Portugal has seen a rise in Expats moving to the nation. Leaders must decide how to leverage these new arrivals to help make the Portuguese economy competitive and improve living standards for Portuguese citizens.
Last year Ukraine and Moldova were recognized as official candidates of the EU. Georgia on the other hand only had its European perspective recognized but Hungary isn’t having it anymore. Hungary calls this decision political rather than based on merit and demands Georgia be given candidate status this fall.
Poland suffered hacking which impacted its trains. In July however it faced another hacking incident which affected sensitive information from NATO.
The rise of Viktor Orbán’s right-wing populist party, Fidesz, in Hungary in 2010 has led to tension and conflict between Hungary and the EU. The Hungarian government’s numerous legislative acts undermine democracy, human rights, and the freedoms of its citizens, posing a pressing issue for both Hungarian citizens and the EU. The EU faces obstacles in holding Hungary accountable for its actions, but prolonged inaction could lead to increasingly severe consequences.
Tradition is everything in Italian cuisine and the nation refuses to budge. Lab grown meat will not be allowed to be produced within the EU member state without a hefty financial penalty.
On Wednesday 26 July, the head of Niger’s presidential guard, General Abdourahamane Tchiani, proclaimed himself head of state following a military pronunciamiento. By this time, the elected president, Mohamed Bazoum, from Niger’s Arab ethnic minority, was sequestered and removed from his presidential palace. This power grab risks upsetting the security and geopolitical balance in the Sahel, which has already been weakened by terrorist movements and the arrival of the Russian armed group Wagner.
As Israel’s democracy becomes unstable along with rising housing and living costs, Israelis have been moving elsewhere. Only 40 minutes away by airplane, Cyprus has become a popular destination. This allows Israelis to visit family while also allowing Israelis to get a permanent residency permit in Cyprus through investing. Cypriots have become increasingly unhappy as home prices have started to soar. Time will tell how relations develop between Cypriots and Israelis.
Poland is once again concerned about its border it shares with Belarus. Belarussian President Lukashenko has weaponized migration in the past as a result of sanctions the European Union has placed on Belarus. Poland is moving more military members to the border in order to ensure that migrants do not make it through.
Hundreds of visas have been cancelled for Pakistani workers hoping to work in Greece. This has left Pakistanis out of thousands of euros they spent in order to obtain the visas. This has led to an extreme reaction online which may continue to strain relations between the two nations.
Spain just had an election on Sunday. Both Partido Popular and PSOE gained seats in the Chamber of Deputies. It remains unclear whoever the winner of the election truly is based on the potential coalitions which can be created.
