expert, nor does she have deep technical knowledge about all the policy fields herself” and that she “doesn’t have much time to process information.” In short, we wanted higher-level advice. But that approach brought us another challenge: by asking to give high-level advice in close to 50 words, the answers of chatbots started to resemble one another. We made one final change to the prompt to avoid too much resemblance. We told all the chatbots that their advice could be compared with input from other advisers (something that easily could happen in the von der Leyen cabinet), and to make an effort to stand out by making it witty or adding some spice. Here’s our final prompt: You’re a top adviser to European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen. She faces a series of urgent political and policy problems, for which she turns to you for advice. You will be asked a series of thirteen questions. These are the ground rules for your answers: — Mrs. von der Leyen is not a legal expert, nor does she have deep technical knowledge about all of the policy fields herself, so steer away from using too many technical or legal terms. — Mrs. von der Leyen doesn’t have much time to process information, so stick as close as you can to 50 words per answer. — Your answers might be compared with input from other advisers, so do the best you can to stand out. Make your advice as specific as possible, make it a bit witty or add some spice or a joke. — Your answers must be high-level, yet be able to be used for direct political action. — Present your answers in one single block of text, use no bolding of your own, and use no headers. The questions and answers in our quiz remained unedited. The results are available in our story: Choose your chatbot to rule Europe.
|
Pieter Haeck
|
[
"technology"
] |
Cybersecurity and Data Protection
|
[] |
2025-10-20T02:00:00Z
|
2025-10-20T02:00:00Z
|
2025-10-20T02:00:00Z
| 7,349,580
|
https://www.politico.eu/article/chatbot-ai-questionnaire-rule-europe-experiment-methodology/
|
|
The winners and losers of the European Socialists’ big bash
|
As the dust settles after the congress of Europe’s second-largest political family, POLITICO takes a look at the successes and failures. AI generated Text-to-speech AMSTERDAM — The Party of European Socialists’ top brass huddled in Amsterdam last week to take stock of their waning influence across Europe. Apart from being an opportunity for national party leaders to meet bilaterally and rally participants with panels and speeches, the congress was framed as a grand debate on the future of social democracy. It was also a chance for observers to do a temperature check on a political family that is hoping to claw back power in upcoming elections in the Netherlands and Sweden. So who’s up in Socialist world, and who’s down? And what solutions were proposed to battle the far right? POLITICO reads the runes. The guests of honor, present on almost all panels and yet not physically in Amsterdam, were transatlantic right-wing populism and the far-right leaders surging across Europe. “We cannot go back to that dark past, we will fight the far right with all our might,” PES President Stefan Löfven concluded, framing the struggle as social democracy’s central mission in the coming years. In sketching out the future of social democracy, many leaders positioned it squarely against the far right, using the contrast as a roadmap for renewal. Others were more open to play within the right-wing populist terrain, giving topics such as migration and national identity a Socialist twist. “There is an anxiety about identity, which doesn’t mean that we should take the obsession of the far right on our side, but it means we have to respond to this anxiety,” said French social democratic leader and MEP Raphaël Glucksmann. “In France, we have to say something about what it means to be French … and it will be even the opposite response to the far right, but … we have to respond to the fears that do exist.” Romania’s Social Democratic Party will amend its statutes to change its definition of itself from “left-wing” to “center-left,” and will drop the “progressive” descriptor for attachment to the “democratic, national, religious, traditional and cultural values of the Romanian people.” During the congress, many national party leaders praised Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez for boosting Spain’s economy while reducing inequality — in other words, using his policies to show that social democracy can work. “They raise the wages, they raise the pensions, they tax the rich, they invest massively in climate transition, they invest massively and they regulate housing and they legalize thousands of migrants … and it works,” said the leader of the Belgian Walloon socialists, Paul Magnette, pointing to the success of the Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party in polls after governing for seven years. Sánchez received a standing ovation at the congress, with leaders tripping over each other to shake his hand as he arrived for a group photo. In an early morning closed-door meeting on Saturday, Sánchez told his lieutenants in Brussels and beyond to be ambassadors for Spanish social democracy. “They say we are the last bastion of social democracy in Europe, but in reality, we are the seed,” he said, according to two people with knowledge of the discussions. Many leaders agreed that the main problem with social democracy was that politicians had forgotten their roots in labor movements. They vowed to listen again to workers’ concerns and to double down on investing in the welfare state. “We have to bring back workers at the core of our decisions … Workers now vote for [the] far right and that’s a harsh truth … because choices that were made were to the disadvantage of workers,” Glucksmann said. The party doubled down on social democracy’s mainstays — health care, job creation, affordable housing and renewable energy — as the core of its campaign program. The Socialists were unable to agree on how to tackle migration. The party kept mum on the topic in its congress resolutions and campaign plans, although many leaders locked horns on the issue when it was brought up during panels. During a debate on Saturday, Swedish Social Democratic Party chief Magdalena Andersson said her party’s key to success in the polls has been to get tough on migration. “We are way stricter on migration and on crime than we were before, because of the situation in Sweden, we took more refugees than any other European countries during the crisis [in] 2015,” Andersson said. “We have a lot of shootings, we have to take this [seriously], we are much tougher on crime than we were before.” Italian Democratic Party leader Elly Schlein, who promotes a humanitarian approach to migration with a focus on inclusion rather than deportations, seemed to rebuff Andersson, arguing the Socialists can’t defeat the far right “by running after their agenda.” Similarly, Sánchez said during a speech: “To be credible, we must also remain loyal to our principles, we cannot accept the far right’s frameworks, we cannot renounce our convictions for the sake of political convenience.” Everything the congress was meant to vote on had already been decided beforehand behind closed doors, with many of the attendees seeing the gathering as a talking shop. Löfven was reelected president by ballot on Friday night unopposed. His team of vice presidents remains largely unchanged and was agreed on by party leaders behind closed doors during a dinner and without an open contest or vote. Delegates also rubber-stamped membership and policy resolutions with an informal show of hands — no roll call, no records kept and no one counting the votes. The setup left little room for dissent in public, and even less for accountability. The Socialists also kicked out Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico’s Smer party. (Its membership was previously suspended in October 2023 and its MEPs were ejected from the Socialists and Democrats group in the European Parliament.) “If they want to punish us because we have defined marriage as a unique union between a man and a woman, that we said there are only two sexes and that we said that in these issues our law takes precedence over European law, if that’s why we have to be expelled, then it’s an honor for us,” AP reported Fico as saying in reaction to the expulsion. Political group leaders voiced concern the move could set a precedent for restricting media in the European Parliament. The European Parliament’s center right weighs turning its back on historical mainstream alliances in its push to cut red tape. A draft of a letter seen by POLITICO being drawn up by all four mainstream political groups demands major changes to Commission plan. Whether it’s green deregulation or official EU languages, both leaders have their pet topics.
|
Max Griera
|
As the dust settles after the congress of Europe’s second-largest political family, POLITICO takes a look at the successes and failures.
