European Union

The newly founded Ukrainian Orthodox Church is now officially independent after the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople Bartholomew signed the decree of independence on Saturday in Istanbul. Around 27 years after gaining political independence from Moscow Ukraine has now become autonomous on religious affairs. What does this step signify in other areas?

Last Saturday thousands of people once again took to Hungary's streets to protest against the national-conservative government. Triggered by a new labour law, the protests are also aimed at corruption and the dismantling of democracy. Serbia has also seen mass protests against the government in recent weeks. Protesters there accuse President Vučić of authoritarianism. What do these protests have in common?

The far-right Estonian party Ekre, which is currently third in the polls, has published its programme for the parliamentary elections on 3 March 2019. Estonian commentators take a close look and discover some interesting parallels.

Committee and political group meetings, Brussels

Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP

Poland and Italy's right-wing rulers are to cement their "special relations" at a meeting in Warsaw, which could make Matteo Salvini's new anti-EU league a major force in the next EU parliament.

Bulgaria’s President Rumen Radev slammed on Sunday (6 January) the government of Boyko Borissov for having “perverted” the procedure for the acquisition of new fighter jets.

A majority (54 percent) of Britons would back remaining in the EU against 46 percent if a second Brexit referendum was held, a YouGov survey for the People's Vote campaign showed on Sunday. By comparison, a majority of 52 to 48 percent voted for Brexit in 2016. Just 22 percent approve Theresa May's Brexit deal and support for Labour would crash if it helps the government enable Brexit.

Has America used the Kurds in Syria only now to dump them? Observers who believe in moral debt, rather than the cold logic of realpolitik, understandably are concerned about the implications for the Kurds of an immediate US withdrawal from Syria, writes Ömer Taşpınar.

Swiss president Ueli Maurer on Sunday urged the European Union to renegotiate a deal governing future ties between the two sides, telling Swiss TV station Tele Zuri that Swiss voters would not agree to the proposed version if it comes to a referendum. "As things stand today, the framework agreement would not be accepted. So we would still have to make substantial renegotiations," he said.

France will deploy its navy and use drones to tackle an increase in the number of migrants trying to reach the UK in small boats, a statement from French interior minister Christophe Castaner said. UK home office figures showed that 539 migrants attempted to travel to the UK on small boats in 2018, with 80 percent of these making their attempts in the last quarter of the year.

Thousands of people took to the streets of the Serbian capital Belgrade for the fifth consecutive week on Saturday to protest against the government of president Aleksandar Vucic and his ruling Serbian Progressive Party. The protests first began in response to the beating-up of opposition politician Borko Stefanovic but now include demands for media freedoms, and an end to attacks on journalists and opposition politicians.

A week ahead of a crucial vote in Parliament, Prime Minister Theresa May said on Sunday (6 January) that “the danger there is actually we end up with no Brexit at all”.