European Union

After two rounds of voting in the state parliament, Bodo Ramelow (Linke/Gue) has been elected as the new minister-president of the eastern German state of Thüringen. The former minister-president, the liberal Thomas Kemmerich (FDP/Renew), was elected with the support of CDU, FDP and the far-right AfD, which created a political crisis in Germany and the resignation of CDU party leader Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer. Ramelow will lead now a minority government.

Ukraine's parliament approved on Wednesday Denys Shmygal as the new prime minister, following the resignation of his predecessor Oleksiy Goncharuk after six months in the job after he was caught out criticising the president by a leaked recording, AFP reported. Before the vote, president Volodymyr Zelensky said he hoped that "we will finally have a government for people". Shmygal was previously deputy prime minister and minister of regional development.

Facebook is considering redesigning the Libra cryptocurrency project so that the network also accepts cash issued by central banks, such as the dollar or the euro, in a possible attempt to please regulators, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday. In 2019, the Libra Association project was funded by Facebook to create its cryptocurrency and virtual wallet. According to the report, the launch of Facebook's virtual wallet will now be postponed until autumn.

The former EU commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker told a court on Wednesday (4 March) that he had not authorised illegal wiretapping that forced him in 2013 to resign from his post as Prime Minister of Luxembourg.

Main agenda items, approximate timing, public sessions and press opportunities.

Statement on the situation at the EU's external borders

European Council President Charles Michel met President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Ankara and discussed the migration situation at EU's borders and the crisis in Syria.

On 4 March 2020, the Eurogroup held a conference call together with non-euro area members on the situation with the coronavirus outbreak (COVID-19).

Remarks by Mário Centeno following the Eurogroup conference call on the economic and financial impacts of COVID-19 outbreak.

Main agenda items, approximate timing, public sessions and press opportunities.

Climate activist Greta Thunberg discussed EU plans to tackle the climate emergency with Parliament’s environment committee on Wednesday 4 March.

Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP

Climate activist Greta Thunberg discussed EU plans to tackle the climate emergency with Parliament’s environment committee on Wednesday 4 March.

Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP

Environment and Public Health Committee MEPs will discuss the current Coronavirus COVID-19 outbreak with the European Commission on Thursday morning.
Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety

Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP

Environment and Public Health Committee MEPs will discuss the current Coronavirus COVID-19 outbreak with the European Commission on Thursday morning.
Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety

Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP

Marking Women’s Day 2020, MEPs are looking at achievements and challenges in gender equality since the 1995 adoption of the Beijing Declaration.

Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP

Ahead of International Women’s Day on 8 March, find out how the European Parliament is working to reduce the gender pay gap.

Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP

Ahead of International Women’s Day on 8 March, find out how the European Parliament is working to reduce the gender pay gap.

Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP

On Wednesday, climate activist Greta Thunberg spoke at a meeting in the Parliament’s Environment Committee.
Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety

Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP

On Wednesday, climate activist Greta Thunberg spoke at a meeting in the Parliament’s Environment Committee.
Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety

Source : © European Union, 2020 - EP

EU environment ministers will debate on Thursday (5 March) whether the EU directive on water protection is still up to date. However, the European industry lobby is trying to influence ministers to change the directive, according to a leaked letter seen by EURACTIV Germany.