https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Europe in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed The European Union is in a ‘Barbieland’, presenting itself as a model of harmony and unity while beneath the surface several tensions threaten the unity of the bloc. At least, that’s the verdict of the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) in a new report. https://www.thelocal.com/20240925/the-eu-is-in-barbieland-and-becoming-more-xenophobic-new-report-warns Wed, 25 Sep 2024 16:12:47 +0200 the-eu-is-in-barbieland-and-becoming-more-xenophobic-new-report-warns Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni has made clear the country wants a top EU job, and her foreign minister spelled out Rome's demand on Monday: a vice-presidency in the next European Commission. https://www.thelocal.com/20240624/italys-hard-right-government-demands-top-eu-commission-job Mon, 24 Jun 2024 19:09:55 +0200 italys-hard-right-government-demands-top-eu-commission-job Emmanuel Macron's own camp admit that his decision to call snap elections is a gamble - but will it pay off? John Lichfield looks at the chances of success for the president's party, and the chance of failure for Marine Le Pen's candidates. https://www.thelocal.com/20240610/opinion-macrons-election-gamble-is-an-invitation-to-calamity Mon, 10 Jun 2024 12:45:25 +0200 opinion-macrons-election-gamble-is-an-invitation-to-calamity With all of Sweden's votes counted, here are the preliminary results in the EU election as of June 13th. https://www.thelocal.com/20240610/key-stats-who-are-the-winners-and-losers-of-swedens-eu-election Mon, 10 Jun 2024 12:50:46 +0200 key-stats-who-are-the-winners-and-losers-of-swedens-eu-election A Sweden Democrat MP who got caught on tape belting out a racist chant at the party's election night vigil has vowed to quit parliament. https://www.thelocal.com/20240611/sweden-democrat-mp-steps-down-over-racist-chant Tue, 11 Jun 2024 09:05:26 +0200 sweden-democrat-mp-steps-down-over-racist-chant What does the contrasting performance of the far-right AfD in local elections in east and west Germany tell us about what comes next at a national level? Brian Melican counts the votes and looks at what happens now. https://www.thelocal.com/20240610/analysis-what-we-can-learn-from-germanys-contrasting-local-election-results Mon, 10 Jun 2024 21:32:09 +0200 analysis-what-we-can-learn-from-germanys-contrasting-local-election-results The European elections saw drop dramatic results in various countries and some heavy defeats for incumbent leaders. But now the results are (almost) in, it's time to look at what happens next in Brussels? https://www.thelocal.com/20240610/european-elections-what-happens-next-in-brussels-after-shock-results Mon, 10 Jun 2024 20:03:17 +0200 european-elections-what-happens-next-in-brussels-after-shock-results The Green and Left parties were the victors, none of the smaller parties got kicked out of parliament, and the Sweden Democrats suffered their first ever election setback. Here are five takeaways from Sweden's EU elections. https://www.thelocal.com/20240610/five-things-we-learned-from-swedens-surprising-eu-election-results Mon, 10 Jun 2024 17:17:04 +0200 five-things-we-learned-from-swedens-surprising-eu-election-results An Italian woman on trial in Hungary and under house arrest for allegedly attacking neo-Nazis hopes for immunity under EU law after getting elected to the European Parliament, her party said Monday. https://www.thelocal.com/20240610/italian-on-trial-in-hungary-hopes-for-immunity-after-election-as-eu-mp Mon, 10 Jun 2024 15:43:45 +0200 italian-on-trial-in-hungary-hopes-for-immunity-after-election-as-eu-mp What does the future hold for German politics after the defeat of coalition parties in the EU election vote? We look at what we can expect in the coming weeks. https://www.thelocal.com/20240610/what-the-eu-elections-say-about-the-state-of-politics-in-germany Mon, 10 Jun 2024 13:25:48 +0200 what-the-eu-elections-say-about-the-state-of-politics-in-germany