PM Mitsotakis, President Macron discuss global developments, GSI project and social media ban for children
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis met on Wednesday with French President Emmanuel Macron at Élysée Palace, where they discussed bilateral issues of European regional interest, with an emphasis on connectivity projects. The two leaders exchanged views on developments in the Eastern Mediterranean, Iran and the Middle East. The Greek PM briefed Macron on his visit to Egypt on Tuesday and on his meetings with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and President of Cyprus Nikos Christodoulides. Mitsotakis and Macron also discussed the next steps in the Great Sea Interconnector (GSI) electricity project, following the joining in the project as majority stakeholder of Paris-based Meridiam investment company which will assume the development of the Greece-Cyprus electricity connection as based on the initial plans.
State Department on “Achilles Shield”: Greece-Israel cooperation advances shared security goals
Washington welcomed on Wednesday the defence cooperation between Greece and Israel following the “Achilles Shield” agreement. Responding to a question from the Athens-Macedonian News Agency (ANA-MPA) about the agreement and the strengthening of Greek-Israeli defense cooperation, a State Department spokesperson said: “The United States welcomes cooperation between Greece and Israel that advances our shared security goals.” The U.S. statement follows the signing in Tel Aviv of the intergovernmental agreement, worth a total of 3.035 billion euros, for the development of a multilayered air and ballistic missile defense system, which will also provide protection against unmanned aerial vehicles.
Medical practice where pop star Giorgos Mazonakis suffered fatal heart attack being investigated
The Athens Medical Association has launched an investigation into a private doctor’s office in central Athens where Greek singer Giorgos Mazonakis, 54, suffered cardiac arrest during a scheduled treatment before his death on Wednesday. Association President Giorgos Patoulis said an emergency three-member committee would inspect the Kolonaki practice to determine whether its operations complied with its license. The investigation follows Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis’ statement that the facility was licensed as a private internal medicine practice, rather than a clinic. Georgiadis said he asked the association, which is responsible for overseeing private medical practices, to conduct an immediate inspection.
Inflation rises to 3.8% in August, ELSTAT says
Inflation rose to 3.8% in August from 3.4% in the previous month, compared with an increase of 2.9% in August 2025. The development was largely driven by energy prices, as well as increases across a range of services, according to Hellenic Statistical Authority ELSTAT on Wednesday. More specifically, price increases were recorded in natural gas (40.2%), diesel fuel (30.6%), petrol (15.3%), heating oil (53.2%) and other fuels (4.3%). By contrast, electricity prices fell by 1.2%.
https://www.amna.gr/en/article/1021585/Inflation-rises-to-38-in-August–ELSTAT-says
ATHEX: Local bourse escapes any major losses
The Euronext Athens (ATHEX) general index closed at 2,701.69 points, shedding 0.18% from Tuesday’s 2,706.65 points. The large-cap FTSE-25 index contracted 0.17% to end at 6,919.05 points.
https://www.ekathimerini.com/economy/1314823/athex-local-bourse-escapes-any-major-losses
KATHIMERINI: The secrets regarding the exit of international funds from London’s City and their arrival in Athens
TA NEA: Green light by Paris for the deployment of the electric sea cable
EFIMERIDA TON SYNTAKTON: Tsipras’ interview at TIF: We are reestablishing the progressive coalition
RIZOSPASTIS: Scholl year begins with struggles for children’s educational rights
KONTRA NEWS: Tsipras: The only goal is Mitsotakis’ defeat
DIMOKRATIA: Huge scandal regarding the new headquarters of DYPA – Greek Employment Service
NAFTEMPORIKI: Athens is a magnet for hedge funds
DRIVING THE DAY
BACK IN THE LION’S DEN: Is Ursula von der Leyen the right person to make the case for the EU in the midst of a French presidential campaignthat could have devastating results for the bloc’s future?
