European Union

On Wednesday, the day after his election as German chancellor, Friedrich Merz flew to Paris. In a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron the two leaders reaffirmed the close ties between their countries, which had recently cooled, as well as their shared interests. Merz then flew directly to Warsaw to meet Prime Minister Donald Tusk and reassert the desire for close ties with Poland. Commentators take stock.

The German Bundestag elected Friedrich Merz as the country's new chancellor on Tuesday - but only in the second round of voting after the CDU leader failed to secure enough support from the ranks of the conservative-social democratic coalition in the first round and fell six votes short of the required majority. After the vote the cabinet members were also sworn in. Europe's media discuss the causes of the false start and its consequences.

India has attacked targets in neighbouring Pakistan and the Pakistan-controlled part of the disputed Kashmir region. Official sources in New Delhi stress that only "terrorist infrastructure" was targeted, but Islamabad says 31 civilians were killed and has vowed to retaliate. This latest escalation in the long-standing conflict was prompted by a terrorist attack on tourists in the Indian-controlled part of Kashmir.

Europe's next generation of farmers will inherit the challenge of securing a sustainable, resilient food supply. Nofence’s virtual fencing technology offers a practical, innovative solution that supports the EU’s goals for a greener, more competitive agricultural sector.

The Committee on Security and Defence (SEDE) and the Committee on Transport and Tourism (TRAN) organises a joint public hearing on 'Military Mobility' on Wednesday, 14 May 2025 from 14.30 to 17.00hrs in Brussels (room ANTALL 4Q2), with external experts.
Programme
Poster
Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

The Committee on Security and Defence (SEDE) and the Committee on Transport and Tourism (TRAN) organises a joint public hearing on 'Military Mobility' on Wednesday, 14 May 2025 from 14.30 to 17.00hrs in Brussels (room ANTALL 4Q2), with external experts.
Location : ANTALL 4Q2
Programme
Poster
Source : © European Union, 2025 - EP

EU countries want to blur the line between civilian and military domains – so money can be spent interchangeably on either project.