Closing summary
… and on that note, it’s a wrap!
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said he would want to see Ukraine join the European Union by 2030, as he joined forced with Moldova’s president Maia Sandu to ramp pressure on the bloc to accelerate the accession talks (14:43, 15:21).
Their comments come after the European Commission published its enlargement review of the candidate countries, praising the progress made by Montenegro, Albania, Ukraine and Moldova, and criticising Serbia and Georgia (13:22, 13:24, 13:42, 14:37, 14:46, 15:43, 15:52).
But the commission pointedly said “further and steady progress is needed in the fight against corruption” in Ukraine, referencing the now-reversed corruption law reform over the summer (14:10).
Separately,
Italian president Sergio Mattarella warned that “the bloody conflict” triggered by Russia’s invasion on Ukraine “demands greater attention and a significant effort to adapt the military to create a common European defence force” to play a major role within Nato (12:42).
In the Netherlands, the coalition forming process is about to start this afternoon as leaders of the main parties meet to discuss next steps and appoint a “scout” to see what’s possible (11:06).
Syrians no longer have reason to be granted asylum in Germany after the end of their country’s civil war, according to chancellor Friedrich Merz, who said they will instead be encouraged to return to help with the reconstruction of their homeland (17:26).
China has issued a veiled warning to European leaders that restrictions on supply of chips critical for the car industry will continue to be affected by the Dutch government’s takeover of the Chinese-owned Nexperia plant last month (13:12).
Prosecutors in Italy have opened a manslaughter investigation over the death of a Romanian worker trapped when a medieval monument in central Rome partly collapsed (16:34).
Czechs are mourning the influential Catholic archbishop emeritus of Prague, Dominik Duka, who has died overnight at the age of 82 (10:23).
And that’s all from me, Jakub Krupa, for today.
If you have any tips, comments or suggestions, email me at jakub.krupa@theguardian.com.
I am also on Bluesky at @jakubkrupa.bsky.social and on X at @jakubkrupa.
Merz says Syrians no longer have reason for asylum in Germany
in Berlin
Syrians no longer have reason to be granted asylum in Germany after the end of their country’s civil war, according to chancellor Friedrich Merz, who said they will instead be encouraged to return to help with the reconstruction of their homeland.
During Syria’s 14-year civil war, Germany took in more refugees than any other country in the EU, but the chancellor and others in his coalition cabinet argue that the situation has changed since the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s government eleven months ago.
Merz said late on Tuesday that he expected many of the more than one million Syrians living in Germany would voluntarily return home.
“There are now no longer any grounds for asylum in Germany, and therefore we can also begin with repatriations,” he said. Those who refused to return could face deportation “in the near future”.
He appeared to contradict his foreign minister, Johann Wadephul, who after a visit to Damascus last week expressed doubt that many Syrians would choose to return given the devastation and ongoing instability, which he said made a dignified existence hard to imagine (Europe Live, Monday).
What few politicians want to touch on is the effect deportations might have on Germany, where hundreds of thousands of Syrians have integrated successfully, learning the language and joining the workforce – which is crying out for recruits at a time when the German population is rapidly ageing.
More than 7,000 Syrian doctors are employed in the health sector, often in rural regions which have been poorly served in recent decades.
Many of the 1.3 million Syrians living in Germany, almost a quarter of whom were born in their adopted home, have obtained citizenship, though the majority only hold temporary residence permits.
Nord Stream suspect starts hunger strike in Italy over prison rights
A Ukrainian man suspected of coordinating the 2022 sabotage of the Nord Stream gas pipelines has begun a hunger strike, demanding respect for his fundamental rights in prison, his lawyer told Reuters.
An Italian appeals court in Bologna last month ordered that the suspect, identified only as Serhii K. under German privacy laws, should be transferred to Germany, confirming a previous ruling that it had issued last month.
However, the former Ukrainian officer is currently held in an Italian high-security prison pending a further hearing at the Court of Cassation, the top court, which is expected to take place within about a month.
“Since October 31, SK has been refusing food to demand respect for his fundamental rights,” his lawyer Nicola Canestrini said in a statement to Reuters.
The Ukrainian is demanding adequate nutrition, a healthy environment, dignified detention conditions and “equal treatment with other inmates regarding family visits and access to information,“, Canestrini added.
