07/06/24View in Browser
Today's top stories

Good morning from Brussels, 

The possibility of creating a ‘supergroup’ in the next EU Parliament with the hard-right European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) and far-right Identity and Democracy joining forces has been floated for quite some time. 

However, even if the political would be there, how feasible is this in practice? 

Euractiv’s Oliver Noyan analysed how these two groups have so far voted on key EU policy files and found discrepancies both within the groups as well as between them.

See here the whole analysis.  

Meanwhile, the Dutch already voted, and according to exit polls, the green-social democratic joint list PvDA-GroenLinks is head-to-head with the far-right PVV, with eight and seven seats, respectively. 

“The narrative of the rise of the far right has been beaten in the Netherlands. Of course, it’s still tight, but we have won, a progressive coalition has won in the Netherlands. So really this is a good example, and this is the message to the rest of Europe: Go out to vote,” the European and Dutch Greens’ lead candidate Bas Eickhout told Euractiv.

The official results will not be released until Sunday together with those of other member states, as the EU legislation provides. Today, Czechs and Irish go to the ballots.

Euractiv’s publisher René Moerland and politics reporter Max Griera have the story.

Last but not least, if you want to see what is at stake in these elections in several EU member states, click here.

***Also, don’t miss our EU elections Live Blog which will be running throughout the election procedure and keeping you updated about the latest developments in Brussels and in Europe’s capitals. 

The Netherlands kicks off the European elections

Yesterday, around 44% of Dutch citizens went to the ballot to cast their vote. We’re joined in the European Parliament by Rene Moerland, Euractiv’s publisher, with comments from Bas Eickhout, Spitzenkandidat for the European Greens, Gerben-Jan Gerbrandy, lead candidate of D66, and Reiner van Lanschot, lead candidate and co-lead of Volt for The Netherlands. Listen here.
Bubbling in Brussels
Click on the picture to read the story | Photo by [Shutterstock/Jakob Berg]

It is often argued that EU policy debates are detached from the everyday lives of European citizens and that European Parliament elections are fought on national and local issues. But the 2024 election campaigns were different. Our energy & environment experts Donagh Cagney, Jonathan Packroff and Paul Messad have the story.

Moreover, take a look at an interview with the European Parliament’s nuclear man, as well as with outgoing EU parliament transport chair Karima Delli, who said “The Green Deal must not be half-hearted; it must set a very strong pace.” 

Last but not least, in the tech field, our tech editor, Eliza Gkritsi, reported that digital rights NGO Noyb filed 11 complaints across Europe over changes in Meta’s privacy policy that will allow the owner of Facebook and Instagram to use posts and images, among other things, to train its artificial intelligence (AI) model. 

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EU elections in Focus: Germany
Click on the picture to read the story | Photo by [EPA-EFE/CHRISTOPHER NEUNDORF]

Fears surrounding war, social security, and the far right have dominated Germany’s EU election campaign, as parties – with an eye to national elections – uniformly tried to position themselves as anchors of stability. Read more.

Western Europe
Click on the picture to read the story | Photo by [EPA-EFE/ROB ENGELAAR]

THE HAGUE

In the Netherlands, the green-social democratic joint list PvDA-GroenLinks is head to head with far-right PVV, with eight and seven seats respectively, according to the exit polls following the EU election held on Thursday. Read more.

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PARIS

Macron announces fighter jets delivery to Ukraine, mulls sending military instructors. France will deliver French Mirage 2000 fighter jets to Ukraine and train pilots over the next six months, according to President Emmanuel Macron, who announced on Thursday. Read more.

Russia arrests French scholar suspected of collecting intelligence. Russia said on Thursday (6 June) it had detained a Frenchman suspected of gathering information about the Russian military, an incident French President Emmanuel Macron described as part of a campaign of disinformation by Moscow. Read more.

French players see EV battery recycling opportunities but face regulatory hurdles. As electric vehicle continue their rollout, Euractiv spoke with several French industry players looking at battery recycling to capture and re-use critical raw materials. Read more.

Europe's south
Click on the picture to read the story | Photo by [EPA-EFE/CIRO FUSCO]

ROME

Russia is trying to influence European elections and divide the West, Italy’s Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Antonio Tajani warned on Thursday, as Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed hope to focus on restoring relations with Italy once the situation in Ukraine is “normalised”. Read more

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MADRID

Spain joins South Africa’s World Court case accusing Israel of genocide. Spain will join South Africa’s case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) over the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip to help restore peace in the region, in a diplomatic move that comes days after Madrid, along with Ireland and Norway, recognised Palestinian statehood. Read more.

Eastern Europe

WARSAW

Polish candidate: Green Deal’s communication was Commission’s ‘biggest mistake’. Failing to communicate the Green Deal properly was the current European Commission’s “biggest mistake”, Joanna Kamińska, an EU elections candidate for the Polish Greens, told Euractiv. Read more.

The Balkans

SOFIA

Survey finds 70% of Bulgarians believe in conspiracies. Seventy per cent of Bulgarians believe in conspiracy theories while 37% have fallen foul of misinformation according to a recent survey. Read more

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BUCHAREST | CHISINAU

Romanian government pushes for mandatory language tests for regaining citizenship. Regaining Romanian citienship could soon involve passing a compulsory language exam, according to a new government bill amending the country’s citizenship law to stamp out potential abuses, which was submitted to parliament on Thursday. Read more.

Agenda
  • Ireland and Czechia hold EU elections

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[Edited by Sarantis Michalopoulos, Daniel Eck, Liene Lūsīte, Alice Taylor]

The Capitals is brought to you by Sarantis MichalopoulosAlice Taylor, Liene Lūsīte, Daniel Eck and Charles Szumski
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