The European Commission president will deliver a major speech on the EU’s space policy at Emmanuel Macron’s space summit at Paris’ Grand Palais today, in front of an audience of industry leaders, government officials and military chiefs, Playbook’s Nick Vinocur writes.
Her message (we’re paraphrasing slightly): It’s only thanks to the EU that Europe is able to mount ambitious projects that can compete with other global powers.
Some see her address as timely: “When you consider that some of these CEOs were cozying up to [far-right leader] Jordan Bardella, this is really welcome,” said an EU diplomat following the developments, granted anonymity because they’re not authorized to speak on the record.
But others doubt that her pitch will land. “It’s a red-alert situation. I have never seen France as ill-disposed toward the EU as now,” said an EU official. “Brussels and the migrants — these are the two bogeymen.” In other words: Von der Leyen’s intervention might not have the pro-EU impact Brussels hopes it will.
It’s the second time in a month that von der Leyen has addressed an elite audience in France. The Commission president spoke to French business leaders on Aug. 27, highlighting Brussels’ work on simplifying EU regulation, building a capital markets union and making it easier for businesses to set up shop.
But the political backdrop is grim for Brussels. Far-right leader Marine Le Pen is leading the polls ahead of next year’s presidential election and far-left Euroskeptic Jean-Luc Mélenchon has a realistic shot at joining her in the second round. A Le Pen presidency could have dire consequences for the EU — and there are few strong voices in the presidential race willing to defend the bloc.
The EU official points out that there are two clearly pro-EU candidates running for France’s top job: Center-left MEP Raphaël Glucksmann and centrist former Prime Minister Gabriel Attal. “Edouard Philippe [from Macron’s camp] is pro-European, but not passionately so,” the official said. “It’s hard to get people focused on Europe at the moment.”
It’s still early days in the campaign, with seven months to go, and Brussels will be hoping that voters will pay more attention to the implications of a Le Pen or Mélenchon victory as the election gets closer. But selling the EU’s message to French elites is one thing — getting through to ordinary voters is another.
BIG AND BREAKING
EXCLUSIVE — EU ASYLUM CLAIMS CRATER: The number of people applying for asylum in the EU hit a historic low in the past six months, with a 17% decline overall, according to new figures to be released today and seen in advance by Gabriel Gavin.
SCOOP — WASHINGTON VS. THE HAGUE: The United States quietly asked NATO allies to help “systematically dismantle” the International Criminal Court and even quit its founding treaty, Victor Jack reports.
MADE IN ISRAEL, DEFENDING EUROPE: Europe’s push for defense-technology sovereignty has a problem: the bloc’s security increasingly relies on Israeli defense companies. Antoaneta Roussi reports.
BREXIT REALITY CHECK: Andy Burnham wants a big, new EU-U.K. deal to boost growth. Just don’t expect it at this year’s summit, Jon Stone reports.
EEAS PLANS FALL FLAT: EU ambassadors didn’t mention the prospect of overhauling the EU’s diplomatic service when they sat down for breakfast with Kaja Kallas yesterday, two envoys told Playbook, with France backing away from a joint Franco-German paper that proposed stripping back the agency’s remit.
COSTA HEADS SOUTH: After a fraught meeting in Berlin on Wednesday, European Council President António Costa’s budget talks will today involve Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, Portugal’s Luís Montenegro and Malta’s Robert Abela.
The backdrop: Southern and eastern European countries pushing for a bigger budget are worried that the Irish Council presidency, which is steering the talks, will make major cuts in its next negotiating document (known as a negobox) in October, according to two diplomats from those countries.
Red lines: “Any cuts to agriculture and cohesion would be a no-go for us,” said one diplomat. There will be cuts, but they won’t be as drastic as those suggested by Germany, said a third diplomat.
Merz wants less: German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Tuesday renewed calls for Ireland to slash the budget by “several hundreds of billions.” During a joint press conference with Costa, Merz said the proposed increase is “simply prohibitive because, at the end, it is the European taxpayer who has to foot the bill.”
