German opposition wants to fortify alliance with Poland, France

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In today’s news from the Capitals:

BERLIN

German opposition wants to fortify alliance with Poland and France. Pushing for a geopolitical EU bloc with a stronger alliance between Germany, France and Poland, known as the Weimar Triangle, has been presented as one of the core tenets of the new manifesto of Germany’s opposition CDU, which seeks to take over the government after the next federal election in October 2025. Read more.

WESTERN EUROPE

PARIS

French MPs deal heavy blow to government with surprise rejection of immigration bill. French lawmakers rejected the government’s immigration bill on Monday by 270 votes to 265, with the far-right, conservative and left-wing coalition joining forces, marking the first time in 25 years that a motion to reject a bill has been passed. Read more.

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THE HAGUE

Dutch right-wing cabinet talks continue with constitutional safeguards against Wilders. Putting an end to the possibility of a centre government including Frans Timmermans, coalition scout Ronald Plasterk sees a right-wing cabinet “possible” if far-right PVV gives up on controversial anti-EU and anti-Islam goals during the first stage of negotiations, as required by centre-right NSC and liberal VVD to preserve the rule of law. Read more.

EU INSTITUTIONS

‘Warmongering’ EU Commission boss must leave post, European Left chief says. Ursula von der Leyen’s tenure as the European Commission president has been the “worst” in years due to her “warmongering” and insensitive handling of migration, the president of the Party of European Left, Walter Baier, told Euractiv, confirming that the party is against her possible second term. Read more.

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Hungary veto at summit would be ‘failure of entire EU’, Ukraine deputy PM warns. Hungary’s potential veto over financial aid to Ukraine and opening accession talks with Kyiv at the EU summit later this week will be a ‘failure of the entire bloc, not only of one European leader’, Ukraine’s Deputy Prime Minister Olha Stefanishyna said in an interview. Read more.

NORDICS & BALTICS

OSLO | LONDON

UK and Norway join forces to help Ukraine build coastal, maritime defences. Norway and the UK will lead a maritime coalition to help Ukraine build up its coastal and maritime defences, the countries’ defence ministers announced after a meeting in London on Monday. Read more.

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STOCKHOLM

Sweden presents new national aid package for Ukraine ahead of EU summit. Sweden presented a new aid package of some €144 million for Ukraine on Monday, just a few days ahead of this week’s EU summit, where Swedish Prime Minister Ukraine warned of a need to find common ground amid Hungary’s continued reticence on aid. Read more.

EUROPE’S SOUTH

ROME

Italy split on EU Stability Mechanism ahead of key summit. Italy could stall ratification of the European Stability Mechanism, likely to be approved by the end of the year, as coalition partners Forza Italia and Lega remain divided on the issue ahead of this week’s crucial EU summit, where Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni will have to present Italy’s position. Read more.

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MADRID

Centre-right urged to break regional pacts with Vox after Sánchez ‘hate speech’. Spain’s Partido Popular must immediately break its pacts with the far-right Vox in the regions and municipalities where they govern together, Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares and other members of the progressive government demanded on Monday after Vox leader Santiago Abascal directed “hate speech” at Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez. Read more.

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LISBON

Costa backs EU accession negotiations for Ukraine, Western Balkans. Portugal supports the opening of negotiations for Ukraine’s accession to the EU, Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa said on Monday, adding that progress should also be made in the enlargement process to the Western Balkans. Read more.

EASTERN EUROPE

WARSAW

Tusk becomes PM and vows to chase away PiS ‘evil’. Polish parliament elected Donald Tusk as prime minister on Monday after Mateusz Morawiecki, the candidate of the previously ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party, failed to obtain a vote of confidence on Monday with the new prime minister vowing to bring light to Polish politics after eight years of ‘evil’ PiS rule. Read more.

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PRAGUE

Ex-chief of Czech diplomacy to lead socialists in EU election. Previously a strong player on the Czech political scene, Social Democracy nominated former foreign and culture minister and former lower house speaker Lubomir Zaorálek to lead the party’s list for next year’s EU elections. Read more.

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BRATISLAVA

Slovakia’s 2024 budget proposal should be called ‘pre-bankruptcy’, says opposition. The budget for 2024 presented by the Slovak government, with a deficit of 5.97% of GDP – the highest in the EU – and plans to increase spending and taxes, can only be described as pre-bankruptcy, Michal Šimečka, leader of the opposition party Progressive Slovakia, said on Monday. Read more.

NEWS FROM THE BALKANS

SOFIA

Bulgaria waives Russian gas transit tax in hopes of furthering Schengen talks. Parties of the ruling majority in the Bulgarian parliament have agreed to cancel the tax on Russian gas imports transiting through Bulgarian territory, with GERB leader and former prime minister Boyko Borissov hoping it could help the country’s Schengen Area bid. Read more.

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BUCHAREST

Romania will purchase PAC-2 GEM-T missiles for its Patriot system. Romania’s Defence Ministry has submitted a request to parliament to purchase 200 PAC-2 GEM-T missiles for the country’s Patriot system to stay prepared amid the current security crisis in the region. Read more.

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LJUBLJANA

Slovenia to ban gas boilers in new homes. Boilers in new Slovenian homes will be banned under a reformed energy law passed by the government last week despite the move having already drawn criticism. Read more.

AGENDA:

EU: General Affairs Council convenes to discuss enlargement, rule of law dialogue, managing demographic change in Europe, and more;
Commission President Ursula von der Leyen chairs College of Commissioners meeting; Hosts Chair of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats Iratxe García-Pérez;
Commission Vice President Vĕra Jourová meets with Secretary General of Council of Europe Marija Pejčinović Burić;
Vice President Maroš Šefčovič holds meetings with Head of Government of Andorra, Xavier Espot Zamora, and Minister of Foreign Affairs of San Marino Luca Beccari;
Vice President Dubravka Šuica participates in Parliament’s plenary debate on Defence of democracy package;
Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides participates in Parliament’s plenary debate on European Health Data Space;
Jobs and Social Rights Commissioner Nicolas Schmit participates in Parliament’s plenary session on telework and the right to disconnect; Attends trilogue on platform work directive;
Parliament’s plenary session votes on small modular reactors, reform of corporate taxation rules, implementation of the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument – Global Europe, and more;

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[Edited by Sarantis Michalopoulos, Daniel Eck, Alice Taylor, Sofia Stuart Leeson, Sofia Mandilara]