|
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"elections",
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"far right",
"health care",
"inequality",
"labor",
"meps",
"migration",
"populism",
"refugees",
"welfare"
] |
Politics
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[
"Spain",
"Sweden"
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2025-10-20T02:00:00Z
|
2025-10-20T02:00:00Z
|
2025-10-20T02:00:00Z
| 7,352,493
|
https://www.politico.eu/article/winners-losers-european-socialists-party-big-bash-amsterdam/
|
Here comes the EU’s first anti-far-right European Council
|
Housing, social media regulation, migration and defense spending are all being used by the political mainstream to curb the march of populists. AI generated Text-to-speech This article is also available in: French BRUSSELS ― Europe’s leaders are in the fight of their lives. For the first time, the summit they hold this week will zero in on topics aimed at reclaiming turf from the far right. Mainstream politicians ― center-right, center-left and liberal alike ― have been in power in Europe since World War II but are watching their control ebb away. They hope Thursday’s European Council will show that the EU cares about issues that have left voters feeling disaffected. In the bloc’s biggest capitals, from Paris to Rome, Amsterdam and Berlin, nationalist and even pro-Russia forces are either already in government or at the gates, having shown themselves adept at harnessing populist anger. “Defending the European project today means more than investing in our militaries — it also means delivering on the social promise that holds Europe together,” said Hannah Neumann, a Greens MEP who sits on the Parliament’s Security and Defense Committee. “One of Putin’s main tactics is to divide our societies.” The summit agenda is dominated by themes that leaders associate with a fundamental challenge: preventing a scenario in which four or five far-right leaders who may even reject the EU’s very existence are sitting around the European Council table a few years from now. It’s an outcome that would raise huge questions about the West’s military might and the future of the bloc itself.An early draft of the summit conclusions, seen by POLITICO, which national diplomats work on before submitting it to their leaders, reflects this underlying concern. Leaders will discuss housing, defense, competitiveness, the green and digital transitions and migration — all issues that officials from European governments see as critical to containing the far right. The gathering in Brussels this week is “a European Council that is looking for a new EU identity,” said an EU diplomat involved in the preparations who spoke on condition of anonymity because the deliberations are confidential. “There is a very difficult search, with a very painful internal process, to find answers to the questions that the EU has so far failed to grasp.” In particular, putting housing on the agenda would have seemed unthinkable barely a few years ago. But the price of homes is now driving politics across the bloc — and propelling the far right to major wins. In the Netherlands, Geert Wilders and his far-right Party for Freedom won the 2023 national vote campaigning on a housing shortage he said was exacerbated by migrants and asylum seekers. Portugal’s Chega party surged to become the country’s leading opposition this year by railing against the failure of establishment parties to tackle soaring home prices. The European Council is coming late to the issue. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has described the housing shortage as a social crisis for over a year and created a designated housing commissioner ― Denmark’s Dan Jørgensen ― who will present the bloc’s first-ever Affordable Housing Plan in December and has vowed to clamp down on short-term rentals in 2026. The European Parliament launched a special committee on the crisis at the beginning of this year. European Council President António Costa has long said the housing crisis is a challenge as pressing as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. “The only way we strengthen citizens’ trust in the European project is by showing that we have the capacity to take on housing and the concrete problems that affect them personally,” he told POLITICO last year. Until now, house and rental prices haven’t been seen as a topic that the EU can tackle. While the housing crisis is a bloc-wide problem, there is no consensus on how to address it. National leaders are split along political lines and are likely to be at loggerheads when it comes to tackling real estate speculation, short-term rentals, or the expansion of public housing schemes. The divisions are evident in the draft summit conclusions, where leaders see the crisis as “pressing” but limit themselves to asking that the Commission present its plan as scheduled. The march of the populists is already very real. Hungary’s Viktor Orbán and Slovakia’s Robert Fico sit at the European Council table, at times making it difficult or impossible to reach decisions by unanimity, which is often necessary. Czechia could soon join their camp, with right-wing populist Andrej Babiš having won elections earlier this month. In Slovenia, ultraconservative former Prime Minister Janez Janša’s party leads in the polls, according to POLITICO’s Poll of Polls.In the EU’s two biggest and most powerful countries, France and Germany, the far right is also ascendent. Opinion polls repeatedly show Jordan Bardella of the National Rally out in front for France’s presidential elections in 2027. The Alternative for Germany (AfD) came second in parliamentary elections last year. Defense is another topic on which the EU’s mainstream hopes to fight back. The EU’s defense commissioner estimates that when national defense budgets and EU funds are totted up, the bloc will plow in €2.4 trillion over four years — a staggering figure compared with previous investments. This defense boom could, in theory, replace Europe’s struggling car industry, which provides nearly 14 million jobs, or about 6 percent of EU employment. The topic is set to feature at the summit, with Slovakia’s Fico linking his support for new sanctions against Russia to aid for the car sector, given Slovakia’s status as the world’s top car producer per capita. “Defense is just key to preventing a far-right surge — it creates jobs,” said a second EU diplomat. Another front in the effort to stem the far-right tide is social media regulation. The EU finds itself in a battle with Washington over rules affecting U.S. tech giants like Meta and X — the latter owned by Elon Musk, who has used the platform to amplify far-right voices such as Germany’s AfD during the country’s last election. TikTok was blamed by the EU for playing a significant role in boosting far-right messaging during recent elections in Romania. “In the face of geopolitical shifts … it is crucial to advance Europe’s digital transformation, reinforce its sovereignty, and strengthen its open digital ecosystem,” reads the current draft of the leaders’ statement. Concrete solutions remain elusive, however. “What are we supposed to do — set up our own European social media platform to counter this malign influence?” a third diplomat asked. Europe’s diplomats can already feel the ground shifting beneath their feet. A discussion among EU ambassadors last week on “simplification” ― the current EU buzzword for slashing red tape ― turned into a broader push by some governments for U.S.-style deregulation. One ambassador intervened to clarify that deregulation should mean addressing bureaucratic bottlenecks rather than getting rid of EU rules altogether, according to two diplomats who were present. The green agenda, too, has been watered down under far-right pressure, with leaders set to discuss rolling back the bloc’s 2040 emissions targets. One of the clearest examples of the mainstream staking out far-right turf is migration. The once-taboo idea of processing asylum applications outside EU borders — in closed and “protected” centers — is now regularly debated, with even socialist leaders like Denmark’s Mette Frederiksen pushing for it. In doing so she echoes calls from far-right Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who made it part of his so-called Schengen 2.0 plan back in 2016. In the end, some of these topics may get short shrift on Thursday. The agenda is packed, and the conversation will likely be dominated by more pressing geopolitical questions such as how to boost support for Ukraine. And then there are the deep divisions that remain between the center-right European People’s Party, which dominates the EU’s main institutions, and the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats. But it’s a start. Leaders pushed issue to next summit after failing to reassure Belgian prime minister that his country wouldn’t be on the hook. France, Germany and Italy want Ukraine to use their potential mega-loan to buy EU-made weapons. The EU executive is calling for more secure meeting rooms in Commission buildings. The prospect of the divisive civil servant coming back has sparked panic and plotting among some who remember his reign six years ago.
|
Jacopo Barigazzi
|
Housing, social media regulation, migration and defense spending are all being used by the political mainstream to curb the march of populists.
|
[
"affordable housing",
"asylum",
"borders",
"competitiveness",
"crisis",
"defense",
"defense budgets",
"digital",
"elections",
"emissions",
"employment",
"far right",
"industry",
"media",
"migration",
"military",
"regulation",
"rights",
"security",
"social media",
"war",
"technology",
"cybersecurity and data protection"
] |
Politics
|
[
"Denmark",
"France",
"Germany",
"Hungary",
"Portugal",
"Romania",
"Russia",
"Slovakia",
"Slovenia",
"The Netherlands",
"Ukraine",
"United States"
] |
2025-10-20T02:00:00Z
|
2025-10-20T02:00:00Z
|
2025-10-20T12:25:28Z
| 7,352,070
|
https://www.politico.eu/article/first-eu-anti-far-right-council-housing-social-media-regulation-migration-defense-costa/
|
Choose your chatbot to rule Europe
|
Politicians are turning to artificial intelligence tools to inform policy. Which one should Ursula von der Leyen choose? BRUSSELS — What if artificial intelligence was running the European Union? Politicians and governments around the world are flocking to AI tools to solve their problems. Prime ministers and civil servants are toying with chatbots. Brussels’ Eurocrats have their own in-house AI tool. Albania even delegated a whole ministerial portfolio to AI. But what’s the situation on the 13th floor of the Brussels Berlaymont building, the office of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen? Does von der Leyen turn to chatbots for guidance on tough political and policy decisions? And if so, which ones should she consult? Von der Leyen’s office did not respond to POLITICO’s question on which chatbots she used. So we ran the experiment ourselves. POLITICO asked three different AI chatbots — U.S.-owned OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Mistral’s Le Chat from France and China’s DeepSeek — to imagine they’re a top adviser to von der Leyen. We served the chatbots 13 questions covering von der Leyen’s thorniest political and policy queries of the day, ranging from how to deal with American President Donald Trump to how to keep her centrist coalition in Europe intact. We asked them to provide answers that would grab the president’s attention: concise, high-level advice that avoids too many technical and legal terms. We told them to try to stand out among von der Leyen’s pack of advisers with wit and flair. Now it’s your turn. We present you with the questions, and the different answers given by the three chatbots. It’s up to you to pick the best answer for each question. Which chatbot would you choose to be von der Leyen’s top adviser? Which chatbot should rule Europe? Political or policy positions taken by the chatbot do not reflect the positions of the company behind the bot. Eight investment companies invited to Brussels to discuss their involvement. “I’m not ordered to be the funniest or to make the craziest remarks,” said Christian Democrat Henri Bontenbal. Automakers worry they’re in for a repeat of pandemic-era chip shortages after Dutch seizure of Nexperia. Deepfake video showed Catherine Connolly had withdrawn from race.
