To Ursula, with love: Paris sends Brussels the anti-Breton

Franceโ€™s incoming commissioner is a Macron loyalist who prefers backroom dealing to attention-grabbing stunts.

Far-right โ€˜Venezuela majorityโ€™ signals new power balance in European Parliament

Left-wingers rail against rightward shift ahead of showdown with commissioners.

Venezuelaโ€™s opposition wins top EU human rights award

Sakharov Prize goes to politicians who took on authoritarian ruler Nicolรกs Maduro.

Fitto brushes aside ECR party affiliation, backs shift to conditional EU funding

In his answers to MEPs, Fitto sought to dispel doubts about his nomination, reaffirming his commitment to European values and declaring himself a “firm supporter of the European project.”

2025 Budget: Parliament ready to defend EU4Health against the Council of the EU

The upcoming interinstitutional negotiations on the EU budget for 2025 are likely to be tense.

EPP piles pressure on Commission for revision of medical devices regulation

Peter Liese’s resolution will be voted on by MEPs on Wednesday.

Hereโ€™s the final schedule for commissioner hearings in November

MEPs will grill all executive vice presidents on Nov. 12 after a weeklong hearing marathon in the Parliament.

Meloni looks to bridge gap between EPP and Patriots

Italian Prime Minister and European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) leader Giorgia Meloni appears to be bridging the gap between the European Peopleโ€™s Party (EPP) group and the far-right Patriots for Europe group, as representatives from both have b…

Orbรกnโ€™s government denies role in mega bank loan to Spanish far-right party

Spain’s Vox received โ‚ฌ9.2 million from a bank linked to the Hungarian prime minister.

EU Parliament to question Fitto on cohesion policy overhaul and conditionality

A document obtained by Euractiv reveals that MEPs are concerned that the objectives of cohesion policy “may be compromised” by possible RRF-style reforms

Czechia plans to push for major changes to EUโ€™s car emissions goals

Czechia plans to push for changes to EU car emission targets, Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala and Transport Minister Martin Kupka (both ODS, ECR) announced on Friday, confirming that the focus will be on speeding up the review of the internal combustio…

Polish MEP: Hard times ahead for commissioner hopefuls Serafin, Fitto, Hoekstra

Polandโ€™s Piotr Serafin will face many challenges if he succeeds in becoming the new EU budget commissioner, while Italian and Dutch commissioners-designate Raffaele Fitto and Wopke Hoekstra are likely to be grilled the most during parliamentary hearing…

โ€˜Tidal waveโ€™: Europeโ€™s populists push for migrant clampdown as Trump cranks up rhetoric

France and Germany have joined calls for a tougher EU migration policy following a series of far-right election wins.

How to speak von der Leyen

POLITICO’s guide to understanding what the European Commission president says vs. what she means.

Far-left, far-right MEPs slam Draghi report, while centre offers support

Mario Draghiโ€™s report on European competitiveness was sharply criticised by far left and far right MEPs in a European Parliamentary debate in Strasbourg on Tuesday (17 September) but received strong backing from Commission President Ursula von der Leye…

Hard-right ECR group gets powerful EU Commission post, stirring Parliament

Socialists, Liberals and Greens oppose von der Leyen’s appointment of Italian hard-right Raffaele Fitto (ECR) as executive vice-president of the new European Commission.

The job no one wants: EU health commissioner

Health policy is looking like the poor cousin and is likely to be downgraded this mandate.