Spain grants citizenship to descendants of civil war’s International Brigades
in Barcelona
The Spanish government has granted citizenship to 170 descendants of volunteers in the International Brigades in recognition of their fight against fascism during the Franco dictatorship that followed the civil war.
An estimated 32,000 volunteers from around the world joined the anti-fascist brigades during the civil war, including approximately 2,500 men and women from Britain and Ireland, of whom 530 were killed.
At a ceremony in Madrid, the Spanish prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, said of the new citizens: “It will be an honour to call them compatriots. We call for the defence of the same democracy as they did at a time when it is under threat around the world.”
This month is the 50th anniversary of the death of Francisco Franco, whose coup in July 1936 triggered the three-year conflict.
Jim Jump, the chair of the International Brigade Memorial Trust in London, said: “The Spanish government’s decision underlines its determination to erase the toxic legacy of the Franco dictatorship. Many families of International Brigaders continued to campaign for the restoration of democracy in Spain during those dark years.
“Spanish citizenship for them fulfils the spirit of the historic pledge made by the Spanish Republic to offer a home for the Brigaders.”
Germany plans extra €3bn in Ukraine military aid in 2026
Germany plans to raise its military aid to Ukraine by three billion euros next year to around 11.5 billion euros to support its battle against Russia, the country’s finance ministry said, reported by AFP.
Finance minister Lars Klingbeil “will introduce a further three billion euros in support for Ukraine into the parliamentary budget process for 2026”, a ministry spokesman told AFP.
“This includes, among other things, artillery, drones, armoured vehicles and the replacement of two Patriot systems.”
Manslaughter inquiry opened after death of worker in Rome tower collapse
in Rome
Prosecutors have opened a manslaughter investigation over the death of a worker trapped when a medieval monument in central Rome partly collapsed.
Octav Stroici, 66, was rescued on Monday night after 11 hours under fallen masonry but died of his injuries at the city’s Umberto I hospital. Romanian foreign affairs officials, who said he came from their country, thanked rescuers for their efforts to save him during a long, complex and delicate operation.
Rome’s council announced that a day of mourning for Stroici would be held on Wednesday.
Lamberto Giannini, the city’s prefect, said: “The [rescue] operation lasted a long time because every time a part of the body was freed there was additional rubble that covered it.”
Stroici, from Suceava in northern Romania, had lived with his family in Italy for more than 30 years, La Repubblica reported. “He was an exquisite, calm and very good person,” a colleague told the newspaper.
Stroici had been among a team of 11 undertaking restoration works at the 29-metre Torre dei Conti, near the Colosseum, when it suffered two collapses on Monday.
Another worker, Gaetano La Manna, 66, was taken to San Giovanni hospital with injuries but discharged on Monday night, according to Corriere della Sera. Two others were rescued by firefighters using aerial ladders before the second collapse occurred, trapping Stroici inside.
China plans further talks with EU on rare earth supply
Elsewhere, China has commited to further talks with the EU about easing the restrictions on the global exports of rare earths critical to the car industry, the European Commission has said.
While the White House said China would “eliminate China’s current and proposed export controls” on rare earths and critical minerals following a summit between Donald Trump and Chinese president Xi Jinping in Korea last week, the EU is still subject to some restrictions.
China agreed a global 12 month pause on new restrictions it threatened on 9 October as part of the deal hashed out with Trump in Korea last week.
However restrictions on rare earth exports imposed by China in April still apply to the EU, affecting everything from car assembly lines to the production of wind turbines and computer servers.
Ahead of a briefing of EU ambassadors on Wednesday, an EU spokesperson said progress had been made at a meeting of senior officials from both sides.
“The EU and China also discussed how to making supply chain stability in relation to other rare earths [notably those for which China imposed export controls in April 2025], and commited to further engage on licensing facilitation measures, including discussing general licences,” said trade spokesperson Olof Gill.
A new licensing system, he added, would “facilitate stable exports”.
Ukraine 'confidently moving toward full membership of EU,' prime minister says
Ukrainian prime minister, Yulia Svyrydenko, also responded to the EU’s assessment of the country’s progress in the accession process, welcoming the broadly positive assessment.
“This is our best result in three years – and most importantly, Ukraine has never received a negative ‘backsliding’ assessment. The report also highlights Ukraine’s progress in preparing for accession talks and readiness to open negotiation clusters,” she said.
