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☆ UniCredit's pursuit of Commerzbank reflects a watershed moment for Europe — and its banking union
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-26 | by ( Sam Meredith | In Samuelmeredith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Kirill Kudryavtsev | Afp | Getty ImagesEuropean banking's latest takeover battle is widely regarded as a potential turning point for the region — particularly the bloc's incomplete banking union. Whatever the outcome of UniCredit's swoop on Commerzbank, Marsh said the episode marks "another huge test" for German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. What is Europe's banking union? OMFIF's Marsh said Germany's opposition to UniCredit's move on Commerzbank means Berlin "now stands accused of favouring European banking integration only on its own terms." The logo of German bank Commerzbank seen on a branch office near The Commerzbank Tower in Frankfurt.

Persons: Kirill Kudryavtsev, Italy's UniCredit, David Marsh, Marsh, Olaf Scholz, Scholz, –, Germany's Scholz, OMFIF's Marsh, UniCredit's, Daniel Roland, Onur Genç, Mario Centeno, CNBC's, —, Centeno Organizations: European Central Bank, Afp, Getty, London, European Union, CNBC, BBVA, Banco Sabadell, Reuters, European Central Bank's Governing, EU Locations: Frankfurt, Germany, Germany's, Milan, Europe, Commerzbank, Italy, Berlin, Spanish, Brussels, Spain

☆ Microsoft's GitHub gives clients option to keep sensitive code in EU only, in data sovereignty push
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-24 | by ( Ryan Browne | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Firms will be able to control the "data residency" of software code stored on GitHub — effectively meaning they can decide which regions the data is kept in. GitHub Enterprise Cloud is a paid product the firm only offers to businesses. "The EU has been in the center of this [data residency] movement since the beginning of the cloud days." Going forward, GitHub plans to roll out data residency within its GitHub Enterprise Cloud across other regions, including Australia, Asia, and Latin America. EU push for digital 'sovereignty'GitHub's data residency push ties into a broader political and regulatory theme within the EU around so-called digital "sovereignty."

Persons: GitHub, Jonathan Raa, —, Thomas Dohmke, Dohmke, Shelley McKinley, Mario Draghi, Draghi, GitHub's Dohmke, it'll Organizations: Microsoft, Nurphoto, Getty Images Microsoft, European Union, EU, Companies, CNBC, European Central Bank Locations: Europe, Australia, Asia, America, EU, China, France, Finland

☆ Correction in the yen was overdue, former European Central Bank chief Trichet says
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-06 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailCorrection in the yen was overdue, former European Central Bank chief Trichet saysJean-Claude Trichet, former president of the European Central Bank and former governor of the Bank of France, discusses Monday's sharp market movements and the next steps for the U.S. Federal Reserve.

Persons: Trichet, Jean, Claude Trichet Organizations: European Central Bank, Bank of France, U.S . Federal Reserve

☆ 'Blowout' in French borrowing costs still to come amid economic deadlock, veteran investor says
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-10 | by ( Jenni Reid | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

watch nowFrench borrowing costs still face a "blowout" over those of Germany, as political and economic reality sets in following the country's parliamentary election, according to veteran investor David Roche. Bond yields move inversely to prices and represent the change in borrowing costs for a government — also indicating long-term investor confidence in the economy. Now, my view is that it will happen," Roche told CNBC's "Squawk Box Europe" on Tuesday. watch nowAlong with economic growth prospects, a key watch-point for investors is France's hefty budget deficit and high debt-to-GDP ratio of 110%. There are about seven major pillars, they suddenly will go absolutely nowhere, which is disastrous for Europe," Roche told CNBC.

Persons: David Roche, Jean, Claude Trichet, —, Emmanuel Macron, Roche, CNBC's, shorting, Macron, " Roche Organizations: European Central Bank, CNBC, Quantum, French National Assembly, European Commission, National Locations: Germany, France, Europe, Italy, Ukraine

☆ Europe is reckoning with a 'much more unpredictable' U.S., former EU chief says
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-11 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Former European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso speaks on stage during the 2022 Concordia Annual Summit in New York on September 20, 2022. Leigh Vogel | Getty Images Entertainment | Getty ImagesA more "unpredictable" U.S. will only add to the challenges facing the incoming European Parliament as it navigates increasingly fraught ties with China and Russia, according to former EU Commission President José Manuel Barroso. "It's not just that the European Union is facing a much more aggressive Russia, a much more assertive China, it's also facing a much more unpredictable United States of America. watch nowBarroso, who served as commission president from 2004 to 2014, said that the U.S. remains the EU's "biggest ally," and that the two sharing close ties, including within NATO. "Today there are some doubts about which way the United States can go.