ECRโ€™s Meloni secures executive vice presidency in EU Commissionย 

The leader of Forza Italia (EPP) in the European Parliament, Fulvio Martusciello, confirmed that European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen plans to grant Italy an executive vice presidency despite the ECR not being part of the pro-European maj…

German progressive parties to blame for far-right election victory, says leading French left-wing MEP

Germanyโ€™s progressive parties bear significant responsibility for the historic surge in support for the far-right AfD in Sundayโ€™s state elections in eastern Germany, Manon Aubry, the French co-chair of the Left Group in the European Parliament, told Eu…

Polish MEP mired by email scandal risks losing immunity

Polish Prosecutor General Adam Bodnar has asked the European Parliament to lift the immunity of Michaล‚ Dworczyk (PiS, ECR), the new Polish MEP and head of the office of former PiS prime minister Mateusz Morawiecki, who has been embroiled in a scandal o…

Italian coalition split in citizenship reform debate

A new rift has emerged within Italyโ€™s governing coalition over the controversial and hotly debated issue of citizenship reform, with Lega (ID) and Fratelli dโ€™Italia (ECR) warning their ally Forza Italia (EPP) not to join forces with the opposition on t…

Morawiecki eager to replace Meloni as head of EU conservative group

Polandโ€™s former prime minister, Mateusz Morawiecki, is vying for the leadership of the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group, a role currently held by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Polish media reports.

Orbรกn isnโ€™t as isolated as you think

The Hungarian leader has been able to build a coalition of like-minded allies who share his strategic goal โ€” creating โ€œa Europe of nation states.โ€

European Parliamentโ€™sย gender equalityย drive thwarted by the right-wing

There’s been a marked decline in women MEPs in the European Conservatives and Reformists group of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

No to Orbรกn, yes to Meloni. European Parliament hands out top jobs but cuts out (parts of) the far right

Centrist majority managed to keep Patriots for Europe at bay but backed the European Conservatives and Reformists.

Committee chairs elected: Far-right excluded, but centrist parties row over gender balance

The gentlemanโ€™s agreement among the EU’s centrist parties to keep extremes at bay held as the European Parliament elected chairs and vice chairs of its committees, but rows over gender balance exposed tensions between the mainstream parties.

S&D, ECR steady at the helm of EU Parliamentโ€™s economy and budget committees

While the political balances of the new European Parliament started to be redrafted on Tuesday (23 July) as MEPs picked the leading roles for each policy committee, the influential economic and monetary affairs (Econ) and budget committees remained fir…

Weโ€™re good, Meloni says about von der Leyen

“We have cooperated so far and will continue to do so in the future,” Meloni tells Corriere della Serra.

Czech ECR MEPs grudgingly back von der Leyen, warn of critical autumn vote

Two Czech MEPs from the hard-right ECR group confirmed to Euractiv Czechia that they voted for Ursula von der Leyen, but “with a heavy heart”, stressing that the vote on the entire European Commission in the autumn will be crucial.

The new politics of the Parliamentย 

More right-wing, less green โ€” and less Franco-German power.

How to speak EP

Your guide to the jargon that’s everywhere in Brussels.

Parliamentโ€™s Patriots slam MEPs prevention of far-right vice presidencies

By electing the institutionโ€™s vice-presidents, the members of the European Parliament kept the far-right political families isolated from vice-president positions on Tuesday (16 June), in a move that secured the cordon sanitaire in place.

Meloniโ€™s fury threatens 2nd term for von der Leyenย 

Italy’s PM faces a choice: Reelect the Commission president and stay relevant in Brussels, or light up her Euroskeptic base at home.

Renewโ€™s Valerie Hayer among big names in next Parliamentโ€™s agriculture committee

Liberal leader Valerie Hayer and socialist chief Iratxe Garcia Perez are among the big names set to join the European Parliament’s Agriculture Committee (AGRI) for the new term, draft lists of several political groups seen by Euractiv show.

Giorgia Meloniโ€™s hard-right European Parliament group split on supporting von der Leyen

Italian prime ministerโ€™s MEPs weigh whether to back EU Commission president for second term Thursday.

Meloni to decide on support for von der Leyen after ECR meeting

In todayโ€™s edition of the Capitals, find out more about Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico comparing Trump’s assassination attempt with his own, Bulgarian politicians widely condemning the attack, and so much more.

