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SNEAK PEEK โ€” JD Vance lands in Paris as the U.K. tries to get on message.ย  โ€”ย Peter Kyle says an AI bill will avoid upsetting voluntary agreement with AI labs. โ€”ย The U.K.โ€™s own mini-summit kicks off in London. Good morning and happy Tuesday, This is Tom, coming to you from a cold press room in [โ€ฆ]

Rubio vows to skip Joโ€™burg G20 amid Trump and Muskโ€™s feud with South Africa

“South Africa is doing very bad things,” rants U.S. foreign policy chief.

Rishi Sunak and David Cameron to cash in with US speaking gigs

Former British prime ministers sign up to offer their wisdom at the Washington Speakers Bureau.

‘#MeToo in sports’: European football has fuelled ‘atmosphere of sexism’ for years

Spanish women’s World Cup winner Jenni Hermoso confronted former soccer federation boss Luis Rubiales at his trial, saying she did not agree to the kiss that triggered a national backlash against sexism in sport. For in-depth analysis and a deeper per…

FIFA launches fervent defense of Saudi Arabia World Cup in letter to EU lawmakers

MEPs had criticized the world football governing body for awarding the 2034 tournament to the Gulf petromonarchy.

โ€˜Cosy boysโ€™ clubโ€™: anger over low proportion of women in Irish cabinet

Social Democrats and Sinn Fรฉin criticise inclusion of just three women in cabinet of new taoiseach Micheรกl MartinThe number of women in the Irish cabinet has fallen from four to three, dealing a further blow to the countryโ€™s reputation on gender equali…

Xi and Putin vow to deepen ties as Trumpโ€™s return sparks anxiety

“Iย am ready, together with you, toย elevate Chinese-Russian relations toย aย new level, toย counter external uncertainties,” Chinese leader tells Russian president.

There is a ‘backlash against gender balance everywhere’: EU Commissioner for equality

For our first Talking Europe interview with the new crop of EU Commissioners, we host Hadja Lahbib, who is in charge of preparedness and crisis management, as well as equality. Lahbib, a former foreign minister of Belgium, talks about the challenges o…

Trump interest in Greenland is โ€˜wake-up call to Copenhagenโ€™, says minister

Greenlandic minister says Denmark has failed to act over demands for action on minerals and alleged state abusesA Greenlandic government minister has said she views Donald Trumpโ€™s interest in the territory as positive, saying it has acted as a โ€œwake-up…

Greenlandโ€™s leader wants independence from Denmark as Trump hovers over Arctic island

โ€œIt is now time to take the next step for our country,โ€ Greenlandic Prime Minister Mรบte Egede says in hinting at 2025 referendum.

Jimmy Carter: The last progressive evangelical

The former president embodied a strain of Christianity that emphasized caring for those on the margins โ€” but was eclipsed by the Religious Right.

Macron thanks Gisรจle Pelicot for speaking out in French mass rape trial

Several top European politicians praise assault survivor for her courage.

Press release – MEPs call on the EU to champion womenโ€™s rights against global backlash

On Thursday, MEPs finalised their recommendations for the EU’s position on the upcoming UN global gathering on womenโ€™s rights in New York in March 2025.Committee on Womenโ€™s Rights and Gender Equality Source : ยฉ European Union, 2024 – EP

FIFA chief Infantino warned by EU lawmakers over Saudi Arabia World Cup

Members of the European Parliament say they have “grave concerns” about the 2034 tournament.

China says Prince Andrew spy scandal is just a smear

Chinese Embassy in London says overseas influence arm is ‘above-board and beyond reproach.’

Female empowerment in the workplace, itโ€™s more than equality, itโ€™s leadership [Advocacy Lab Content]

Could female executive leadership diminish gender inequity and inspire more women to take up roles in male-dominated industrial sectors? If so, how can women unlock the C-Suite door in a generation?
The post Female empowerment in the workplace, it&#821…

Trump picks Bill White as ambassador to Belgium

A major donor and surrogate to Trumpโ€™s 2024 campaign, White previously backed President Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, both Democrats.