She added that the government was “confidently moving toward full membership in the European Union – a goal that brought millions of Ukrainians to the Maidan nearly 13 years ago, and one we have since defended and enshrined in our constitution.”
Ukraine is an integral part of Europe.
Montenegro wants to join EU and be '28th by 2028'
Meanwhile, Montenegrin deputy prime minister for foreign and European affairs, Filip Ivanović, said the country aimed to close all negotiation chapters and complete membership talks with the EU by the end of 2026, Reuters reported.
“We are looking forward to becoming the first next member of the EU,” Ivanovic told a Euronews conference on EU enlargement in Brussels.
“This is why we are saying 28 by 28, so the 28th member state by 2028,” he said.
Updated
Ukraine's Zelenskyy, Moldova's Sandu seek to ramp pressure on EU to accelerate accession talks
In parallel to the commission’s briefing, Ukraine’s Zelenskyy and Moldova’s Maia Sandu spoke at the Euronews’s EU Enlargement Summit offering their reaction to the commission’s assessment.
Responding to the findings, they both tried to ramp up pressure on the EU to accelerate the talks, with Zelenskyy saying he would want Ukraine to join the bloc before 2030.
Speaking from the embattled city of Pokrovsk near the frontline, Zelenskyy spoke about Ukrainian soldiers being “at war not only for the sake of their own families, their own homes,” but more broadly “for the Ukrainian future, the future of Ukraine in the European Union.”
“Ukraine is fighting for its independence, and our future is in the EU, which is the part of our independence … and for us, it is an important factor that we are highly assessed in this [report],” he said.
Zelenskyy said he “would not like this [accession] process to be too long,” but acknowledged that this “does not depend on us,” as the pace at which the talks can be progressed was decided by the EU.
“The quicker Ukraine is able to open the clusters and to have the fully fledged negotiations, the better it is for us,” he said.
He also defended the anti-corruption reforms in Ukraine, despite the EU’s pointed criticism in this area (14:10).
Curiously, the Ukrainian president also revealed that he spoke with Donald Trump about Ukraine’s ambitions to become an EU member state, and the US president offered his support and allegedly promised to help unblock Hungary’s veto – but without a specific timeline.
Zelenskyy pointedly declined to consider putting forward a special offer to Hungary’s Viktor Orbán to get him to drop his veto, and added that his continued opposition to the accession process was only beneficial to Russia.
He added: “We are at war for our survival, and we would really like the prime minister of Hungary to support us, at least not block us.”
“If there are the [accession] rules and we comply with them, whatever is needed to open the clusters, we would like [that] to be respected. And it’s not only [a question of] respect to us, but the respect of the Hungarian leader to the rules and regulations of the European Union,” he said.
Moldova’s Sandu struck a similar tone, saying Moldova is ready to open the negotiations on all clusters, and is waiting for the EU to move ahead with the process, which remains stalled as Hungary continues to block progressing both Moldova and Ukraine’s candidacies together.
“I do understand that there are all kinds of solutions, but you also need to have a timetable to take a decision, a deadline to take a decision on this. Otherwise, they can discuss [it] for a long time,” she said.
“Both countries are ready to move to the next step. So, it’s now really up to the EU to adopt a decision and to move forward,” Sandu said.
“There are solutions, but again, these are to be taken by the EU member states and by the EU institutions. It’s not easy, but if the EU becomes a little bit more creative and if you want to solve this issue. I’m sure it can solve it,” she said.
In a stark warning, she said the pro-EU politicians managed to beat Russian disinformation and win the EU referendum, the presidential election and the parliamentary election in the last 24 months, but “if we don’t deliver in the next three years – we have the presidential elections in three years – … then what’s going to be the message to the people?”
Updated
Kallas also gets asked about Serbia and whether it is at risk of becoming “a candidate in the name only” given the situation in the country.
She acknowledges that the report is “critical,” but says the EU remained “in a constant contact with the government, with the president, and they promise they will deliver.”
She insists she “doesn’t see” Serbia going down the same negative path as Georgia.
Pointedly asked about the question of progressing Moldova and Ukraine’s candidacies, Kallas acknowledges it “remains a concern” for the 26 countries – that’s everyone but Hungary – “who want to really move forward with the process.”
She said the commission was “consulting with the president of the Council to find ways to proceed.”