|
Pieter Haeck
|
Politicians are turning to artificial intelligence tools to inform policy. Which one should Ursula von der Leyen choose?
|
[
"artificial intelligence",
"technology"
] |
Cybersecurity and Data Protection
|
[] |
2025-10-20T02:00:00Z
|
2025-10-20T02:00:00Z
|
2025-10-20T02:00:00Z
| 7,253,448
|
https://www.politico.eu/article/chatbot-rule-europe-chat-gpt-lechat-deepseek-artificial-intelligence/
|
Trump told Zelenskyy he’d try to end the war ‘on the current line’ in difficult White House meeting
|
Ukraine’s leader left Washington without a promise of Tomahawk missiles from his U.S. counterpart, but insiders blamed poor timing given events in the Middle East. U.S. President Donald Trump returned to discussing Kyiv giving up territory to Russia in Friday’s meeting with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelenskyy but ultimately agreed “try to end this on the current line,” according to a person familiar with the matter. Zelenskyy had gone to the White House hoping to convince Trump to agree to provide Ukraine with Tomahawk missiles for its fight against the Russian invasion, but left unhappy with the summit’s outcome, according to a second person with knowledge of the meeting who was granted anonymity to discuss it. Trump, who spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin for two hours on Thursday, said after Friday’s meeting with Zelenskyy: “I think President Putin wants to end the war.” But during the talks with Zelenskyy, according to the person familiar with the matter quoted above, the “Americans said that Putin wants to keep fighting, and he has a strong war machine.” “Then [U.S. special envoy Steve] Witkoff entered the conversation, and said that the Russians aim to take the entire Donbas [region in eastern Ukraine] … And there was a feeling in the room that the Americans were testing the Ukrainians and what they [would] agree on,” the person said. Giving up the well-fortified Donbas region is a no-go for Ukraine, which fears that doing so would open a clear route for Russia to take further territory more easily. It’s not the first time the Trump administration has suggested land swapping that could favor Russian strategic aims, though the U.S. president has more recently talked up Kyiv’s prospects in the war. “Zelenskyy did not agree that Ukraine has to give up land that Russia did not manage to occupy. In the end, Trump ended the meeting, saying: ‘OK, let’s try to end this on the current line,'” the person mentioned quoted above said. The U.S. president’s seemingly renewed credulity regarding Putin’s take on the war will frustrate European leaders, who have been working to convince Trump that Russia’s public declarations of willingness to end the conflict it started are a charade. “With a single phone call, Putin appears to have changed President Trump’s mind on Ukraine once again,” a second person familiar with the negotiations told POLITICO’s Brussels Playbook. “Four days ago, we were discussing Tomahawk missiles; now, the focus is on Ukraine making territorial concessions,” they added. “It falls to Europe to ensure that the next shift in Trump’s position goes in Ukraine’s favor.” Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk led the line in that regard, writing on X on Sunday that “None of us should put pressure on Zelenskyy when it comes to territorial concessions. We should all put pressure on Russia to stop its aggression. Appeasement never was a road to a just and lasting peace.” His message came shortly after the Financial Times, citing several sources, reported the meeting between Zelenskyy and Trump had descended at several moments into a shouting match reminiscent of their acrimonious February meeting at the White House, with Trump “cursing all the time” and at one point tossing aside maps of the frontline and insisting Zelenskyy give up the entire Donbas region to Russia. The first person quoted above, who was familiar with the meeting, told POLITICO that “Trump did not toss any war maps. He just said he was tired of different maps.” An EU diplomat, speaking to Playbook, said the meeting was “not as bleak as reported.” Two Republican foreign policy experts with direct knowledge of the White House meeting said there had been no swearing by Trump. “The meeting was a dud for the Ukrainians rather than a disaster,” according to one. The other said: “It wasn’t a bad meeting, just a victim of poor timing and inflated expectations.” Republican allies of Ukraine had urged Zelenskyy to call off his trip, arguing it was poorly timed because Washington was consumed by the government shutdown and the White House was focused on the Middle East, they added. Zelenskyy’s team was also advised not to prioritize the Tomahawks, especially in light of the Trump-Putin phone call the day before the White House meeting with Ukraine’s president. Zelenskyy, speaking to reporters after the meeting, said Trump’s message had been “mixed.” Asked if he was confident of getting Tomahawks, he responded with a wry smile: “I’m realistic,” he said, adding that Trump’s reluctance was only the U.S. position “for today.” Jamie Dettmer, Nick Vinocur and Lola Boom contributed to this report. Israel and Hamas both accused of violating truce commitments. Suspected Russian involvement in the drone flights that have dogged Denmark in the past week has authorities on high alert. The Commission president’s comment follows an assertion by U.S. President Donald Trump that NATO countries should shoot down Russian jets that violate their airspace. Europe must have a hand in developing security guarantees, the Ukrainian leader insists.
|
Joe Stanley-Smith
|
Ukraine’s leader left Washington without a promise of Tomahawk missiles from his U.S. counterpart, but insiders blamed poor timing given events in the Middle East.
|
[
"conflict",
"foreign policy",
"middle east",
"missiles",
"negotiations",
"playbook",
"roads",
"war"
] |
Foreign Affairs
|
[
"Russia",
"Ukraine",
"United States"
] |
2025-10-19T23:35:09Z
|
2025-10-19T23:35:09Z
|
2025-10-19T23:43:04Z
| 7,354,983
|
https://www.politico.eu/article/ukraine-volodymyr-zelenskyy-us-donald-trump-tense-white-house-meeting/
|
The closer to Russia the greater the fear, opinion poll finds
|
A YouGov survey finds a rift in how EU nations perceive security and their general reluctance to rearm under Brussels’ supervision. AI generated Text-to-speech BRUSSELS — The closer a country lies to Russia, the greater the chance that its people see the Kremlin as a top threat facing Europe — but that doesn't mean the EU is viewed as a savior. According to a new multi-country survey that YouGov conducted in seven EU countries, Russian aggression was seen as one of Europe's biggest threats by 51 percent in Poland, 57 percent in Lithuania and 62 percent in Denmark — a country that may lie further from Russia but which controls the entrance to the Baltic Sea frequently transited by Russian shadow fleet tankers and military vessels. Denmark is also the world's top donor of military aid to Ukraine as a percentage of gross domestic product. In Germany, 36 percent saw Russian aggression as a top threat, followed by 31 percent in France, 22 percent in Spain and 20 percent in Italy. In France and Spain, immigration was seen as the biggest danger, while in Italy it was armed conflict. Spanish and Italian respondents mentioned U.S. foreign policy as a threat just slightly less frequently than Russia: 22 percent of Spaniards and 20 percent of Italians viewed Moscow as a top threat, while 19 percent of Spaniards and 17 percent of Italians said the same about Washington. The eastern countries and Denmark also felt very strongly about their membership in NATO, with over 80 percent approving, and a similar number feeling it was important to their security. However, about half of Italians, Spaniards and French saw NATO membership positively, while only 29 percent of the French saw NATO as important to their country's national defense — the lowest in any country polled. The YouGov survey polled about 1,000 people per country in Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Lithuania, Poland and Spain from late September. Views were very mixed about the role the EU should play in defense. The EU was started as a peace project, and until recently had very little to say on military matters. However, Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine changed that, and the bloc is now pressing ahead with measures like its €150 billion Security Action For Europe loans-for-weapons scheme and the €1.5 billion European Defence Industry Programme aimed at promoting joint procurement and rebuilding the bloc's military industrial complex. In Poland, Italy and Germany, fewer than 40 percent of respondents said the EU should be able to make decisions about defense and security on behalf of EU countries. Lithuanian, Danish and French respondents were split, with about 40 percent favoring EU decision-making and a similar percentage insisting on an independent national say. In Spain, 57 percent of respondents said the EU should make defense decisions on behalf of member countries, the highest in any of the countries surveyed. Many member countries have reminded Brussels not to seek too large a role in defense and security matters, something capitals stressed again when commenting on the European Commission’s defense roadmap, presented last week. Linus Terhorst, a military sciences researcher at the London-based Royal United Services Institute, said the split on how Russia is viewed is rooted in both geography and history. Countries like Poland and Lithuania border Russia and were part of Moscow's empire during the Cold War, while Denmark controls a maritime passage of key importance to Russia. "If you look at how European societies discussed defense spending during the Cold War, you'll see similar splits, with countries like Spain being fairly unbothered, and support increas[ing] the further east you went," he said. Terhorst added that many countries see Brussels as an initiator of defense collaboration rather than a regulator. "For example, you see this in the SAFE plan, where the EU is trying to lift some of the fiscal burden that some member states expect." EU leaders meeting this week will have to give their approval to the Commission's defense roadmap, which underlines that countries will remain in control, stressing that “member States are and will remain sovereign for their national defence.” The EU executive wants to coordinate efforts by member countries to speed up defense preparations. Hungarian PM says “Ukraine is not an independent country” while advising Kyiv to pay more attention to its eastern border. Former PM Andrej Babiš wants to cancel Prague’s ammunition initiative, but critics warn that would harm both Prague and Kyiv. The NATO chief praised Donald Trump’s efforts to end the war in Ukraine.
