This week's European news

Letter n°1071 of Tuesday 11^th June 2024

A push to the right, but the outgoing majority coalition is expected to be renewed

Pascale Joannin - 12 Jun 2024

Following the European elections held from June 6 to 9 in the 27 member states of the European Union, the major balances have been maintained and the only possible majority coalition between the European People's Party (EPP), the European Socialist Party (PES) and Renew is expected to be reconducted. The push to the right has been contained at European level - it does not constitute a landslide. Except in France.

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■ Front page! :

Commemorating to mobilise

During the commemorations of the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings, "everyone realised that we were once again facing an existential challenge, thrown down to the world by the worst adversaries of freedoms and human rights", writes Jean-Dominique Giuliani. Read more

■ Elections :

Victory for the NVA in Flanders and the Mouvement Réformateur in Wallonia and Brussels

Contrary to what opinion polls had predicted, the New Flemish Alliance (NVA) emerged victorious from the 9 June general elections in Flanders. It took 16.71% of the vote, ahead of the radical right-wing party Vlaams Belang (VB), which obtained 13.76%. The other surprise was the strong performance of the Mouvement Réformateur (MR) in French-speaking Belgium. It won 10.28% of the vote and 20 seats (up 6), ahead of the Socialist Party, which fell back to 8.05% and 16 seats (down 4). The outgoing Vivaldi coalition government led by Alexander De Croo will not be able to continue in office. The composition of the new government could take some time. Read more

The GERB leads in the general elections

In the Bulgarian parliamentary elections on 9 June - the 6th elections of this type since April 2021 - former Prime Minister Boyko Borissov's GERB came out on ahead with 23.65% of the vote. It overtook We Continue the Change (PP), the party founded by Kiril Petkov and Asen Vassilev, which obtained 14.91% of the vote. The elections were marked by low turnout, a stabilisation in the influence of the far right and considerable Russian influence. Following this election, it is not certain that Boyko Borissov will succeed in finding a majority to govern the country. Read more

■ Foundation :

The Schuman Network of ideas in Europe

The Schuman Network is an initiative of the Robert Schuman Foundation, which works to promote the sharing of ideas on a European scale. With 20 members from 12 European countries, the Schuman Network is a forum for pooling research on current European issues. Since its launch, around a hundred studies have been published. Read more

European recovery plans: figures and priorities

In response to the economic and social consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic, the European Union has set up a €672.5 billion recovery fund. On 5 June, the Commission paid France's third claim for €7.5 billion. The Foundation offers you an interactive map of the plans country by country, to see the amounts and timetables. Read more

A site to find out everything you need to know about the results of the European elections

In the European elections held from 6 to 9 June, Europeans elected the 720 Members of the European Parliament for the next five years. The Foundation has set up a website to help you better understand the role and powers of the Parliament, the voting rules and the issues at stake, and to track the results of the parties in each Member State. Read more

Publication of the "Schuman Report on Europe, the State of the Union 2024".

The Foundation has published the "Schuman Report on Europe, the State of the Union 2024" in which eminent representatives from the worlds of politics, business, research and diplomacy paint a portrait of a Union that is tracing the contours of environmental and digital sovereignty and projecting itself into a new geopolitical era, full of new challenges, particularly for its industry and defence. The book is available in English and French, in hard copy and online. Order your copy now! Read more - Other link

■ Commission :

Fishing Opportunities for 2025

On 7 June, the Commission published a communication taking stock of the state of fisheries in the EU. The Communication assesses the progress of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) in terms of the sustainability of fish stocks, the balance between fleet capacity and fishing opportunities, the socio-economic performance of the fleet, and the implementation of the landing obligation. The Commission details the measures taken in the Baltic, Mediterranean and Black Seas, as well as with regard to the United Kingdom. Read more

New mechanism for the hydrogen market

On 3 June, the Commission took further steps to support the development of the European hydrogen market by launching work on a pilot mechanism. This new mechanism aims to accelerate investment by providing a clearer picture of the market situation for both buyers and suppliers, and by facilitating contacts between them. Read more

■ Diplomacy :

IAEA resolution on Iran

On 5 June, the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) adopted a resolution on Iran, deploring the Iranian authorities' lack of cooperation with the agency. The symbolic resolution is intended to encourage Iran to provide a credible clarification of the full report on the presence of traces of uranium. It was tabled by Germany, France and the United Kingdom. China and Russia voted against. Read more

■ ECB :

Reduction of key interest rates

On 6 June, the Governing Council decided to cut the ECB's three key interest rates by 25 basis points. Since the Governing Council meeting in September 2023, inflation has decelerated by more than 2.5 percentage points and the inflation outlook has improved significantly. The Board now expects overall inflation to average 2.5% in 2024, 2.2% in 2025 and 1.9% in 2026. Economic growth is expected to recover to 0.9% in 2024, 1.4% in 2025 and 1.6% in 2026. Read more