Lahbib clarifies gender equality stance, brews confusion on health role

“Health will be part of the strategy for gender equality, but I cannot work solely on health issues,” Lahbib said during a debate at the European Parliament.
The post Lahbib clarifies gender equality stance, brews confusion on health role appeared firs…

Press release – Parliament to review the safety of women online

From 9 to 15 December, EP committees and delegations will discuss how to enhance womenโ€™s empowerment in the digital world as part of the fifth European Gender Equality Week.Committee on Womenโ€™s Rights and Gender Equality Source : ยฉ European Union, 2024…

How has the French far right managed to cancel a Black anti-racism scholar for โ€˜racismโ€™? | Rokhaya Diallo

An event at the European parliament featuring the French academic Maboula Soumahoro was axed after French MEPs objectedMaboula Soumahoro is a renowned French scholar and public intellectual. The holder of a PhD earned through studies both in France and…

Who were the biggest dunces? Final grades for von der Leyenโ€™s first Commission

Whoโ€™s at the top of the class and who flunked? Here are POLITICO’s grades for each 2019-2024 European commissioner.

Vรกrhelyi vows to champion womenโ€™s rights as he pursues EU health chief job

Hungaryโ€™s Commission nominee still avoided saying what he would do to ease access to abortion.ย ย 

Europeโ€™s leaders congratulated Trump. But hereโ€™s what they said about him before.

“Divisive.” “Sociopath.” “False and dangerous.” Europe’s leaders haven’t been shy about criticizing Trump in the past.

Belgiumโ€™s Lahbib approved by Parliament as new EU crisis management boss

Her evaluation meeting got delayed twice.

Putin not planning to congratulate Trump, Kremlin says

“It is almost impossible” for U.S.-Russia relations to worsen from here, Kremlin says.

Press release – Hearing of Commissioner-designate Hadja Lahbib

The Committees for Development, Womenโ€™s Rights, Civil Liberties and Environment questioned Hadja Lahbib, candidate for the Preparedness, Crisis Management and Equality portfolio.Committee on DevelopmentCommittee on the Environment, Public Health and Fo…

Lahbib wrestled gender issues, own track record during confirmation hearing

Lahbib, who had previously been singled out as a potential weak point in the new commission line-up, faced tough questions on her Crimea trip and visa scandal.

Belgiumโ€™s commissioner hearing: Hadja Lahbib on preparedness, crisis management and equality โ€” live updates

The ex-foreign minister and TV anchor has to convince MEPs she’s got what it takes to be a commissioner.

Love Trump? Hate MAGA? Where to escape if your team loses the US election.

We’ve pulled together a handy list of European safe spaces if you need to eject from America after Tuesday’s vote.

51 men accused of raping 1 woman force France to think about consent

The French justice minister is meeting with lawmakers to legally define nonconsensual sex as rape.

The future EU commissionersโ€™ promises: Everything you need to know

We pored over more than 400 pages of written answers so you donโ€™t have to.

Turkey shutters independent radio over Armenian genocide reference

Station plays Beach Boys’ “Good Vibrations” at sign-off and resolves to return to airwaves.

Look at this photo of Ursula von der Leyenโ€™s new team โ€“ and tell me the EU doesnโ€™t have a diversity problem | Shada Islam

I have seen how structural racism is embedded in the EUโ€™s institutions. A recruitment revolution is neededAs Ursula von der Leyen sweet-talked and bullied EU leaders to send more women to Brussels over recent weeks, I kept hoping she would also make he…

Setting Gender-Based Asylum Straight: The Court of Justiceโ€™s Landing Point

 

 

Salvo Nicolosi
and Tรผrkan Ertuna Lagrand, University of UtrechtPhoto credit: USAID, via Wikimedia Commons

 

Just a couple of weeks after the Taliban regime in
Afghanistan announced a
new decree prohibiting women from being heard …

The far right canโ€™t take away our hopes and memories. Culture is our weapon

In Austria, the FPร– would suffocate cultural diversity with illiberal values, brass bands and schlager music. But itโ€™s not too late to resistHenry Kissinger is reputed to have asked Chinaโ€™s prime minister Zhou Enlai whether the French Revolution had be…

European commissioner hearings confirmed for November

European Parliament chiefs will grill the commissioner hopefuls between Nov. 4 and Nov. 12.

Tony Blairโ€™s tips for a Tory revival

Former Labour prime minister says Conservatives must unite and heed concern over immigration.

Kicking gender-based violence into the past, soccer partners-up [Advocacy Lab Content]

The United Nations says gender equality is catastrophically off track, and gender-based violence continues to scar society. Soccer is making a pitch to end domestic violence through engagement and education.

