Tsipras returns to politics with new Greek Left Alliance party
Former prime minister Alexis Tsipras formally re-entered the political realm Tuesday, heralding a new party named Greek Left Alliance (ELAS) that he said offers a “compass for a new Greece” and a “new patriotism inextricably linked to social justice.”
Conservative ex-PM criticizes government
Conservative former prime minister Kostas Karamanlis on Tuesday mildly berated the government over its foreign policy towards Turkey, saying the strategy of keeping things calm may not have been effective. He also expressed oblique displeasure over the phone spyware scandal that targeted politicians, journalists, businessmen and officials, saying “illegal or nominally legitimate” wiretaps go against democratic norms.
https://www.ekathimerini.com/politics/1304933/conservative-ex-pm-criticizes-government
Mitsotakis: Political Babel with new parties
The cabinet meeting is once again taking place amid highly uncertain international conditions, with the consequences of the crisis in Iran continuing to cast a shadow over the global economy, creating prolonged uncertainty, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Tuesday. On the domestic political scene, particularly within the opposition, things are becoming even more complex due to parallel developments, he stated in his introductory remarks at the cabinet meeting.
Labour Ministry: New draft law on equal pay
The draft bill from the Ministry of Labour and Social Security on equal pay for men and women, which also incorporates EU Directive 2023/970, was presented by Labour Minister Niki Kerameus at a press conference.
https://www.amna.gr/en/article/995976/Labour-Ministry-New-draft-law-on-equal-payrn
ATHEX: Benchmark advanced to a 15-week high
An early decline swung into an advance for the benchmark of the Greek stock market on Tuesday, with Public Power Corporation listing its new shares after the recent capital increase, accounting for a third of the day’s turnover. The main index climbed to highs unseen since mid-February, shaking off concerns seen in other eurozone markets and the military action in Iran, to complete five consecutive days of growth.
https://www.ekathimerini.com/economy/1304939/athex-benchmark-advanced-to-a-15-week-high
KATHIMERINI: Tsipras returns with “scent of the past“
TA NEA: “Bomb” of fake certificates threatens the Supreme Council for Civil Personnel Selection (ASEP)
EFIMERIDA TON SYNTAKTON: 7 commitments for progressive governance
RIZOSPASTIS: No more blood from workers for employers’ profits
KONTRA NEWS: New political transition with Alexis and ELAS
DIMOKRATIA: Karamanlis: We are paying dearly for the “calm waters” with Turkey
NAFTEMPORIKI: The market fears defaults on payments
DRIVING THE DAY
EV HEADACHE: Some European commissioners are annoyed with the electric vehicles used to ferry them to Strasbourg for European Parliament sessions, officials from three commissioners’ cabinets told Sebastian Starcevic, Gabriel Gavin and me.
The problem: The Commission’s green fleet, designed to showcase the institution’s climate credentials, is struggling with one of Brussels’ most basic rituals: the roughly 450-kilometer Strasbourg schlep.
Mandatory pit stop: The cars assigned to commissioners for official duties can’t reliably complete the journey from Brussels without stopping to charge somewhere around Luxembourg, officials from a total of eight cabinets said. That adds 20 to 30 minutes to a drive that already takes about five hours.
The workaround: Commissioners can avoid the charging stop only if drivers slow down to conserve battery. “But it doesn’t really work,” said one official working for an irritated commissioner, granted anonymity to speak frankly. The trip can stretch to seven hours that way, another said.
Don’t blame the driver: One official stressed that chauffeurs aren’t the problem, noting that many develop friendly relationships with the commissioners they drive.
Point of order: The issue surfaced during a College of Commissioners meeting earlier this year, one official said, after a commissioner complained about the inconvenience of the EVs. They were told to take it up with Budget Commissioner Piotr Serafin, whose portfolio covers Commission administration.
Why not rail? Commissioners are reluctant to take the train because they may need to make sensitive phone calls en route, another official working for an annoyed commissioner said.
More than range anxiety: Officials also dislike stopping at isolated charging stations, sometimes late at night, after long plenary weeks, when everyone is keen to get back to Brussels.
