Czech EPP, ECR parties form joint EU elections list

Good morning from Prague, Brussels.

Czech political parties affiliated with the centre-right European People’s Party (EPP) and right-wing European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) will form a joint candidate list for the 2024 European elections to counter populists and boost the chances of right-wing parties to outflank left-wing and Green forces in the EU parliament. Read more.

BERLIN | THE HAGUE | ROME | ATHENS

The governments of Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Greece have been criticised by MPs, mainly from the opposition, for abstaining on a UN resolution urging Israel to implement a humanitarian ceasefire without condemning Hamas. Read more.

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PARIS

Macron paves way for France to become first to enshrine abortion in constitution. The French constitution will contain the right to abortion from next year, President Emmanuel Macron announced on Sunday, making France the first country to have such a right guaranteed by the constitution. Read more.

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VIENNA

Austria mulls ban on defacing flags amid spike in anti-Semitic behaviour. Banning the defacing of national flags following a huge spike in anti-Semitic behaviour in Austria recently is something being proposed by Chancellor Karl Nehammer. Read more.

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MADRID

Pardoning Catalan separatists is the only way for Spain’s acting Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez socialist PSOE party (S&D) to secure a majority to form a stable government, he insisted, indirectly admitting that passing an amnesty law for those involved in the 2017 secessionist attempt in Catalonia is key. Read more.

WARSAW

The conservative ruling nationalist Law and Justice party (PiS, ECR) is trying to rope in newly elected opposition lawmakers to secure a majority in parliament to form a future government after being left without a parliamentary majority following the general election, Polish media report. Read more.

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BRATISLAVA

Slovakia’s Fico sets conditions for Ukraine’s ‘brutal financial aid’. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico will support ‘brutal financial aid’ to Ukraine – despite his pro-Russian rhetoric – if he is given guarantees the money will not be misappropriated and some will be used to renew border infrastructure and support Slovak companies involved in the reconstruction. Read more.

SOFIA

Bulgaria’s pro-EU parties won convincingly in the country’s local elections, and the intrigue in the second round is between the two leading parliamentary forces – the coalition between We Continue the Change and Democratic Bulgaria (PP-DB) or GERB, the strongest party in local government. Read more.

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BUCHAREST

Romanian MEP to appeal EU court ruling on Schengen accession. Romanian EU lawmaker Eugen Tomac (PMP/EPP) said he would appeal the EU Court of Justice’s decision rejecting his case against Austria’s Council veto on Romania and Bulgaria’s Schengen bid. Read more.

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LJUBLJANA

Slovenia extends police checks amid terrorism, organised crime concerns. Slovenia has extended police checks at its border with Croatia and Hungary by another 20 days, until 19 November, citing concerns over terrorism and organised crime. Read more.

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BELGRADE

‘Serbia against violence’ opposition supporters to unite in elections. Various Serbian opposition parties will join together at the 17 December elections following cooperation in the parliament and the protest organisation ‘Serbia against violence’. Read more.

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[Edited by Sarantis Michalopoulos, Daniel Eck, Zoran Radosavljevic, Alice Taylor, Sofia Stuart Leeson]