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IN THE FEATURES
Dear readers of L’Expresso,
While the United States mainly contributes to NATO, the recent election of Donald Trump could change the situation. Members of the Atlantic Alliance are preparing in particular for a withdrawal of military aid to Ukraine.
The American president-elect has in fact already openly threatened not to honor his country’s commitments within NATO if the allies do not spend enough on their own defenses.
Warnings taken very seriously by the German Minister of Foreign Affairs, Annalena Baerbock (Greens), who estimated yesterday that NATO’s objective of devoting 2% of GDP to military spending is no longer sufficient in the current situation. Read all the details in Nick Alipour’s article.
According to her, defending democracy, peace and freedom means that Germany and Europe must work together more. Annalena Baerbock calls for a bold vision for investments in European security, given the re-election of Donald Trump as US president.
After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, NATO stakeholders, including Poland, had already advocated increasing the annual spending of alliance members beyond 2% of their GDP.
Germany hit the spending target this year for the first time in three decades and plans to continue on that path at least until 2028. But German contributions remain limited by the “debt brake,” an element of the country’s constitution which imposes restrictions on the deficit.
Annalena Baerbock’s comments come as German Economy Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) confirmed his candidacy for the chancellorship on Sunday.
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CAPITALS
ROME
A court in Rome once again blocks the transfer of migrants to a return center in Albania. A court in Rome decided to once again obstruct the migration outsourcing program between Italy and Albania on Monday, November 11, by suspending the transfer of seven asylum seekers, in addition to the 12 transfers suspended mid-October. By Alessia Peretti.
MADRID
The Spanish center right and the EPP intend to put pressure on Teresa Ribera during her hearing in front of Parliament. The Spanish People’s Party, Spain’s right-wing party, has joined forces with the European People’s Party (EPP) to obstruct as much as possible the hearing of future Spanish Commissioner Teresa Ribera before the European Parliament which is taking place on Tuesday 12 November. By Fernando Heller.
SOFIA
Bulgaria: GERB leader Boïko Borissov announces his desire to be Prime Minister. Boyko Borissov, leader of Bulgaria’s largest party GERB and winner of recent elections, said he should now lead Bulgaria’s new government, citing his good relationship with recently re-elected US President Donald Trump. By Krassen Nikolov.
NEWS FROM EUROPEAN INSTITUTIONS
In Budapest, the leaders of the 27 adopt a Competitiveness Pact while waiting for Donald Trump. EU leaders approved a watered-down competitiveness deal at an informal European Council summit in Budapest. By Théo Bourgery-Gonse.
In Brussels, the technology sector is preparing for Donald Trump’s return to the White House. The return of Donald Trump to the presidency of the United States should encourage Europe to strengthen its technological autonomy, according to politicians and industry players, as the continent tries to prepare for the four years that the Republican will spend in the House -White. By Eliza Gkritsi, Jacob Wulff Wold and Théophane Hartmann.
Valdis Dombrovskis defends the new tax rules and obtains the post of Commissioner for the Economy. Latvian Commissioner-designate Valdis Dombrovskis’ vigorous defense of the EU’s new tax rules during his parliamentary hearing proved convincing, securing him a third term in the EU executive. By Thomas Moller-Nielsen.
MEPs are considering reducing the portfolio of aspiring Hungarian commissioner Olivér Várhelyi. Failing to have convinced MEPs from the left and the center during his hearing, the Hungarian Olivér Várhelyi, who is running for the post of Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare, will have to answer new written questions, while some wish to reduce their portfolio. By Angelo Di Mambro and Thomas Mangin.
[Éditions par Sarah N’tsia & traductions par Marine Béguin]
