The Capitals brings you the latest news from across Europe with local reporting from Euractiv’s media network.You can subscribe to our newsletter here.
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In today’s news from the Capitals:
EU institutions
The far-right Identity and Democracy Group (ID) and the conservative European Conservative and Reform Party (ECR) come in third and fourth place respectively in terms of voting intentions, with the right-wing bloc maintaining a blocking majority while Fratelli d’Italia loses6 According to Euractic’s mid-January forecast ahead of the EU elections in January, the Italian Greens and Left Alliance won three seats and the Italian Green Left Alliance won five seats. read more.
green party chief President Putin warns new debt rules will strengthen the EU. Ahead of the European Parliament’s vote on new debt rules for EU members, Green Party co-leader Philip Lamberts said the worst-case scenario in which new austerity would spawn populists was “the end of the EU as we know it”. warned. And President Putin cannot win the war in Ukraine if military spending is too low. read more.
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Berlin
As the AfD’s popularity grew, the German government called for stricter asylum policies. Germany’s main opposition party, the CDU, is concerned that the issue will be left to the far-right party AfD, which is currently doing well in opinion polls, and has urged the country’s three-party coalition government to work with states to tighten asylum policies. I’m asking you to. . read more.
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Paris
Former Renew chief Sejourne begins his FM tour in Kiev, Weimar Triangle. France’s unexpected new foreign minister and former Renew Europe chief Stéphane Séjournet made his diplomatic debut in Kiev over the weekend, with Germany and Poland in the Weimar Triangle following suit, vowing to support Ukraine “for as long as it takes” . read more.
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vienna
Austria’s centre-right ÖVP is likely focused on a two-party system with the far right. Austrian Defense Minister Claudia Tanner, from the center-right ÖVP, expressed her desire for a two-party system in an interview. Apa Opinion polls suggest this would mean a coalition with the far-right party FPÖ. read more.
Nordic and Baltic countries
copenhagen
Denmark’s Prime Minister declares King Frederick X. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen proclaimed Frederick X King in front of a packed Christiansborg Palace Square in central Copenhagen.
“The Crown Prince, who will now be our regent, is the king we know, the king we love and the king we trust,” Frederiksen said. He further expressed his gratitude to the abdicating Queen Margrethe for connecting him to the past and preparing him for the future. A long reign of 52 years. (Charles Zumski | Euractiv.com)
south of europe
madrid
Spain protects minors from online pornography. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said the government will approve a comprehensive law in the coming weeks to protect minors from the current “pornography epidemic” on the internet. El Pais In an interview published on Sunday. read more.
eastern europe
warsaw
Poland opposes EU Commission’s extension of trade policy with Ukraine. Deputy Minister of Agriculture Michał Kołodziejczak said Poland would not agree to the European Commission’s extension of its special trade policy on Ukraine, saying that despite differences on many issues, the Donald Tusk government He signaled that he intends to stick to the course set by his predecessor. read more.
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prague
Visegrad summit will not bring results, says Czech prime minister. Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala said the meeting of the Visegrad Group of Prime Ministers, made up of the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland and Hungary, has not yet been convened because it has not produced any results. read more.
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Bratislava
Slovak Ministry of Culture to stop funding LGBTQ+ projects. More than a year after two people were murdered outside a gay bar in Bratislava, the Ministry of Culture will cut back on Pride events and education featuring LGBTI+ topics, Culture Minister Martina Simkovičova said. read more.
News from the Balkans
bucharest
Truck drivers and farmers protest in Romania, closing border with Ukraine. Romanian truck drivers and farmers clogged traffic around several cities, including the capital Bucharest, on Sunday, expressing a series of complaints over high tax rates and slow compensation payments. read more.
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zagreb
The Croatian government’s anti-leakage bill has been criticized by opposition parties and members of the media. The upcoming bill proposed by the ruling HDZ party calls for amending the penal code to introduce up to three years in prison for leaks from court investigations, and was criticized by opposition members from Mojemo!. Sunday’s party argued that the new bill allows for wiretapping. read more.
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ljubljana
Slovenian doctors begin general strike after negotiations with the government fail. Slovenian doctors and dentists launched a general strike on Monday after talks with the government failed to yield results following last week’s one-day strike. read more.
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belgrade
Serbia will have a new parliament in the coming weeks, the parliament speaker has said. Serbian Parliament Speaker Vladimir Orlić said that Serbia will form a new parliament in the coming weeks, but that if a majority is formed, new elections will not be necessary. read more.
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pristina
Pristina, EU, conflict over reports of ‘terrorist attack’ in Baniska. Four months after the EU termed a “terrorist attack” by Serb militants in northern Kosovo and promised possible action against Serbia pending the results of the Pristina investigation, the EU Commission announced a “final report” with Kosovo authorities. He claims to be a book. It has already submitted evidence and proof of Belgrade’s involvement and demanded a response. read more.
agenda:
- european union: The Eurogroup will convene to discuss the IMF’s mandate for the euro area, its 2024 recommendations and competitiveness, and the inventory on ratification of the ESM Treaty.
- The informal meeting of environment ministers is expected to focus on adaptation and resilience, the circular economy and just transition.
- Guatemala’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell: Visited an EU-funded Green Transition project. Meet with local civil society leaders and organizations working to protect the rainforest.
- Commission Vice-President Maroš Šefčović hosts the EFTA Supervisory Authority College.
- Vice President Margaritis Schinas is on an official visit to Astana, Kazakhstan.
- Crisis Management Commissioner Janez Lenarčić welcomes Director of Al-Mezan Human Rights Center in Gaza and Chairman of the Independent Palestinian Commission for Human Rights (ICHR) Essam Younis. Meeting with Raj Soulani, Director of the Palestinian Center for Human Rights/International Federation for Human Rights.
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[Edited by Sarantis Michalopoulos, Daniel Eck, Alice Taylor, Sofia Stuart Leeson, Sofia Mandilara]
