Summary of the day
Politicians in Germany pleaded for calm on the campaign trail after a candidate for the far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party was stabbed in the south-west German city of Mannheim, less than a week after a police officer was killed in a knife attack in the city.
A day before voting begins for the June 6-9 European elections, the European parliament’s president, Roberta Metsola, issued a last plea for voters to go to the polls. “Do not take Europe for granted. Defend it. Shape it. Use your vote, or others will decide for you,” she stressed.
Spain’s socialist prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, has accused his political opponents of trying to undermine his government and influence the outcome of this weekend’s European elections after a judge investigating corruption allegations against his wife summoned her to testify five days before polls open.
Siegfried Mureșan, a member of the European parliament from Romania’s National Liberal party (PNL) and vice-president of the European People’s party, said that the first issue voters have been bringing up is the economy, followed by security.
The Save Romania Union (USR)‘s Dan Barna, who is leading the list for the United Right Alliance, criticised the decision to schedule local elections on the same day as the European election in Romania.
Bulgarian party We Continue the Change’s candidate Daniel Lorer told us that “in the European context and in the national context, probably the topic of income security is the most prevalent.”
A retired judge and former MP for the far-right AfD has become the subject of disciplinary proceedings by the justice ministry in the eastern state of Saxony after he allegedly quoted the lines from a well-known Nazi song at the AfD’s regional party conference in April.
As the D-Day commemorations get underway, White House National Security adviser Jake Sullivan said that Joe Biden will stress how the men on those cliffs “put the country ahead of themselves” and detail “the dangers of isolationism, and how, if we back dictators and fail to stand up to them, they keep going and ultimately America and the world pays a greater price.”
Emmanuel Macron, the French president, has said that his country will never forget the sacrifice of the thousands of young soldiers from across the Atlantic, across the Channel and overseas who died on the beaches of Normandy.
Addressing the 80th anniversary of the liberation of France, he said “it reminds us of the importance of a united Europe, of the strength of our alliances, in a world once again full of risks and uncertainties. May the example of these heroines and heroes strengthen our determination and our confidence in a future of peace and security.”
Mes chers compatriotes,
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) June 5, 2024
Nous célébrons cette année le 80e anniversaire de la Libération de la France.
Tous ensemble, honorons et transmettons.
Nous le devons à nos héros. Nous le devons aux générations futures.…
