Spanish PM fights to avoid ‘total eclipse’ of left

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In today’s news from the Capitals:

MADRID

Faced with the dark prospect of a future landslide victory by the right and the far-right forces, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez made a tactical move: calling snap elections to rebuild the left and avoiding a total collapse, EURACTIV’s partner EFE reports.

In making this move, he has also forced progressive parties, which have been divided in recent months and less mobilised in the polls compared to centre-right Partido Popular (PP/EPP) and the far-right VOX party (ECR), to work against the clock to reach an agreement in ten days and forge a coalition before the elections. Read more.

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BERLIN

Schröder declared persona non grata at own party congress. The Social Democratic Party (SPD) has declared former chancellor and party head Gerhard Schröder persona non grata at the upcoming party congress although recent attempts to kick him out of the party ultimately failed. Read more.

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PARIS

French senators want to extend statute of limitation for child sex crimes. Senators from several political groups aim to extend the statute of limitations for sexual offences committed against minors, according to a bill seen by EURACTIV, though its chances of success are low. Read more.

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VIENNA

Rallies celebrating Erdogan spark outrage in Vienna. Thousands of people with Turkish backgrounds took to the streets to celebrate Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s re-election on Sunday, prompting harsh criticism from the right and concern from the left. Read more.

NORDICS AND BALTICS

HELSINKI

Finnish electricity prices drop to historic low twice in a week. Electricity prices in Finland fell into negative territory twice last week, a historic first resulting in consumers having their bills lowered. Read more.

EUROPE’S SOUTH

LISBON

Portuguese government could limit 5G equipment based over security fears. The Security Assessment Committee’s conclusions on 5G equipment risks could be excluded or restricted, but this is up to telecoms regulator Anacom, the government told EURACTIV’s partner Lusa on Monday. Read more.

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ROME

​​Italian local elections: centre-right victory strengthens government. The governing centre-right coalition was victorious in local elections, confirming its majority in the country as the centre-left mulls possible alliances ahead of the European elections. Read more.

VISEGRAD

BRATISLAVA

More than one in three Slovaks believe in EU insect mandate. More than one in three Slovaks believe Brussels is endangering public health by ordering insect protein be added to food without consumers knowing, despite the European Commission’s attempts to debunk the hoax, a new study has found. Read more.

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WARSAW

Poland sanctions Belarus after Supreme Court confirms journalist’s sentence. Poland has imposed sanctions on 365 Belarusian citizens with links to the state after the Belarus Supreme Court upheld the eight-year prison sentence for Andrzej Poczobut, a journalist and Polish minority leader. Read more.

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PRAGUE

Czech intelligence: Russia wants to prevent US-Czech defence treaty approval. Russia will likely try to prevent the approval of the security cooperation agreement between the US and the Czech Republic, Czech Security Information Service Director Michal Koudelka said at a conference in the lower chamber of the Czech parliament on Monday. Read more.

NEWS FROM THE BALKANS

PRISTINA

Internationals react, Belgrade bristles amid NATO troop injuries in Kosovo. At least 34 NATO peacekeepers along with members of Kosovo’s police force and members of the public have been injured during clashes with Serbian protestors, leading to frantic calls for calm from Pristina and internationals.

For its part, Belgrade has called on the international community to step in and pressure Kosovo, warning, though, that “If the Albanian invader shoots, then the situation will be different”. Read more.

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BUCHAREST

Romania sees increase in worker protests. As teachers enter their second week of strikes and protests, the healthcare and railway transport unions prepare for protests of their own unless the government meets their demands for increased salaries and better working conditions. Read more.

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TIRANA

Albanian president signs in laws increasing his wage to highest in region. Albanian President Bajram Begaj on Monday signed three new laws for increasing salaries, including that of his own, making him the highest-paid head of state in the region with a wage of €3860 a month. Read more.

AGENDA:

• EU: General Affairs Council convenes to prepare June European Council meeting and hold hearings on rule of law in Poland, respect for the EU values in Hungary;
• Agriculture and Fisheries Council convenes to discuss market situation, packaging and packaging waste, adverse climate conditions in southern Europe and more; Meeting of directors within the framework of EU’s common agricultural policy, together with representatives of the European Commission takes place in Malmö, Sweden;
• Commission President Ursula von der Leyen hosts Chairman of the World Economic Forum Professor Klaus Schwab;
• Commission Vice Presidents Valdis Dombrovskis, Margrethe Vestager participate in the EU-US Trade and Technology Council meeting, hosted by the Swedish Presidency in Luleå;
• Vice President Vĕra Jourová speaks at the Warsaw European Conversation conference “Europe in times of non-peace: risks and trends”;
• Neighbourhood and Enlargement Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi hosts President of Montenegro Jakov Milatović, Minister of State and Chief Negotiator of Albania Majlinda Dhuka; Holds meeting with President of Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia Marko Čadež, Chairman of the WB6 CIF and President of Kosovo Chamber of Commerce Lulzim Rafuna; Participates in high level dialogue on “Eastern neighbourhood: Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova, Southern neighbourhood: Morocco and Tunisia”;
• International Partnerships Commissioner Jutta Urpilainen holds meetings with UN Secretary General António Guterres, Deputy Secretary General Amina Mohammed in New York, US;
• High Representative Josep Borrell meets President of the Republic of Montenegro Jakov Milatović; Participates in dialogue on “Global Digital Governance”, hosted by the Centre on Regulation in Europe (CERRE);
• Parliament President Roberta Metsola meets with Slovak interim Prime Minister Ľudovít Ódor in Bratislava; Hosts Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands Wopke Hoekstra, Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum Klaus Schwab in Brussels;
• ECHR rules in case involving ex-Croatian president Stjepan Mesic;
• Sweden: Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson hosts US State Secretary Antony Blinken;
• Norway: NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg takes part in conference with Foreign Affairs Minister Anniken Huitfeldt; Holds joint press conference with Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store;
• China: BRICS New Development Bank annual meeting;
• UN: IAEA Chief Rafael Grossi briefs Security Council on plan for Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant; Security Council holds meeting on Syria; Votes on renewal of mission in Iraq, renewing sanctions against South Sudan;

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

Read more with Euractiv

Czech intelligence: Russia wants to prevent US-Czech defence treaty approval