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 Sweden Democrat leader Jimmie Åkesson has his eyes set on roughly half of the seats in a future right-wing cabinet, including three of the following portfolios: finance, foreign, justice and defence. https://www.thelocal.com/20260525/sweden-democrats-aim-for-half-of-cabinet-seats-in-a-right-wing-government Mon, 25 May 2026 08:51:07 +0200 sweden-democrats-aim-for-half-of-cabinet-seats-in-a-right-wing-government With governments across Europe tightening citizenship and residency requirements, language and country knowledge tests are often framed as measures of integration. But are governments really talking to domestic political audiences? https://www.thelocal.com/20260523/are-government-language-tests-in-europe-integration-policy-or-just-political-posturing Sat, 23 May 2026 10:24:29 +0200 are-government-language-tests-in-europe-integration-policy-or-just-political-posturing The story of the French film producers, the Breton billionaire and the blacklist is complicated but - argues John Lichfield - should be taken seriously as a genuine danger to France's culture. https://www.thelocal.com/20260520/opinion-bollores-influence-on-french-cinema-tv-and-media-is-dangerous Wed, 20 May 2026 09:50:24 +0200 opinion-bollores-influence-on-french-cinema-tv-and-media-is-dangerous Germany is moving to lower air travel taxes from July of this year. The move could trim a few euros off ticket prices, but will travellers actually notice the difference? https://www.thelocal.com/20260522/will-passengers-really-benefit-after-germany-cut-its-air-travel-tax Fri, 22 May 2026 11:03:58 +0200 will-passengers-really-benefit-after-germany-cut-its-air-travel-tax In the first of two votes, the Swedish parliament voted to enable authorities to strip dual citizens of their Swedish citizenship in certain situations. https://www.thelocal.com/20260521/swedish-mps-vote-to-revoke-citizenship-over-crimes-that-harm-vital-interests Thu, 21 May 2026 09:35:56 +0200 swedish-mps-vote-to-revoke-citizenship-over-crimes-that-harm-vital-interests Swedish opposition politicians welcomed an opinion piece from a Sweden Democrat MP in which he apologised for his party's decision to send in two extra MPs to block a motion on transitional citizenship rules. https://www.thelocal.com/20260521/swedish-opposition-welcomes-sweden-democrat-mps-apology-over-citizenship-vote Thu, 21 May 2026 09:50:15 +0200 swedish-opposition-welcomes-sweden-democrat-mps-apology-over-citizenship-vote Social Democrat leader Magdalena Andersson said she wants to cooperate across bloc lines on several issues after the election, even if she manages to secure a centre-left majority. https://www.thelocal.com/20260521/social-democrats-aim-for-cross-bloc-collaboration-on-key-issues-after-election Thu, 21 May 2026 09:25:49 +0200 social-democrats-aim-for-cross-bloc-collaboration-on-key-issues-after-election A Sweden Democrat MP has apologised for his party's decision to send in two extra MPs to block a motion on transitional rules, saying that the party's action had been "wrong" and that principles should never be sacrificed for "short-term parliamentary gains". https://www.thelocal.com/20260520/sweden-democrat-mp-apologises-for-party-manipulating-citizenship-vote Wed, 20 May 2026 12:34:20 +0200 sweden-democrat-mp-apologises-for-party-manipulating-citizenship-vote The launch of an investigation into the awarding of contracts by a French mayor wouldn't normally merit headline news - but this mayor is one of the favourites for France's crucial 2027 presidential election. https://www.thelocal.com/20260520/explained-could-an-embezzlement-probe-cost-french-centrist-philippe-the-election Wed, 20 May 2026 14:14:10 +0200 explained-could-an-embezzlement-probe-cost-french-centrist-philippe-the-election EU lawmakers and member states reached a deal in the early hours of Wednesday to implement the bloc's nearly year-old trade pact with the United States, with President Donald Trump threatening new tariffs unless it is done by July 4th. https://www.thelocal.com/20260520/eu-agrees-to-implement-us-trade-pact-after-trump-threats Wed, 20 May 2026 09:15:17 +0200 eu-agrees-to-implement-us-trade-pact-after-trump-threats With the collapse of the Swedish parliament's pairing