European Union

After proposing a new candidate for the post of economy and finance minister, the protest Five Star Movement and the right-wing Lega Nord have paved the way for a joint government under law professor Giuseppe Conte. Commentators doubt whether the new government can work.

After a man on leave from prison shot two policewomen and a man in downtown Liège, Belgium is discussing whether the prison leave system should be abolished. The presumed attacker is thought to have been radicalised by Islamists in prison. Commentators call for more resocialisation measures - including prison leave.

A solution is emerging in the 27-year-old dispute between Athens and Skopje over the name of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM). According to media reports the country could soon bear the name "Republic of North Macedonia" if its population agrees to this in a referendum slated for the autumn. Within the country opinions on the proposed compromise differ widely, however.

While Berlin has postponed for a third time the launch of the highly anticipated coal commission, a leaked document obtained by EURACTIV.com shows that the roadmap focuses more on the restructuring coal-dependent German regions than on reducing CO2.

It was another exciting week in Strasbourg. Not only did MEPs from across the political spectrum race to show righteous anger at Donald Trump, the president of new protectionism, but they saw the fall (and rise) of two EU governments in the space of a few days.

Pedro Sanchez, the leader of the Spanish Socialist Party (PSOE), is the new prime minister after MPs approved a motion of no confidence against PM Mariano Rajoy - 180 votes in favour, 169 against. The vote was organised a week after members of Rajoy's conservative Popular Party (PP) were sentenced for corruption. Sanchez said earlier that he would call new elections.

https://tvnewsroom.consilium.europa.eu/uploads/council-images/thumbs/uploads/council-images/remote/http_7e18a1c646f5450b9d6d-a75424f262e53e74f9539145894f4378.r8.cf3.rackcdn.com/china_jpeg_thumb_169_1397491739_1397491739_129_97shar_c1.jpg

The EU supports the process of economic and social reform underway in China. It backs China's transition towards an open society based upon the rule of law and respect for human rights, and believes this will benefit China's development and social stability. Over ninety dialogues and working groups feed the work of the annual EU-China Summit.

Download this video here.

At the latest Education, Youth, Culture and Sports Council meeting, a number of European sports ministers expressed concern over the impact of commercial trends in elite sports on the integrity of the European sports model, based on solidarity. Kamil Novak explains what role the EU should play

The European Commission will propose on Friday that member states that implement a climate-friendly or environment-friendly farm policy should get a financial reward. "A performance bonus may be attributed to member states in the year 2026 to reward satisfactory performance in relation to the environmental and climate target," said a draft of the legislative proposal. The commission will propose that EU countries have more control over implementing EU farm policy.

"I do think we have to reconnect with Russia," European commission head Jean-Claude Juncker said on Thursday at a think tank event in Brussels, the Guardian reports. "Not forgetting what our differences and divergences are. But this Russia-bashing has to be brought to an end," he said, as EU states prepare to discuss the next extension of their economic sanctions on Russia imposed over its ongoing aggression in Ukraine.

Public buildings in the southern German state of Bavaria will from Friday be required to display a Christian cross at the entrance. The 'Kreuzpflicht' (crucifix obligation) is also recommended in theaters, opera houses and museums, but is not obligatory. Bavaria has one of the highest proportions of Christians among German states. Its ruling party Christian Socialist Union (CSU) party is losing voters to the anti-Muslim Alternative for Germany (AfD) party,