‘Germany is a dictatorship’, top former Merkel ally claims
"Germany is a dictatorship of language rules, the use or non-use of which determines a person's career prospects," said Arnold Vaatz, who served as the deputy chairman…
Culture war
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German ‘influencer’ accused of destroying antique statue in Italy
An Italian landlord is accusing the popular German “influencer” Janis Danner of destroying an antique statue worth €200,000.
German left-wing leader denies links with Turkish paramilitary organisation
The leader of Germany's ruling Social Democratic Party (SPD) in North Rhine-Westphalia has denied he has links to a radical Turkish paramilitary organisation.
Conservatives are ‘evil’, UK bank staff say in leaked messages
Leaked messages from a British online bank have shown staff members deriding Conservatives as being "evil", a report in the British press has claimed.
Thousands gather as Pope Francis visits Lisbon
Thousands of Catholic pilgrims have gathered in Lisbon over the week starting August 1 hoping to catch a glimpse of Pope Francis.
Trumpist Republican senator J D Vance has a new fan: Chancellor Scholz
Chancellor of Germany Olaf Scholz admitted he was "moved to tears" by the novel Hillbilly Elegy, written by a US politician and supporter of former US President…
German Green party co-leader ‘would not visit Berlin drug park’
German Greens party co-leader Ricarda Lang has said that she would not walk through a Berlin park infamous for drug trafficking, sparking outrage across German media…
Have Brussels zebra crossings been ‘hijacked’ by ideologues?
"A pedestrian crossing has one and only one objective: to secure pedestrian crossings," said one Brussels mayor.
Europe was made on the pilgrim road to Santiago de Compostela: you wouldn’t know it going off the current state of EU politics
The recent death of John Brierley, who through his guidebooks became a Camino de Santiago institution, reminded me about the various, intriguing ways in which the…
New French education minister says school uniforms will help ‘restore authority’
Gabriel Attal, the new French education minister, wants to re-introduce school uniforms in a bid to "restore authority" in educational establishments and combat…
WAKEY WAKEY! Finland celebrates ‘National Sleepy Head Day’
Finland is celebrating its "National Sleepy-Head Day" on July 27 in a tradition dating back beyond the Middle Ages and which can be something of a rude awakening…
UK opposition party chief opposes gender self-identification
The UK’s Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer has stated that gender self-identification "is not the right way forward".
‘Most ancient settlement in Europe’ discovered in Albania
New discoveries in Albania could change what we know about ancient European history.
Just Stop Oil activists get taste of their own medicine
The radical activists behind UK-based Just Stop Oil are renowned for their disruptive methods and often draw public criticism.
Berlin mayor wants to enshrine LGBTQI+ in German Constitution
The Governing Mayor of Berlin, Kai Wegner of the centre-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU), has promised to amend the constitution and add “sexual identity”…
Tusk calls for march against Polish abortion laws ahead of national elections
A political storm has erupted in Poland over a woman being interrogated by the police after she took an abortion pill.
Is this a joke? Lavalier microphones are sexist, says French MEP
A French MEP for the left-wing La France Insoumise (LFI) party has lashed out online against certain types of microphones, calling them “sexist”.
Miss Italy chief bans transgender women from beauty pageant
The Miss Italy beauty pageant has banned transgender women from competing in the contest.
Skulls and Benin bronzes: where do you draw the line to avoid emptying Europe’s museums?
The current drive for European museums to return artefacts to their countries of origin shows no sign of losing its righteous momentum (as with most of today’s…
‘Barbie films feature anti-Semitism’, German broadcaster claims
A number of Barbie films are laced with anti-Semitism, a German public broadcasters has claimed.
Female archaeologists ‘sexually harassed’ while digging in Paris
In the Parisian suburb of Saint-Denis, female archaeologists say they are constantly being harassed at work by passers-by.
AfD accused of ‘disgusting’ use of Nazi-era symbol in political ad
The Saxony state branch of Alternative for Germany (AfD) has landed itself in hot water after a political campaign criticising gender-inclusive language was accused…
Don’t let Europe catch the Anglo-American prurience contagion. Let’s allow public figures to have private lives
“Men are essentially what they hide: a miserable little pile of secrets”, wrote the much married and mistressed André Malraux.
Euro 2024 football tournament to push vegan food and ‘all-gender toilets’
The Euro 2024 football tournament will promote vegan food and "all-gender toilets" as part of a major "diversity and inclusion" drive, organisers have announced.
Belgian rioter and Snapchat star hails his prison treatment, citing ‘free porn’
Most would say prison is supposed to feel like a punishment, but for one Brussels-based criminal, the opposite was true.
Paris metro to open ‘safe spaces’ for sexual abuse victims
The Paris public transport authority (RATP) will operate “safe spaces” from September, where victims of sexist abuse or sexual violence can seek refuge.
Hungarian bookstore fined for selling LGBTQI+ novel in youth section
A national bookseller in Hungary was hit with a hefty fine by the government over an LGBTQI+ graphic novel, with authorities saying it violated a law that prohibits…
Russian Parliament bans sex-change ops and adoption by transgenders
The Duma, as the Russian Parliament is called, on July 14 adopted a bill that makes it illegal for doctors to perform sex-change operations, among other gender-related…
Saxony expands ‘gender-language’ ban in schools
The German region of Saxony is taking steps against so-called “gender language”, with Culture Minister Christian Piwarz strengthening a ban on its use.
Irish pupils to get lessons on ‘LGBTQ+ identities’ and ‘white privilege’
Ireland's new sex education course for secondary school pupils will focus on "LGBTQ+ identities", while also proposing that "white", "male" and "Irish" people are…