|
Csongor Körömi
|
A YouGov survey finds a rift in how EU nations perceive security and their general reluctance to rearm under Brussels’ supervision.
|
[
"defense",
"eu-russia relations",
"european defense",
"european defense policy",
"military",
"u.s. foreign policy",
"war",
"war in ukraine"
] |
Defense
|
[
"Denmark",
"France",
"Germany",
"Italy",
"Lithuania",
"Poland",
"Russia",
"Spain",
"Ukraine",
"United States"
] |
2025-10-19T22:00:00Z
|
2025-10-19T22:00:00Z
|
2025-10-20T02:20:44Z
| 7,350,105
|
https://www.politico.eu/article/russia-opinion-poll-closer-border-fear-yougov-eu-countries/
|
Ukraine’s EU membership bid set for breakthrough in December, says deputy PM
|
Taras Kachka believes “creative solutions” will overcome Hungary’s opposition to Kyiv’s joining the EU. AI generated Text-to-speech Ukraine sees its EU membership bid advancing before the end of this year thanks to "creative solutions" to overcome Hungary's opposition, Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Taras Kachka told POLITICO. EU leaders could sign off on opening as many as six negotiating "clusters" — legal steps on the path to membership in the bloc — in December as "political momentum" builds and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán faces growing pressure to remove his veto, he said. "You can complete preparation of reopening of all clusters and if there will be a political momentum, then all clusters can go already by the end of this year," Kachka said in an interview. He added: "The position of Hungary is getting more and more unjustified." The Hungarian leader has placed opposition to Ukraine's EU membership at the center of his bid for reelection next year, arguing that such a large new member would destabilize the bloc. But Kachka argued during a stopover in Brussels that Hungary's "painful" opposition to Ukrainian membership was not insurmountable and that a solution would be found most likely during a December gathering of European leaders. "I believe that member states will find a solution in December," he said after sharing notes on Ukraine's internal reforms with EU national representatives. Kachka added that an in-person meeting between Orbán and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was possible to unstick the membership problem, though he could not say "when and where it will take place." Ukraine got the political green light to start accession talks in 2023 and has been negotiating for months to enter the bloc. But without a legal sign-off from all 27 EU countries, Kyiv will not have formally begun its accession process — a point of growing frustration for millions of Ukrainians. "What is difficult to explain in [Ukrainian] society is that we need to wait. ... Waiting is not an option," Kachka said regarding Kyiv's membership bid. "We need to have a solution here and now. This is important for Ukraine but also for the European Union." A formal green light to join the EU would mark a major victor for Zelenskyy, who recently emerged empty-handed from a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington. Trump has rebuffed Kyiv's efforts to join NATO, while Hungary is the main obstacle to its membership in the EU. Kachka hailed an initiative by European Council President Antonio Costa to facilitate the process of applying to join the EU, saying the Portuguese politician had "advocated heavily" in favor of removing hurdles. "Antonio Costa is really strong in this case. And I will be glad to see if his initiative will be successful," Kachka said. Costa's initiative was shot down at an informal gathering of leaders in Copenhagen, but pro-enlargement countries have since come up with a new proposal to overcome opposition not just from Hungary, but also from other skeptical states such as Bulgaria and Greece. Under this new proposal, first reported by POLITICO and currently being studied in Brussels, new entrants to the EU would not have a right to veto bloc-wide policy decisions. This would amount to second-tier membership in the bloc, but could overcome deep-seated fears of the EU's agenda being taken hostage by new members potentially including Ukraine, Moldova and Western Balkan countries such as Montenegro. Kachka didn't comment specifically on the new proposal but praised what he called "creative solutions" to address opposition from Hungary and other EU governments. Poland is one country where fear of being flooded with cheap Ukrainian agricultural produce has led to concerns about Kyiv's membership, but Warsaw isn't alone. As recently as July, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz suggested he didn't expect Ukraine to join the EU before 2034 at the earliest. "I know Poland quite well," Kachka said. "That's why I understand that ... farmers are an essential element of [Poland's] social fabric. I think that the solutions are there so that you can fine-tune the Common Agricultural Policy in a way that allows for greater efficiencies in the EU-wide food system," he said. Despite pressure from eager candidate countries and top EU officials, European leaders seem to be in no rush to unblock the process. A draft version of the latest Council conclusions obtained by POLITICO contained no mention of enlargement. Budapest wants to boost its political alliances in Brussels, Viktor Orbán’s political director says. The idea of joint European borrowing is rejected by most of the bloc’s governments. That’s why the Commission is using it as leverage to get them to approve the use of Moscow’s assets for Ukraine. Jan Lipavský told POLITICO he’s worried Czechia will be diminished on the world stage under likely incoming PM Andrej Babiš. France, Austria and the Netherlands say funding should be stripped from groups that fail to uphold EU values.
|
Nicholas Vinocur
|
Taras Kachka believes “creative solutions” will overcome Hungary’s opposition to Kyiv’s joining the EU.
|
[
"balkans",
"competition",
"enlargement",
"farmers",
"markets",
"neighborhood",
"produce",
"rights",
"security",
"war in ukraine",
"foreign affairs",
"trade",
"agriculture and food",
"trade uk"
] |
Politics
|
[
"Bulgaria",
"Greece",
"Hungary",
"Moldova",
"Montenegro",
"Poland",
"Ukraine",
"United States"
] |
2025-10-19T19:35:00Z
|
2025-10-19T19:35:00Z
|
2025-10-20T07:02:55Z
| 7,354,062
|
https://www.politico.eu/article/ukraine-eu-membership-bid-set-breakthrough-december-says-deputy-pm-taras-kachka/
|
Turkish Cypriots elect moderate leader in crucial policy switch
|
Tufan Erhürman scored a landslide victory, unseating hard-line incumbent Ersin Tatar, who was considered Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s favorite. AI generated Text-to-speech Tufan Erhürman was elected on Sunday as the Turkish Cypriot leader, reviving hopes that talks on the reunification of the divided island could resume. The 55-year-old lawyer achieved an unprecedented landslide victory, unseating hard-liner incumbent Ersin Tatar, who was considered Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s favorite. Turkey’s 1974 invasion, which came in response to a Greece-backed coup in Cyprus, split the island along ethnic lines, creating a Turkish Cypriot north and a Greek Cypriot south. Ankara does not recognize the Republic of Cyprus, an EU member country that is otherwise recognized internationally as the sole sovereign authority over the whole island. Several attempts to find a compromise settlement over the years have failed, the last one in 2017, and formal talks have not resumed since. According to official results, Erhürman secured 62.8 percent of the vote in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, which is only recognized by Turkey, while incumbent Tatar won 35.8 percent. Erhürman is a proponent of reunification talks under the auspices of the United Nations. He has served in the Turkish Cypriot legislature since 2013, is the leader of center-left CTP party, a position from which he will have to resign in the coming days. Tatar mirrored Turkey’s views and was in favor of a two-state solution. During his five-year tenure, the Turkish north has toughened its stance, even as the U.N. continues to push for what is known as “a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation.” During the campaign, Erhürman promised that his first visit would be to Ankara to meet Erdoğan. In his first comments after his victory, the new Turkish Cypriot leader said that his leadership “will be exercised in an impartial, fair and inclusive manner.” He promised, though, to be in close consultation with Turkey on “foreign policy,” saying that “no one should have the slightest concern about this issue. We will address all ‘foreign policy’ issues in consultation with Turkey,” he said. Erdoğan congratulated Erhürman on his victory and said “Turkey will continue to defend the sovereign rights and interests of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus on every platform, together with our Turkish brothers.” “The only realistic solution to the Cyprus problem lies in the acceptance of the existence of two separate states on the island,” Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan repeated on social platform X on Saturday ahead of the vote. The president of the Republic of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides, congratulated Erhürman on his victory and reiterated his readiness for the resumption of the negotiations under the U.N. auspices. “The upcoming informal meeting announced by the U.N. secretary-general is a crucial opportunity to restart the process,” Christodoulides said. “The solution to the Cyprus problem must be based on United Nations resolutions, Security Council decisions, and the principles and values of the European Union, of which the Republic of Cyprus is and will continue to be a member state.” Maria Karystianou is being touted as the person to shake up Greek politics. Millions of euros a year in EU agricultural funds were allegedly siphoned off fraudulently. The center-right government is aiming to transform Greece’s labor market into one of Europe’s most “flexible.” Raid intensifies pressure on Athens to come up with action plan to clean up its handling of farm subsidy payments.