Club Med’s warning: But Spain, Portugal and Malta — who are members of the “friends of cohesion” camp — are expected to warn Costa against budget cuts, arguing they would leave Europe ill-equipped to fund old priorities while investing more in defense and competitiveness. “We cannot do more with less,” Spanish Secretary of State for the EU Fernando Sampedro said last week.
Visegrád’s special guest: With a few weeks to go until Ireland presents its negobox, the friends of cohesion are making their voice heard. Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin will join a meeting of the Visegrád Group (the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia) in Bratislava, to discuss the budget negotiations.
20-SECOND PLAYBOOK PRIMER
Next week, EU ministers responsible for cohesion policy will hold talks in Ireland. But what is cohesion policy? It’s the EU’s attempt to reduce economic and social differences among countries and regions and it has always formed a large part of the long-term budget (almost a third of it, in the current period). The EU splits regions into three groups based on their gross domestic product per person (compared to the EU average): less developed regions (with GDP per inhabitant is less than 75% of the EU average); transition regions (75%–100%); and more developed regions (more than 100%).
TALK TO PLAYBOOK: WhatsApp us on +32 491 050629 and listen from 7 a.m. to hear if we give you a shoutout.
MIDTERM MANEUVERS
METSOLA’S MOMENTUM: Roberta Metsola is picking up support for a history-making third term as European Parliament president, with the right-wing European Conservatives and Reformists broadly backing her and the Socialists and Democrats softening their opposition.
Right turn: ECR Co-Chair Nicola Procaccini told Max Griera that support for Metsola is widely shared within his group. “She is balanced, she is fair and that is exactly what we ask,” he said. Metsola’s recent public praise for Italian PM Giorgia Meloni’s “commonsense solutions” on EU simplification also went down well with the group, he said.
Door left ajar: Meanwhile, S&D President Iratxe García didn’t rule out backing Metsola Tuesday. “I’m not going to set any condition from the start,” she said — a softer line than the Socialist leaders’ pre-summer position insisting the presidency should pass to the center-left at midterm.
Mark your calendars: The European People’s Party is preparing to formally select its Parliament presidential candidate at the end of November, according to a draft schedule seen by POLITICO. Metsola is expected to be renominated. Both the EPP and S&D will elect their own leaderships on Oct. 20.
Green rebellion: Elsewhere, Nicolae Ștefănuță has formally entered the Oct. 7 race to replace Bas Eickhout as Greens co-chair, campaigning for a more confrontational approach toward the EPP. “It is clear we need to be more in the opposition because the [anti-far right] firewall was never respected,” he said in his 17-page pitch sent to colleagues. Belgium’s Sara Matthieu andDenmark’s Kira Marie Peter-Hansen are also widely floated as contenders.
Hayer stays: At Renew, Valérie Hayer looks secure, with no challenger expected, with the group’s main factions favoring continuity.
6 MORE THINGS GETTING US TALKING
CARNEY IN STRASBOURG: Even Europe’s Trump-friendly governments are backing Brussels’ deeper partnership with Canada, as Ottawa looks for protection from Washington’s trade war, I report with Gabriel.
UKRAINE’S BRUTAL LOGIC: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, whose plane was reportedly almost hit by a drone this week, is gambling that taking the fight deeper into Russia will pressure Vladimir Putin into getting serious about peace talks.
LOVE IN THE TIME OF ELECTIONS: If Attal becomes French president,von der Leyen may have to make the call on whether his life partner, European Commission Executive Vice President Stéphane Séjourné, should quit the Commission.
FEELING THE HEAT? That may be because August was officially the world’s joint-hottest month on record.
VUČIĆ ROLLS THE DICE: Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić has dissolved parliament and called a snap October election, in a bid to regain control of an increasingly febrile political scene.
MISTRAL SANS MACRON? What will happen when French global AI darling Mistral’s most powerful backer leaves the Élysée? Océane Herrero reports.