By Pierre Lefevre
Paris-based political reporter. Bylines from Paris, Rome and Madrid. Closely follows elections and coalition politics.
Canada seeks deeper EU ties, but membership remains off the table
Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney will attend the State of the EU speech in Strasbourg on 16 September, followed by a Canada-EU summit. Ot
Romania's Senate passes integrity law that ousts Timișoara mayor Fritz
Romania's Senate passed a controversial integrity law that strips liberal leader Dominic Fritz of his mayoral mandate in Timișoara. The retr
Hormuz crisis adds €41bn to EU fuel import bills, report finds
The Netherlands, Italy, France and Spain faced nearly €41bn in extra fossil fuel costs between March and August 2026. Clean energy investmen
Data centre backlash complicates Republican midterm strategy
Republican candidates are caught between Donald Trump's enthusiasm for AI data centres and growing voter opposition. A Gallup poll shows mos
Netherlands set to miss gas storage target, raising winter supply concerns
Dutch gas network operator Gasunie says the Netherlands will miss its 115 TWh winter storage target. High summer prices and geopolitical ten
Syria's Kurdish-led SDF dissolves after integrating into national army
The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have been dissolved after their commander announced integration into the Syrian army. The US-backed Kurdi
Midday Europe briefing: key updates for August 26, 2026
Hungary is set to unlock €10bn in EU funds before the August deadline. Alpine towns face tensions after an antisemitic video. Spain prepares
Zelenskyy honours Elon Musk with Ukraine's Order of Freedom
Volodymyr Zelenskyy has awarded Elon Musk Ukraine's Order of Freedom, citing his role in blocking Russia's use of Starlink. The honour comes
Second arrest in Swedish school sword attack as probe widens
A second man has been arrested in connection with the sword attack at Brinell School in Fagersta, Sweden, which left a 17-year-old girl dead
Lisbon room rents top €550 as student housing crunch deepens
Nearly 50,000 students were placed in Portuguese higher education this year, intensifying housing pressure. Room demand rose 27% while suppl
Ukraine's €23 billion gap pressures EU as Zelenskyy seeks early loan funds
Ukraine faces a €23 billion defence funding gap and wants the EU to advance part of its 2027 loan tranche. Brussels is wary of unravelling a
Partial lunar eclipse: Best viewing spots across Europe on Friday
A deep partial lunar eclipse will darken the Moon on 28 August, with up to 96% coverage. Spain offers the best views, while France may face