French Socialists time-out from left-wing alliance over Hamas stance

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In today’s news from the Capitals:

PARIS

France’s Socialist Party said it would take a temporary break from the left-wing alliance NUPES after Jean-Luc Mélenchon and his party La France Insoumise (LFI) caused controversy with their reaction to the Hamas attack on Israel. Read more.

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THE HAGUE

Dutch to abstain from voting on EU glyphosate renewal. The Netherlands will abstain in the final EU vote on the renewal of the authorisation of the controversial herbicide glyphosate this week, Agriculture Minister Piet Adema (CU/EPP) said, despite most lawmakers urging the cabinet to vote against it. Read more.

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BERLIN

Scholz and Macron, keen to improve ties, seek the next Airbus. France and Germany held a two-day cabinet retreat this week looking for ways to revitalise Europe’s economic potential, but despite the apparent show of unity, they remained preoccupied with atmospheric problems and policy divisions. Read more.

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VIENNA

Austria banks on Turkey to act as a mediator in Israel-Hamas conflict. Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer stressed Turkey’s crucial role in the ongoing crisis between Hamas and Israel during Tuesday’s state visit, urging Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to use his influence on Hamas to secure the release of hostages. Read more.

NORDICS AND BALTICS

HELSINKI

Finland says ‘outside activity’ damaged subsea gas pipeline, telecoms cable. A subsea gas pipeline and a telecommunications cable connecting Finland and Estonia have both sustained damage, and the location of the outage has been identified, the Finnish government said on Tuesday. Read more.

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STOCKHOLM

Swedish migration minister: EU should cooperate with third countries to increase returns. The EU should increase cooperation with third countries to implement a more effective return policy at the continental level, the Swedish Migration Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard told Euractiv in an interview with journalists. Read more.

Sweden’s ruling Moderates fume at Stockholm petrol and diesel ban. Sweden’s ruling right-wing Moderates have expressed anger at Stockholm’s Green-Social Democrat coalition, which announced a ban on petrol and diesel cars in parts of the city centre from 2025 on Tuesday. Read more.

EUROPE’S SOUTH

ROME

Italy can become Europe’s energy hub, says Meloni. Italy can become an energy hub for the whole of Europe thanks to the ‘Mattei Plan’ devised by the government to invest and collaborate with African countries, said Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni while speaking at an event organised by Eni on Tuesday. Read more.

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MADRID

Spanish left and right divided over Israel-Palestine. Left-wing parties Izquierda Unida, Unidas Podemos and Comuns called for demonstrations in solidarity with all the victims of the conflict between Palestine and Israel on Tuesday, while the right and the far-right camps urged acting Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez to appear before parliament and shed full light on the current political ‘cacophony’ on the conflict. Read more.

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LISBON

Portuguese Finance Minister sees ’cause for concern’ for economy in 2024. There are reasons for concern for the economy in 2024 regarding the international backdrop, Finance Minister Fernando Medina said at the Finance Ministry, where he presented the draft state budget for 2024, on Tuesday. Read more.

EASTERN EUROPE

BRATISLAVA

Robert Fico, who promised to fight Brussels, will govern Slovakia. Kingmaker Peter Pellegrini, leader of the Smer-defector party Hlas, has announced he will pursue a coalition with Smer and the nationalists, and future Prime Minister Robert Fico promised to stop all military aid to Ukraine and vowed to ‘fight Brussels’ if he governs again. Read more.

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WARSAW

Polish government, opposition commit to media freedom ahead of elections. A leading Law and Justice (PiS) party politician has pledged to advocate in her party for the decriminalisation of defamation, while a former ombudsman running for the opposition has promised to strive for an in-depth reform of the public media in response to a call by Reporters Without Borders (RSF). Read more.

NEWS FROM THE BALKANS

BUCHAREST

Romanian president to push for Ukraine, Moldova-EU accession talks at EU Council summit. President Klaus Iohannis will advocate for the opening of EU accession negotiations with Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova at the European Council summit in December, he said during an official visit to Bucharest from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday. Read more.

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SOFIA

Dozens arrested in Sofia for supplying Russian special forces in Ukraine. Twelve people were arrested for the illegal export of goods with possible dual use for the Russian special forces in Ukraine in Sofia on Tuesday, which was carried out in coordination between the Interior Ministry, the Prosecutor’s Office, and the State Agency for National Security (SANS). Read more.

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BELGRADE

Serbian PM slams opposition over election reform claims. The Serbian opposition is trying to instrumentalise international institutions, the OSCE, and all foreign embassies because it is preparing for failure in the elections it itself demanded, said Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabić. Read more.

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PRISTINA

EU Commission replies to Osmani: Dialogue with Serbia must continue. The European Commission has rebuked the comments of Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani who said there can be no continuation of dialogue with Serbia until measures are enforced on Serbia for its alleged involvement in the terrorist attack in north Kosovo on 24 September. Read more.

AGENDA:

EU: President Ursula von der Leyen chairs College of Commissioners meeting; Launches new funding partnership to eradicate polio with Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Co-chair Bill Gates, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell, and EIB President Werner Hoyer;
High Representative for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell meets with counterparts from GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) countries in Muscat, Oman;
Commission Vice President Maroš Šefčovič delivers speech at EESC Civil Society event on “Empowering consumers on climate change”; Hosts President of the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Gas Bart Jan Hoevers;
Vice President Margaritis Schinas meets with President of Mauritania Fernando Grande-Marlaska Mohamed Ould Ghazouani in Nouakchott;
International Partnerships Commissioner Jutta Urpilainen, Economy Commissioner Paolo Gentiloni participate in 2023 Annual Meetings of World Bank Group and IMF, in Marrakech, Morocco;
Equality Commissioner Helena Dalli, Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders participate online in Budapest Forum “Building Sustainable Democracies”;
Neighbourhood and Enlargement Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi receives Commander of the Hungarian Defense Forces Major General László Sticz; Hosts Minister of European Integration of Serbia Tanja Miščević;
Commissioner Kadri Simson delivers keynote speech at the North China Electric Power University in Beijing;
Environment, Oceans and Fisheries Virginijus Sinkevičius delivers opening speech at International Donors’ Conference on Humanitarian Demining in Ukraine in Zagreb, Croatia;
Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton hosts Leader of the opposition in Catalonia Salvador Illa;
Parliament President Roberta Metsola delivers keynote speech on “Navigating Through Crises: A defining moment for Europe”, at the Martens Centre Economic Ideas Forum;
Germany: Chancellor Olaf Scholz hosts an “Alliance for Transformation” meeting on energy transition;
France: Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu hosts Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh;
Belgium: NATO defence ministers meet; Ukraine’s international backers discuss arms supplies to Kyiv;
Georgia: Hungarian PM Viktor Orban on official visit;