Kos repeats her line that “the candidates can work on the reforms” even without the formal progress in the accession process.
In her opening comments, EU enlargement commissioner Kos strikes a positive tone about Albania, Moldova, Montenegro and Ukraine, telling the press conference the four “have matched their ambitions with concrete actions.”
She largely repeats earlier comments, as she says Montenegro is “the most prepared country,” while praising Albania for “unprecedented progress” in five out of six areas.
She says the commission will want to “put [the European] Council in the position to be able, by November, to open all the [negotiating] clusters,” and that it’s “trying to find the solution how this could happen.”
As argued earlier (14:10), there’s a clear intent to make progress, but with some acknowledgment that it may not be easy.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine 'makes case for enlargement clear cut,' but EU 'won't cut corners' in process, foreign policy chief says
EU foreign policy chief Kallas says that “Russia’s full scale invasion in Ukraine and the geopolitical shifts make the case for enlargement very clear cut,” but adds that the EU “won’t cut corners and don’t offer any shortcuts,” with the accession process “a fair, tough and merit-based process.”
She says “new countries joining the European Union by 2030 is a realistic goal.”
She sums up the EU’s assessment as positive for Albania, Moldova, Montenegro and Ukraine, mixed for Serbia, North Macedonia, Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Turkey, and negative for Georgia.
She also repeats strong criticism of Georgia, saying it “has no viable path to the European Union at this stage, unless conditions change dramatically.”
Updated
The press conference is now under way.
Updated
EU press conference on enlargement imminent
We should hear from the EU’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, and the EU’s enlargement commissioner, Marta Kos, any moment now.
We can certainly expect more questions on Ukraine.
I will bring you all the key quotes here.
Ukraine making progress on EU path, but corruption remains worry and 'red line' - snap analysis
With all the praise for Montenegro, Albania and Moldova, a lot of focus will inevitably be on Ukraine, as there is a growing political momentum to progress the negotiations, with Zelenskyy repeatedly urging EU leaders to find a way around Hungary’s blocking of the talks (12:49).
It’s clear the political intent is there with the commission’s release today saying that it “expects Ukraine to meet the conditions to open the remaining three clusters and works to ensure that the Council is in a position to take forward the opening of all clusters before the end of the year.”
But it also noted that the commission is “commited” to support the ambitious 2028 target for closing accession talks adopted by the Ukrainian authorities, but “considers that, to meet it an acceleration of the pace of reforms is required, notably with regards to the fundamentals, in particular rule of law.”
The general report stressed that “amid the challenges caused by Russia’s war of aggression, Ukraine has demonstrated its strong commitment to its EU path, moving forward on key reforms, while further and steady progress is needed in the fight against corruption.”
“Steps already taken (from reinforcing anti-corruption measures to improving public administration) are laying the foundations for recovery and opening space for greater private sector involvement.
Sustaining this momentum and preventing any risk of backsliding, in particular on anti-corruption, will be essential. Significant progress was also made on gradual integration into the single market, already bringing Ukraine closer to the EU.”
A detailed Ukraine report, running into over 110-pages, repeatedly referenced corruption issues too, saying “there have also been some elements of notable concern, in particular in ensuring a robust and independent anti-corruption framework” and “limited progress” made in this area over the last year.
The analysis did not hold back in its assessment of the now-reversed corruption law reform over the summer, saying the proposal would have “dismantled important safeguards” for corruption agencies, and “severely weakened Ukraine’s anti-corruption framework.”
“The independence of NABU and SAPO was swiftly restored following domestic protests and strong concerns voiced by international partners,” it noted.
It further warned that “legislative initiatives presented as protecting businesses or national security were registered or adopted that risk undermining the effectiveness of the fight against corruption, including by limiting transparency of public registers and criminal liability for corruption offences.”
“Overall, these developments cast doubts on Ukraine’s commitment to its anticorruption agenda.
Ukraine should advance its anti-corruption framework and prevent any backsliding on its notable reform achievements. Procedural delays and obstructions in highlevel corruption proceedings should be addressed.”
But responding to questions from EU lawmakers, EU enlargement commissioner Marta Kos tried to strike a balance as she said that corruption remains “a red line” for the bloc, but also spoke about her “admiration” for the general progress made by Kyiv.