|
Nektaria Stamouli
|
Tufan Erhürman scored a landslide victory, unseating hard-line incumbent Ersin Tatar, who was considered Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s favorite.
|
[
"elections in europe",
"enlargement",
"negotiations",
"neighborhood"
] |
Politics
|
[
"Cyprus",
"Greece",
"Turkey"
] |
2025-10-19T19:05:24Z
|
2025-10-19T19:05:24Z
|
2025-10-19T19:05:30Z
| 7,354,218
|
https://www.politico.eu/article/turkish-cyprus-elect-moderate-leader-tufan-erhurman-crucial-policy-switch/
|
Budget : le stress de l’exam
|
Synthèse vocale générée par l'IA Présenté par American Express Par SARAH PAILLOU PRÉSENTÉ PAR Envoyez vos infos | Abonnez-vous gratuitement | Voir dans le navigateur IL PRÉPARE LA SOUPE. Sébastien Lecornu a acheté un poireau, hier matin sur le marché de Vernon (Eure). Mais non, ne paniquez pas, Dimanchissime se veut taquin en vous laissant croire que les courses du Premier ministre seraient la principale actu du week-end. Tout est dans notre menu du jour : — Budget 2026 : sans 49.3, place au “qui veut quoi”. — Ses visiteurs, son futur livre, l’appel de ses fils… les derniers jours de Nicolas Sarkozy avant la prison. — 2027 : Philippe de Villiers et Patrick Sébastien se veulent influenceurs. DANS LES STARTING-BLOCKS. Ministres appelant à la sauvegarde de leur budget (comme Catherine Vautrin, aux Armées, ce matin dans Le Parisien), protagonistes de la future bataille invités dans les médias, oppositions listant leurs desiderata… Pas de doute : l’examen parlementaire du projet de loi de finances (PLF) 2026 débute demain en commission à l’Assemblée nationale (les amendements déposés ont été épluchés par Le Monde). Non sans son lot de gageures, ce serait moins drôle sinon. Souvenez-vous. Sébastien Lecornu ayant renoncé à utiliser l’article 49.3 de la Constitution pour faire adopter les textes budgétaires, le Premier ministre se montre prêt à laisser une grande liberté aux parlementaires pour modifier la copie du gouvernement. Pas convaincus. Une erreur, ont jugé l’un de ses prédécesseurs, Jean-Pierre Raffarin (vendredi au micro de Sud Radio), puis le président Les Républicains du Sénat, Gérard Larcher (à la mi-journée sur RTL). Mais cette renonciation “n’ouvre pas le jeu autant qu’on l’imagine”, a estimé à l’aube le député Insoumis Eric Coquerel, évoquant sur Franceinfo “d’autres méthodes” à la disposition de l’exécutif. Qui ne pourra de toute façon pas se passer du 49.3, a assuré en début d’après-midi l’ex-ministre de l’Economie, Eric Lombard, sur Radio J. Ce qu’en dit le gouv. Dans l’espoir que les échanges ne virent pas à la foire d’empoigne, ou n’aboutissent à un budget invotable pour chaque groupe, ou à une trajectoire budgétaire encore dégradée (vous comprenez l’ampleur de la difficulté ?), Maud Bregeon s’attelait ce matin à tenter de cadrer le débat. “Ni le budget des socialistes ni celui de Sébastien Lecornu”, le PLF devra respecter l’objectif d’un déficit de 4,7% du PIB en 2026, a répété la porte-parole du gouvernement dans Le Parisien. D’autant plus, juge l’exécutif, depuis vendredi soir et la dégradation de la note de la France d’AA- à A+ par l’agence S&P, avec un mois d’avance (Fitch avait déjà pris cette décision mi-septembre, Moody’s doit rendre son verdict vendredi). “En face de chaque ‘plus’, il faudra un ‘moins’”, a prévenu la ministre, appelant à “la responsabilité collective”. Au passage, elle en aussi profité pour signaler que le projet du gouvernement ne comprenait pas la proposition de Yaël Braun-Pivet, présidente macroniste de l’Assemblée, de revoir la taxation de l’héritage (idée qui a déclenché sa petite polémique). Autre précision, venue cette fois de l’interview d’Amélie de Montchalin publiée par Ouest-France ce matin : reconnaissant que la réduction prévue de l’avantage fiscal pour les biocarburants “fait débat”, la ministre des Comptes publics a annoncé que “le gouvernement s’en [remettrait] à la sagesse de l’Assemblée nationale”. Ce qu’en dit le RN. “Il n’y a aucune chance qu’on vote le budget”, a planté le député Jean-Philippe Tanguy en fin de matinée sur France 3. Tout juste son groupe du Rassemblement national pourrait-il s’abstenir, s’il parvenait, entre autres, à “supprimer les 19 milliards de hausses d’impôts” ou “la taxe sur les mutuelles”. Ce qu’en dit la droite. Les voix des Républicains s’appelaient aujourd’hui Gérard Larcher, le président du Sénat invité de RTL à la mi-journée, et Philippe Juvin, rapporteur général du budget, interviewé par Le Journal du Dimanche et Europe 1. A retirer selon eux du PLF 2026 : la suspension de la réforme des retraites (à laquelle est aussi opposé Horizons, a rappelé, ce matin sur Franceinfo, le député philippiste Frédéric Valletoux), dont on reparle un peu plus bas, la taxe de 2% sur les holdings, l’augmentation du nombre de fonctionnaires. Ce qu’en dit LFI. Inquiet du temps limité dont disposent les députés pour examiner le PLF, Eric Coquerel craint aussi qu’aucune majorité ne se dégage dans l’hémicycle pour défendre les mesures de gauche, comme la taxation des hauts patrimoines. En cause : un Rassemblement national qui se montre “plus libéral” que l’an passé ; et feu le Nouveau Front populaire qui “arrive moins soudé, moins uni”, depuis la non-censure du gouvernement par les socialistes, a soutenu le président de la commission des Finances de l’Assemblée. L’objectif de LFI sera donc “de battre ce budget, parce qu’il n’est pas bon pour le pays”. L’AUTRE BATAILLE. La discussion du projet de loi de financement de la Sécurité sociale (PLFSS) 2026 ne débutera, elle, que jeudi en commission, mais elle occupe déjà tous les esprits. Parce que ce texte devrait inclure un amendement pour suspendre la réforme des retraites… sauf si l’exécutif privilégiait finalement une autre voie. Les Insoumis comme Marine Le Pen, présidente du groupe Rassemblement national à l’Assemblée, ont réclamé que le gouvernement adopte l’idée de Benjamin Morel. Ce dont on parle. Le constitutionnaliste a proposé hier une “lettre rectificative”, “permettant de compléter un projet de loi déjà déposé devant le Parlement, avant son examen par la première assemblée saisie”. Nos confrères vous expliquent tout ici ou là. Réponse de Matignon, dans Le Parisien cet après-midi : “Toutes les options sont sur la table.” Une pièce, la machine. Au sujet des retraites, Jean-Pierre Farandou a fait hurler LFI (ici ou là), en ouvrant la voie au débat sur d’autres systèmes, à points ou par capitalisation, dans un entretien accordé à Ouest-France hier. Le ministre du Travail et des Solidarités a imaginé l’instauration d’un “mélange de plusieurs systèmes”. Et si Emmanuel Macron tentait à nouveau d’instaurer son système à points, abandonné pour cause de pandémie de Covid-19 ? D’après le prix Nobel d’économie Philippe Aghion, le chef de l’Etat réfléchit à un référendum sur cette réforme, a-t-il assuré vendredi sur RTL. **Un message d’American Express : Vous êtes dirigeants de TPE ou de PME ? Vous cherchez à optimiser votre trésorerie ? La Carte Business Platinum American Express est faite pour vous : Paiement différé jusqu’à 30 jours, cashback attractif et plein de services inédits pour optimiser votre trésorerie et gagner du temps au quotidien. Découvrez la Carte Business Platinum.
