Domestic Politics
On 22 January, Greece is set to elect its first woman President. Ekaterini Sakellaropoulou, a former judge, was appreciated for being a defender of human rights and is not connected to any political party. [Al Jazeera]
Through a deal between European Parliament leaders, Liberal MEP and former Belgian Prime Minister, Guy Verhofstadt, was chosen as the president of the “Conference on the Future of Europe”. He will have German conservative Manfred Weber and a socialist MEP as his deputies. [Politico]
Following weeks of protests and strikes, French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe wrote to the social partners and French unions expressing the intention of the French government to temporarily halt their proposal on French pension reforms. While he expressed his willingness to withdraw the bill, the government continues to hope for an agreement in the Bill’s second reading. [Euro News]
International Relations
Libyan military commander Khalifa Haftar met German foreign minister Heiko Maas in an effort to end the turmoil in North Africa. The minister said that General Haftar has signaled his interest in contributing to the success of the Libya Conference in Berlin aimed towards ending the war in Tripoli. [Al Jazeera]
The news of an investigation into a former EU diplomat, who is suspected to have spied on the EU for China, has shocked lobbyists, officials, and politicians in Brussels. This revelation is expected to prompt the EU to tighten security and amend laws that allow retired European Commission employees to work as lobbyists. [Politico]
The hostile trade relations between Washington and Brussels will not be settled in the near future. EU Trade Chief Phil Hogan blamed this on President Trump’s inherent interest in the grievance, which can accentuate his popularity in certain states in the upcoming US presidential elections. Hogan is currently in Washington, in an attempt redeem the trade relations between Europe and the US. [Politico]
Environment
The German government along with regional leaders have decided to phase out coal-fired power stations by 2038. To facilitate the process, a compensatory amount of 40 Billion Euros will be made available to four German states, all of which have lignite mines and coal-fired power plants: Saxony-Anhalt, Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia and Brandenburg. [BBC]
Old diesel cars will no longer be allowed to use Stockholm Street, the Swedish capital’s most polluted street. This was made in pursuance of a 2018 decision by the Swedish government that made it possible for the authorities to create "environmental zones". [The Local]
Gender
Pope Francis has appointed Francesca Di Giovanni to a high-ranking role in the Vatican’s diplomatic division. She will serve as the under-secretary in the Section for Relations with States. This comes as a revolutionary step as the Vatican bureaucracy has always been known to be male-dominated. [CNN]
Law
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen presented a proposal to introduce stricter rules against citizens involved in foreign militant activity. If the proposal is passed, the Danish police will be able to enter homes without a warrant to ensure compliance with the law. This is expected to be vehemently opposed by left-wing parties. [The Local]
Society
A report by Finland’s Migration Board suggests that the number of victims of human trafficking has risen more than six times in the past five years. The report also stated that most of these victims were asylum seekers. [Sputnik News]
Image Source: The Washington Examiner