How it happened: The electrification push dates back to Ursula von der Leyen’s first term, when the College decided to green the commissioners’ fleet — including larger BMW models that officials say are poorly suited to long-distance trips without recharging.
Green Deal hangover: The move stems from a 2022 Commission communication on “Greening the Commission,” unveiled during the EU Green Deal’s high-water mark. The plan, reaffirmed last December, commits the institution’s 128-vehicle fleet to become fully zero-emission by 2027. A Commission spokesperson said roughly 80 percent is already net zero.
Awkward: The commissioners’ complaints echo what political groups and industry lobbyists have been saying for years — that Brussels is pushing the green transition faster than consumer habits or charging infrastructure allow. The Commission wanted to phase out sales of new combustion engine vehicles from 2035, but the car industry argues the charging network and buyers aren’t on the same timeline, with range anxiety still a major sticking point.
Man in a van: Olivér Várhelyi appears to have found a workaround. Three officials said he has at times traveled to Strasbourg in a van with his team rather than using his assigned EV. Contacted by POLITICO, Várhelyi didn’t reply.
And von der Leyen … The Commission president is also exempt from the EV rules. One official said her car must be armored for security reasons and no suitable armored EV model is currently available.
No prancing horseplay: I’d suggest Ferrari’s new fully electric supercar as a faster option, but that might not go down well with Italian Transport Minister Matteo Salvini, who reckons Enzo Ferrari is turning in his grave over the just-released “Luce” model.
Bottom line: There’s nothing like being stuck at a rainy service station in Luxembourg to bring home the practical challenges of the EU’s green transition.
BIG AND BREAKING
INTELLIGENCE TUSSLE: The EU’s diplomatic service is set to beef up its intelligence-analysis division, only months after Ursula von der Leyen’s attempt to build her own Commission intelligence unit, Antoaneta Roussi reports.
SUSPICIOUS MIND: Cyprus’ Finance Minister Makis Keravnos isn’t sold on this week’s meeting of ministers from France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland and Spain to discuss ways the EU could rival Wall Street. It runs the risk of creating a “fragmented” bloc, Keravnos told POLITICO’s Nektaria Stamouli.
STARMER’S EU HEADACHE: Keir Starmer is pushing for a major reset in U.K.-EU relations after Brexit — but the British PM is struggling even to nail down the date for a leaders’ meeting, Jon Stone reports.
BRUSSELS’ DANCE WITH HUNGARY
IT’S NOT A DATE … YET: It’s the biggest scheduling mystery on this week’s agenda: When will Commission President Ursula von der Leyen meet Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar? The answer seems to go beyond merely the syncing of calendars.
At stake: Magyar has said there’s a “political agreement” on the release of €10.4 billion in frozen EU funds. But the fact that the meeting date remains unconfirmed is making both sides nervous. “I’d love to be able to confirm the exact date, but I’m not yet in a position to do so,” Commission chief spokesperson Paula Pinho said yesterday. “It’s not a question of if, but when exactly.”
Is it, though? The uncertainty is starting to look awkward, especially because most of the technical talks on releasing the cash are effectively over. One Commission official said negotiators worked “night and day” in Hungary last week and only a handful of technical issues remain unresolved.
So — what’s the holdup? According to two Commission officials, granted anonymity to speak freely, Brussels and Budapest are using the same words to say very different things.
Lost in translation: For Hungary, a “political deal” means a clear green light for unlocking funds. For the Commission, it means something else: Budapest formally submitting a revised plan for spending EU post-Covid recovery cash before the meeting. Without that, officials fear the meeting risks becoming little more than a photo op — something von der Leyen is keen to avoid.
Brussels’ ideal roadmap: The Commission expects Hungary to submit the revised plan first. Once that happens, one official said, the process could move relatively quickly: around two to three weeks for Commission assessment, a mid-June College sign-off and final approval by finance ministers in mid-July.
It’s only the beginning: Even if these stars align, Brussels is making clear the full €10.4 billion won’t flow immediately. Hungary would still need to meet the EU’s so-called “super milestones,” with several rule of law concerns still unresolved. Asked whether the meeting itself would mean negotiations are over, Pinho was blunt: “No, talks have barely started.”
