By Pierre Lefevre
Paris-based political reporter. Bylines from Paris, Rome and Madrid. Closely follows elections and coalition politics.
Teacher pay in the EU: Luxembourg leads, Eastern Europe lags
Luxembourg tops EU teacher pay charts for the 2024/25 school year, with starting salaries above €55,000. At the other end, teachers in Slova
Hungary's expiring migration laws may unlock path to EU fine relief
Hungary and the European Commission are discussing whether allowing two temporary migration laws to expire could end the €1m-a-day fine impo
Five migrants die on Atlantic crossing to Spain's Canary Islands
Spanish maritime rescue saved 44 men from a drifting boat southwest of Gran Canaria. Five bodies were found on board. An NGO reports that up
Red Cross hit by fake Ceuta posts as disinformation spreads
Social media posts falsely claim the Red Cross helped transport Moroccan men to mainland Spain and ignored Spanish disaster victims. The cha
AI-written parliamentary texts on the rise in Sweden and UK, study finds
Researchers found AI-generated paragraphs in up to 15% of UK parliamentary statements and 9.4% of Swedish motions, with zero disclosure. The
Lithuania warns it will respond immediately to any Russian attack
Lithuania's foreign minister says his government would respond immediately in self-defence if Russia attacks. He spoke as EU ministers met i
Russia shuts Goethe-Institut sites after Berlin expels cultural mission
Russia will close Goethe-Institut offices in Moscow, St Petersburg and Yekaterinburg after Germany shut the Russian House in Berlin and the
Finland's largest civil defence drill since WWII prepares for Russian threats
Finland has launched Europe's largest civil defence exercise since World War II, with over 2,000 participants rehearsing for missile strikes
Sánchez faces parliament as Ceuta migration crisis deepens
Pedro Sánchez addressed the Congress of Deputies on the Ceuta crisis, facing criticism over the government's response. Thousands demonstrate
Meloni's government becomes Italy's longest-lasting since WWII
Giorgia Meloni's government has become Italy's longest-lasting since World War II, surpassing Silvio Berlusconi's record. Despite the milest
Europe faces new security era as Spain's government reels from Ceuta leak
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen says Europe must prepare for a new era of hybrid threats. Meanwhile, Spain's government i
Maduro and wife seek to dismiss US drug charges on immunity grounds
Former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores have asked a US judge to drop drug trafficking charges, citing head-of-