Politics
Seventy expelled Russian diplomats leave Bulgaria
Two Russian government planes took on board the expelled 70 Russian diplomats and their families from Bulgaria on and flew from Sofia to Moscow on 3 July. The total number of passengers who left the country is over 180 people.
Bulgaria’s outgoing PM rejects Russian ultimatum, unveils potential successor
Bulgaria's outgoing Prime Minister Kiril Petkov rejected a Russian ultimatum to reverse a decision to expel 70 Russian diplomatic staff by noon on Friday (1 July) and named the country's finance minister as his possible successor.
EU Commission set to cut already strained personnel as inflation bites
The EU public administration, torn between growing ambitions and a stagnant budget, faces yet another obstacle – inflation – with temporary staff set to pay the highest price. The European Commission has recently raised the salaries by 2.4% retroactively from...
Trust and citizen participation in Cyprus
Civic engagement in Cyprus has long been influenced by the tensions between the Turk-Cypriots and Greek-Cypriots and by the strained relations with the European Union, which has impacted citizen’s trust in decision-making. If empowering citizens is no longer seen as...
Tweets of the Week: New NATO, No-vaping and USA vs Europe
At NATO the Scandis are sure on a roll, vapers left horrified at Commission' goal, and European twitter reacts to an internet troll
Ukraine war, EU presidency boosts French defence plans
In today's edition of the Capitals, find out more about Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's first live broadcast speech in Austria, Finland lifting all COVID entry measures, and so much more.
EU citizens’ rights case to go to UK top court
The fate of EU nationals with temporary status in the UK will go to judicial review, a High Court judge ruled on Thursday (30 June), in a legal case with major implications for around 2.5 million EU nationals living in the UK with five year residency.
Czechs take over EU presidency braced for ‘bad weather’
The Czech Republic will take over the rotating six-month presidency of the European Union on Friday with all eyes on Ukraine, which has been battling Russian forces since February.
Europe’s costly pushback against Kremlin’s spies
In today's edition of the Capitals, find out more about EU lawmakers calling on Germany to ramp up arms shipments to help Ukraine win the war, three major Finnish companies announcing their exit from the Russian market, and so much more.
Metsola: EU ‘let itself be surprised’ by war in Ukraine
Russia's invasion of Ukraine revealed Europe's complacency and a "new paradigm" is needed, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola said at the Jacques Delors Institute's annual conference on Tuesday (28 June).
Final sprint for French Parliament’s finance commission candidates
The two opposition candidates for chairing the French National Assembly’s influential finance commission are facing their last sprint before the vote on Thursday (30 June). EURACTIV France spoke to both to find out how much their different political programmes would shape their agenda.
Ukraine war limited Moscow’s ability to interfere in French election, report says
The Russian invasion of Ukraine redeployed the Kremlin's foreign interference capabilities, saw the ban on RT and Sputnik in the EU, and weakened attempts to influence the French presidential election.Editor's picks
EU co-legislators agree on ‘key elements’ of electronic evidence package
The EU Parliament, Council and Commission have bridged their differences on several fundamental points regarding accessing cross-border electronic evidence, but some political issues remain.
Corruption reigns supreme in Western Balkan EU hopefuls
In today's edition of the Capitals, find out more about Austria easing labour market access for third-country nationals, Slovaks not wanting a drastic lifestyle change to save the planet, and so much more.
EU brings most distant overseas regions closer to Brussels
The EU’s Committee of the Regions (CoR) will put a citizen from the bloc’s outermost regions at the helm of an EU institution, which is a historic first.
Polish court rules that ‘LGBT-free zones’ must be abolished
A top Polish appeals court ruled on Tuesday (28 June) that so-called "LGBT-free zones" must be scrapped in four municipalities, a verdict welcomed by activists as a victory for human rights and democracy.
Sturgeon sets out plans for October 2023 Scottish independence vote
The Scottish government has put itself on a constitutional collision course with the UK government after it set out plans to hold a second independence referendum in October 2023.
European NATO allies harden China stance but cracks remain
In today's edition of the Capitals, find out more about Albania gearing up for monkeypox testing, France on the way of having its first female National Assembly president, and so much more.
Morocco prosecutes 65 migrants involved in deadly Melilla incident
Moroccan authorities have begun prosecuting 65 migrants who joined Friday's mass attempt to cross into a Spanish enclave by storming a border post, leading to the death of at least 23 migrants, a judicial source said on Monday (27 June).
The people have not spoken
Citizen assemblies can strengthen citizen participation in the EU, but their importance should not be overstated, writes Nils Meyer-Ohlendorf.OpinionPromoted content
Europe’s lost opportunities in Latin America?
Right now, all eyes are on Europe: the ongoing war in Ukraine and the resulting global political and economic difficulties dominate the geopolitical realm. Unsurprisingly, the European Union’s (EU) current focus lies on the war next door. While the resulting...
Tsipras says Greek PM is fake ‘modernist’ who controls media, justice
The Capitals brings you the latest news from across Europe, through on-the-ground reporting by EURACTIV’s media network. You can subscribe to the newsletter here. The European news you deserve to read. Welcome to The Capitals by EURACTIV. Today’s edition is...
Sanchez defends Morocco’s handling of Melilla border incidents
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has come under fire, including by members of his own government, for defending the actions of Moroccan authorities in response to the attempted border breach by migrants at the Spanish enclave Melilla. Of the 2,000...