In what some have called a “pivotal moment” for the European Union, Ursula von der Leyen has been re-elected as the President of the European Commission. With 401 votes in favour, von der Leyen (VDL) will serve once more as the head of the EU’s executive. She was re-elected by MEPs in Strasbourg a secret ballot on…
MEPs will vote today to decide if Ursula von der Leyen serves another term as EC president. The former German defence minister has served as head of the Commission since 2019. The result of the keenly awaited vote by MEPs will be known later today. She faces competition from other candidates, including ECR Co-Chairman Nicola…
Photo by Eduard Delputte on Unsplash The European Union this week decides on its leaders and who will steer the 27-strong bloc for the next five years. With bitter wars still waging in Ukraine and the Middle East and countless other crises, the votes on EU leaders come at a pivotal time for both the Union and wider…
Photo by Matt Brown on Unsplash A former UK MEP said a key meeting this week is a chance to “restore the UK’s tattered European credentials.” The fourth meeting of the European Political Community (EPC) takes place on Thursday. It is a collective launched after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 that was the brainchild of the…
Photo by Kiran kichu on Unsplash Two new items have been given “protected” status by the EU. This comes after the EU Commission approved the addition of Cochinillo de Segovia and Twente to the protected list of Protected Geographical Indication (PGI). The first comes from Spain while Twente wine is from the Netherlands. Cochinillo de Segovia is meat…
The newly elected European Parliament holds its constitutive session in Strasbourg this week, with the election of the new Commission president top of the agenda. The first session of the new Parliament after the recent EU elections will be opened on Tuesday. Parliament’s first act after its constitution is to elect its President for the…
A decision on the next president of the EU commission will take place in Strasbourg next week. In the run-up to the recent European elections, the EPP Group elected Ursula von der Leyen as its Spitzenkandidat to become the next President of the European Commission. She is also the EU Member States’ candidate for this…
Photo by Dan Freeman on Unsplash Hungary has taken up the rotating presidency at a sensitive time for Europe, a time of political transition within the institutions and extraordinary challenges for the Union. Serious concern has been voiced in some quarters about its suitability for the post at such a time. This is due to the repeated issues the…
Photo by Andrew Solok on Unsplash Russia’s attack on Kyiv this week, including a children’s hospital, has faced universal condemnation. A children’s hospital in Kyiv was hit after Russia launched a wave of missile strikes against cities across Ukraine. Two people died when the Ohmatdyt Children’s Hospital – Ukraine’s biggest paediatrics facility – sustained major damage during the…
Photo by Christian Crocker on Unsplash There is a pressing need for countries and international organisations to understand better how existing international law can help them address serious concerns about the militarisation of outer space, a new study says. Space is an increasingly militarized domain, with the potential to be a source and place of armed conflict….