Addressing Kyiv’s frustration with the formal process being blocked by Hungary, she said that on her recent visit to Ukraine she “told Ukrainians: you don’t need Orbán to do the necessary reforms, and we can help them.”
As always the case with EU enlargement, both the technical assessment and the political intent will matter going forward as the process continues.
One to watch.
Updated
'Ukraine confidently moving towards EU membership,' Zelenskyy says
Responding to the EU’s findings, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that “Ukraine is confidently moving towards EU membership” and ready to open more cluster negotiations with the union.
“This is the best assessment to date—proof that even as we defend against Russia’s full-scale aggression, Ukraine continues to reform and transform according to European standards,” he said on X.
In an apparent dig at Hungary, which continues to block further progress in accession talks, Zelenskyy said Ukraine expected “the EU’s decisive action to overcome all artificial obstacles for a strong and united Europe.”
EU enlargement 'realistic possibility' given progress made, commission says
The full report noted that “this is the first Commission mandate since 2010-2014 where, given the accelerating pace of the process for some candidate countries, enlargement is a realistic possibility,” noting that expanding the union in the next budget – 2028-2034 timeframe – is “a political and geostrategic imperative.”
But some particular concerns across the board were raised about drugs trafficking, which it said “remains one of the most widespread areas of activity of organised criminal groups across enlargement countries.”
It also called for “the capacity to fight economic crime, international tax fraud and money-laundering … to be improved.”
EU's enlargement review published, with praise for Montenegro, Albania, Ukraine, Moldova, and criticism for Serbia, Georgia
Oh, the EU’s assessment of the candidate countries has now been published here and, unsurprisingly, it is in line with Kos’s comments to the European parliament.
The EU pointedly singled out Montenegro for “maintaining steady progress on reforms,” saying that the country was “on track” to meets its ambitious target to close accession negotiations by 2026.
It also praised Albania, saying its “goal of concluding negotiations by 2027 depends on maintaining reform momentum and fostering inclusive political dialogue,” but “subject to maintaining the pace of reforms, Albania is on track to meet this ambitious objective.|
On Ukraine, the commission said praised its progress, but said “an acceleration of the pace of reforms is required, notably with regards to the fundamentals, in particular rule of law” to have a chance to “provisionally close accession negotiations by the end of 2028”.
Similarly, Moldova’s 2028 ambition is “ambitious but achievable, provided Moldova accelerates the current pace of reforms,” the EU said.
But the tone was markedly different on Serbia noting “disappointment of citizens over inter alia corruption and the perceived lack of accountability and transparency coupled with instances of excessive use of force against protesters and pressure on civil society,” and “an increasingly difficult environment” for reforms.
“Reforms have significantly slowed down,” it said, noting that “more needs to be done” and Serbia needs to “overcome the standstill in the area of judiciary and fundamental rights overall and urgently reverse the backsliding on freedom of expression and the erosion of academic freedom.”
The harshest language, as in Kos’s statement to lawmakers, was saved for Georgia, with the commission standing by its statement that it’s “accession process was de facto halted” since 2024, and the situation “has sharply deteriorated, with serious democratic backsliding marked by a rapid erosion of the rule of law and severe restrictions on fundamental rights.”
“… in light of Georgia’s continued backsliding, the Commission considers Georgia a candidate country in name only. The Georgian authorities must demonstrate resolute commitment to reverse course and return to the EU accession path,” it said.
The full 60-page document is here.
Updated
Georgia 'candidate country in name only,' EU's Kos warns amid 'continued backsliding' on fundamental rights
In stark contrast to praise for other countries, EU’s enlargement commissioner Kos strongly criticised the worsening situation in Georgia, saying that “in light of Georgia’s continued backsliding on the fundamentals since then, the Commission considers Georgia a candidate country in the name only.”
She said the accession talks “have remained at a standstill since 2018,” and the situation “has sharply deteriorated, with serious democratic backsliding as never before.”
“Georgian authorities need to urgently reverse their course to respond to their citizens’ demand for a European future,” she said.
Montenegro leads in accession plans, but 'significant' progress in Albania, Moldova, Ukraine, EU says
We will formally get the EU’s commentary on the enlargement ratings (9:26) in just over an hour – when EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas and EU enlargment commissioner Marta Kos are due to speak to journalists – but we have just had a brief glimpse of what’s coming during Kos’s appearance in the European parliament.
