Good morning from Brussels.

As Angela Merkel’s autobiography, 'Freedom', goes on sale today, the former German chancellor shared recollections of central events that continue to impact Europe and defended her controversial choices.

While Merkel, a Christian Democrat, was once hailed as Europe’s de facto leader, observers have scrutinised key decisions she made during her sixteen years in office. 

Merkel has already revealed her views on some choices in extracts and interviews, suggesting that she wants the book to defend her record. 

The former Chancellor’s relationship with Putin’s Russia is among the most controversial parts of her reign, as critics argue she exposed Moscow’s neighbourhood to its imperial ambitions.  

Merkel's handling of the 2015 refugee crisis, Brexit and Donald Trump are all elements of her political legacy that she has been keen to defend, Nick Alipour reports in his article. 

According to some experts who spoke to Euractiv, Merkel deepened Germany’s dependency on Russian energy, which "certainly contributed to the strategic calculus of Vladimir Putin, who ultimately invaded Ukraine."

The experts were unanimous that Merkel contributed significantly to the EU’s and Germany’s ongoing structural challenges. 

However, they also made it clear that Angela Merkel successfully addressed the EU's crises in the short term during her time in office, and she "led Europe" when no other European leader could.

Read more in Iuliia Akhmedova’s story. 

As energy-intensive sectors such as steel struggle with high energy prices, Europe should not aim to support all its industries, warned the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).

In an interview with Euractiv before the publication of the EBRD today’s report on industrial policy, chief economist Beata Javorcik said that industrial policy also means ‘letting losers go’. Jonathan Packroff has the story.

Meanwhile, leading Nordic banking executives warned Euractiv’s Thomas Moller-Nielsen that EU policymakers should focus their efforts to boost cross-border capital markets on harmonising supervision rather than centralising it.

As a third winter is about to engulf warring Ukraine, the defence ministers from Germany, France, Poland, Italy, and the UK - known as the E5 format - met in Berlin on Monday evening to discuss military support for Kyiv, after Donald Trump's victory raised pressing questions about Europe’s strategic positioning. Jeremias Lin has the story.

On the enlargement front, Hungary's attempt to advance the next stages of EU accession talks with Serbia on Monday faced resistance from a large majority of member states, Alexandra Brzozowski writes. 

Meanwhile, in Strasburg, a “small majority” of The Greens will back the new von der Leyen Commission in Wednesday’s vote, group leaders Bas Eickhout and Terry Reintke confirmed on Monday following a group vote.

BERLIN

Defence ministers from Germany, France, Poland, Italy, and the UK met in Berlin on Monday evening (25 November) to discuss military support for Ukraine, advancing European defence initiatives, and responding to growing global instability. Read more. 

What Merkel revealed about her European legacy ahead of her memoir launch. As Angela Merkel’s autobiography, 'Freedom', goes on sale on Tuesday, the former German chancellor shared recollections of central events that continue to impact Europe and defended her controversial choices. Read more.

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PARIS

Le Pen’s party threatens no-confidence vote on Barnier’s government. The far-right National Rally (RN/PfE) and its leader, Marine Le Pen, threatened on Monday to support a no-confidence motion expected to be tabled mid-December by left-wing forces after the National Assembly reviews the 2025 budget. Read more.

VILNIUS

Cargo plane crashes near Lithuania airport, DHL launches own investigation. A DHL cargo plane crashed as it came in to land at Lithuania's Vilnius airport early on Monday morning, killing one person on the aircraft and with some debris damaging a house. Read more.

ROME

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani has called for negotiations with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu but remained cautious when asked about the possibility of the Israeli leader's arrest during a visit to Italy. Read more.

Italy’s M5S denies formation of new group with Wagenknecht BSW. Sources in the 5-Star Movement's (M5S) delegation to the European Parliament, speaking to Euractiv, have denied recent reports that the party is in talks with Sahra Wagenknecht's BSW to form a new parliamentary group. Read more.

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MADRID

Sánchez reshuffles Spanish government as Ribera heads off to Brussels. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced Sara Aagesan as secretary of state for energy to replace former Ecological Transition Minister Teresa Ribera, who will now become a vice-president in Ursula von der Leyen's second Commission. Read more.

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LISBON

Portuguese PM says no resignations over ambulance strike deaths. Portugal's Prime Minister Luís Montenegro said on Monday that political responsibility - if found - must be taken for the deaths caused by the national ambulance service as a result of an ongoing strike and that it could even implicate him or other ministers, although not their jobs. Read more.

PRAGUE

Czech president warns Trump of rising autocracies. Czech President Petr Pavel has written a letter to US President-elect Donald Trump stressing the importance of transatlantic unity in facing the challenge of rising autocratic states. Read more.

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Few Ukrainians mull leaving Poland, poll shows. Almost half of Ukrainians who arrived in Poland before the war in Ukraine began want to stay, while only 2% want to leave for another country, according to data published by the Polish Central Bank, showing the desire to stay is lower among those who arrived after the war began. Read more.

BUCHAREST

Călin Georgescu, the far-right outsider who could be Romania's new president. Călin Georgescu, who has stunned Romania and its European allies by leading the first round of the eastern European country's presidential election, is a far-right, self-styled outsider critical of NATO and of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Read more.

SOFIA

Borissov vows to bring Bulgaria into eurozone if named PM. GERB leader and former prime minister Boyko Borissov is increasingly insistent that he will be elected prime minister of the next Bulgarian government, promising the country's accession to the eurozone, but for now, his political bid has been rejected. Read more.

• EU: Education, Youth, Culture and Sport Council in its Culture and Sport composition convenes to discuss lasting legacy of major sporting events, improving access to culture, and more;
• Commission President Ursula von der Leyen chairs College of Commissioners meeting; Hosts Co-Chairs of the Greens/EFA Group Terry Reintke and Bas Eickhout;
• Commission Vice President Vĕra Jourová meets with Secretary General of the Council of Europe Alain Berset;
• Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders participates via videoconference in 62nd Asia Pacific Privacy Authorities Forum (APPA62);
• Equality Commissioner Helena Dalli makes statement on EU Prison conditions, gender pay gap, and more at Parliament;
• Parliament’s plenary session debates reinforcing unwavering support to Ukraine, increasing military cooperation between North Korea - Russia, and more.

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[Edited by Charles Szumski, Daniel Eck, Alice Taylor-Braçe]