Call this a smooth enlargement process? Fireworks explode in Albanian Parliament
Chaos erupted in Albanian Parliament on November 20 when the opposition used chairs and fireworks to try to block voting on the new budget
Slovakia keeps up border controls with Hungary
Slovakia's Government agreed on November 20 to keep temporary border controls in place with Hungary until December 23.
Leader of Belgium’s Socialist party resigns after report of racist rant
Conner Rousseau, leader of the Dutch-speaking Socialist Vooruit party of Belgium, resigned on November 17 after the publication of expletive-ridden remarks he allegedly made…
Germany, France and Italy reach agreement on AI rules, ditching European Parliament accord
Germany, France and Italy have reached an accord on how artificial intelligence (AI) should be managed – an agreement that differs from the European Parliament version finalised…
Dutch elections: Wilders soars in polls, ahead of Timmermans
In a poll published on November 18, Wilders gained a projected five extra seats, sharing the top spot with the right-liberal VVD party.
Belgium accused of dropping warrant for Qatargate-linked minister in prisoner swap
Belgian news outlets are accusing the Belgian Government of letting a Qatari official connected to Qatargate off the hook in a deal with Iran in order to free Belgian NGO…
French senator Guerriau held on suspicion of drugging female MP for sex
French senator Joël Guerriau, 66, was arrested by police on November 15 on suspicion of having drugged a woman with the aim of having sex with her.
EU court rules Netherlands must change pension laws restricting early withdrawal
The Netherlands must amend its pensions law after a ruling by the Court of Justice of the European Union in Luxembourg.
Finland closes half its Russian border crossings after illegal migrant spike
Finland is closing down half of its border crossings with Russia, after a sharp rise in illegal migrants reaching Finland from Russia.
German police and intelligence raid 54 Islamist sites across the country
Police and intelligence agencies searched 54 premises around Germany this morning linked to the Islamic Centre of Hamburg, gathering evidence about suspected links to Hezbollah…
Frontex: 331,600 migrants illegally reached Europe so far in 2023
331,600 migrants illegally reached Europe in 2023, the most since the migrant crisis of 2015, says Frontex.
German chancellor wants to ban prostitution, saying ‘women are not for sale’
Selling sex is unacceptable, says Germany's chancellor, who calls for a crackdown on prostitution. "I find it unacceptable when men buy women.
Conservatives and Liberals form new Luxembourg coalition government
Luxembourg's two largest parties reached a final accord on forming a new government yesterday evening.
German government on the ropes after devastating budget ruling
Berlin faces a hole in the budget of up to 60 billion euros and potentially a total stop of the so-called "energiewende", the ongoing transition by Germany to a low carbon,…
Paris to vote on hiking SUV parking fees
Paris is asking residents to vote on whether to raise parking fees for large SUVs.
Greta Thunberg’s doing climate change fight no favours, says Timmermans
Former Brussels climate commissioner Frans Timmermans is frustrated about climate activist Greta Thunberg's turn to radical politics, he says.
Eyeing role in government, Wilders softens up on Islam
Eyeing a possible government role after next week's Dutch elections, Islam critic Geert Wilders is toning down his views on the religion.
French senate approves tougher immigration law
The bill seeks better to control immigration and improve integration, and includes measures to make it easier to expel law-breakers
Finland worried by spike in illegal migrants coming from Russia
Russia may be opening a new migration route to the EU in an apparent hostile move by sending illegal migrants to Finland.
French ambassadors in Muslim nations rebel against Macron’s ‘pro-Israeli shift’
Ten French ambassadors in the Middle East have written to President Macron to oppose his "pro-Israeli" stance in the Israel-Hamas war.
Germany’s new left-wing firebrand Wagenknecht defends AfD and Orbán
Wagenknecht wants to convince AfD voters to give her their vote, because she disagrees with the party on economic and social policy
Dutch energy prices double amid green transition
The Netherlands' green energy transition is leading to electricity and gas prices almost doubling.
Fingers pointed at Ukrainian military official over Nord Stream explosion
A Ukrainian military official may have played a crucial role in sabotaging the Baltic Sea's Nord Stream gas pipelines last year, according to a newspaper investigation.
Greece’s Syriza splinters as left-wing faction leaves party
Syriza, Greece's main opposition party, is splintering as its left-wing faction turns its back on the party.
Timmermans’ chance of becoming next Dutch PM ‘not very big’
Former EU climate commissioner Frans Timmermans will face a harder race than expected to become Dutch PM in nine days, says a leading Amsterdam journalist.
Germany doubles military aid for Ukraine
Germany will double its 2024 military support for Ukraine to €8 billion, says defence minister Boris Pistorius.
Orban says Ukraine EU membership talks ‘should not start’ yet
Ukraine is “in no way ready” to join the EU, says Hungary's PM Viktor Orbán.
Shell sues Greenpeace for €2 million over boarding oil vessel
Shell filed a nearly €2 million lawsuit against Greenpeace after protestors boarded one of its ships in January.
Latvia legalises same-sex partnerships, but denies them adoption rights
Latvia's parliament has narrowly voted to allow same-sex civil partnerships.
Portugal’s president dissolves parliament and calls early elections
Portugal's president has scheduled early elections for March 10 2024, following the resignation of the country's PM amid a corruption investigation.