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 far right and far left had more success in German state elections on Sunday, dealing yet another blow to embattled Chancellor Friedrich Merz -- who has vowed to stay the course. https://www.thelocal.com/20260920/disaster-far-right-and-far-left-gains-in-german-state-votes-leaves-merz-shaken Sun, 20 Sep 2026 19:27:20 +0200 disaster-far-right-and-far-left-gains-in-german-state-votes-leaves-merz-shaken As it stands right now, a 'Tidö 2' government lacks a mandate, as does the Centre Party's dream 'middle government', and two of the four opposition parties who could form a majority refuse to rule together. If nothing changes, what does this mean for foreigners in Sweden? https://www.thelocal.com/20260914/what-does-swedens-unexpectedly-close-election-result-mean-for-foreigners Mon, 14 Sep 2026 11:03:13 +0200 what-does-swedens-unexpectedly-close-election-result-mean-for-foreigners As the French government prepares its latest budget, another political crisis seems inevitable - but John Lichfield argues that France is now in deep trouble over its spiralling debt. https://www.thelocal.com/20260916/opinion-france-is-in-deep-trouble-over-its-debt Wed, 16 Sep 2026 10:08:37 +0200 opinion-france-is-in-deep-trouble-over-its-debt Denmark on Saturday hailed a "binding" deal announced by US President Donald Trump to give Washington "permanent control" over Greenland's security and bar Russian and Chinese bases from the Arctic territory. https://www.thelocal.com/20260919/trump-says-denmark-to-give-us-permanent-control-over-greenland-security Sat, 19 Sep 2026 08:53:01 +0200 trump-says-denmark-to-give-us-permanent-control-over-greenland-security From residency permits to citizenship and access to healthcare and jobs, what would a 'President Marine Le Pen' mean for the daily lives of foreigners in France? With the far-right party ahead in the polls we take a look at its policies on key issues. https://www.thelocal.com/20260911/what-would-a-le-pen-presidency-mean-for-foreigners-in-france Fri, 11 Sep 2026 10:46:00 +0200 what-would-a-le-pen-presidency-mean-for-foreigners-in-france Senior politicians for the far-right Sweden Democrats have reacted to the party's poor election result by blaming immigrant voters and newly naturalised Swedish citizens voting for the first time. Is there any truth to this? https://www.thelocal.com/20260918/in-data-did-foreign-voters-lose-the-election-for-swedens-right-wing-government Fri, 18 Sep 2026 09:46:53 +0200 in-data-did-foreign-voters-lose-the-election-for-swedens-right-wing-government Sweden's prime minister Ulf Kristersson has tendered his resignation as the vote count for Sweden's election was completed shortly after 1pm on Thursday, with the opposition parties retaining their 176-173 lead over the government bloc. https://www.thelocal.com/20260917/kristersson-resigns-as-pm-after-swedens-centre-left-opposition-wins-election Thu, 17 Sep 2026 14:01:48 +0200 kristersson-resigns-as-pm-after-swedens-centre-left-opposition-wins-election France's Marine Le Pen has reiterated her support for the idea of 'French preference' - a policy that would exclude legal long-term foreign residents of France from certain types of housing, benefits and jobs. But could this ever actually happen? https://www.thelocal.com/20260917/analysis-are-le-pens-french-preference-plans-feasible-or-legal Thu, 17 Sep 2026 11:22:24 +0200 analysis-are-le-pens-french-preference-plans-feasible-or-legal The Centre Party is the kingmaker for Sweden's next government, but it has boxed itself in with red lines in all directions. Elisabeth Thand Ringqvist should learn from Ebba Busch if she wants to find a way out, argues The Local's James Savage. https://www.thelocal.com/20260916/opinion-the-misunderstood-centre-party-could-learn-from-ebba Wed, 16 Sep 2026 18:16:15 +0200 opinion-the-misunderstood-centre-party-could-learn-from-ebba With the count almost finished, public broadcaster SVT's election forecast states that the probability of the centre-left opposition securing the most seats is 99.9 