European Union

Talks on forming a Belgian coalition government were thrown into turmoil Thursday as the chief negotiator handed his resignation to King Philippe, threatening further political limbo for the country two months after elections.

The Spanish government could face instability after the Catalonian pro-independence ERC party warned that it could block the national budget for 2025 if Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez fails to clarify provisions for a Catalan tax agency in a recently signed pact.

Outgoing Czech Minister of Industry and Trade Jozef Síkela has the right CV be the EU’s next Energy Commissioner, but he also has a few important political cards up his sleeve.

The Romanian government has nominated Socialist MEP Victor Negrescu, currently vice-president of the European Parliament, for the post of European Commissioner, Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu announced on Thursday.

Civil society groups and academics have criticised European Commissioner Thierry Breton's recent letter to Elon Musk, the owner of the social media platform X, arguing that it misinterprets the Digital Services Act and threatens free expression.

The Paris Olympic Games caused overall business activity in the eurozone to surge above analysts' expectations in August despite a continued slump in manufacturing, according to a closely-watched survey published on Thursday (22 August).

Greece has recently made a strong push for transport in the new European legislature. The Greek government now aims to secure the transport portfolio in the upcoming EU Commission, according to sources in Athens and Brussels.

Following a major breach of the European Parliament's recruitment system in April 2024, when sensitive personal information was exposed, Noyb filed two legal complaints for alleged data protection law violations on Thursday (22 August), against the EU institute.

This Thursday evening, the Democratic National Convention in Chicago will close with a speech by presidential candidate Kamala Harris. In the run-up to the event, Harris had presented the key points of her economic policy. With an eye on the presidential election in November, Europe's press assesses where Harris and the Democrats stand.

Three days after the luxury superyacht Bayesian sank near the Sicilian capital of Palermo, hopes of finding survivors are fading. It now appears that seven people died, among them the British entrepreneur Mike Lynch. The incident has a nasty aftertaste for the press.

Ukraine claims to have advanced over 30 kilometres into the Russian Kursk region and destroyed or damaged three important bridges. According to Ukrainian President Zelensky, the goal of the offensive is to increase the pressure on Russia and to create a buffer zone. Europe's media ask whether the strategy is working.