European Union

Luxembourg's liberal prime minster Xavier Bettel's three-party coalition government won just enough seats (31 out of 60) to stay in power following Sunday's general elections. The Christian Social People's Party (CSV), led for 19 years by EU commission president Jean-Claude Juncker, remained the biggest party with 28 percent support but lost two seats in parliament. The Greens won three extra seats and the Pirates entered parliament with two mandates.

EU ambassadors called on Sunday for a pause on talks about a Brexit deal until after this week's EU summit. The move follows differing media reports that a deal was close - but last-minute talks between UK Brexit secretary Dominic Raab and EU negotiator Michel Barnier on Sunday over the so-called Irish "backstop", which could see the UK remaining in the customs union, remained inconclusive.

The Macedonian parliament is poised to decide on Monday whether to accept changing the Balkan country's name in line with the Prespa agreement with Greece. If approved by a two-thirds majority, the state will be re-named North Macedonia and be one step closer to membership of Nato and EU. If not approved, prime minister Zoran Zaev is likely to call early elections.

The speaker of the Swedish parliament, Andreas Norlen, will on Monday launch a third round of consultations with all party leaders in order to form a new government after the elections on 9 September ended in deadlock. "I have done what I can, for now," said Ulf Kristersson, leader of Sweden's conservative Moderate Party, after the Centre and Liberal parties on Sunday rejected a proposal to form a government.

Greens, leftists and the far-right have made strong gains in Belgium’s local elections on Sunday (14 October), in what commentators said was a nation-wide rehearsal for federal and European elections to be held next year.

Religious dialogue in the service of peace is a brainchild of the President of Kazakhstan, inspired by the visit of Pope John Paul II to Kazakhstan in September 2001, a Catholic priest who helped organize the visit told EURACTIV.

A year after a car bomb killed Maltese anti-corruption journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, those who ordered the murder remain free while others continuing her work in the EU's smallest state are branded traitors.

Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini on Sunday (14 October) defended his decision to move hundreds of migrants out of a southern Italian town widely seen as a model of successful integration as opposition groups accused him of racism.

The stubborn problem of Britain’s land border with Ireland thwarted a drive to clinch a Brexit deal before a European Union summit this week, as negotiators admitted defeat after marathon talks and pressed pause for the coming days.

A new treaty, to be negotiated this week at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, aims to put an end to the 'organised irresponsibility' of transnational corporations on human rights and labour abuses. Time for EU to take note.

The European Commission has promised greater flexibility for local authorities when it comes to delivering on-the-ground results - but it has also tied cohesion policy to the European Semester, a tool used to coordinate macroeconomic policies.

A Macron versus Orbans styled election battle might lift turnout in next year's European Parliament elections, but under laying democratic problems would remain, warn experts.

Luxembourg voters delivered an uncertain outcome in an election on Sunday (14 October), leaving the liberal-led coalition with just enough seats to stay in government and the traditionally dominant centre-right also capable of returning to power.

Macedonia's parliament will vote Monday (15 October) on whether to ratify a deal to change the country's name, in a bid to finally settle one of Europe's longest running disputes.

Italy is resisting a European Union push to impose sanctions on states who carry out cyberattacks, a move that appears in line with Rome’s calls to de-escalate tensions with Russia but that could alienate Italy from its EU allies.

The Christian Social Union (CSU), German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s sister party, has lost its absolute majority in Sunday’s (14 October) state elections. With major parties further weakened and in search for culprits, the fragile German “grand coalition” experiences another defeat....

MEPs in the environment committee are extending the ban on single-use plastics. They are also targeting takeaway packaging, bottles and cigarette butts. EURACTIV France’s media partner, the Journal de l’environnement reports.

Poland has some of the worst air quality in the EU. But fighting smog is expensive. The Modernisation Fund set up as part of the Emissions Trading Scheme could help here, writes Joanna Maćkowiak-Pandera.

Climate change has been described as one of the biggest global threats of the 21st century. Dimitris Dimitriadis explains what the European Union needs to do to improve its civil protection capacities.

We are a long way from 2015. That year, the world committed to the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement on climate - promising to end extreme poverty, address corrosive inequality, boost peace and prosperity, and stop climate change, write leaders of six European think tanks.