European Union

The EU heads of state and government do not recognise the results of the Belarus's presidential election. In their declaration after an emergency summit on Wednesday they also condemned the violence against demonstrators. Commentators say that the EU can achieve little on its own and that real influence on the situation in Belarus can only come from Moscow.

According to a new survey, more than half of Scots would now vote for independence from the UK. In a referendum in 2014 they voted by a slim majority in favour of staying inside the United Kingdom. Brexit and the London government's controversial coronavirus policy are considered to be the reasons for the increased support for independence. Is the end of the UK looming?

Whereas the EU's calls for the Turkish government to stop drilling for gas in the Eastern Mediterranean "immediately" fell on deaf ears, France has sided with Athens and intends to boost its military presence in the disputed region. Germany, on the other hand, has yet to take a clear stance on the issue. Some commentators criticise this sharply and wonder why.

The European Parliament is in recess from 27 July to 23 August 2020.

Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP

The protesters in Belarus are pawns in a geopolitical tectonic battle between East and West, although they don’t realise it, write Noé Morin and Bryan Bille.

Belarus opened a criminal investigation into attempts by the opposition to "seize power" on Thursday (20 August) as strongman Alexander Lukashenko moved to assert his authority after days of protests over a disputed election.

French president Emmanuel Macron and Germany's chancellor Angela Merkel offered EU mediation to Belarus, while also offered health care and asylum to Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny who is suspected of being poisioned.