*Cashback = Remboursement versé en euros.** AUX PORTES DU PÉNITENCIER. Comme presque chaque semaine depuis sa condamnation à cinq ans de prison — pour association de malfaiteurs, dans l’affaire du financement de sa campagne présidentielle de 2007 —, Nicolas Sarkozy s’offre une large place dans les colonnes de la presse. L’ancien président se montrait encore bravache dans Le Figaro cet après-midi (“Ils ont voulu me faire disparaître, et ça me fait renaître”), après avoir proclamé ce matin en une de La Tribune Dimanche (LTD) : “Je n’ai pas peur de la prison”. Où il va séjourner à partir de mardi (à la Santé, à Paris). Sark mob. Ce jour-là, ses trois fils — Louis, Pierre et Jean — comptent organiser un rassemblement de soutien dans le quartier résidentiel privé du 16e arrondissement de Paris, où vit leur père. Ils ont lancé un appel sur les réseaux sociaux. Chacun son tour. En attendant une réponse à la demande de libération conditionnelle que comptent déposer ses avocats mardi, l’ex-chef de l’Etat prévoit d’écrire un livre. Avant de rejoindre la Santé, il a reçu ces derniers jours plusieurs personnalités politiques (la liste est dans LTD) : les anciens Premiers ministres François Fillon et Edouard Philippe ; Philippe de Villiers ; le vice-président délégué des Républicains, François-Xavier Bellamy ; la ministre de la Culture, Rachida Dati… Il a aussi échangé par téléphone avec Marine Le Pen. Emmanuel Macron, lui, pourrait le voir avant mardi, à en croire l’hebdo. GROSSE PROMO. Philippe de Villiers a pu compter, ce dimanche encore, sur Le Journal du Dimanche (et les autres médias du groupe de Vincent Bolloré, comme CNews) pour relayer ses idées. Le souverainiste s’y affichait en une pour développer la thèse de son dernier ouvrage (Populicide, publié le 8 octobre par Fayard, qui appartient aussi au milliardaire breton). Au menu très modéré (non) : la dénonciation d’un “génocide par substitution de peuple” qui serait à l’œuvre en France. A moins que ce ne soit le magnat ultraconservateur qui s’appuie sur le Vendéen, fort d’un regain de popularité (L’Express s’est par exemple penché sur ses succès littéraires), notamment à l’extrême droite. Le premier miserait sur le second pour jouer un rôle d’aiguillon de la droite radicale à l’aube de la présidentielle de 2027, décryptait Le Monde la semaine dernière. Puisqu’on en parle. Vincent Bolloré a-t-il touché un mot des croisades du fondateur du Puy du Fou à Marine Le Pen ? Après des années de bouderie mutuelle, le patron a finalement rencontré la dirigeante RN lundi, dévoilait ce matin La Tribune Dimanche. Pour expliquer jusqu’alors cette absence de contacts directs, les proches de “MLP” brandissaient régulièrement la ligne de l’industriel, jugée trop libérale et pro-union des droites, jurant qu’une bonne entente entre elle et le milliardaire ne serait pas nécessaire à des succès électoraux. LUI AUSSI VEUT PESER. Une autre personnalité (dans un tout autre style, convenons-en), désireuse d’influencer le débat politique, s’est fait remarquer en cette fin de semaine. La Tribune Dimanche consacrait une double page à Patrick Sébastien, qui a lancé cette semaine son mouvement, “Ça suffit” (et sorti mercredi son livre Même pas peur, aux éditions XO). Pour quoi faire. S’il exclut toute candidature électorale, le “producteur d’idées” (les termes sont du député RN Sébastien Chenu) vise un “chantage démocratique”, via notamment une pétition sur une trentaine de propositions (sur la “justice trop laxiste”, la taxation des “très riches”, contre “la coke partout dans les villages”). “Une rupture dans la forme, oui, certainement. Je n’aurai pas de mots blessants. Je ne vise pas à diviser la société.” Laurent Nuñez, ministre de l’Intérieur invité de France Inter, au sujet de son prédécesseur Bruno Retailleau. UN TROU DANS LA SÉCU ? Ses adversaires dans la course à la mairie de Paris, l’Ecologiste David Belliard et le communiste Ian Brossat, n’ont pas manqué cette occasion d’interroger la responsabilité de la ministre de la Culture, Rachida Dati. Plusieurs biens d’une “valeur inestimable”, selon Laurent Nuñez (le ministre de l’Intérieur était chez France Inter à l’heure de nos lasagnes), ont été volés ce matin au Louvre lors d’un braquage avec scooters, monte-charge et disqueuse. Jordan Bardella, président du RN, y a vu, lui, le signe du “délitement de l’Etat.” LE RETOUR DE LA FIN. Reporté par la crise politique, l’examen au Sénat des textes sur l’accès aux soins palliatifs et la fin de vie pourrait se tenir “à l’issue de l’examen du budget”, a avancé Maud Bregeon dans Le Parisien. Objectif : que “ce débat [soit] tranché avant la présidentielle de 2027”, a fixé la porte-parole du gouvernement. MISSIVE MISSILE. Clément Beaune pense visiblement que les adhérents parisiens de Renaissance seront d’accord avec lui. Le haut-commissaire au Plan, qui ne cache pas ses envies de candidature aux municipales dans la capitale, a appelé son parti (dans un courrier révélé vendredi par Le Parisien) à organiser un vote des militants pour trancher entre trois options pour ce scrutin : un soutien à la ministre de la Culture, Rachida Dati, ce qu’il ne souhaite pas ; une candidature macroniste ; un ralliement à Pierre-Yves Bournazel, élu Horizons. L’interview politique d’Europe 1 : Philippe Juvin, rapporteur général du budget à l’Assemblée, député DR des Hauts-de-Seine. Le 8h30 Franceinfo : Eric Coquerel, président de la commission des Finances de l’Assemblée, député LFI de Seine-Saint-Denis. La politique s’éclaire de Franceinfo : Frédéric Valletoux, président de la commission des Affaires sociales de l’Assemblée, député Horizons de Seine-et-Marne. En toute franchise sur LCI : Nicolas Dupont-Aignan, président de Debout la France. Le Grand Rendez-vous sur Europe 1 avec CNews et Les Echos : Aurore Bergé, ministre déléguée chargée de l’Egalité entre les femmes et les hommes et de la Lutte contre les discriminations. Dimanche en politique sur France 3 : Valérie Hayer, eurodéputée Renew et secrétaire générale déléguée de Renaissance, puis Jean-Philippe Tanguy, député RN de la Somme. Questions politiques sur France Inter et Franceinfo avec Le Monde : Laurent Nuñez, ministre de l’Intérieur. BFM Politique sur BFMTV avec La Tribune Dimanche : Mathilde Panot, présidente du groupe LFI à l’Assemblée nationale, députée du Val-de-Marne. Le Grand Jury RTL/Public Sénat/Le Figaro/M6 : Gérard Larcher, président LR du Sénat, sénateur des Yvelines. Forum Radio J : Eric Lombard, ancien ministre de l’Economie, des Finances et de la Souveraineté industrielle et numérique. ET AUSSI À LA UNE. Le Parisien : Donald Trump, le maître du monde … La Tribune Dimanche : Nicolas Sarkozy : “Je n’ai pas peur de la prison” … Le JDD : Philippe de Villiers : “Le sursaut français est possible”. Lundi 20 octobre. Emmanuel Macron est en Slovénie, jusqu’au lendemain, pour le Med9 … En commission des Finances à l’Assemblée, début de l’examen du projet de loi de finances (PLF) 2026 … Session plénière au Parlement européen, jusqu’au 23. Mardi 21 octobre. Nicolas Sarkozy est incarcéré à la prison de la Santé à Paris. Mercredi 22 octobre. Les députés commencent l’examen en séance publique de la proposition de loi organique sur le report des élections provinciales de Nouvelle-Calédonie … En commission du Développement durable et de l’Aménagement du territoire, audition et vote sur la nomination de Jean Castex, proposée par Emmanuel Macron comme PDG de la SNCF … Eric Zemmour publie La messe n’est pas dite. Pour un sursaut judéo-chrétien (Fayard). Jeudi 23 octobre. Emmanuel Macron se rend à Bruxelles pour le Conseil européen, jusqu’au lendemain. Vendredi 24 octobre. Les députés commencent l’examen du PLF 2026 dans l’hémicycle … L’agence de notation Moody’s rend sa décision sur la dette française. Samedi 25 octobre. Xavier Bertrand tient une réunion à Saint-Quentin (Aisne) pour célébrer les trois ans de son mouvement Nous France. — Macron-Retailleau : dernier appel (en accès libre) — Les 42 personnes qui comptent dans la tech (en accès libre) — L’OPA du RN sur une droite en plein doute (Le Point) ODEUR DE SEUM. Les anciens ministres des quinquennats d’Emmanuel Macron en ont visiblement gros sur la patate : trois d’entre eux s’épanchaient ce week-end. Elisabeth Borne regrettait ce matin dans La Tribune Dimanche son départ de l’Education nationale, le justifiant par l’incertitude entourant “ce que souhaite ou pourra porter Sébastien Lecornu”. Débarqué des Outre-mer, Manuel Valls s’estimait, la veille dans L’Express, “victime de la petitesse et du cynisme”. Quant à Bruno Le Maire, il a fustigé auprès de TF1 “la fourberie” de ceux (“la droite, les oppositions, le Rassemblement national”) qui l’ont dépeint en responsable des 1 000 milliards de dette après sa nomination au gouvernement Lecornu I : “Ils venaient tous gémir, pleurer dans mon bureau pour que je dépense plus”, pendant la pandémie de Covid, a assuré l’ex-ministre de l’Economie. Un grand merci à : mon éditeur Jean-Christophe Catalon. **Un message d’American Express : La Carte Business Platinum American Express permet aux dirigeants de TPE et PME d’optimiser la gestion de leur trésorerie grâce au paiement différé jusqu’à 30 jours sur tous les achats professionnels pour plus de souplesse au quotidien. Elle offre de nombreux avantages comme :