She said these have been “significant advances on the EU path achieved so far by Montenegro, Albania, Moldova and Ukraine,” stressing that “reforms pay off.”
I can say that these four candidates have matched their ambitions with concrete actions.
Kos said that Montenegro is “the most advanced and has made significant progress towards EU accession and is … the most prepared country,” but also praised Albania for making “unprecedented progress” in the last year, with “firm political commitment … and clear EU aspirations of its society.”
Moldova also “progressed on its … path,” despite attempts to throw it off course by Russia.
On Ukraine, Kos also spoke highly of the country’s work, while warning it’s necessary to “sustain this momentum and prevent any risk of backsliding, in partticular, on anti-corruption,” an apparent reference to an attempted and eventually reversed anti-corruption reform over the summer.
She said that good progress reported by these countries allow the EU to “think more broadly about our work with aspiring members and grant participation in various policies and programmes before EU membership, provided they meet the conditions” on issues such as energy resilience, rule of law, and foreign and security policy.
The commission will next week adopt its “Democracy Shield” proposal which will include the EU’s new civil society organisation strategy and media resilience proposals.
But Kos also offered more detail on other countries, including on Serbia, where she pointedly warned that “the actual pace of implementation of reforms has slowed down significantly” over the last year, during which the country’s authoritarian leadership faced mass protests over alleged corruption.
“Serbia is expected to overcome the standstill in the area of judiciary and fundamental rights and urgently reverse the backsliding on freedom of expression, on freedom of academia, as well as ensure progress on the electoral framework.”
In a nod to protests, Kos added: “This also is something what the citizens of Serbia are requesting.”
Updated
China issues warning to Europe on supply of chips after Nexperia's Dutch plant takeover
China has issued a veiled warning to European leaders that restrictions on supply of chips critical for the car industry will continue to be affected by the Dutch government’s takeover of the Chinese-owned Nexperia plant last month.
The EU is continuing talks with China in the hope of persuading Beijing to reverse its export controls on chips and rare earths but failed to get a breakthrough at a summit of officials in Brussels on Friday.
On Tuesday, Beijing made its position clear warning that continued Dutch interference in the running of Nexperia in Nijmegen could impact “global” supplies of chips.
“The Netherlands continues to act unilaterally without taking concrete steps to resolve the issue, which will inevitably exacerbate the adverse impact on the global semiconductor supply chain,” China’s ministry of commerce said.
The warning comes days after the EU trade commissioner, Maroš Šefčovič, said he “welcomed progress on Nexperia, key to restoring a semiconductor supply chain”.
He added that work “continues towards lasting stability without export control barriers and with a diversified EU ecosystem”.
Last month, Dutch government took control of the Netherlands-based chipmaker, citing fears of possible technology transfer to Chinese parent company Wingtech.
This sparked a diplomatic spat between the EU and China and threats to chip supply to the European auto industry.
Europe needs to show 'greater attention and effort' to counter Russian threat, Italian president says
Italian president Sergio Mattarella warned that “the bloody conflict” triggered by Russia’s invasion on Ukraine “demands greater attention and a significant effort to adapt the military to create a common European defence force” to play a major role within Nato.
In a statement issued on the Italian National Unification and Armed Forces’ Day, marking the anniversary of the armistice of Villa Giusti in 1918, he also warned that “new conflicts have emerged in Europe and the Mediterranean, challenging the security framework built in the postwar period and the institutions established to protect it.”
The Corriere della Sera newspaper noted that Mattarella has been increasingly vocal about the need to step up Europe’s defence in recent months, issuing a similarly stark warning in May in Portugal, when he joined former Italian prime minister, Mario Draghi, in calling for ““for a more competitive, technologically advanced, and therefore more secure Europe.”
Can Spanish PM survive corruption cases against family and allies?
in Madrid
Despite spending the past 18 months variously defending his wife, his brother, his party, his attorney general and his government against a relentless slew of corruption allegations, Spain’s socialist prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, has not entirely lost his sense of humour.
Three weeks ago, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, the leader of the opposition conservative People’s party (PP), rattled off the familiar litany of accusations and concluded by suggesting the man sitting opposite him in congress was neither “a decent or worthy prime minister” but rather a seasoned enabler of corruption. After the giddy applause that greeted Feijóo’s speech from the PP benches had died down, Sánchez rose to his feet and uttered two words.