■ European Agencies :

Launch of Ariane 6 planned for 9 July

On 5 June, ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher announced that the first launch of Europe's Ariane 6 rocket is scheduled for 9 July. It will take off from the European space centre in Kourou, French Guiana. Designed to rival the American Space X launcher, this rocket represents a major step forward for European aeronautics. Read more

Reports on greenwashing

On 4 June, the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA), the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA) and the European Banking Authority (EBA) published a joint report, at the request of the European Commission, on the supervision of sustainable finance policies and the risks of greenwashing. The three authorities agree on the lack of sanctions, with constraints in terms of human resources, access to quality data and expertise. Read more - Other link - Other link

■ Germany :

German President in Oradour-sur-Glane

The German President, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, travelled to Oradour-sur-Glane on 10 June to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the massacre of the martyred village, together with his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron. On 10 June 1944, 643 people were killed by the German Waffen-SS "Das Reich" division, which was gradually moving northwards to surprise the Resistance after the Normandy landings. Read more

■ Austria :

11 complaints lodged against Meta

Austrian digital rights NGO Noyb announced that it had filed a privacy complaint on 6 June in eleven Member States (Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland and Spain) after Meta announced changes to its privacy policy. These will allow the owner of Facebook and Instagram to use posts and images, as well as collecting messages from users on Facebook, Instagram and other platforms owned by Meta, to train its artificial intelligence model. Read more

■ France :

Commemoration of the 80th anniversary of D-Day

French President Emmanuel Macron brought together the heads of state or government of the former Allied countries in Normandy on 6 June to commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day. US President Joe Biden, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and King Charles III were in attendance, as were Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. 200 American, Canadian and British veterans made the trip. They first visited the Colleville-sur-Mer cemetery, where 9,387 American soldiers are buried, before going on to Omaha Beach, the deadliest beach of the D-Day landings. The following day, the French President visited Bayeux and Cherbourg-en-Cotentin, while his American counterpart was at Pointe du Hoc. Read more - Other link - Other link

Joe Biden's state visit to France

French President Emmanuel Macron received his American counterpart Joe Biden during a State visit to France on 8 and 9 June. Discussions focused on strengthening bilateral cooperation, particularly in the economic, nuclear and space fields. The two heads of state exchanged views on joint action to tackle global challenges such as climate change. An agreement was signed to use the profits from frozen Russian assets to help Ukraine. Read more - Other link

Dissolution of the National Assembly

French President Emmanuel Macron announced the dissolution of the National Assembly on 9 June, following the publication of the European election results. This is the first time since 1997 that a president of the Fifth Republic has dissolved the lower house of parliament. The head of state has called new legislative elections for 30 June and 7 July. Read more - Other link

■ Georgia :

Final adoption of the "foreign influence" law

The President of the Georgian Parliament, Shalva Papuashvili, officially signed the controversial law on "foreign influence" on 3 June, after the country's President, Salome Zurabishvili, refused to do so. The law thus officially came into force, despite numerous warnings from European diplomatic chief Josep Borrell and US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, and several days of demonstrations across the country. At the same time, some fifteen Georgian opposition parties, who had hitherto struggled to find a point of agreement, signed a charter outlining their common objectives in terms of electoral, judicial and police reform, as well as the annulment of the law. Read more - Other link

■ Ukraine :

Volodymyr Zelensky in France

On 7 June, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made an official visit to France. In a speech to the French National Assembly, he reiterated the need to mobilise to stop those who wish to change Europe by force. He was then welcomed by Emmanuel Macron at the Élysée Palace. At the joint press conference, it was confirmed that French Mirage 2000-5 fighter jets would be delivered by the end of the year and that Ukrainian pilots would be trained to operate them. In addition, an agreement to open a factory in Ukraine for the production of 155mm shells by the Franco-German armaments group KNDS and a contract to set up a maintenance centre in Ukraine for Caesar guns were signed at the Ministry of the Armed Forces. The two governments signed agreements to provide €200 million in development aid to Ukraine. Read more - Other link - Other link - Other link

Tallinn Summit of the IT Coalition for Ukraine

The IT Coalition of the Contact Group on the Defence of Ukraine, dedicated to IT, communications and cybersecurity, met in Tallinn on 31 May. The coalition, comprising Estonia, Luxembourg, Belgium, Denmark, Iceland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, succeeded in raising an additional €22 million in contributions for Ukraine. Read more

■ Norway :

Discovery of a rare earth deposit

The Norwegian mining group Rare Earths Norway announced on 6 June that the Fensfeltet deposit, located in the south-east of the country, is the largest in Europe with 8.8 million tonnes of rare metals. These metals, which are essential to the ecological transition, could reduce Europe's dependence on China, which currently supplies 98% of the rare earths used in the European Union. The group said that extraction could begin in 2030, requiring an investment of around €867 million. Read more

