Home prices in Portugal posted the third record jump in a row, rising 18% on the year in Q3. And speaking of undesirable records, Portugal has also recorded the biggest drop in affordability amongst OECD countries in the past 10 years. Latest on @bloomberg.com

Portugal Home Prices Surge 18%, Biggest Jump Since Records Began

Home prices in Portugal posted another record jump in the third quarter, with the deepening housing squeeze fast becoming one of the country’s biggest political flashpoints.

bloomberg.com

This week we wrapped our nearly four-year run of @politico.eu's Living Cities, our long-running exploration of Europeans' relationship with the cities in which they live. In our final issue, we reflect on the state of Europe’s cities and how they can be even greater. www.politico.eu/newsletter/g...

Living Cities: The city limits

A conversation on what makes a livable city. By AITOR HERNÁNDEZ-MORALES Send tips here | Tweet @aitorehm | View in your browser Happy Thursday, city lovers! This week marks the conclusion of POLITI…

politico.eu

Could Europe survive without US military support? Yes. Would it be cheap? Hell no. Would it be a quick fix? Also no. But with Donald Trump threatening to pull US troops out of the Continent unless European allies contribute more to NATO, there might be no other choice. Read it all on @politico.eu

Replacing US military support in Europe would cost $1T

European NATO countries would face a short-term “window of vulnerability” against Russian aggression.

politico.eu

SCOOP: 💧 @politico.eu got a draft of the EU's Water Resilience Strategy, due June 4th. It includes plans for EU rules on water reuse and marine ecosystems, plus a juicy point on targets 👀 Read up on this, and much more 👇 pro.politico.eu/news/198717

The Conservatives' dangerous dance with the far right is mainstreaming the populist agenda in European politics. And it's putting civil society groups at risk. Read more on @politico.eu: www.politico.eu/article/euro...

EPP’s war on NGOs is driving a wedge through Europe’s political center

Conservatives face accusations of collaborating with far-right parties in NGO funding probe.

politico.eu

POV: You're an EU trade official compiling a list of tariffs against the US and your goal is to inflict the most pain on pro-Trump states. Here's what you come up with: 🌿 soybeans 🚬 cigarettes 🛻 trucks 🍦 ... ice cream? More on @politico.eu with Paroma Soni and @camgijs.bsky.social

EU targets Trump’s red states with tariffs on US trucks, cigarettes and ice cream

European trade officials sure know how to have fun.

politico.eu

Is it the end of the global trade order as we know it? Yesterday evening, Donald Trump dumped the EU in the worst category of America’s trade partners Wednesday, hitting the bloc with a 20 percent tariff on all imports. www.politico.eu/article/dona...

Trump hits ‘pathetic’ Europe with 20 percent tariffs

European Union joins China, Japan, Taiwan and Korea in U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade sin bin.

politico.eu

If you, too, want to make up your own reciprocal tariffs to charge friends, family and foreign countries, all you need is simple maths and a calculator. Yes, that's precisely how the Trump administration has just upended world trade. with Jakob Weizman on @politico.eu

Trump’s tariff math is crazy, says ‘Wisdom of Crowds’ author

James Surowiecki challenges the White House’s rationale for punishing Europe, China, India and Japan with reciprocal tariffs.

politico.eu

Dispatch from Willebroek, where Belgium Scrap Terminal recycles millions of tons of scrap metal each year — and sells over 90% of outside of 🇪🇺 But in Brussels, a plan to save the steel industry could wreck their business. Full story here, with @gi-coi.bsky.social: www.politico.eu/article/savi...

Saving steel: The fight to keep Europe’s industrial waste on its shores

EU steelmakers, facing steep decline, want Brussels to intervene to give them more access to scrap metal. Recyclers aren’t happy.

politico.eu

"The temporary cycle paths installed during Milan's lockdown have blossomed into over 100km of new bike lanes, and smart working schemes have become standard in the countless businesses based in the capital of Lombardy." Milan 5 years after lockdown, via @aitorehm.bsky.social @gi-coi.bsky.social

Europe’s lockdowns, five years on

Former Milan city councilor Pierfrancesco Maran reflects on how the pandemic transformed Europe’s cities — a topic no one wants to talk about.

politico.eu

Donald Trump views himself as the ultimate dealmaker. But his much-touted mineral agreement with Ukraine — which would give the US access to Kyiv's extensive raw material reserves — could end up yielding much less than he bargained for. www.politico.eu/article/dona...

Donald Trump might have made a bad mineral deal with Ukraine

Estimates of Ukraine’s mineral wealth are based on outdated and incomplete assessments of difficult-to-access sites.

politico.eu

Merz’s dream coalition hinges on the implosion of his smaller rivals: The fewer parties are left standing in Germany’s election, the stronger his grip on power. @hannecl.bsky.social and I did the math to figure out which parties could crash and burn to his benefit. Amazing art by Natália Delgado🎨

Merz’s coalition dream hinges on implosion of smaller rivals

To achieve the success he craves, Germany’s likely next chancellor needs liberals and left-wingers to crash and burn.

politico.eu

Germany’s electoral landscape is looking a little messy these days. While the centre-right looks set to regain its dominant position, several smaller parties are fighting for the role of kingmaker, or simply to stay on the electoral map…

How Germany found itself holding an Italian election

POLITICO has processed 35 years’ worth of election data to find out why this month’s vote is messier than ever ― and what will happen next.

politico.eu

Italy violated citizens' right to life by failing to deal with large-scale illegal waste dumping in Campania's Terra dei Fuochi, the European Court of Human Rights ruled today. With @elenagiordano.bsky.social and @mariannegros.bsky.social on @politico.eu 🔗 www.politico.eu/article/euro...

The cutoff of Russian gas via Ukraine on January 1 hasn't done much to curb Europe's appetite. According to our analysis, EU countries are still importing LNG from Russia at record volumes. Story with @gabrielgavin.bsky.social on @politico.eu 🔗 www.politico.eu/article/eu-d...

New Year's resolution, EU edition: Recycle more electronic waste. Much, much more. @mariannegros.bsky.social and I walk you through the looming sustainability targets for 2025 and how close EU countries are to meeting them on @politico.eu www.politico.eu/article/eu-g...

...Think recycling targets and money spent on biodiversity projects. This affects you too – did you know that as of last week, you can't throw out old socks or shoes in the bin anymore. data visualisation by @gi-coi.bsky.social

The EU's current climate strategy risks triggering a huge backlash. But instead of slowing the green transition, Brussels should speed it up — and make it affordable, ex-crisis chief Janez Lenarčič told me in an interview before leaving office. Read: www.politico.eu/article/euro...

May you always go through life with the confidence of François Bayrou. @victorglaf.bsky.social and Clea Calcutt tell you all you need to know about France's new prime minister: www.politico.eu/article/fran...

Bashar Assad's regime in Syria fell Sunday, after 25 years of rule and 13 years of civil war. It took about a day for EU countries to decide it's time to send millions of Syrian refugees home — to an impoverished, devastated country. More on that on @politico.eu www.politico.eu/article/syri...

Do Donald Trump's threats to wage a trade war against China amount to economic suicide? The data suggests this might be the case. But Europe should worry too. @camgijs.bsky.social and @bmoens.bsky.social explain why on @politico.eu: www.politico.eu/article/euro...

Cǎlin Georgescu doesn't hate NATO — but he isn't exactly its No. 1 fan, either. Allies worry about what his election as Romania's president might mean for the alliance and its deterrence capabilities in the East. Story with @laukaya.bsky.social on @politico.eu www.politico.eu/article/roma...

For Italian speakers looking to understand what's happening in Romania: @lucamisculin.bsky.social discussed my story on Romania's structural issues for @ilpost.it (and a lot of other interesting topics from Syria to Luxembourg's confusing tourist boom) (I think I've peaked)

Morning Weekend – Post-adolescenti che scrostano e ramazzano, e altre storie - Il Post

ilpost.it

We're heading into the second of three closely watched election weekends for Romania, and parties outside the political mainstream look poised to make big gains. On @politico.eu I look into the reasons why Romanian voters are tired of the status quo, from inequalities to widespread corruption.

7 reasons why Romanian voters are hacked off — by the numbers

From poverty to emigration and corruption, here are some the issues at the top of Romanian voters’ minds — and politicians’ programs.

politico.eu