“Ánimo, Alberto,” he said. “Chin up, Alberto.”
The prime minister’s retort would appear to have been carefully chosen to remind Feijóo’s party of its own problems.
Seven years ago, Sánchez became prime minister by using a vote of no confidence to topple the PP government of one of Feijóo’s predecessors, Mariano Rajoy. By then, the conservative party was so mired in scandals that Sánchez accused it of turning Spanish politics into a “corruption thriller”.
In a series of leaked text messages, Rajoy told his close ally, the former PP treasurer Luis Bárcenas, to “be strong” and to keep his chin up as the net closed around him – hence the “Ánimo, Alberto” dig.
In May 2018, Bárcenas was jailed for 33 years for fraud and money laundering, and the PP itself was found to have profited from an illegal kickbacks-for-contracts scheme. A week later, the PP was out of government and Sánchez was Spain’s new prime minister.
Given what happened to Rajoy and his government, some may see Sánchez’s taunt as tempting fate.
But the prime minister has insisted he has worked to tackle corruption and is adamant the cases against his family are politically motivated vendettas waged by his right and far-right opponents and their media supporters.
More controversially, he has also cast doubts on the independence of some members of the Spanish judiciary, claiming in an interview at the beginning of September “there’s no doubt that there are judges doing politics and there are politicians trying to do justice”.
Read more about Sánchez’s problems here:
Outrage in Paris as Shein prepares to open its first permanent store
in Paris
The online fast-fashion retailer Shein will open its first permanent bricks-and-mortar store in the world in Paris this week amid political outrage, fury from workers and warnings from city hall that it will damage the French capital’s progressive image.
The Singapore-based clothing company, which was founded in China, has built a massive online business despite criticism over its factory working conditions and the environmental impact of low-cost, throwaway fashion.
Shein, which has previously trialled temporary pop-up stores, will on Wednesday open a permanent shop on the sixth floor of Paris’s prestigious BHV department store, a historic building that has stood opposite Paris’s city hall since 1856. There are about 23 million Shein customers in France, one of its biggest European markets.
But with vast banners for Shein draped across the building, the brand’s arrival has sparked outrage over the promotion of fast fashion.
The office of the French minister for small businesses said Shein’s Paris presence sent “a bad signal that should be avoided”. Several leading independent French fashion brands have pulled their products from the BHV store in protest.
“There would be no sense being sold in the same shop as Shein,” Guillaume Alcan, a co-founder of the French ethical footwear brand Odaje, told Le Monde.
The company has also separately pledged to cooperate with French prosecutors who have opened an investigation into the sale of childlike sex dolls on its platform.
Dutch coalition forming process to get under way today
Meanwhile over in the Netherlands, the coalition forming process is about to start this afternoon as leaders of the main parties meet to discuss next steps and appoint a “scout” to see what’s possible.
The meeting is scheduled for 4pm local time today, and will be hosted by the parliament speaker, Martin Bosma.
The final forecast by the Dutch news agency ANP last night suggested that both the centrist D66 party, led by charismatic Rob Jetten, and the far-right VPP party by Geert Wilders will have 26 seats each in the new parliament.
After counting the overseas vote, the centrists appeared to be firmly on course to win the most votes by just under 30,000 votes over Wilders’s party, but they are unlikely to get the additional, 27th seat as hoped.
This complicates the coalition forming process a bit, as a potential alternative coalition scenario with VVD, the Christian Democrats in CDA, and JA21 would no longer have the required majority in the new parliament.
A broader coalition involving the centre-left GL-PvdA party remains the default scenario, but persuading the conservative-liberal VVD party to join a left-wing party in the government is likely to prove to be tricky.
Jetten – widely expected to be the next prime minister, the youngest in the Dutch history and the country’s first out gay to lead the government – hopes to have the new government as soon as possible, but the outgoing caretaker, Dick Schoof, has indicated he still expects to be in place at Christmas.
Worker dies after being rescued from partially collapsed medieval tower in Rome
in Rome
Separately, a Romanian worker who was trapped for hours under rubble in Rome after the partial collapse of a medieval tower has died in hospital, just a short time after he was pulled free by emergency services.