In a tumultuous world, we rely on the United Nations more than ever โ€“ but it is failing | Jamal Benomar

There should be leadership but instead we see grandiose initiatives and a reluctance to address fundamental flawsJamal Benomar is a former UN undersecretary generalThe United Nations Summit of the Future has concluded, but the real and present world re…

European Parliament to decide between starting commissioner hearings in October or November

MEPs are likely to opt for a Nov. 4 start date.

So long, no thanks to all the fash: review of Character Limit: How Elon Musk Destroyed Twitter, by Kate Conger and Ryan Mac

Professor Steve Peers, Royal Holloway University of
London

Photo credit: mikemacmarketing, image via vpnsrus

 

Full disclosure first: After exactly
ten and a half years, I stopped posting on X (formerly Twitter) on August 10,
2024. I cou…

Slovenian prime minister backs Commission nominee after controversy

In interview with POLITICO, Robert Golob also says “chemistry” with von der Leyen helped Kos land the nomination

Burkini ban case tossed back to Belgium by top human rights court

Body-covering swimsuits are prohibited in majority of pools across the country. Two women complained about the restriction in Antwerp.

European youth deserves better contraception

Despite the progress we’ve made in advancing reproductive rights across Europe, young people and women continue to face inequalities in accessing sexual and reproductive services. With many pregnancies in Europe still unintended, this issue needs urgen…

Equality โ€˜downgradeโ€™ in European Commission dismays rights groups

Ursula von der Leyen criticised for merging equality commissioner role into brief including crisis managementMore than 50 rights organisations from across Europe have expressed their โ€œshock and dismayโ€ at Ursula von der Leyenโ€™s decision to do away with…

Humanity has been a casualty in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict

Biden can leverage tools available to the U.S. government to encourage Israelis and Palestinians to hold those who peddle in hate and facilitate abuse to account.

French PM Barnier unveils new government, putting budget and EU affairs under his purview

The Cabinet is the โ€˜most right-wing’ in more than a decade.

Was gender equality made to take a backseat in the next European Commission? | Radio Schuman

The European Commission’s equality portfolio has been merged with the preparedness and crisis management portfolio, raising concerns among NGOs that it may be neglected in EU legislation.

Latvia kicking gender inequality into play with female soccer strategy [Advocacy Lab Content]

Latvia is strengthening football gender equality, implementing good practices under the European Unionโ€™s TARGET football project, and deploying new long-term development strategies.

The winners and losers of the new European Commission

What the portfolios tell us about the EUโ€™s power dynamics.

Meet the commissioners: Class of 2024

Everything you need to know about Ursula von der Leyen’s team for her second term.

Ursula von der Leyenโ€™s new European Commission

Commission president hands out the top jobs in her new team.

Man arrested for sending threatening letter, drugs to Maltaโ€™s EU commissioner

Helena Dalli confirms a threatening note was left outside her home.

โ€˜Middle fingersโ€™ from EU capitals. Von der Leyenโ€™s last-minute struggles to put together her team.

European Commission presidentโ€™s haggling over gender means sheโ€™s pushing against her own deadline for unveiling the commissioners.

The great Commission puzzle: Who we think will get each portfolio

Ursula von der Leyen is about to hand out key jobs in her team. Hereโ€™s POLITICOโ€™s version of the next Commission.

Europeโ€™s Draghi report unleashed: These are the 5 things to watch

A blueprint to make the EU more competitive with the rest of the world is published on Monday. It’s likely to prove controversial.

Sloveniaโ€™s male commissioner nominee drops out amid von der Leyenโ€™s gender equality push

Tomaลพ Vesel is no longer Slovenia’s pick for the next European Commission.

Gender equality is not a โ€˜nice-to-haveโ€™ it is a must

It is time for the EU to get serious about balanced leadership. When Ursula von der Leyen was elected as the first woman President of the European Commission, many hoped this would mark a new era for gender equality in EU leadership, writes Mirta Basel…

PMQs scorecard: Sunak punches Starmer over pensioners and Israel

The PM was probed on issues where he faces rumbling discontent from his backbenchers.

Von der Leyen pressures EU countries to swap women in as commissioner picks

European Commission presidentโ€™s drive for gender equality looks to fall short.

โ€˜Not our traditionโ€™: calls in Sweden to ban fathers walking brides down the aisle

Popularised by Hollywood and the wedding of the crown princess, the patriarchal โ€˜handoverโ€™ is catching on. Now Lutherans want to stop itFrom equal parental leave and an almost gender-balanced parliament to pole position in the EUโ€™s gender equality inde…

European politicians, take a leaf out of Trumpโ€™s book and sell off your old clothes

Why oh why can’t you buy a piece of one of Ursula von der Leyen’s suits?