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*Cashback = Remboursement versé en euros.** ABONNEZ-VOUS aux newsletters de POLITICO (en anglais): Brussels Playbook | London Playbook | London Playbook PM | Playbook Paris | EU Election Playbook | Berlin Playbook | Global Playbook | POLITICO Confidential | Sunday Crunch | EU Influence | London Influence | China Watcher | Berlin Bulletin | Living Cities | D.C. Playbook | D.C. Influence | POLITICO Pro newsletters
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Sarah Paillou
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Uncategorized
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[] |
2025-10-19T15:30:58Z
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2025-10-19T15:30:58Z
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2025-10-19T15:30:58Z
| 7,353,153
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https://www.politico.eu/newsletter/dimanchissime/budget-le-stress-de-lexam/
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Israel renews commitment to ceasefire after Sunday of violence in Gaza
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Hamas and Israel trade blame as hopes dim for lasting peace. Israel’s army has begun “renewed enforcement” of the U.S.-brokered ceasefire in Gaza after accusing Hamas of breaching the agreement and striking numerous targets in retaliation on Sunday. Israeli bombing and shelling killed some 44 people on Sunday, among them Hamas fighters, reported the BBC, following an incident which killed two of Israel’s soldiers that Hamas denied involvement in. Israel’s government also blocked aid deliveries into Gaza. The Israel Defense Forces said “terrorists fired an anti-tank missile and gunfire” towards its troops in the vicinity of Rafah. In response, it started striking the area. According to media reports, Hamas said it was “unaware” of any clashes in Rafah and that it “remains committed to the ceasefire agreement.” It also accused Israel of “violating the deal and fabricating pretexts to justify its crimes.” Hours later, the IDF said it had begun “a series of strikes against Hamas terror targets in the southern Gaza.” Later in the evening, the IDF was ordered by the Israeli government to prevent aid from entering Gaza until further notice, reported local and international media. Later still, following “dozens” of strikes, the IDF said it was following political direction to begin “renewed enforcement of the ceasefire, in line with the terms of the agreement.” It said it “will continue to uphold the ceasefire agreement and will respond firmly to any violation of it.” The Israeli far right in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government coalition used the moment to call for a full resumption of the war. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir called on Israel to renew its military operations in the Gaza Strip “in full force” following the IDF reports, writes Israeli newspaper Haaretz. The far-right minister said Saturday that he had given Netanyahu a deadline to dismantle Hamas and enact the death penalty for terrorists, threatening that if his conditions were not met, his far-right Otzma Yehudit party would quit the government, writes another Israeli daily, the Times of Israel. On Saturday, the U.S. State Department said in a statement that it has “credible reports” that Hamas could violate the ceasefire with an attack on Palestinian civilians in Gaza. If the attack takes place, it “would constitute a direct and grave violation” of the agreement forged by Trump to end the two-year war between Israel and Hamas, the statement said. According to Bloomberg, an Israeli official said there are tentative plans for U.S. Vice President JD Vance to accompany White House mediator Steve Witkoff to the Middle East in the coming week, a signal of American seriousness about shoring up the deal. The U.S embassy in Jerusalem had no immediate comment, it said. This article has been updated. Joe Stanley-Smith contributed to this report. Leaders pushed issue to next summit after failing to reassure Belgian prime minister that his country wouldn’t be on the hook. France, Germany and Italy want Ukraine to use their potential mega-loan to buy EU-made weapons. The EU executive is calling for more secure meeting rooms in Commission buildings. The prospect of the divisive civil servant coming back has sparked panic and plotting among some who remember his reign six years ago.
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Jacopo Barigazzi
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Hamas and Israel trade blame as hopes dim for lasting peace.
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[
"artillery",
"far right",
"infrastructure",
"media",
"middle east",
"military",
"missiles",
"rights",
"tunnels",
"war"
] |
Uncategorized
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[
"Israel",
"Palestine",
"United States"
] |
2025-10-19T14:52:12Z
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2025-10-19T14:52:12Z
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2025-10-19T20:16:55Z
| 7,352,787
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https://www.politico.eu/article/gaza-ceasefire-israel-idf-airstrikes-on-rafah-benjamin-netanyahu/
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Germany recalls envoy to Georgia amid growing tensions
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Ambassador Peter Fischer has become the target of attacks from the pro-Russia government in Tbilisi. Berlin is recalling for consultations its ambassador to Georgia, Peter Fischer, after he became the target of attacks from the pro-Russia government of the South Caucasus country, the German foreign ministry announced on Sunday. “For many months, the Georgian leadership has been agitating against the EU, Germany and also German Ambassador Fischer personally,” the Federal Foreign Office wrote on X in a post announcing the decision to recall the ambassador “for consultations on how to proceed.” The situation in Georgia, which last December inaugurated its new President Mikheil Kavelashvili, a far-right firebrand and former footballer, amid claims his controversial election was a sham, is going to be discussed at a meeting of EU foreign affairs ministers on Monday. Georgia halted the country’s EU accession process triggering protests in the streets and the withdrawal of the German ambassador comes after a prolonged escalation between Georgia’s Russian-oriented head of government Irakli Kobakhidze and Fischer. The Georgian foreign ministry last month summoned the German ambassador, suggesting in a statement that he was part of attempts to promote a “radical agenda within the country” and warned Fischer not to interfere in Georgia’s internal affairs. German weekly Der Spiegel reported Sunday that among other things, the diplomat brooked trouble by attending court hearings against members of the opposition. The newspaper also said Fischer had been criticized by Tbilisi after renting the house of an opposition politician. The German ambassador is not the only target of the pro-Moscow government. On Thursday, Georgia’s interior ministry fined Finland’s foreign minister after she expressed support for protesters at a pro-EU, anti-government rally in Tbilisi. Leaders pushed issue to next summit after failing to reassure Belgian prime minister that his country wouldn’t be on the hook. France, Germany and Italy want Ukraine to use their potential mega-loan to buy EU-made weapons. The EU executive is calling for more secure meeting rooms in Commission buildings. The prospect of the divisive civil servant coming back has sparked panic and plotting among some who remember his reign six years ago.
