French Senate hardens stance on economic, illegal immigration

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In today’s news from the Capitals:

PARIS

The government’s immigration bill was voted through the French Senate with a large majority on Tuesday after most of the key provisions were hardened, access to work visas for long-term immigrants curbed, and medical help for irregular migrants slashed entirely. Read more.

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EU INSTITUTIONS

Spanish rule of law battle engulfs Brussels, Sánchez called ‘Orbán of the south’. Spain’s political turmoil continues to engulf EU institutions as the Commission is trapped in a cross-fire letter frenzy between political forces demanding action, prompting debates and division among EU Parliament groups ahead of a key debate next week. Read more.

Exclusive interview with Maroš Šefčovič about made-in-Europe electric vehicles and the competition with China. Just recently, the European Commission launched an investigation into cheap Chinese electric vehicles ‘flooding’ our market. Watch the interview.

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LUXEMBOURG

Commissioner Schmit eyes socialists’ EU elections top job. Luxembourgish Jobs and Social Rights Commissioner Nicolas Schmit expressed interest in becoming the Party of European Socialist lead candidate for the EU elections in June, acknowledging his name ‘is being circulated’. Read more.

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BERLIN

Siemens Energy: Germany will bail out key green transition player for €7.5bn. The struggling energy transition giant Siemens Energy has successfully petitioned the German government for a guarantee worth €7.5 billion, with parent company Siemens pitching in as well. Read more.

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THE HAGUE

Leak of confidential Israel memo sparks outrage in Dutch parliament. The leak of a confidential memo from the Dutch embassy in Israel, in which Israel is accused of using ‘disproportionate force’ against civilians in Gaza to showcase military strength, has sparked outrage among left-wing Dutch lawmakers, with a plethora of MPs calling for a parliamentary debate on the issue. Read more.

Healthcare: Critical for voters, ‘hot potato’ for parties in Dutch elections. Healthcare is considered a crucial topic for Dutch voters ahead of the national elections, however political parties have been reluctant to address it in their manifestos. Read more.

EUROPE’S SOUTH

ATHENS

Big ‘left divorce’ reshuffles political cards in Athens. Although public anger is mounting due to skyrocketing prices in basic goods, the leftist main opposition Syriza party is not picking up electorally as their internal clashes make a credible governance alternative seem unlikely. Read more.

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MADRID

Reform and court cases; Spains political crisis intensifies. A reform that would allow the Chamber to delay the approval of the government’s controversial amnesty law for at least two months to benefit those responsible for the 2017 secessionist attempt in Catalonia was approved by the Spanish Senate – with a majority of Partido Popular (PP) – on Tuesday, while Vox filed a lawsuit against acting prime minister Pedro Sánchez for ‘cooperation with terrorism’. Read more.

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ROME

Italian economy minister defends new controversial budget bill. Italian Economy and Finance Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti has vigorously defended the 2024 budget bill against criticism from representatives of the Bank of Italy and Confindustria about the vulnerability of a budget manoeuvre in deficit and about its lack of support towards businesses. Read more.

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LISBON

Portuguese economy minister rules out possibility of resignation. Economy Minister António Costa Silva has denied that he had any contact with the consultant Lacerda Machado and ruled out the possibility of resigning with reference to the investigation that mistook him with former prime minister António Costa, adding that he regrets the impact the case has had on the prime minister. Read more.

EASTERN EUROPE

WARSAW

Left party pushes to ease Poland’s strict abortion laws. The liberalisation of abortion up to the 12th week of pregnancy and the decriminalisation of the performance of abortions were the legislative proposals tabled by MPs of the Left in an effort to liberalise the country’s strict abortion law. Read more.

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PRAGUE

Czechia to collect significantly less windfall tax than expected. While the Czech Finance Ministry originally predicted that the windfall profits tax could bring CZK 85 billion (€3.5 billion) to the state budget, the ministry has now admitted that the actual amount will be much less than expected, as only a few billion Czech crowns will be collected. Read more.

