Greek, Turkish diplomatic balancing act continues
Greek and Turkish foreign ministers Giorgos Gerapetritis and Hakan Fidan are set to meet amid challenging conditions to maintain scheduled talks. Meetings are planned either on Tuesday or Wednesday in Brussels or at the OSCE meeting in Malta. Concurrently, other diplomatic processes, including the positive agenda and political dialogue, are ongoing.
Mitsotakis to CNN: Critical decisions are needed in the EU-Greece has achieved a remarkable recovery
It is time to take crucial decisions for the European Union, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said in an interview with CNN. Asked whether he is in favour of taking more decisions by majority, Mitsotakis replied: “Consensus is desirable, but if necessary, we should proceed independently.”
British public opinion in favour of the return of the Parthenon Marbles
53% of participants in a poll conducted by the YouGov company in the UK was in favour of the return of the Parthenon Marbles to Greece. Only 24% said they were against, while 23% expressed no opinion. A total of 4,280 adults across the country were surveyed. The poll was published on Monday, December 2.
PASOK’s Androulakis: We are proposing the taxation of excessive bank profits
PASOK-Movement for Change (KINAL) will table an amendment for the extraordinary taxation of excessive bank profits, party leader Nikos Androulakis said on Monday.
ATHEX: Banks send main index soaring
The announcement by the Greek prime minister in London that the government has no intention to impose an extraordinary levy on banks’ profits gave a major boost to credit sector stocks on Monday. This carried along the rest of the stock market, with the index climbing more than 2% on the day, with increased turnover too. Mid-caps, however, found it a little more difficult to follow the blue-chip rally.
https://www.ekathimerini.com/economy/1255176/athex-banks-send-main-index-soaring
KATHIMERINI: France’s instability causes turbulence within the Eurozone
TA NEA: Clouds gather over the Aegean
EFIMERIDA TON SYNTAKTON: Organized scam regarding electricity prices
RIZOSPASTIS: 3 dead and huge disasters due to the severe weather front. There is no alibi any more. Simple folks’ protection is being sacrificed at the altar of business profits
KONTRA NEWS: Banks avoided extraordinary taxation and oil refineries will pay the price
DIMOKRATIA: It’s raining profits for super markets
NAFTEMPORIKI:VAT to increase taxation by 1.7 bln in 2025
BRUSH OFF THE COBWEBS AND THE DANDRUFF, TRUMP’S COMING TO PARIS: It’s official: Donald Trump’s first major trip since he won the U.S. election will be to Paris, where he will attend the reopening of Notre Dame on Saturday. “President Emmanuel Macron has done a wonderful job ensuring that Notre Dame has been restored to its full level of glory, and even more so. It will be a very special day for all!” Trump said overnight.
Rekindling the special relationship: Macron was the first leader to congratulate Trump after his win last month. The two presidents worked together closely during Trump’s first term, though their relationship blew hot and cold.
HOWDY. Sarah Wheaton here.Welcome to your Tuesday edition of Brussels Playbook, where we couldn’t help but be reminded of all those professional engagement photos our friends posted on Facebook when we saw these shots of Ursula von der Leyen, Roberta Metsola and António Costa frolicking in Leopold Park and clasping hands in the Parliament. Maybe a happy throuple can tame the trilogues.
No judgment: Your Playbook team is also a professional throuple, and Eddy Wax heads the household on Wednesday.
DRIVING THE DAY: ROMANIAN RECKONING
TIKTOK FACES LAWMAKERS OVER ROMANIA: TikTok’s executives are heading to the European Parliament today after the platform got caught in a storm over Romania’s presidential election and the company’s handling of political content during the campaign.
Big picture: The EU’s precedent-setting rules were supposed to help civilize social media and ensure democratic discourse. Yet the surging success of Călin Georgescu — a far-right ultranationalist who ran as an independent without an apparent campaign budget — in the first round of Romania’s presidential election is calling into question whether the “Brussels effect” has the impact the EU establishment intended.
Who’s showing up? TikTok is not sending its CEO to the Parliament’s internal market committee, my colleague Pieter Haeck reports. (That’s despite last week’s request by the liberal Renew group’s Valérie Hayer for Shou Zi Chew to show up to explain himself.)
Caroline Greer, the company’s top lobbyist in Brussels, and Brie Pegum, the company’s global head of product, authenticity and transparency, are scheduled to stave off lawmakers’ attacks at around 11 a.m.
Bucharest wants Brussels’ help: Romanian authorities have asked the Commission to look into TikTok’s compliance with the EU’s content moderation scheme (the Digital Services Act). Bucharest is concerned about the amplification of content that “disproportionately” favored one candidate and “insufficient” labeling of content. On Friday, the Commission widened a pre-scheduled grilling of TikTok to include Romania-related questions.
MEPs will now pile on. While hard evidence about TikTok’s role in Georgescu’s rise is still scarce, lawmakers will ask hard questions about the company’s compliance with the DSA. Reminder: The Commission has been looking into TikTok’s recommender system, especially in the context of elections, since early October.
GEORGESCU TIES HIMSELF TO TRUMP: If you ask Georgescu himself about TikTok’s role in his first-round victory, he points to someone with a similar grievance about the establishment’s skepticism: “Your question is standard, just like Donald Trump was asked,” he told my colleague Carmen Paun. “They changed [the name] Trump with Georgescu. It’s the same thing they said about Trump. It’s useless. They don’t realize that the people can have the voting power. People have been used to: ‘Your vote doesn’t matter.’ Well, it mattered.”
New model: Posts showing Georgescu riding shirtless on horseback drew comparisons to Vladimir Putin. His anti-vax, clean-eating ethos brought to mind Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Yet as he vies for a majority of Romanians’ votes ahead of Sunday’s runoff (which is still on, by the way, after a court ruled Monday to certify the first round results), Georgescu is looking to the once and future American president.
“Categorically” following on Kyiv: Georgescu also said he would take his lead on a peace deal in Ukraine from the new president in Washington. (Beyond saying the conflict had to end “urgently,” Georgescu would not be drawn on whether Kyiv would have to surrender land.) “Everything President Trump does on this topic, I will categorically do that too.”
America first: While he has been accused of being pro-Russia and threatening Romania’s position in the EU and of NATO, Georgescu stressed he was, at heart, a transatlanticist. “For me and my people, the most important is the partnership with America,” he said. Read more of Carmen’s interview, in which Georgescu vows to slash the role of foreign investors in sectors such as food, water and energy.
BRACE, BRACE: The CURS polling agency gives Georgescu a robust lead in the runoff, predicting he will win 57.8 percent of the vote. The question is how much of his agenda he will be able to push through a pro-EU parliament.
BARNIER’S RECKONING
BEGINNING OF THE END: On Monday, French Prime Minister Michel Barnier used a controversial constitutional maneuver to bypass parliament and force through a social security financing bill. In response, the opposition put forward a no-confidence motion, which will be put to a vote on Wednesday or Thursday. Clea Caulcutt and Giorgio Leali walk you through how we got here and what could be next.
Spoiler alert: Barnier is most likely a goner — but the French are unlikely to be forced back to the polls any time soon.
The political crisis couldn’t come at a worse moment. The likely imminent collapse of Barnier’s government is already scaring financial markets — on Monday they considered Greek bonds a safer investment than French ones. In recent weeks, Barnier’s allies and observers have repeatedly warned the political crisis could turn into a new eurozone crisis.
So could France rely on the ECB if its bonds blow up? The European Central Bank has a tool for just this eventuality — but won’t be in a hurry to use it, reports Johanna Treeck.
POLISH PRESIDENCY
WARSAW’S TRUMP STRATEGY: Western nations will have to charm — rather than confront — Donald Trump to avoid a trade war in Europe and secure support for Ukraine. That’s according to Poland’s Deputy EU Minister Ignacy Niemczycki, speaking just weeks before Warsaw takes over the influential rotating presidency of the Council of the EU.
Gas gambit: “President Trump is not the most subtle leader in the world, but actually I think we have to try and be proactive,” Niemczycki told Barbara Moens in an interview Monday evening, which was part of POLITICO’s AperoPro series. “Wemight try to come up with a positive offer for the new Trump administration,” he added, hinting that could include Ursula von der Leyen’s proposed deal to buy more natural gas from the U.S. or increasing defense spending to ensure European NATO countries are meeting their contribution targets.
Don’t divide us: However, the Polish minister went on, Trump’s strategy last time around was to ignore Brussels and try to strike bilateral deals with European countries. That must be avoided this time round, Niemczycki said. “I think the [Polish Council] presidency’s role here is to show unity of member states.”
Faux pas-rogi: POLITICO’s catering was not, it turns out, politically correct, drawing the ire of at least one Polish diplomat. “You are serving Japanese gyoza,” the envoy remarked. “Why not Polish pierogi?”
UKRAINE
YOUR GUIDE TO THE ENDGAMES: Trump is promising to bring peace within the space of a day, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy acknowledged over the weekend that Kyiv’s army “lacks the strength” to restore the country’s internationally recognized borders. In that context, what are the realistic scenarios for winding down Russia’s full-scale invasion?
Israel, Germany, Finland: Those are just some of the “models” that could be in store for Ukraine when it comes to its relationship with NATO, how occupied territory is ceded and how its (new?) borders are controlled. Veronika Melkozerova and Hans von der Burchard walk you through the options here.
And then there’s Trump’s plan, not yet revealed. His newly named Ukraine-Russia czar, retired Lieutenant General Keith Kellogg, has proposed delivering ultimatums to both Kyiv and Moscow to force them to negotiate a cease-fire.
“Tell him to screw himself”: Konstantin Malofeyev, a Russian oligarch close to the Kremlin and subject to sanctions, was coarsely dismissive in an interview with the FT. “Kellogg comes to Moscow with his plan, we take it and then tell him to screw himself, because we don’t like any of it. That’d be the whole negotiation,” he said, from a luxury resort in Dubai. “For the talks to be constructive, we need to talk not about the future of Ukraine, but the future of Europe and the world.”
Now read this: The FT also has an interview with new NATO chief Mark Rutte, who says the U.S. and Europe will face a “dire security threat” if any deal is favorable to Russia. In a clear warning to Trump, Rutte said: “We cannot have a situation where we have Kim Jong Un and the Russian leader and Xi Jinping and Iran high-fiving because we came to a deal which is not good for Ukraine.”
BEST PITCH TO TRUMP PLAYBOOK HAS HEARD YET: “I think there is really awareness in the U.S. and the transition team that pulling back from Ukraine would mean, you know, [a repeat of] Biden’s Afghanistan,” Niemczycki said at the POLITICO event covered above, “and Trump doesn’t want a situation like this.”
HAPPENING TODAY: NATO foreign ministers will meet in Brussels today and Wednesday to discuss defense spending, support for Ukraine and Kyiv’s call to be invited to join the alliance, plus the Middle East. The EU’s new top diplomat Kaja Kallas will also meet ministers during a dinner on Ukraine.
POLICY CORNER
FIRST IN POLITICO — EU’S NEW FARMING CHIEF: In his first interview since becoming agriculture commissioner, Luxembourg’s Christophe Hansen sought to show he’s attuned to the gripes that have driven farmers into the streets over the past year.
Sticking a fork in Farm to Fork: Hansen pleaded for a “different” approach than the Green Deal’s Farm to Fork strategy — the previous College’s unachieved vision setting targets to reduce the use of pesticides, improve animal welfare rules and create a nutrition labeling scheme.
“Farmers had the impression that it was a top-down imposition,” he told POLITICO’s Paula Andrés. Expect his upcoming vision, one of the 100-day plans announced by von der Leyen, not to be filled with percentages. Full write-up available here for Agri Pro subscribers.
BAD VIBES AS HUNGARY FAILS TO MAKE PROGRESS ON BANNING FAKE TRAINEESHIPS, NO CAP: Countries like Germany and Spain are lowkey ghosting the current Hungarian presidency of the Council over its efforts to reach a deal on an EU ban on fake traineeships, a law which could make life lit for millions of young people, Playbook’s own resident youth Eddy Wax writes in to report.
Spain’s Labor Minister Yolanda Díaz was in slay mode at a ministerial meeting Monday when she said Hungary’s version of the Commission’s proposal was a “botched attempt,” while new European Commission Executive Vice President Roxana Mînzatu — who is a social rights stan — said the proposal’s ambition was “very small” compared to the original blueprint.
Gen Z translation: It’s not bussin’. Hungary has written five drafts so far but now the buck passes to the Polish presidency, taking office Jan. 1. Cringe! (Again, we would like to reiterate, Eddy wrote this one. If you need help, POLITICO’s youngest staffers are mother.)
PERSONNEL DEPT.
FROM FITTO TO FOTI IN ITALY: Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni appointed Tommaso Foti to replace Commissioner Raffaele Fitto as Rome’s EU affairs minister.
MEET THE CABINETS: After months of diplomatic negotiations while EU countries pushed their own nationals, we have a list of all the new commissioners’ most trusted staffers, per a widely circulated list seen by Eddy and Kathryn Carlson. It’s final, almost complete — but not yet public. Heads of cabinet first, then deputies.
Kaja Kallas: Vivian Loonela and Laure Chapuis.
Teresa Ribera: Miguel Gil Tertre and Alina Nedea.
Henna Virkkunen: Antti Timonen and Marlene Madsen.
Roxana Mînzatu: Alina-Stefania Ujupan and Max Uebe.
Stéphane Séjourné: Bertrand L’Huillier and Estelle Göger.
Raffaele Fitto: Vincenzo Matano; deputy TBC.
Magnus Brunner: Alexander Winterstein and Natasha Bertaud.
Maroš Šefčovič: Bernd Biervert and Sofia Asteriadi.
Valdis Dombrovskis: Michael Hager and Žaneta Vegnere.
Dubravka Šuica: Tena Mišetić and Ivo Belet.
Michael McGrath: Fiona Knab-Lunny and Joachim Herrmann.
Ekaterina Zaharieva: Andreas Schwarz and Sophie Alexandrova.
Wopke Hoekstra: Han ten Broeke and Astrid Dentler.
Andrius Kubilius: Simonas Šatūnas and Anne Fort (yes, the defense commissioner’s deputy head of cabinet is literally a person called A Fort).
Marta Kos: Marko Makovec and Karolína Kottová.
Jozef Síkela: Lucie Šestaková and Roland Sourd.
Costas Kadis: Ioannis Hadjiyiannis and Francesca Arena.
Maria Luís Albuquerque: Cristina Dias and Riikka Torppa.
Hadja Lahbib: Jan Hoogmartens and Jasna Pajnkihar.
Jessika Roswall: Paulina Dejmek Hack and Jan Ceyssens.
Piotr Serafin: Grzegorz Radziejewski and Florentine Hopmeier.
Dan Jørgensen: Martin Engell-Rossen and Wioletta Dunin-Majewska.
Apostolos Tzitzikostas: Anna Panagopoulou and Pierpaolo Settembri.
Christophe Hansen: Esther de Lange and Johannes Van den Bossche.
Glenn Micallef: Clint Tanti and Johanna Bernsel.
Olivér Várhelyi: Laszlo Kristoffy and Katri Teedumäe.
ALSO JOINING MÎNZATU’S CABINET: Paul Moley,Triinu Volmer, Francesco Corti,Sonia Vila Nunez, Miron Podgorean and Vanessa Debiais-Sainton, Annukka Ojala and Catalin Gheran.
ALSO JOINING BRUNNER’S CABINET: Gosia Pearson, Grigorios Delavekouras, Mauro Gagliardi and Cathrin Bauer-Bulst, Matti Hämälainen, Lukas Gassner, Mateo Matijevic and Georg Luke.
MEET THE PRESS CONTACTS: The Commission’s new Spokespersons Service made its debut Monday, operating under chief spox Paula Pinho:
Deputy chief spokesperson: Arianna Podesta and Stefan de Keersmaecker.
Foreign affairs and security policy: Anitta Hipper (lead) and Anouar El Anouni.
Cohesion, reforms, agriculture, fisheries and transport: Maciej Berestecki.
Economic security, trade, customs, financial services and interinstitutional relations: Olof Gill.
Social rights and skills, preparedness, equality, culture and health: Eva Hrnčířová.
Climate, energy, housing, environment and taxation: Anna-Kaisa Itkonen.
Internal affairs, democracy, justice and rule of law: Markus Lammert.
Enlargement, international partnerships and the Mediterranean: Guillaume Mercier.
Tech sovereignty, defense, space and research: Thomas Regnier.
Economy, productivity, budget and HR: Balazs Ujvari.
Competition, internal market and industrial strategy: Lea Zuber.
AND ONE LAST NOTE ABOUT THE PREVIOUS COMMISSION: Last week, POLITICO rendered judgment on the performance of the previous Commission, including its president. In our summary of the grades, a Playbook typo brought Ursula von der Leyen lower than the ruling issued by our newsroom’s experts. She scored a B-.
MEDIA MURMURS
NOUVEAU CHEZ POLITICO: News from the low-rise, Haussmannian POLITICO tower in Paris: Nicolas Barré, former top editor at Les Echos, will lead our Paris newsroom as executive editor, France, starting in January. He’ll succeed Marion Solletty, who after pretty much founding POLITICO in France, is moving into a new role as editor-at-large. She will cover “major French and European stories while leading strategic projects, key partnerships, and ambitious event initiatives,” per the press release.
WATCHING THE WATCHERS: A report from a consortium of news organizations (including France’s Mediapart, the U.S.’ Drop Site News, Italy’s Il Fatto Quotidiano, Greece’s Reporters United and German public broadcaster NDR) calls into question the editorial independence of the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), laying out conditions attached to funding that the award-winning investigative reporting outlet receives from Washington.
OCCRP denied that the U.S. government exerts any control over the choice or contents of its coverage: “We are confident that no government or donor has exerted editorial control over the OCCRP reporting,” the board said.
IN OTHER NEWS
EU MONEY IS NOT FOR LOBBYING: The European Commission told environmental NGOs that the money they receive from the EU’s green funds pot can no longer be used for advocacy and lobbying work, according to letters seen by my colleagues Marianne Gros and Louise Guillot.
MIDDLE EAST WARNING: Donald Trump said on Truth Social that if the Israelis being held hostage by Hamas in Gaza are not released before his inauguration on Jan. 20, there will be “ALL HELL TO PAY in the Middle East.”