Ursula von der Leyenโ€™s EU Commission sausage fest

Criticism mounts in Brussels as capitals nominate man after man after man for commissioner roles.

Donโ€™t endorse male-dominated EU Commission, leading MEP warns Parliament

MEP Lina Gรกlvez (Spain/Socialists and Democrats), the new chair of the European Parliament’s Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM), addressed the main challenges and priorities for the next two and a half years of legislative work.

What Kamala Harris was really saying in her convention speech

She understood the need to tie her story to yours.

Slovak education chief refuses to implement anti-LGBTQ+ measures in schools

“I absolutely reject any politicization of education,โ€ says Education Minister Tomรกลก Drucker.

European commissioner nomineeย pickย signals Greeceโ€™s rightward turn

PM’s choice of Apostolos Tzitzikostas could raise the temperature of simmering resentments between Greece and North Macedonia.

Keir Starmerโ€™s plan to tackle the far right? Fill some potholes.

Labour wants to show government can work after a wave of social unrest.

Bulgariaโ€™s new anti-LGBTQ+ law is official. Opponents beg EU to take action.

The legislation triggered protests across the country and condemnation from human rights groups.

What Britainโ€™s top diplomats really think of Donald Trump

New UK foreign ministers were heavily critical of the ‘racist’ former US president before landing plum government jobs.

Times change in Brussels, butย Maroลก ล efฤoviฤย is forever

Slovakia’s commissioner has been in Brussels for a very long time.

French prime minister hopefuls line up for post-Olympics race

On your marks, get set, go: The Olympics respite is over and France now has to fix its political crisis.

Rights groups slam Bulgaria for banning LGBTQ+ โ€˜propagandaโ€™

The law mirrors similar legislation passed in Russia and Hungary in recent years.

โ€˜Itโ€™s in our DNAโ€™: Icelandโ€™s president on the quest for gender equality

Halla Tรณmasdรณttir, the second woman to be Icelandโ€™s head of state, says her inauguration was โ€˜truly magicalโ€™Halla Tรณmasdรณttir was just 11 years old when Vigdรญs Finnbogadรณttir became Icelandโ€™s head of state โ€“ and in the process the worldโ€™s first democra…

Turkish Cypriot leader says no reason for UN-led Cyprus talks

The U.N. is seeking a trilateral meeting on Aug. 13 to explore ways to resume Cyprus reunification negotiations.

Press release – โ€œEquality over discrimination: history must never repeat itselfโ€ – President Metsola

The European Parliament marks European Roma Holocaust Memorial Day and honours the Sinti and Roma murdered in Nazi-occupied Europe. Source : ยฉ European Union, 2024 – EP

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.

JD Vance has a bunch of weird views on gender

Overt chauvinism is the unifying thread of the New Right.

Bikes, greenwashing and equality: The passions of the new ENVI, TRAN and ITRE Parliament Committee chairs

The three influential European Parliament committees responsible for energy and industry, environment, and transport elected their leaders for the next five years on Tuesday (23 July).

A Dilemma of Two Communities: How the Portuguese-speaking Countries Mobility Agreement Might be Conflicting with EU Law

  

Ana Rita Gil*, Aylin Yildiz
Noorda** & Lucas Ricardo***

 

* Professor, Law Faculty of the
University of Lisbon, Portugal. Researcher at the Lisbon Public Law. Email:
anaritagil@fd.ulisboa.pt.

** Postdoctoral Researcher at the

How to stay sane and clean in the Brussels machine

Money, power, attention: Youโ€™ll need a strategy to stop Eurobubble high life from sullying your soul.

How to speak EP

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

Roberta Metsola reelected European Parliament president

MEPs pick incumbent for another 2.5 years at the helm.

France is at a historic turning point โ€” and it has been here before

The New Popular Front stands on the cusp of a victory that has the potential to transform the course of French history.

Mass hacking and fundamental rights: a missed opportunity for the CJEU?

Hugo Partouche, Attorney-at-law
(avocat) at the Paris Bar, and Chloรฉ Berthรฉlรฉmy, Senior Policy Advisor,
EDRi

 

Photo credit: hacker-silhoutte,
via Wikimedia
commons

 

*A first version of this article
was published in French by Actualitรฉ …

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.