MEPs postpone decision on Hungary’s Olivér Várhelyi
It means his appointment will be tied to the more high-profile commissioner hearings on Tuesday.
Renew group
How a political hostage deal saved 2 commissioners’ jobs
MEPs resort to mutually assured destruction to get Jessika Roswall and Hadja Lahbib through their parliamentary hearings.
Belgium’s Lahbib approved by Parliament as new EU crisis management boss
Her evaluation meeting got delayed twice.
To Ursula, with love: Paris sends Brussels the anti-Breton
France’s incoming commissioner is a Macron loyalist who prefers backroom dealing to attention-grabbing stunts.
Venezuela’s opposition wins top EU human rights award
Sakharov Prize goes to politicians who took on authoritarian ruler Nicolás Maduro.
French PM Barnier’s shadow follows Macron to Brussels
Weakened on the domestic front, the French president could also face pressure from his prime minister’s influence in Brussels.
Far-left, far-right MEPs slam Draghi report, while centre offers support
Mario Draghi’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…
5 takeaways on Ursula von der Leyen’s new Commission
As the dust settles after weeks of wrangling, here are the key things you need to know.
Von der Leyen’s Italian executive VP pick faces further opposition
Opposition to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s plan to give Italy an executive vice-presidency is growing, with the Greens and Social Democrats joining the liberal Renew group in opposing the move.
Michel Barnier’s new secret EU mission
Can the former chief Brexit negotiator, now France’s prime minister, grease the wheels on budget talks with Brussels?
The new politics of the Parliament
More right-wing, less green — and less Franco-German power.
EU’s biggest losers hold Ursula von der Leyen’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.
Orban cannot act in Europe’s name, Renew Europe chief Valérie Hayer says
Talking Europe speaks to the head of the centrist Renew group in the European Parliament, Valérie Hayer, who recently led the EU election campaign in France on behalf of President Macron’s political bloc. We dissect the all-important vote on July 18 o…
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.
Von der Leyen and Co. are in: What happens next
After being picked for a second term at the Commission, von der Leyen faces an eye-of-the-needle vote in the European Parliament.
If Brexit had never happened, the Labour Party might be running the EU
Europe’s socialists are kicking themselves that Keir Starmer’s party is no longer around.
Macron’s top MEP faces challenge for Renew group leadership
João Cotrim de Figueiredo wants Valérie Hayer’s job.
Von der Leyen feels the squeeze as EU liberals implode
The Commission president needs Renew group’s support for a new term — but the faction is shedding seats.
Italian PM Meloni pushes for greater EU influence
Following elections in which her far-right parliamentary group won 83 seats, taking third place from the liberal Renew group, Giorgia Meloni has fought for a say on the attribution of the bloc’s top jobs, despite being outside of the likely governing c…
Babiš’s ANO quits ALDE and Renew, leaves behind a ‘mess’
The Czech ANO movement announced on Friday (21 June) its departure from the liberal ALDE and the Renew group in the European Parliament, as its chairman Andrej Babiš, the former Czech prime minister, declared his party would not be able to fulfil its p…
Former Czech PM Andrej Babiš quits liberal Renew group in EU Parliament
Renew set to lose another 7 seats in EU Parliament, but do away with long-running headache.
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 …
Macron’s top MEP faces EU Parliament leadership challenge
Right-leaning members of the Renew group are looking to weaken the French president’s influence within the European Parliament.
EU election results live updates: Conservatives and social democrats hold the centre ground
Apart from painful losses for the liberal Renew group and the Greens, the overall division of seats in the European Parliament remains largely unchanged despite major upsets in France and other national polls.
Von der Leyen aims for a second term but still needs a deal
European Commission presidency is hanging in the balance after EU election.
EU’s top diplomat race gets very crowded
Josep Borrell is on his way out. Who will be the EU’s next counterpart for the likes of Antony Blinken, Sergey Lavrov and Wang Yi?
Manfred Weber has already won the European Parliament election. Can he handle what comes next?
Ursula von der Leyen needs her frenemy’s support to secure another term as European Commission president. Will he deliver?
How to watch the EU election like a Pro
4 days, 27 votes — it’s a European election bonanza!
Europe’s democratic charade
Prepare for postelection negotiations changing the European Parliament just as much as voter choices.
Is France’s far-right wunderkind Jordan Bardella the new face of Europe?
Slick, disciplined and a hit with young voters, the president of the National Rally is remaking the party in his image.
New Dutch government drives wedge through EU liberals
Valérie Hayer, the leading candidate for Emmanuel Macron’s party in France, slammed decision by Mark Rutte’s party to join Geert Wilders.
Věra Jourová to step in as EU justice chief
Didier Reynders is running for the top job at the Council of Europe.
Don’t assume von der Leyen is coming back
The European Commission president is still the frontrunner — but is increasingly coming under fire.
Von der Leyen faces internal criticism over business envoy pick
Commission also hit with official complaint by outraged MEP who was passed over for key job.
Russiagate hits German far right
AfD lawmaker under pressure to say whether he received payment from pro-Russian network.
Macron’s top candidate for EU election says she’s ‘proud’ of Green Deal and ‘appalled’ by far-right campaign
In an interview with POLITICO, Valérie Hayer doubled down on a record of centrism and compromise.
Macron forms ‘New Europeans’ club to unite fragmented EU liberals
A freshly-created association aims to spur the liberal center-ground to join together, but it faces an uphill struggle.
By the numbers: The MEPs lighting up TikTok
Europe’s fringe parties are beating centrists at reaching TikTok users, a data analysis by POLITICO shows.
Mainstream Europarties should spurn radical populists
When it comes to EU-level politics, mainstream voters strongly disapprove of their parties partnering with radicals and would-be autocrats.
Third time’s a charm? Right-wing takes another stab at killing EU nature law
Both the liberal and center-right groups remain divided on the file, making Tuesday’s vote precarious.
Ursula von der Leyen announces bid for 2nd term
One of Europe’s most powerful leaders is poised for another 5 years running the European Commission.
Call to urgently revive Theresa May’s plan for EU-wide defence treaty
Leader of centrist Renew group in EU parliament says defence must be main priority over next five yearsThe former UK prime minister Theresa May’s proposal for an EU-wide defence treaty needs to be revisited urgently, the leader of Emmanuel Macron’s pol…
France’s right-wing star joins forces with Italy’s Giorgia Meloni in EU Parliament
In a sign of EU Parliament’s rightward tilt, Marion Maréchal’s party has entered the Italian and Polish-led conservative group.
French Renew MEP Valérie Hayer on course to lead European Parliament’s third-largest faction
Stéphane Séjourné’s move to join the French government left the post empty.
Azmani’s bid for EU liberals’ Renew presidency at risk over far-right scare
Malik Azmani’s chances at becoming the new Renew group chief are dwindling as centrist EU lawmakers criticise his party’s involvement in coalition talks with the Dutch far-right, favouring French President Emmanuel Macron’s pick, Valérie Hayer.