Meloni to decide on support for von der Leyen after ECR meeting

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni will reveal her position on whether she will support a second term for Commission President Ursula von der Leyen after the latter presents her programme to Meloni’s hard-right European Conservatives and Reformists …

EUโ€™s biggest losers hold Ursula von der Leyenโ€™s fate in their hands

Commission president could be forced to rely on Greens and liberals to secure a second term, weeks after they were rejected by voters in the European election.

Patriots for Europe? Viktor Orbรกnโ€™s new EU group is another hollow victory for the far right

Marine Le Penโ€™s RN and Hungaryโ€™s Fidesz have joined forces. But Europeโ€™s far right is fractured and Orbรกn isolatedโ€œVictory in defeat, there is none higher,โ€ wrote Robert A Heinlein in Stranger in a Strange Land, about unsung heroes who never give up. A…

The rise of three far-right groups in the European Parliament

The European Parliament, the biggest democratic institution in the world, now features three far-right groups. Two of them, Patriots for Europe and Europe of Sovereign Nations, emerged only this week, from the ashes of failed alliance negotiations.

Pragmatism over principle: Europeโ€™s Greens adapt to surviveย 

The group is ditching some of its ambitions as it prepares to back conservative Ursula von der Leyen atop the EU executive.ย 

LIBE committee in EU centre-right hands

The European Parliament LIBE committee, which focuses on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs, will be chaired by the centre-right European People’s Party (EPP) although for now in the ongoing negotiations is with the hard-right ECR group.

Czech PM: I can help von der Leyen get a 2nd Commission term

Petr Fiala expressed support for von der Leyen and said she understands “the problems of Central Europe.”

EU Parliament centrists circle wagons to keep far right out of top jobs

Liberals are incensed over a backdoor deal between the EPP and ECR.

Pro-EU forces to block โ€˜Patriotsโ€™ in Parliament, ECR from rule of law committee

The pro-EU forces of the European Parliament have agreed to block any member of the newly established far-right โ€œPatriots for Europeโ€ group from getting any parliamentary committee, two EU Parliament sources confirmed to Euractiv.

VOX leader: Meloni will remain โ€˜friend and allyโ€™ after switch to Patriots for Europe

Italian Prime Minister and European Conservatives and Reformists group (ECR) leader Georgia Meloni will remain a “friend and ally” of Spain’s far-right VOX, the party chief Santiago Abascal has said, after his party decided to switch from ECR to the ne…

Progressive EU politicians say French showed how to beat far-right

In todayโ€™s edition of the Capitals, find out more about Italy’s Matteo Salvini being convinced that the new EU alliance with Orban will overtake Meloniโ€™s ECR, , the Spanish right allegedly being nervous about Orban’s new group, and so much more.

Italyโ€™s Salvini convinced new EU alliance with Orban will overtake Meloniโ€™s ECR

The new alliance Patriots for Europe, led by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbรกn and seeking to form a political group in the European Parliament, will overtake Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s ECR, Matteo Salvini, who is aligning himself more…

Le Penโ€™s National Rally to take control of far-right Patriots in EU Parliament

The new group, which also includes Viktor Orbรกn’s MEPs, is set to become the third-biggest force in Parliament.

Orbรกnโ€™s โ€˜Patriotsโ€™ on track to become third force in EU Parliament with Le Pen

The new Patriots for Europe grouping looks set to become the third largest political force in the European Parliament with Spainโ€™s VOX party leaving the Conservatives and Marine Le Penโ€™s party likely to join too.

Vox quits Meloniโ€™s ECR and joins Orbรกnโ€™s โ€˜Patriots for Europeโ€™

The balance of power in the European Parliament is shifting again, with Spain’s far-right party moving from the ECR group led by Meloni’s party to a new potential alliance led by Orbรกn’s Fidesz party.