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BRATISLAVA

State Secretary asks church to make Jesus king of Slovakia. Štefan Kuffa, the new state secretary of the culture ministry, made a rare political appearance in a church and in a 12-minute speech, asked the clergy to do their part to make Jesus Christ King of Slovakia. Read more.

NEWS FROM THE BALKANS

SOFIA

Bulgaria likely to sign military deal worth $1.5 billion with US. Bulgaria is about to sign new military deals with the US after parliament approved the purchase of 193 Stryker infantry fighting vehicles for $1.3 billion and expects to buy 3D radars for combat aviation for another $200 million. Read more.

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BUCHAREST

Romania’s AUR party launches sovereignist movement. George Simion, the president of the Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR), aimed to establish an ‘authentic sovereignist movement’ and signed an association protocol with the National Identity Force and other smaller parties on Tuesday. Read more.

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LJUBLJANA

Slovenia likely to extend border checks. Slovenia is gearing up for another 20-day extension of police checks at its border with Croatia and Hungary once the temporary measure ends on Sunday and is likely to prolong the checks beyond the 20 days unless the situation changes. Read more.

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BELGRADE

Belgrade to discuss new statute of community of Serbian municipalities in Brussels. Representatives of the Serbian government have accepted the invitation from the EU’s special representative for the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue, Miroslav Lajčak, to resume talks in Brussels over the text of the statute for the Association of Serb Municipalities in north Kosovo. Read more.

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TIRANA

Albanian MP suggests paid period leave, free sanitary products. Socialist Party deputy and former deputy prime minister Erion Brace said Albanian women and girls should be entitled to state-paid leave during their periods, as well as benefitting from VAT-free period products. Read more.

AGENDA:

EU: General Affairs Council convenes to discuss European electoral law rule of law in Poland and Hungary EU-UK relations and more;
46th ACP (African Caribbean and Pacific Group of States)-EU Council of Ministers sign new Partnership Agreement in Apia Samoa;
Commission President Ursula von der Leyen chairs meeting of the College of Commissioner, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg joins; Hosts President of Latvia Edgars Rinkēvičs;
Commission Vice President Maroš Šefčovič opens session on “Strategic Partnerships with Third Countries” as part of the Commission’s Critical Raw Materials Week;
Vice President Dubravka Šuica participates in closing keynote discussion on demography and democracy at EU-US Defense & Future Forum organized by the Atlantic Council, in Washington, USA; Meets with Assistant Secretary State Department’s Bureau of Population Refugees and Migration Julieta Valls Noyes;
Vice President Schinas hosts Foreign Affairs Ministers of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan;
Crisis Management Commissioner Janez Lenarčič participates in Renew roundtable on Western Balkans in Parliament;
Climate Action Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra meets with representatives of EU Chamber of Commerce China (EUCCC), in Beijing, China;
Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides delivers keynote speech at 2023 European Cancer Summit “Accelerating Momentum: A manifesto to 2030”;
Neighbourhood and Enlargement Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi holds meetings with Albania Chair of the European Integration Parliamentary Committee-Deputy Chair responsible for International Relations Democratic Party of Albania Jorida Tabaku, Vice Chairman of the Presidential Council of Libya Mousa Al-Koni, President of the Democratic Party of Kosovo Memli Krasniqi, Minister of Industry and Technology of Türkiye Mehmet Fatih Kacır;
Financial services, financial stability and Capital Markets Union Mairead McGuinness meets with Managing Director of Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) Chia Der Jiun;
Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth Commissioner Iliana Ivanova delivers keynote speech at Conference on “Western Balkans: Integration before Accession”;
Parliament President Roberta Metsola meets with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan; Hosts President of the Republic of Latvia Edgars Rinkēvičs;
Switzerland: French President Emmanuel Macron visits;
United Kingdom: UK Supreme Court ruling on the legality of Rwanda policy on asylum seekers;
Spain: Debate vote on new term of office for PM Pedro Sanchez;
Indonesia: ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting;