1 July 2024

Orbán-Babiš alliance opens ‘new opportunities’ for German far-right

The Capitals brings you the latest news from across Europe, through on-the-ground reporting by Euractiv’s media network. You can subscribe to the newsletter here.

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In today’s news from the Capitals:

BERLIN

With a new far-right group, including Victor Orbán’s Fidesz party, on the horizon, the German far-right AfD has hopes of breaking out of potential isolation in the European Parliament after being kicked out of their previous group, ID. Read more.

Clashes erupt as far-right AfD states aim to govern Germany. The far-right AfD declared its ambition to rise to power in Germany as its party congress kicked off Saturday with clashes between hooded demonstrators and police, just weeks after it scored record EU election results. Read more.

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PARIS

Far-right attains historic 34% as France enters uncharted territory. The French far-right has secured a historic 34% share of the vote in the first round of snap legislative elections, with the left coalition a somewhat distant second and Macron’s centrist party roundly defeated into third place. Read more.

Macron’s top officials divided on how to fight far-right. French President Emmanuel Macron’s top officials show deep divisions over the best way to fight the far right ahead of the snap elections’ second round, in a rare show of public disagreement within his team. Read more.

French elections: EU capitals fear Euroscepticism spillover. A potential victory of the far-right Rassemblement National (RN) in France’s snap legislative elections has sparked fears of a wider Euroscepticism wave across the bloc, compounding the far-right’s surge in the recent EU elections. Read more.

National energy and climate plan: what France risks if it fails to comply. By failing to meet its renewable energy targets for 2020, and refusing to set similar targets for 2030. France risks a heavy fine and the freezing of European funds. But in practice, imposition of penalties seem a long way off. Read more.

UK & IRELAND

LONDON

FT, Sunday Times back opposition Labour Party in UK election. Britain’s Financial Times joined the Sunday Times in endorsing the opposition Labour Party on Sunday, both throwing their weight behind the party for the first time in almost two decades with days to go before the 4 July parliamentary election. Read more.

EUROPE’S SOUTH

ROME

Italy’s Salvini rushes to hail Orbán’s new ‘patriotic’ alliance. Just hours after announcing the new political group “Patriots for Europe”, Matteo Salvini’s League – currently belongs to Marine Le Pen’s far-right EU group – welcomed the initiative as a new alternative to fight against the “disastrous” left. Read more.

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MADRID

PSOE warns PP leader of possible ‘betrayal’ by ‘hawkish’ wing. The spokeswoman for the ruling Socialist Party (PSOE/S&D), Esther Peña, has warned the leader of Partido Popular (PP/EPP), Alberto Núñez Feijóo, to be wary of a possible “betrayal” by two of the most relevant members of his party. Read more.

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ATHENS

Greek firefighters battle wildfires for second day amid strong winds. Greek firefighters were battling two wildfires near Athens on Sunday amid strong winds, just hours after managing to contain blazes in a mountainous area also near the capital as well as on an island in the Aegean Sea. Read more.

EASTERN EUROPE

WARSAW

Same-sex union law gives Poland’s Donald Tusk headaches. A draft bill prepared by the Left – part of the ruling coalition – introducing civil unions, including same-sex, in Poland has divided the ruling coalition led by Prime Minister Donald Tusk, although the EU Court for Human Rights has obliged Warsaw to change the existing law. Read more.

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PRAGUE

Orbán, Babiš, Kickl create new “patriotic” alliance to redefine EU policies, eye new Parliament group. Austrian far-right leader, Herbert Kickl (FPÖ), Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbán (Fidesz), and former Czech leader Andrej Babiš (ANO) unveiled a new political alliance on Sunday named “Patriots for Europe”, aiming to reshape the EU institutions and change the EU’s approach to migration, green policies and the war in Ukraine. Read more.

NEWS FROM THE BALKANS

SOFIA

Metropolitan with strong pro-Russian positions is the new Bulgarian Patriarch. Metropolitan Daniil of Vidin, known for his pro-Russian positions, was elected on Sunday as the new Bulgarian Patriarch who will lead the Bulgarian Orthodox Church. Read more.

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BELGRADE

Attacker killed after firing crossbow at policeman guarding Israeli embassy in Serbia. An attacker who fired a crossbow at a police officer guarding the Israeli embassy in Belgrade was shot dead on Saturday in what President Aleksandar Vučić called a terrorist attack against Serbia. Read more.

AGENDA:

EU: Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson participates in panel discussion on just energy transition, green hydrogen, organized by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) together with the Ministry of Energy of Chile, in Santiago; Holds meetings with Minister of Energy of Chile Diego Pardow, Executive Secretary of ECLAC José Manuel Salázar-Xirinachs; Delivers opening remarks at Global Gateway Investment Agenda event – Team Europe Initiative RH2 Development Chile;
Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides delivers keynote speech at first Greek Forum on Cancer: Policy, Research & Funding Strategies organised by the Hellenic Cancer Federation (ELLOK), in Athens, Greece;
Climate Action Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra holds videoconference with Executive Director of International Energy Agency (IEA) Fatih Birol;

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[Edited by Sarantis Michalopoulos, Alice Taylor, Sofia Mandilara]