Shadows over the election year. The decisive test in France: a victory for Marine Le Pen would be a blow to the EU. Brussels’ doubts over Meloni’s pro-European stance

Opinion polls suggest a very close result: the ‘Yes’ vote is predicted, at best, to win with a result of between 51 and 52 per cent; at worst, to lose, with a result of between 47 and 49 per cent

Icelanders are being called to the polls to decide whether to resume negotiations on joining the European Union. A ‘yes’ vote would confirm that the EU remains a magnet in a world dominated by brutal leaders 

On her return from the summer break, the Commission President set out the path to follow to halt the decline in competitiveness. Following in the footsteps of Mario Draghi

No new shared debt to finance the next EU budget: caught between resistance from the frugal countries and the need to find resources for defence, competitiveness, agriculture and cohesion, Brussels is considering extending the repayment schedule for NextGenerationEU to avoid a further squeeze on public finances

From the Ceuta affair to the war in Ukraine, right through to negotiations on the next EU budget, António Costa is trying to defuse tensions between governments. But the 2027 election is causing capitals to adopt a harder line and making any compromise more difficult