■ Council of Europe :

Prison overcrowding in Europe

According to a Council of Europe study published on 6 June, prison overcrowding continues to be a serious chronic problem in a large number of prison administrations in Europe. Twelve European countries had a prison density of 100% or more. Cyprus (166%), Romania (120%) and France (119%) have the highest rates of prison overcrowding in Europe, and their figures have worsened since the end of the Covid-19 crisis. Prison density continues to increase on the continent, rising from 91.7% to 93.5% on average between January 2022 and January 2023 in the 45 nations that are members of the institution. Read more

■ Studies/Reports :

EurHope Report

On 5th June, Make.Org and Young European Federalists published their final report of June 2024 on the EuroHope initiative in which the Robert Schuman Foundation is a partner. It brings together the results of a consultation with 1.5 million young people, showing their expectations of the European institutions, as well as their divisions and their union around European issues. Read more

■ Culture :

O/Modernt Festival in Stockholm

From 14 to 16 June, the O/Modernt festival is being held in Stockholm. This year, the festival is dedicated to Franz Schubert (1797-1828), the Austrian composer who is so emblematic of Romantic music. A marvellous array of artists from all over the world will be performing concerts and artistic events based on Schubert's work. Read more

"Taïnos and Kalinagos of the West Indies" in Paris

The Musée du Quai Branly-Jacques Chirac in Paris is presenting the "Taïnos et Kalinagos des Antilles" exhibition until 13 October. The exhibition is a tribute to the one held at the Petit Palais some thirty years ago. The Taïnos and Kalinagos are two indigenous societies that inhabited the Caribbean before the arrival of Christopher Columbus. The exhibition showcases the art of these societies before the European conquest. Read more

Chorégies d'Orange

The Chorégies d'Orange takes place in the town's Théâtre Antique from 14 June to 22 July. This opera festival is the oldest in France, dating back to 1869. The biggest names on the opera scene perform here, giving the festival international prestige. Read more

Basel Art Fair

The Art Basel fair will be held from 13 to 16 June at the Basel Exhibition Centre. Since it was founded in 1970, this art fair has become the leading event in the international art market and a must for artists and collectors alike. It features works from the 20th and 21st centuries, with over 200 exhibitors from the world's most renowned galleries. Read more

Helmut Newton in Berlin

The exhibition "Berlin, Berlin" celebrates the 20th anniversary of the Helmut Newton Foundation at the Museum für Fotografie in Berlin. On view until 16 February 2025, it presents works by Helmut Newton and other renowned photographers, highlighting Newton's deep connection with his native Berlin. The exhibition captures the dynamic essence of Berlin and traces its visual history through photographs spanning the Roaring Twenties, the Second World War, the period of the Berlin Wall and reunification. Read more

Marek Oberländer in Wroclaw

Until 1 September, the National Museum in Wrocław is exhibiting "The Artistic Quest of Marek Oberländer". The exhibition offers visitors the opportunity to analyse the creative anguish of this painter, who was opposed to the dogma of socialist realism during the Polish communist period. Read more

Léger and the new realism in Biot

The exhibition "Léger et les Nouveaux Réalismes - Les collections du MAMAC à Biot" will be on show from 15 June to 18 November at the Musée national Fernand Léger in Biot. The exhibition features 110 works by a number of artists who contributed to the New Realism movement in Europe and the United States. French artist Ferdinand Léger was a key figure in this movement, known for his use of colour and form in the quest for a new representation of reality in the early 20th century. Read more

Martha Jungwirth in Bilbao

The Guggenheim Museum Bilbao is honouring the Austrian artist Martha Jungwirth until 22 September. This Viennese painter sees each of her canvases as an extension of herself, in which her movements and emotions are expressed in the form of structuring lines. The result oscillates between abstraction and representation of the physical world. Read more

The Athens and Epidaurus Festival

The Festival of Athens and Epidaurus is running until 24 August. Celebrating its 64th anniversary, it is one of the oldest festivals in Europe. This edition focuses on political and social themes, including democracy, justice and inclusion, through 93 theatrical, musical and choreographic performances. The performances take place in a range of iconic venues, including the Odeon of Herod Atticus in Athens and the ancient theatre of Epidaurus. Read more

Giacometti Nauman, Picasso in London

Gagosian Gallery is presenting "The Body as Matter: Giacometti Nauman Picasso" until 26 July. This exhibition of sculptures by Alberto Giacometti, Bruce Nauman and Pablo Picasso explores their interpretations of the human body and their distinct sculptural practices, which have greatly influenced modernist and post-modernist art. Read more