EU socialists set red lines: No ECR, far right people around the table after elections

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In today’s news from The Capitals:

EU INSTITUTIONS

The Party of European Socialists (PES) will not sit at the negotiating table for a pro-EU majority after the next European Parliament elections, if any member from the European Conservatives and Reformists Group (ECR) or far-right Identity and Democracy is also present, according to Giacomo Filibeck, the PES secretary general told Euractiv in an interview. Read more.

EU centre-right plots post-election alliances left and right after European Parliament elections. A balance of power shift after the European Parliament elections will give the centre-right European People’s Party (EPP) the upper hand, allowing them to bend the left while also reaching out to the right in a delicate balancing act that has the potential to backfire. Read more.

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BERLIN

Germany hopes to stabilise pension system with €200 billion capital stock. The German government hopes to secure the long-term financing of its pension system with a new capital stock of up to €200 billion, which should be invested in global markets and yield €10 billion annually starting from 2036. Read more.

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PARIS

Macron says EU needs nudge to act decisively on Ukraine. French President Emmanuel Macron’s “boots on the ground” comments last week are part of a strategy to push EU countries out of their comfort zone and start acting decisively for Ukraine, the French leader told reporters in Prague on Tuesday. Read more.

France’s Le Maire slams EU’s ‘no longer wanted’ renewable targets. The EU’s renewable energy targets adopted in March last year are too restrictive and unsatisfactory as climate goals, French Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire, who took over the Energy portfolio in a recent government reshuffle, said on Monday. Read more.

NORDICS AND BALTICS

STOCKHOLM

Sweden’s path to NATO cleared, flag to be raised in coming days. Hungary’s president ratified Stockholm’s accession documents to join the military alliance on Tuesday as the 32nd member, paving the way for a swift accession in the next few days after almost two years in the waiting room. Read more.

EUROPE’S SOUTH

ROME

Italy greenlights mission to safeguard Red Sea navigation. Italy has officially given its go-ahead for the European mission EUNAVFOR Aspides in the Red Sea to counter attacks by Shiite Houthi rebels in what Alessandro Politi, director of NATO’s Defence College Foundation, says is a crucial step for Europe and other countries. Read more.

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MADRID

Spain’s parliament speaker refuses to step down amid corruption probe. Spanish parliament speaker Francina Armengol, a member of the ruling Socialist Party (PSOE/S&D), on Tuesday rejected calls from the right-wing opposition for her resignation. Read more.

EASTERN EUROPE

WARSAW

Poland delays abortion law discussion amid coalition disagreements. The speaker of parliament decided to postpone the debate on liberalising abortion laws until after local elections in April, as the issue divides the broad ruling coalition led by Prime Minister Donald Tusk, which includes both conservative and left-wing parties. Read more.

EU commissioner says Russian imports to Poland ‘negligible’ amid grain row. As Poland considers following in Latvia’s footsteps by banning agricultural imports from Russia that it says are destabilising the Polish market, EU Agriculture Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski stepped in to deny that Russian grain imports to the Eastern European country are significant. Read more.

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BUDAPEST

Hungary opposes Dutch PM Rutte’s NATO candidacy, foreign minister says. Hungary’s government cannot support Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte to become NATO’s next secretary-general, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said on Tuesday. Read more.

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BRATISLAVA

Globsec security conference moves to Prague after Fico’s constant criticism. Globsec, a Bratislava-based think tank, has announced that its international forum will be held in the Czech Republic instead of Slovakia for the first time since 2005 following repeated criticism from Prime Minister Robert Fico’s government. Read more.

NEWS FROM THE BALKANS

SOFIA

Bulgarian government resigns, triggering unprecedented political rotation of PMs. Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov submitted his resignation on Tuesday, marking the beginning of an unprecedented political process of rotating prime ministers. Read more.

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BUCHAREST

Romania foresees rise in gas usage despite Council reduction agreement. Energy Minister Sebastian Burduja foresees a rise in gas consumption in Romania, despite the political agreement reached at the EU Council on Monday on a recommendation to continue coordinated demand reduction. Read more.

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ZAGREB

Upcoming EU and national elections in Croatia will confuse voters, analysts warn. As Croatia enters campaign mode ahead of EU elections in June and parliamentary elections due at the end of April or in May, following the dissolution of parliament expected no later than 22 March, sources close to the ruling HDZ party say that holding national elections before the EU elections is a strategic move, while analysts warn it could cause confusion among voters. Read more.

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BELGRADE

Serbia’s foreign minister meets Russian counterpart Lavrov, stresses good relations. Serbia wants to develop good relations with Russia, Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic said after meeting with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, at an international conference in Antalya, Turkey. Read more.

AGENDA:

EU: Commission Vice President Vĕra Jourová hosts Representative on Freedom of the Media of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Teresa Ribeiro; Speaks at “Women in Public Life” event;
Equality Commissioner Helena Dalli meets Armenian Minister of Justice Grigor Minasyan; Delivers speech at Coreper I (Committee of the Permanent Representatives of the Governments of the Member States to EU) lunch;
Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson participates in panel session at “What kind of state do we want?” economic conference, in Tallinn, Estonia;
Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton delivers keynote speech at European Tech Alliance CEO Forum (EUTA);
Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders holds meeting with CEOs members of EUTA (European Tech Alliance);
Parliament President Roberta Metsola on official visit in Bucharest, Romania: holds meetings with Romania President of the Senate Nicolae Ciucǎ, Acting President of the Chamber of Deputies Alfred Simonis, President Klaus Iohannis, Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu;
Germany: Chancellor Olaf Scholz meets regional leaders on refugee policy;
France: Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu hosts Iraq Defence Minister Thabet Muhammad al-Abbasi;
Netherlands: Prime Minister Mark Rutte meets French counterpart Gabriel Attal to discuss ties;
Romania: European People’s Party (EPP) congress;
Russia: President Vladimir Putin hosts IAEA chief Rafael Grossi for talks; Foreign Affairs Minister Sergei Lavrov hosts Nigerian counterpart Yusuf Tuggar;
Brazil: Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on official visit;
UN: Security Council meets on Afghanistan; Delegation visits northwest Syria ahead of war’s 13-year mark;