So, when? Thursday is possible, as it was mentioned by Magyar over the weekend (he’s reportedly flying to Brussels that day to meet with Belgian PM Bart De Wever and NATO’s Mark Rutte). That’s the date in mind for the meeting with von der Leyen, according to Hungarian officials. Friday is also an option from the Commission’s side, if Budapest comes with homework done. Or, worst-case scenario (in terms of the optics), next week.
20-SECOND PLAYBOOK PRIMER
It’s really hot! So hot that Hossegor, in the southwestern corner of France, registered a temperature of 37.1C on Monday, due to a heat dome. But what does that actually mean? It’s when hot air — in this case coming from northern Africa — gets trapped under an area of high pressure, in this case over Western Europe. The pressure pushes the hot air down, effectively acting like a lid or dome, sending the temperature soaring.
TALK TO PLAYBOOK: On the Brussels Playbook Podcast, Zoya asked for tips for getting more range out of an EV. WhatsApp us on +32 491 050629 and listen from 7 a.m. to hear if we give you a shoutout.
LEFT OR LEFT?
DUTCH DILEMMA: The resignation of European Greens co-chief Bas Eickhoutlast week, linked to unreported workplace relationships, has fueled speculation over the future of the Dutch center-left Progressive Netherlands (PRO) party in Brussels. PRO was formed by a merger of Eickhout’s Green-Left party and the Social Democrats.
Fish and ponds: The merger has triggered major tensions in Brussels, with the party facing a choice over which European political family to join. PRO’s eight MEPs will have to decide whether to become a small player in the Parliament’s powerful Socialists & Democrats group, or wield influence as a heavyweight in the smaller Greens camp.
The context: Parliament’s political groups are seeking to boost their numbers ahead of a midterm reshuffle later in the year, when all key jobs in the house will be divvied up.
No clear path: PRO has yet to address the issue, but it’s expected to come up with a plan at its founding congress on June 13. “This is still undecided,” PRO politicians Katinka Eikelenboom and Esther-Mirjam Sent told POLITICO. “Once there is more clarity, we will communicate that publicly.”
The uncertainty has rattled parties in the Brussels bubble, especially the Greens, who risk losing one of their biggest and oldest members. Eickhout’s exit from the scene has only fueled speculation that, without such an influential Green figure to lobby internally, PRO could choose the S&D.
Call for transparency: “The PRO party is made up of two important traditions, and the will of its members must be respected,” said European Greens Co-Chair Vula Tsetsi, who wants all PRO party members to vote in a referendum on which European path to take. “What is needed is an open democratic process, not something conducted behind closed doors.”
7 MORE THINGS GETTING US TALKING
CRACKS APPEAR ON CHINA: Spain has got cold feet about backing a French-led strategy paper that called for the EU to get tougher on China ahead of Friday’s Commission orientation debate. Madrid was caught off guard when the document leaked over the weekend and might even withdraw its signature, POLITICO’s Camille Gijs and Koen Verhelst report for subscribers.
TELL US WHAT YOU REALLY THINK: Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni launched a broadside against the EU, saying the “bureaucratic giant” sacrifices “competitiveness and strategic growth at the altar of ideological and technocratic approaches,” La Stampa reports.
U.S. RETREAT LIST: Washington told NATO members it plans to scale back the number of aircraft, drones, submarines and warships stationed in Europe, as the U.S. presses its allies to do more on defense, Victor Jack reports.
NATO HUDDLE IN BERLIN: E5 countries — Germany, France, the U.K., Italy and Poland — are planning a meeting in Germany next week, with NATO chief Mark Rutte likely to attend, Berlin Playbook’s Hans von der Burchard reports. It follows Tuesday’s E3 meeting with Ukraine’s Rustem Umerov.
GUESS WHO’S BACK: Greece’s former PM Alexis Tsipras is launching a new (more centrist) political movement aimed at uniting the country’s fragmented opposition.
SIMPLIFICATION BY WORKSHOP: The Commission will host two “Reality Check” workshops in Brussels next month to identify transport rules creating unnecessary bureaucracy, according to an invitation seen by Martina Sapio.
VLADIMIR WILL BE TELEVISED: Kremlin messaging is finding a new audience on French TV thanks to Xenia Fedorova, the Kremlin-friendly former head of RT France.