Polandโ€™s PiS MEPs reject Orbรกnโ€™s offer, pick Meloni

Poland’s PiS MEPs have turned down an offer from Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbรกn to join his new Patriots of Europe group, deciding instead to accept Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s offer to remain in her hard-right European Conservatives…

Patriots for Europe swallows Identity and Democracy: Hereโ€™s whatโ€™s happeningย 

Everything indicates the far-right Identity and Democracy (ID) group is set to collapse in favour of the newly created โ€˜Patriots for Europeโ€™, which aims to gather all radical right forces beyond the Conservatives (ECR) group.

Von der Leyen courts Greens in bid for EU Parliament majority

Ursula von der Leyen started talks with the Greens on Monday (1 July), following negotiations with Socialists and Liberals, as she enters the third stage of her campaigning to get the Commission presidency for a second term: winning over Parliament.

Italyโ€™s Tajani says von der Leyen will be โ€˜forcedโ€™ to deal with ECR

The coalition behind Ursula von der Leyen will reach an agreement with the European Conservatives and Reformists group (ECR) in the European Parliament as it is the only way for her to secure a second mandate, said Italian Deputy Prime Minister Antonio…

Von der Leyenโ€™s next challenge: Fishing for votes, left and right

While Ursula von der Leyenโ€™s bid for the European Commission presidency may have made it through EU27 leaders’ approval, her next big challenge now will be how to woo key parts of the European Parliament. ย 

ECR saved as PiS reaches compromise with Fratelli dโ€™Italia: Polish media

Polandโ€™s conservative PiS party has reached an agreement with Giorgia Meloni’s Fratelli d’Italia (FdI) about the division of key posts within their EU political family, the European Conservatives andย Reformistsย Group (ECR), Polish Press Agency (PAP) re…

What Meloni wants: Bringing home results

As negotiations among EU leaders kick off in Brussels, recent messaging from Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and her governmentโ€™s sources threatened a rejection of Commission President Ursula von der Leyenโ€™s bid for a second term.ย 

Czechiaโ€™s Babiลก says new anti-migration, anti-Green Deal EU Parliament group in sight

The head of the Czech ANO movement, former prime minister Andrej Babiลก, has said that his party, which quit the Liberals’ ranks last week, is establishing a new group in the European Parliament – but it is still unclear with whom he will team up.

Polandโ€™s Law and Justice โ€˜50/50โ€™ about leaving Giorgia Meloni and joining forces with Viktor Orbรกn

Ex-Polish PM Mateusz Morawiecki says his PiS party is exploring creating a Central Eastern European grouping in the European Parliament.

Czechia, Slovakia bicker over bilateral โ€˜restartโ€™

Diplomatic relations between Prague and Bratislava face turbulence after Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala (ODS, ECR) said the resumption of intergovernmental consultations with Slovakia โ€œis not currently a topicโ€, with the Slovaks calling the statement …

Meloniโ€™s support for EU top jobs deal increasingly uncertain

On the eve of a European Council summit where EU leaders are supposed to seal the deal on EU top jobs, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni sharply criticised the provisional agreement reached by the majority and indicated that she might oppose it.

Giorgia Meloni hits out at EU top jobs backroom deal

The Italian prime minister also called the EU ‘an invasive bureaucratic giant.’

The secret, unwritten rules of the EUโ€™s top jobs carve-up

Millions of people vote in a European election and then six people work out a deal on the EUโ€™s next leadership.

Italyโ€™s Tajani urges EPP to ally with ECR, not the Greens

In todayโ€™s edition of the Capitals, find out more about Germanyโ€™s Scholz worried about shifting public opinion on Ukraine support, Poland consdering to close its border with Belarus, and so much more.

Czech MEP urges ECR to pull together to increase leverage in key votes

To play a kingmaker role in key votes and have a say in debates in the European Parliament, members of the conservative ECR group, now the third-largest EU group in the European Parliament, must be constructive and compact, Ondล™ej Krutรญlek, the newly e…

Italyโ€™s Tajani urges EPP to ally with ECR, not the Greens

Italian Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Antonio Tajani, whose Forza Italia party is part of the European People’s Party (EPP), has issued a warning to the conservatives: they should seek the support of the European Conservatives and Reformis…

Plan to announce new far-right group โ€œThe Sovereignistsโ€ imminent

A new far-right parliamentary group, allegedly named “The Sovereignists,” is being formed in the European Parliament, led by Germany’s AfD and aiming to gather various nationalist parties across Europe, according to multiple sources and media reports.