Giorgia Meloni's far-right party won a decisive victory in European elections in Italy, unofficial results showed Monday - making her one of the few EU leaders to emerge stronger after the vote. https://www.thelocal.com/20240610/italys-far-right-giorgia-meloni-emerges-stronger-from-eu-vote Mon, 10 Jun 2024 11:09:24 +0200 italys-far-right-giorgia-meloni-emerges-stronger-from-eu-vote President Emmanuel Macron announced on Sunday night that he had dissolved the French parliament and called fresh legislative elections, after suffering a heavy defeat in the European elections. https://www.thelocal.com/20240609/breaking-macron-dissolves-french-parliament-and-calls-elections-after-big-eu-vote-defeat Sun, 09 Jun 2024 23:18:22 +0200 breaking-macron-dissolves-french-parliament-and-calls-elections-after-big-eu-vote-defeat In a surprise move, French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday evening called snap parliamentary elections after his centrist group suffered a heavy defeat in the EU vote. https://www.thelocal.com/20240609/what-do-snap-parliamentary-elections-mean-for-france Mon, 10 Jun 2024 00:26:51 +0200 what-do-snap-parliamentary-elections-mean-for-france The French far-right National Rally (RN) Sunday inflicted a heavy defeat on President Emmanuel Macron's camp in EU elections, scoring over double the number of votes of the head of state's centrist alliance, projections indicated. https://www.thelocal.com/20240609/french-far-right-inflicts-big-defeat-on-macron-alliance-in-eu-polls-projections-show Sun, 09 Jun 2024 22:34:30 +0200 french-far-right-inflicts-big-defeat-on-macron-alliance-in-eu-polls-projections-show Prior to the 2024 Olympic Games, French President Emmanuel Macron said he had 'no doubt' the country had been targeted by Russian disinformation campaigns. The Local looks at the severity of Russian interference in France. https://www.thelocal.com/20240604/analysis-how-serious-is-russian-interference-and-disinformation-in-france Tue, 04 Jun 2024 17:39:19 +0200 analysis-how-serious-is-russian-interference-and-disinformation-in-france All polling suggests that Emmanuel Macron's party is heading for a humiliating defeat in Sunday's European elections - so what next? John Lichfield examines the options for France, and the likelihood of fresh elections being called. https://www.thelocal.com/20240605/analysis-what-next-for-france-after-macrons-likely-european-election-humiliation Wed, 05 Jun 2024 11:21:58 +0200 analysis-what-next-for-france-after-macrons-likely-european-election-humiliation Any EU citizen living in Germany can vote in European elections, taking place around Europe until June 9th, when Germany goes to the polls. Why is the vote important? https://www.thelocal.com/20240320/explained-whats-at-stake-in-germanys-european-election-vote Wed, 20 Mar 2024 16:08:09 +0100 explained-whats-at-stake-in-germanys-european-election-vote With Europeans heading to the polls for the EU-wide parliament elections, it's a good time to remind ourselves of how the bloc has changed life for consumers. https://www.thelocal.com/20240607/free-roaming-and-flight-compensation-what-has-the-eu-ever-done-for-you Fri, 07 Jun 2024 14:00:27 +0200 free-roaming-and-flight-compensation-what-has-the-eu-ever-done-for-you Two roads remained blocked in south-west France and north-east Spain on Tuesday morning, after farmers protested ahead of the European elections along several crossing points at the border on Monday. https://www.thelocal.com/20240603/french-and-spanish-farmers-blockade-roads-ahead-of-european-elections Mon, 03 Jun 2024 11:32:22 +0200 french-and-spanish-farmers-blockade-roads-ahead-of-european-elections France's government on Monday faced two motions of no confidence - albeit with little chance of passing - as political temperatures rise ahead of Sunday's European Parliament election. https://www.thelocal.com/20240603/french-government-faces-confidence-votes-ahead-of-eu-election Mon, 03 Jun 2024 13:38:53 +0200 french-government-faces-confidence-votes-ahead-of-eu-election