system, the opposition would, if it really wanted, have a real chance of blocking or amending the migration laws the government wants to pass before the election. But it's unclear how willing it is to do this. https://www.thelocal.com/20260518/what-laws-could-swedens-opposition-block-after-collapse-of-pairing Mon, 18 May 2026 15:57:02 +0200 what-laws-could-swedens-opposition-block-after-collapse-of-pairing Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, of the conservative Moderates, went head to head with opposition leader Magdalena Andersson, of the centre-left Social Democrats, in a debate at Kulturhuset in Stockholm. https://www.thelocal.com/20260519/swedish-party-leaders-clash-on-taxes-and-work-permits-in-live-debate Tue, 19 May 2026 10:31:15 +0200 swedish-party-leaders-clash-on-taxes-and-work-permits-in-live-debate The Sweden Democrats would be willing to allow young people who have already received deportation orders the chance to remain in Sweden, after the Moderate Party shifted on the issue. https://www.thelocal.com/20260519/sweden-democrats-join-u-turn-on-letting-to-be-deported-teenagers-stay-in-sweden Tue, 19 May 2026 10:27:45 +0200 sweden-democrats-join-u-turn-on-letting-to-be-deported-teenagers-stay-in-sweden A former Moderate Party defence minister has told The Local that opposition parties are "quite correct" to accuse the Sweden Democrats of cheating in the vote on transitional rules for citizenship at the end of April. https://www.thelocal.com/20260515/sweden-democrats-cheated-on-citizenship-vote-says-moderate-party-heavyweight Fri, 15 May 2026 15:22:52 +0200 sweden-democrats-cheated-on-citizenship-vote-says-moderate-party-heavyweight Swedish Migration Minister Johan Forssell has said that he hopes a soon-to-be-announced "safety clause" to reduce teen deportations will help young adults who have already received a deportation order as well as those awaiting a decision. https://www.thelocal.com/20260515/swedish-migration-minister-wants-new-law-to-help-teens-facing-deportation Fri, 15 May 2026 16:07:23 +0200 swedish-migration-minister-wants-new-law-to-help-teens-facing-deportation In the final part of his mini series on the forthcoming French presidential elections, John Lichfield looks at the chances of the Far Right. Despite their runaway lead in polling for Round One, they could yet lose in the second round of the election in 2027. https://www.thelocal.com/20260513/opinion-the-french-far-right-have-a-runaway-poll-lead-but-may-yet-lose-the-2027-election Wed, 13 May 2026 10:06:28 +0200 opinion-the-french-far-right-have-a-runaway-poll-lead-but-may-yet-lose-the-2027-election Voters in Spain's most populous region are set to head to the polls this weekend. But who's running, what do the polls say, and what could the results of Andalusia's regional election mean for national politics? https://www.thelocal.com/20260326/qa-who-will-win-andalusias-elections-and-why-does-it-matter-for-spain Thu, 26 Mar 2026 11:20:48 +0100 qa-who-will-win-andalusias-elections-and-why-does-it-matter-for-spain The package, announced in a press conference on May 13th, includes reduced tax on petrol and diesel as well as state support for cheaper public transit. https://www.thelocal.com/20260513/swedens-government-announces-17-5-billion-kronor-energy-crisis-package Wed, 13 May 2026 13:29:24 +0200 swedens-government-announces-17-5-billion-kronor-energy-crisis-package Sweden's opposition has been in the lead in every single poll since the 2022 election. But it still looks hard for Social Democrat leader Magdalena Andersson to form a workable coalition. Try out The Local's election widget to see if you can make a government – either for her or for Moderate Party leader Ulf Kristersson. https://www.thelocal.com/20260512/make-your-own-swedish-government-with-the-locals-election-widget Tue, 12 May 2026 12:02:51 +0200 make-your-own-swedish-government-with-the-locals-election-widget Sweden's opposition parties are united on introducing transitional rules for citizenship if they win next September's election. https://www.thelocal.com/20260512/swedish-opposition-promises-citizenship-transition-rules-if-it-wins-election Tue, 12 May 2026 14:35:35 +0200 swedish-opposition-promises-citizenship-transition-rules-if-it-wins-election