percent. https://www.thelocal.com/20260916/swedens-tido-bloc-faces-99-9-certain-defeat-as-final-vote-counting-continues Wed, 16 Sep 2026 21:34:34 +0200 swedens-tido-bloc-faces-99-9-certain-defeat-as-final-vote-counting-continues Election officials in Sweden started counting the the last early and overseas votes on Wednesday, but the count isn't expected to be finished until Thursday. https://www.thelocal.com/20260915/vote-count-in-swedish-election-will-only-be-completed-on-thursday Tue, 15 Sep 2026 10:35:05 +0200 vote-count-in-swedish-election-will-only-be-completed-on-thursday Sweden's right-wing parties are suggesting Magdalena Andersson will fail to form a coalition, allowing them to win over the Centre Party. In this Q&A, professor Nicholas Aylott explains why he thinks that's wishful thinking. https://www.thelocal.com/20260916/swedish-politics-professor-i-dont-see-a-plausible-alternative-to-the-left-leaning-quartet Wed, 16 Sep 2026 09:17:09 +0200 swedish-politics-professor-i-dont-see-a-plausible-alternative-to-the-left-leaning-quartet Italy said on Tuesday it had extended for another 15 days its border checks for travellers from Spain, drawing a tit-for-tat response from Madrid in the ongoing spat between the two EU members. https://www.thelocal.com/20260915/italy-and-spain-extend-tit-for-tat-border-checks-in-wake-of-migrant-rush Tue, 15 Sep 2026 17:19:23 +0200 italy-and-spain-extend-tit-for-tat-border-checks-in-wake-of-migrant-rush Sweden's leading opposition party, the Social Democrats, has demanded that Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson concede defeat in the country's national election as the last votes to be counted look less and less likely to overturn the opposition's three-seat lead. https://www.thelocal.com/20260915/social-democrats-demand-that-swedish-pm-concedes-defeat-and-resigns Tue, 15 Sep 2026 14:59:46 +0200 social-democrats-demand-that-swedish-pm-concedes-defeat-and-resigns The Sweden Democrats are the biggest losers in the general election, with the party losing ground in 285 of Sweden's 290 municipalities. https://www.thelocal.com/20260915/just-how-big-were-the-sweden-democrats-losses-in-the-swedish-election Tue, 15 Sep 2026 15:48:36 +0200 just-how-big-were-the-sweden-democrats-losses-in-the-swedish-election Berliners will go to the polls on Sunday to elect a new state parliament. We explain who can vote, the big issues and what you can expect from this nail-biting election. https://www.thelocal.com/20260915/qa-what-foreign-residents-need-to-know-about-berlins-upcoming-election Tue, 15 Sep 2026 12:20:52 +0200 qa-what-foreign-residents-need-to-know-about-berlins-upcoming-election In a blast from the past, calls are once again circulating in France for the 'yellow vests' to take to the streets and roundabouts, in a protest against the rising cost of living. https://www.thelocal.com/20260915/call-for-frances-gilets-jaunes-to-take-to-the-streets-again Tue, 15 Sep 2026 10:58:32 +0200 call-for-frances-gilets-jaunes-to-take-to-the-streets-again The votes are still being counted after a tense election campaign. We asked The Local's readers how they feel about the results so far. https://www.thelocal.com/20260915/its-tighter-than-i-thought-how-do-foreigners-in-sweden-feel-about-the-election Tue, 15 Sep 2026 09:50:26 +0200 its-tighter-than-i-thought-how-do-foreigners-in-sweden-feel-about-the-election The centre-left is in the lead 176-173 seats, but it's unclear who will be able to form a government. The Local explains what the future might hold. https://www.thelocal.com/20260911/three-key-scenarios-what-will-happen-in-the-days-after-the-swedish-election Fri, 11 Sep 2026 11:08:29 +0200 three-key-scenarios-what-will-happen-in-the-days-after-the-swedish-election The balance of power looks set to hold in the country's three largest municipalities, all of which are governed by centre-left coalitions. https://www.thelocal.com/20260914/centre-left-holds-on-to-power-in-stockholm-gothenburg-and-malmo Mon, 14 Sep 2026 09:58:58 +0200 centre-left-holds-on-to-power-in-stockholm-gothenburg-and-malmo