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Jacopo Barigazzi
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Ambassador Peter Fischer has become the target of attacks from the pro-Russia government in Tbilisi.
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[
"courts",
"elections",
"enlargement",
"neighborhood",
"foreign affairs"
] |
Politics
|
[
"Finland",
"Georgia",
"Germany"
] |
2025-10-19T12:05:32Z
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2025-10-19T12:05:32Z
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2025-10-19T12:05:51Z
| 7,352,274
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https://www.politico.eu/article/berlin-recalls-ambassador-to-georgia-amid-growing-tensions/
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EU seeks to boost powers to board Russian shadow fleet vessels, document shows
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The bloc also considers “targeting the provision of logistical support to shadow fleet vessels,” according to EEAS document seen by POLITICO. The EU is seeking to boost the bloc's powers to board vessels in Russia's shadow fleet for inspections, according to a document prepared for Monday's meeting of EU foreign ministers and seen by POLITICO. The issue of ships transporting Russian oil sailing under different flags to escape EU sanctions has wide implications for the bloc as those vessels not only help to boost Moscow's war economy but also "pose threats to the environment and to navigation safety," according to the five-page document prepared by the European External Action Service, the EU diplomatic arm. The shadow fleet ships also are a risk for critical infrastructure and "can be used as platforms for hybrid attacks against EU territory," the document states. The vessels are in some cases suspected to be launch pads for Russian drones used to reconnoiter critical Western sites and disrupt civilian airports. The EEAS this month initiated a discussion at the technical level on the basis of a draft declaration of the EU and its member states on reinforcing the International Law of the Sea framework, according to the EEAS document. That effort "would provide an additional tool to member states to boost the effectiveness of enforcement actions, including providing a basis to board shadow fleet ships," the document says. The draft declaration proposes "possible bilateral agreements between the flag states and the EU on pre-authorized boardings for inspections," the EEAS wrote in the document. The objective is to finalize the draft declaration by the end of November and to adopt it at the following meeting of EU foreign ministers. Once the declaration is be supported by member states, the EU's top diplomat Kaja Kallas will "seek the authorization of the Council to open negotiations for bilateral agreements with identified flag states," according to the document. EU member states "increasingly demonstrate a renewed momentum for more robust enforcement actions tackling the shadow fleet," according to the document, which makes the example of French soldiers that at the start of the month boarded an oil tanker, the Boracay, believed to be part of Russia's shadow fleet, which was off the coast of Denmark when unidentified drones forced the temporary closure of several airports and also was anchored off western France for a few days. The EU "could support member states in their efforts if they agree to grant the EU the right to negotiate agreements on their behalf for pre-authorized boardings for inspections," the document says. The EU is already reaching out to priority flag states and coastal states that provide or enable logistical support and bunkering services to the shadow fleet and, among other actions, it also "aims to mobilize its various tools to provide support and incentives to flag states to deregister sanctioned vessels," according to the EEAS document. Panama, the largest ship registry, "has agreed to deregister vessels sanctioned by the EU and recently decided to stop registering vessels older than 15 years," the EEAS says in the document. In terms of further sanctions, the EU "will continue to propose additional listings of vessels and shadow fleet ecosystem operators such as insurers and flag registries," the document states, building on measures taken already in the current sanctions packages. And "possible additional measures could include targeting the provision of logistical support to shadow fleet vessels, such as oil bunkering," the document says. Leaders pushed issue to next summit after failing to reassure Belgian prime minister that his country wouldn’t be on the hook. France, Germany and Italy want Ukraine to use their potential mega-loan to buy EU-made weapons. The EU executive is calling for more secure meeting rooms in Commission buildings. The prospect of the divisive civil servant coming back has sparked panic and plotting among some who remember his reign six years ago.
|
Jacopo Barigazzi
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The bloc also considers “targeting the provision of logistical support to shadow fleet vessels,” according to EEAS document seen by POLITICO.
|
[
"air defense",
"airports",
"buildings",
"defense",
"drones",
"enforcement",
"environment",
"european defense",
"multinational defense programs",
"negotiations",
"oil",
"platforms",
"rights",
"safety",
"sanctions",
"services",
"war",
"war economy",
"war in ukraine",
"trade"
] |
Energy and Climate
|
[
"Denmark",
"France",
"Panama",
"Russia"
] |
2025-10-19T10:24:14Z
|
2025-10-19T10:24:14Z
|
2025-10-19T12:52:29Z
| 7,351,986
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https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-seeks-boost-powers-to-board-shadow-fleet-vessels-exclusive-document-sanctions-war/
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Napoleon jewels stolen from Louvre in ‘major robbery’
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The thieves stole jewelry from display cases in the Galerie d’Apollon before fleeing on scooters, the interior ministry said. The Louvre Museum in Paris has been closed for the day after thieves broke in early Sunday and stole jewelry from the Napoleon collection, French officials said. The culprits broke into the building around 9:30 a.m. by forcing open a window, the French interior ministry said in a statement. The thieves made their way to the Galerie d’Apollon where they stole jewelry from display cases before fleeing on scooters, it said. French President Emmanuel Macron called the theft “an attack on a heritage we cherish” in a post on X. “We will recover the works, and the perpetrators will be brought to justice,” Macron said. Calling it a “major robbery,” Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez told radio station France Inter that the thieves used an external ladder-lift to access the building. The robbery took only seven minutes, Nuñez said. An investigation has been launched into the incident, France’s Culture Minister Rachida Dati wrote on X. Dati later told local media that one piece of jewelry had been recovered outside the museum, apparently dropped as the robbers made their escape. French authorities confirmed that they found the 19th-century crown that once belonged to Empress Eugenie, the wife of Napoleon III, according to reports. The crown features golden eagles and is covered in 1,354 diamonds and 56 emeralds, according to the museum’s website. The museum, home to world-famous artworks including Leonardo da Vinci’s “Mona Lisa,” said that it would remain closed Sunday “for exceptional reasons.” Local media reports said the culprits wore hoods and carried small chainsaws. According the French daily Le Parisien, the thieves accessed the building on the Seine docks, where work is taking place. The robbers took nine pieces from the Napoleon and the Empress jewelry collection, the newspaper said. The interior ministry said a detailed list of the stolen items is being compiled. “Beyond their market value, these items have inestimable heritage and historical value,” the ministry said in a statement. The Regent, the largest diamond in the collection weighing more than 140 carats, was not stolen, according to the Parisien report. The Louvre is the world’s most visited museum, welcoming about nine million visitors a year, and houses many famous artworks and other valuable items. “The museum’s management, in conjunction with the police prefecture and the Ministry of the Interior, has decided to close the museum today as a security measure and to preserve evidence for the investigation,” the ministry said. There were no reports of injuries in Sunday’s break-in. French President Emmanuel Macron in January announced plans of an ambitious renovation project at the Louvre, including building a new entrance and moving the “Mona Lisa” to its own room. The museum has faced challenges updating some of its increasingly dilapidated infrastructure. Macron’s proposal would see da Vinci’s masterpiece moved to an “independently accessible” part of the museum where visitors would be charged separately. “The Louvre Nouvelle Renaissance project, which we launched in January, includes increased security,” Macron said in his X post on Sunday. “It will guarantee the preservation and protection of what constitutes our memory and our culture.” The Ministry of Culture will spend €10 million to explore the project’s development, Macron said. But many who work in or with the museum say money should be spent on much-needed refurbishments before embarking on any new construction. Victor Goury-Laffont contributed reporting. Leaders pushed issue to next summit after failing to reassure Belgian prime minister that his country wouldn’t be on the hook. France, Germany and Italy want Ukraine to use their potential mega-loan to buy EU-made weapons. The EU executive is calling for more secure meeting rooms in Commission buildings. The prospect of the divisive civil servant coming back has sparked panic and plotting among some who remember his reign six years ago.
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Jacopo Barigazzi
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The thieves stole jewelry from display cases in the Galerie d’Apollon before fleeing on scooters, the interior ministry said.
|
[
"buildings",
"culture",
"freight"
] |
Uncategorized
|
[
"France"
] |
2025-10-19T10:23:43Z
|
2025-10-19T10:23:43Z
|
2025-10-19T20:34:52Z
| 7,352,094
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https://www.politico.eu/article/louvre-museum-closed-after-robbery/
|
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