Also in this newsletter: what a lithium mine in Serbia tells us about European geopolitics
EU’s most powerful official has pledged to boost defence capabilities and economic competitiveness
Also in this newsletter: European leaders flock to UK Premier Keir Starmer’s first international summit
Also in this newsletter: Who will build the technologies needed to power the green transition?
Also in this newsletter: Brussels snubs Orbán’s EU presidency in payback for Putin trip
Alternative for Germany fell out with Marine Le Pen’s party but found other lawmakers to set up new faction
Rassemblement National and League join ‘Patriots for Europe’ to make it third-largest faction in European parliament
Rassemblement National will decide whether to link up with Patriots for Europe on Monday
Also in this newsletter: Bulgaria tries yet again to form a stable government
Viktor Orbán calls for more focus on EU competitiveness in FT opinion piece
Also in this newsletter: the Socialists’ message to Ursula von der Leyen
Orbán’s Fidesz teams up with Austrian and Czech MEPs, but needs 4 more countries for Patriots for Europe faction
Also in this newsletter: why an Austrian supermarket chain is calling the European Commission on Hungary
But European Commission president fails to secure the backing of Italy
Also in this newsletter: Jordan Bardella on relations with the EU
Also in this newsletter: European Commission slammed over questionable job appointment
By pulling its 7 MEPs from Renew, Ano party consolidates Giorgia Meloni’s ultraconservatives as third-largest group
Also in this newsletter: why revelations about Meloni’s neo-fascist youth movement didn’t make big waves
Also in this newsletter: Why Frontex’s human rights envoy wants to become EU ombudsman
Italy’s PM aims to disrupt plans by other parties in the bloc’s parliament to decide senior roles
Italian PM visibly upset after leaders of centrist parties excluded her from initial discussions
Social democrats promise to fund media subscriptions for those aged 16-30 in effort to tackle disinformation
Also in this newsletter: How Finland is (very) prepared for the worst
Decision by judicial authorities is latest setback for investigation into claims of corruption in European parliament
Also in this newsletter: Ireland’s population may be growing faster than previously thought