Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash EU member states have rubberstamped a new round of restrictive measures against four persons and two entities under the European Union’s Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime. The listed individuals and entities are responsible for serious human rights abuses worldwide, including torture and systematic and widespread sexual and gender-based violence. The EU says the new listings include the…
MEPs have broadly supported the re-election of Maltese MEP Roberta Metsola as president of the European Parliament. Some 562 deputies backed her and Metsola’s new term will run until 2027. She was one of two candidates and received an absolute majority of votes cast out of 699 by secret paper ballot. The MEP will continue…
Photo by Iman soleimany zadeh on Unsplash Some MEPs are angry that the EU will be represented at the swearing in this week of Iran’s new president, Masoud Pezeshkian. European External Action Service political director, Enrique Mora, is due to attend the event in Tehran on Tuesday. The EEAS insists that the EU is not be represented at…
Photo by 🇸🇮 Janko Ferlič on Unsplash Russia’s war against Ukraine and the need for continuous EU support for Ukraine has again come under the spotlight for MEPs. The topic was debated by the European Parliament. S&D leader Iratxe García reaffirmed the EU’s “full support for Ukraine, denounced Russia’s violation of international law and the UN Charter, and…
Photo by Diego PH on Unsplash The European parliament has voted on the leadership of two of its most important committees. MEPs decided on who will steer the two committees – Internal Market and Consumer Protection and committee on Budgets – for the next few years. The two committees are among the most influential in the assembly and…
Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash With Russia’s war against Ukraine raging on, MEPs have reconfirmed their view that the EU must continue to support Kyiv “for as long as it takes until victory.” A new resolution sets out the newly-elected European Parliament’s first official position on Russia’s “war of aggression” against Ukraine. It restates the continued support…
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…
