With Georgia passing yet another controversial law, this time against LGBTQ rights, a growing number of post-socialist EU states, such as Slovakia, Bulgaria and Hungary, appear eager to adopt similar laws, raising concerns within the EU about violations of its laws and the influence of pro-Russian ideologies.

Key lawmaker Ceyhan Ibramov, who is close to Ahmed Dogan, the founder of Turkish minority party Movement for Rights and Freedoms (MRF), has been arrested on charges of influence peddling and accepting money to illegally buy votes.

In today’s edition of the Capitals, find out more about the Spanish being at odds with government over migrant crisis in the Canaries, a key political player in Bulgaria arrested for influence peddling ahead of elections, and so much more. 

Romania's Constitutional Court rejected far-right MEP Diana Șoșoacă presidential candidacy over the weekend, according to sources suggesting judges found her recent statements incompatible with constitutional values.

Czechia plans to push for changes to EU car emission targets, Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala and Transport Minister Martin Kupka (both ODS, ECR) announced on Friday, confirming that the focus will be on speeding up the review of the internal combustion engine ban and re-evaluating emission limits for new cars and vans for next year.

Poland’s Piotr Serafin will face many challenges if he succeeds in becoming the new EU budget commissioner, while Italian and Dutch commissioners-designate Raffaele Fitto and Wopke Hoekstra are likely to be grilled the most during parliamentary hearings, said opposition PiS MEP Bogdan Rzońca (ECR).

Leaders of the far-right Patriots for Europe gathered in the northern Italian town of Pontida for the annual rally of Lega, of which the leader, Matteo Salvini, received praise for combatting irregular migration.

The government says a reliable energy supply is needed to supplement renewable sources such as solar and wind power, and, since Kazakhstan is one of the world's biggest uranium producers, nuclear power is a logical choice.

French MEP Raphaël Glucksmann, who leads the French Socialists in the European Parliament, said his Place Publique party would start preparing for possible new legislative elections, which could be held as early as July next year, at a rally near Bordeaux over the weekend.

MEP queries reflect how they are grappling with the same defence concerns as member states and industry.

Electricity prices in Europe remain high, posing serious challenges for the aluminium industry to stay globally competitive. As a strategic material for the green transition, aluminium is essential for clean technologies and sustainable infrastructure. Affordable low-carbon energy is vital for aluminium producers to remain operational and invest in decarbonisation, supporting their growth and Europe’s broader green agenda.

The greeting "God save the Tsar" came from ultra-nationalist Russian ideologue Alexander Dugin.

A German EU lawmaker takes charge of ALDE after an unsatisfying EU election campaign

Security forces were on high alert across Israel, the military and police said, anticipating possible Palestinian attacks planned for anniversary of 7 October 2023.

Cohesion policy could "maybe" learn from the EU's Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF), but only if regional governments keep their say, Vasco Alves Cordeiro told Euractiv ahead of the EU "Regions Week".

Ribera recently claimed that the Spanish prime minister's call for the Commission to “reconsider” its position on EV tariffs “is compatible with the policies that Brussels is promoting”.

Some argue that the “revised economic governance framework”, will hamper efforts to make critical investments and remain globally competitive.

The next five years are crucial to the future of Europe. Reaching our 2030 target - namely, the reduction of greenhouse gases by 55% - will set the path for the following decades.

ITRE committee want details on energy prices, industrial strategy, climate action and more. They are unlikely to get them.

“Maybe Germany's political signal here means that [it would prefer China] to go after Spanish pork and French brandy, not German cars."