‘It is more than a rule-of-law problem; it’s a coup d’état’ — Spanish MEP Hermann Tertsch on the Socialist Power Grab in Spain

‘It goes against the Constitution and undermines the legitimacy of democracy in Spain, granting legitimacy to criminals. So what we have at this moment is a criminal alliance which gives the majority to Sánchez. This is why Vox and Abascal have emphatically stated that we have an illegitimate and illegal government, and they refuse to recognize it, viewing it as a coup d’état.’

A soldier firing his weapon at the joint rifle practice of the Hungarian and Italian troops of NATO’s Forward Land Force Battlegroup in Hajdúhadház, Hungary on 16 November 2023.

A Page Out of Orbán’s Playbook: Michel’s European Defence Concept Echoes the Ideas of the Hungarian PM

The establishment of a common European defence ministry would not immediately resolve all problems. As no concrete details are currently available about the idea, significant conclusions cannot be drawn. What is certain, however, is that joint procurement, coordinated development and production could significantly enhance the competitiveness and capacity of the European defence industry, and a robust defence industry stands as the most crucial pillar of the continent’s security.

Leaders of the Polish liberal opposition parties (L-R) Szymon Holownia and Wladyslaw Kosiniak Kamysz of the Third Way party, Donald Tusk of the Civic Coalition, and Wlodzimierz Czarzasty and Robert Biedron of the Left party pose with the signed coalition deal at the Polish parliament in Warsaw on 10 November 2023.

Polish Elections Constitute a Setback to European Conservatives

‘Once the power transition issue subsides, revenge is likely to become a central issue in Polish politics. Among the presumed incoming government’s proposals are journalistic purges and political show-trials, precisely the sort of banana-republic behavior anti-PiS voices have long alleged on the part of the outgoing government.’