“I express deep sorrow and condolences, on behalf of myself and the government, for the tragic loss of Octay Stroici, the worker who was killed in the collapse of the Torre dei Conti in Rome,” Italy’s prime minister Giorgia Meloni said in a statement after midnight. “We are close to his family and colleagues at this time of unspeakable suffering.”
Two section of the 29-metre (95ft) Torre dei Conti, near the Colosseum, crashed to the ground, videos posted on social media showed. The first collapse took place at about 10.30am UK time, the second about 90 minutes later.
Clouds of dust billowed out of the windows, along with the sound of collapsing masonry. The second collapse happened while firefighters worked on the structure with aerial ladders. None of the firefighters were injured.
Authorities said he was conscious during the lengthy rescue operation before he was hospitalised in critical condition. He died shortly after he arrived at the hospital.
Czechs mourn death of Catholic leader Duka
In other news, Czechs are mourning the Catholic archbishop emeritus of Prague, Dominik Duka, who has died overnight at the age of 82.
Cardinal Duka – whose father flew in the British RAF during the second world war – was one of the most influential religious leaders in the Czech Republic, serving as a dissident priest under communism who eventually got imprisoned alongside playwright turned president Václav Havel.
After 1989, he played a pivotal role as the church sought to reinstate itself in the Czech public life, becoming the archbishop of Prague in 2012, and leading the church through a difficult debate about the restitution of property confiscated under communism.
But in recent years he also faced growing criticism over his increasingly outspoken positions on public issues, including Russia, and Muslim immigration, with the Radio Prague’s International service calling him a “a divisive yet defining church leader.”
AFP also noted that Duka repeatedly came under fire during his time as archbishop of Prague from 2010 until 2022, including for allegedly protecting paedophile priests.
Outgoing prime minister, Petr Fiala, said he “respected his courage and activity during the time of totalitarianism,” and “appreciated his important role in the renewal of the church in the democratic society.”
Incoming Czech billionaire turned prime minister, Andrej Babiš, also paid tribute to Duka’s service which “for many years helped shape the spiritual and social life of our country.”
Duka’s funeral is planned for 15 November.
Updated
EU's rule of law reports 'even less comprehensive' this year, risks 'backsliding', campaigners warn
Speaking of the marking process, the civil rights group Liberties has also just published its assessment of the EU commission’s separate annual rule of law report, which looks at the union’s member states and their work in this area.
In a scathing summary, the assessment found that the EU’s analysis “in key areas was even less comprehensive, with key issues neglected and no consequences for non-compliance with recommendations,” with some parts of the report literally “repeated verbatim, regardless of the level of progress, the seriousness of the violation, or the implications of continued inaction” from previous years.
It said that “Hungary stands out as an outlier, holding the highest number of recommendations with persistent ‘no progress’ status, underscoring deep-rooted governance issues and resistance to EU-level oversight.”
But “other countries showing notable stagnation include Italy, Bulgaria, Ireland, and Germany, each with five or six recommendations that remain unaddressed since 2022.”
In total, “the share of recommendations fully implemented fell from 11% in 2023 to 6% in both 2024 and 2025,” it said.
“This indicates that the Annual Rule of Law Report risks becoming a symbolic monitoring exercise rather than a real tool to protect the rule of law and fundamental rights. The main recommendation to tackle persistent non-compliance is to strengthen enforcement mechanisms, including infringement proceedings and budget conditionality, ensuring that they are applied in a regular and timely manner,” Liberties said.
The group warned that “without rapid action, we fear the backsliding will escalate and changes will become very difficult to reverse.”
The report is here.
Morning opening: The marking process
The European Union is set to reveal its ratings for candidate countries later today, assessing the progress they are making on the path to become the union’s members in the future.
We will hear from the EU’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, and the enlargement commissioner, Marta Kos, early afternoon.
Lots of potential lines to look out for there, as we will get the commission’s assessment of the worsening situation in Georgia, the attempts to reform Ukraine despite the on-going Russian aggression, and their look at the western Balkan countries, including Serbia, which sees continued protests against Aleksandar Vučić’s rule.
Separately, I will keep an eye on the EU defence commissioner Andrius Kubilius’s meeting with Nato’s secretary general Mark Rutte in Brussels on rearming Europe.
There is also more news from the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, Germany, and others.
Lots for us to go through.
It’s Tuesday, 4 November 2025, it’s Jakub Krupa here, and this is Europe Live.
Good morning.
