In a remarkable year for elections, nearly half of the world’s population has been called to the polls, including in eight out of the ten most populous countries. In Europe, the elections for the European Parliament took place in June and a number of national elections have been held across the continent.
Following the collapse of the Assad regime in Syria, several European countries suspended asylum decisions for Syrian citizens. How are the EU authorities reacting to this development, and will they decide to establish diplomatic relations with the group that says it is in charge now but is currently subject to EU sanctions?
Cigarettes, vapes and other tobacco products are damaging to peoples’ health across the globe. Smoking is among the leading causes for cancer and premature deaths in the European Union, claiming around 700.000 lives each year. The EU wants to combat the normalisation of tobacco use and create a smoke-free generation by 2040 but differences in tobacco rules across the bloc remain.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze’s announcement that Georgia would not hold EU membership talks until 2028 sparked uproar – both within the country and among EU leaders.
The new European Commission has entered its first week in office for a five-year mandate until 2029. From geopolitical tensions to internal challenges such as economic weakness, declining competitiveness and tackling illegal immigration, the EU executive’s new leadership team will have to navigate a tough road ahead.
On Tuesday, the European Commission announced their assessment results of the member states’ fiscal plans for the 2025–2028 period as well as draft budgets for next year. The bloc’s new fiscal rules aim at decreasing debt, encouraging investment and reforms.