Summary of the day
Senior European politicians debated economic policy in Brussels, ahead of the June European elections.
Ursula von der Leyen, the current European Commission president and lead candidate for the centre-right European People’s party, called for completing the capital markets union and said issues such as defence, security and competitiveness must be among the priorities for the EU’s next long-term budget.
Nicolas Schmit, for the Party of European Socialists, argued competitiveness includes investing in health, housing, education and infrastructure. He also called for a debate with citizens on real challenges.
Sandro Gozi, debating for Renew Europe Now, called for eliminating obstacles within the EU’s single market and called for Europe to focus more on industry.
Anders Vistisen, from the far-right Identity and Democracy Party, said the European economy is fundamentally broken and called for the EU to cut costs.
Spain said it is permanently withdrawing its ambassador from Argentina as a result of a growing diplomatic feud with the South American country’s radical rightwing president, Javier Milei.
A “foreign agents” law that has brought hundreds of thousands of people on to the streets of Georgia’s capital of Tbilisi could be dropped in return for a package of economic and security support from Washington, the ruling party has hinted.
Emmanuel Macron, the French president, will travel to New Caledonia, a spokesperson announced.
The move comes after deadly violence has paralysed the French overseas territory after lawmakers in Paris approved a constitutional amendment to allow recent arrivals to the territory to vote in provincial elections.
Groups of tourists were evacuated from New Caledonia to Australia and New Zealand.
Karl Nehammer, the Austrian chancellor, hosted the British prime minister, Rishi Sunak. The two leaders discussed migration.
Finland’s government proposed emergency legislation today to block asylum seekers entering from its border with Russia.
The debate has ended.
