EU institutions, elections, parties, and governance
Bernadette Chirac, France’s formidable former first lady who served alongside President Jacques Chirac from 1995 to 2007, has died at age 93, leaving behind a legacy of resilience and independent political influence.
Bernadette Chirac, who served as France’s first lady for 12 years and built her own political influence while transforming a children’s charity into a national institution, has died at 93. She was remembered as the ‘discreet force’ behind her husband President Jacques Chirac’s political career.
Bernadette Chirac, widow of former French President Jacques Chirac and a prominent figure in French public life for decades, has died at age 93, according to reports on Saturday.
Six weeks into Peter Magyar’s pro-European government, Hungary is repositioning itself within the EU after sixteen years of Viktor Orban. The shift, centred on unlocking suspended EU funds and an anti-corruption drive, is reshaping the dynamics of the European right ahead of the 23-24 June European Council.
With Hungary’s new pro-EU prime minister Peter Magyar having replaced Viktor Orban, Brussels is eyeing the 23-24 June European Council to open the first negotiating cluster for Ukraine and Moldova. Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos has signalled a June opening under the Cyprus presidency, while Kyiv pushes for all six clusters at once.
After two years of deadlock, the European Union’s enlargement file is showing tentative signs of movement. A change of power in Hungary – with Peter MAGYAR stepping into the prime minister’s role in early May 2026 – has raised cautious hopes in Brussels that the Hungarian veto blocking Ukraine and Moldova could ease. The chapters…
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has signalled the EU could propose a bloc-wide social media ban for children as early as this summer, backed by a new privacy-preserving age-verification app and growing pressure from France, Spain, Greece and Denmark to protect minors online.
The European Union is entering a pivotal phase on enlargement, with a Western Balkans summit scheduled for 5 June 2026 and a broader June package expected to bundle progress on Ukraine, Moldova and the Western Balkans into a single coordinated push. The choreography reflects Brussels’ attempt to keep multiple accession tracks advancing in parallel without…
Brussels-watchers face an exceptionally dense agenda this week: the Competitiveness Council convenes on 28 May for Internal Market and Industry under Cypriot chair Michael Damianos, followed by Research and Space on 29 May. The European Innovation Council Summit 2026 runs in parallel, while preparations begin for the 23-24 June European Council.
The Authority for European Political Parties and European Political Foundations moved on 27 May 2026 to recommend the deregistration of Europe of Sovereign Nations (ESN), the far-right pan-European party closely tied to Germany’s AfD. The decision could strip the formation of its EU funding and its right to operate as a recognised European party.