Wie Merz und Scholz um den Osten kรคmpfen

Prรคsentiert von EFPIA.

Von der Leyen feels the squeeze as EU liberals implode

The Commission president needs Renew groupโ€™s support for a new term โ€” but the faction is shedding seats.

Italian MEP: Orbรกn will need โ€˜written statementโ€™ backing Ukraine to join ECR

In today’s edition of the Capitals, find out more about Orbรกn and the ECR drifting further apart amid the EU groupโ€™s efforts to expand, Bulgaria heading for yet another general election, and so much more.

Italian MEP: Orbรกn will need โ€˜written statementโ€™ backing Ukraine to join ECR

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbรกnโ€™s Fidesz party will be asked provide a written statement expressing support for Ukraine if they want to join the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR), according to the groupโ€™s Vice-Chair Nicola Procaccini.

Are national conservatives in ECR aiming for a top job or political power play?

The European Conservatives and Reformists announced on Wednesday they’ve overtaken the liberal Renew group to become the third-largest political group in the EU Parliament. This shake-up impacts the negotiations for EU top jobs as – at least in theory …

Von der Leyen, Meloni and the battle for Brusselsโ€™ top jobs: Whatโ€™s next?

EU leaders scramble to sign off on top jobs package at a summit next week.

Conservative ECR now third group in EU Parliament, but Fidesz drops out

The European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) said on Wednesday (19 June) they had become the third-biggest political group in the European Parliament, thanks to newcomers, potentially entitling them to take part in negotiating the EU’s top jobs.ย 

Right-wing ECR group becomes EU Parliamentโ€™s third-largest force

Meloni’s ECR edges out Macron’s Renew, as groups battle to grow.

EU political groups play high-stakes game of musical chairs

The new legislature’s work has unofficially kicked off in Brussels, as per post-election choreography. Freshly elected MEPs are now confronted with the choice to join existing political groups or form new ones

Czech conservative leader not against von der Leyen, Meloni remains cautious

Despite having only two leaders, the Conservatives, represented by Italyโ€™s Giorgia Meloni and Czechiaโ€™s Petr Fiala, they aim to have a bigger say in the EUโ€™s top jobs allocation, after their allied parties have won a large place in the European Parliam…

Europeโ€™s hard-right to VDL: We won, letโ€™s unite

‘We cannot be a group that won the elections, that is now a huge group, and then not be included in basic negotiations,’ the ECR vice-chair told POLITICO.

Czech conservative leader rejects EU alliance with radical forces, seeks deal with EPP

There will be no alliance with radical forces in the European Parliament, said Czech Prime Minister and leader of the Civic Democrats (ODS/ECR) Petr Fiala, adding that his conservative EU group should seek cooperation with the centre-right European Peo…

How von der Leyen could win the election and still lose her job

If she can’t win over the entire centrist coalition, the EU’s top executive will need the Greens or even the hard right. Both options are fraught.

Meloniโ€™s star keeps shining; Schleinโ€™s opposition party, PD, grabs top seat of EPโ€™s S&D group

Unlike in other European countries like France, Austria, and Germany, where the sweeping gains of far-right parties shook the grounds of incumbent governments, Italyโ€™s leader Giorgia Meloni remained comfortably in the driverโ€™s seat – with Fratelli dโ€™It…

Latvia boosts EPP, ECR as results come in from Saturdayโ€™s vote

The ruling centre-right coalition Jaunฤ Vienotฤซba (JV/EPP) won Latvia’s elections with 25.7% of the vote, followed by the opposition Nacionฤlฤ Apvienฤซba (NA/ECR) with 22.08%, securing two MEP seats each for the EPP and ECR groups in the European Parlia…