By Pierre Lefevre
Paris-based political reporter. Bylines from Paris, Rome and Madrid. Closely follows elections and coalition politics.
Zelenskyy Rejects Merz's Associate EU Membership Plan, Demands Full Rights
President Zelenskyy has dismissed a German proposal for associate EU membership without voting rights. He argues Ukraine's role in defending
Portuguese Court Orders Pretrial Detention for French Couple in Child Abandonment Case
A Portuguese court in Setúbal has ordered pretrial detention for a French couple accused of abandoning their two young children on a roadsid
Paris Attacks Coordinator Mohamed Bakkali Granted Prison Leave, Sparking Outrage
Mohamed Bakkali, sentenced to 30 years for coordinating the 2015 Paris attacks, has been granted six 36-hour prison leaves by a Belgian cour
EU Delays Sanctions on Patriarch Kirill Despite Hungarian Policy Shift
The EU is preparing a limited sanctions package targeting Russia's military-industrial complex, but Patriarch Kirill is not included. Hungar
EU Considers Limited Fiscal Flexibility Amid Energy Crisis After Meloni's Push
The European Commission is reviewing fiscal policy options to tackle the energy crisis, following a request from Italian Prime Minister Gior
In Havana, Cubans React to US Indictment of Raúl Castro with Calls for Dialogue
US prosecutors indicted former Cuban leader Raúl Castro for the 1996 shootdown of planes from a Miami-based exile group. In Havana, many res
Pro-Palestinian Protesters March in Athens After Israeli Flotilla Interception
Around 1,000 pro-Palestinian demonstrators marched through Athens on Thursday after Israel intercepted a flotilla carrying Gaza activists. T
Erdoğan Shuts Istanbul Bilgi University Amid Can Holding Criminal Probe
President Erdoğan has signed a decree closing Istanbul Bilgi University, one of Turkey's oldest private universities. The move follows a cri
Trump's Policies Push EU Toward More Assertive Global Role, MEP Says
Spanish MEP Javi López says US pressure is forcing the EU to act more maturely on the world stage. He points to the EU-Mexico trade deal as
European Prison Overcrowding Worsens: Nine Countries at Critical Levels
Nine Council of Europe member states now face severe prison overcrowding, up from six last year. Turkey and France have 131 prisoners per 10
EU seals Mexico trade deal as NATO questions US military commitment
Top EU officials travel to Mexico City to finalize a revived trade deal aimed at reducing tariffs and signaling geopolitical independence. M
Greenland Protests US Military Ambitions: 'We Are Not for Sale'
Hundreds of Greenlanders rallied in Nuuk against renewed US military interest. Protesters accuse Washington of treating the island as a stra