By Pierre Lefevre
Paris-based political reporter. Bylines from Paris, Rome and Madrid. Closely follows elections and coalition politics.
NATO intercepts Russian submarine exercise targeting undersea cables
NATO forces intercepted a covert Russian operation near Svalbard, where submarines practiced deploying a secret weapon against undersea cabl
PISA founder warns AI is eroding essential skills as European scores hit record lows
The latest PISA results show record-low performance in reading and maths across OECD countries. Andreas Schleicher warns that AI use is holl
EU's Draghi reform agenda lags, new tracker shows
Two years after Mario Draghi's competitiveness report, the EU has fully executed none of its 30 key policy recommendations. A new tracker sh
Macron and von der Leyen urge European space autonomy amid security threats
At the Grand Palais, Macron and von der Leyen push for shared governance and investment in space, with new projects like Nyx and Argonaut on
Permanent renting becomes Europe's new housing reality
A new study of 39 OECD countries finds permanent renting is becoming the norm across Europe. Switzerland and Germany have the highest renter
EU Democracy Shield: Why Claims It Could Rig France's 2027 Vote Are False
The EU Democracy Shield aims to counter disinformation, but some claim it could rig national votes. EU law leaves election conduct to member
IMF drops Portuguese economist over Trump tariff criticism
Portuguese economist Ricardo Reis was reportedly removed from the IMF chief economist shortlist after criticizing Trump's tariffs. The IMF a
UK police open criminal probe into Reform UK over foreign donations
The Metropolitan Police have launched a criminal investigation into Reform UK over suspected foreign donations. The probe follows an underco
Russian strikes kill at least three as Zelenskyy meets Carney in Canada
At least three people died in Russian drone strikes on Sumy, with more wounded in Kharkiv and Kryvyi Rih. Ukraine's Special Operations Force
Zelenskyy drone scare sharpens Europe's defence debate
A drone nearly struck Zelenskyy's plane en route to Oslo, highlighting the urgency of Europe's defence dilemma. Baltic states urge more EU f
Trump offers $5,000 'dividend' to US voters as Republicans face midterms
Donald Trump promised a $5,000 'Trump dividend' to every US adult if Republicans retain Congress in November. He also defended the Iran war
Brussels accelerates Moldova's EU accession as reforms advance
The European Commission is moving quickly to support Moldova's EU accession push. New momentum follows recent reforms and a strong pro-Europ