Persons: Jose Manuel Barroso, Leigh Vogel, José Manuel Barroso, Barroso, Donald Trump, It's, it's, CNBC's Silvia Amaro Organizations: European, Getty, EU, CNBC, Republican, U.S, NATO, Goldman Sachs Locations: New York, China, Russia, Europe, States of America, Ukraine, U.S, United States

☆ Here’s what we learned from the European elections as a far-right surge upends national politics
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-10 | by ( Rob Picheta | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Far-right parties across the continent had strong showings, but their momentum did not cause the center ground of European politics to cave in – as many had predicted. Those gains did materialize; far-right groups were expected to secure a record number of seats in the European Parliament, dealing a major blow to the continent’s establishment leaders. Most of the far-right gains were concentrated in countries that elect large numbers of seats: France, Italy and Germany. Several other far-right parties are among the non-aligned (NI) group, predicted to secure 45 seats. The center holdsDespite a far-right surge, the centrist European People’s Party (EPP) was the biggest single winner on Sunday night.

Persons: –, Maximilian Krah, Ursula von der Leyen, ”, Von der Leyen, ” Von der Leyen, Emmanuel Macron, Marine Le, ” Macron, Marion Maréchal, Jordan Bardella, Alexander De Croo, ” De Croo, Meloni, Tusk, Giorgia Meloni, Brothers, Benito Mussolini, von der Leyen, Donald Tusk’s, Viktor Orbán, Bas Organizations: CNN, Green, Nazi, European People’s Party, EPP, Progressive Alliance of Socialists, Commission, Ukraine, Marine, Assembly, French, Ministry, Italy’s, Italy, Law and Justice, PiS, European, Fidesz, Greens, Bas Eickhout, EFA, European Green Party, European Commission Locations: –, France, Europe, Italy, Germany, Brussels, France’s, “, Ukraine, Poland

☆ There is 'anxiety' in Europe over the U.S. presidential election, former EU chief says
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-10 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailThere is 'anxiety' in Europe over the U.S. presidential election, former EU chief saysFormer European Commission President José Manuel Barroso says Europe is weighing the prospect of a more "unpredictable" U.S. ahead of the upcoming presidential election.

Persons: José Manuel Barroso Organizations: U.S Locations: Europe

A man shelters from the rain under an umbrella as he walks past the Euro currency sign in front of the former European Central Bank (ECB) building in Frankfurt am Main, western Germany. Euro zone government bond yields extended gains Thursday afternoon, shortly after the European Central Bank announced its first interest rate cut in five years. Germany's 10-year bond yield, seen as the euro area benchmark, was up 6 basis points to 2.557% at 3:12 p.m. London time. The country's 2-year bond yield was higher by 4 basis points to 3.025%. Italy's 10-year bond yield was up 7 basis points to 3.88%, while the yield of the Spanish bond of the same maturity added 6 basis points to 3.29%.

Organizations: European Central Bank, ECB, Bank Syz Locations: Frankfurt, Germany, London

☆ Top EU official warns on 'weaponization of trade' as tensions ramp up between the U.S. and China
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-17 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Valdis Dombrovskis, Vice-President of the European Commission for the Euro & Social Dialogue, photographed at the Renaissance Harbour View Hotel in Wan Chai. 02DEC17 SCMP/ Xiaomei Chen (Photo by Chen Xiaomei/South China Morning Post via Getty Images)The European Union's trade chief on Wednesday warned against the "weaponization" of trade amid the latest ratcheting up of tensions between the U.S. and China. EU trade commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis told CNBC that he did not believe trade "protectionism" was the answer to heightened geopolitical tensions, but insisted that the bloc was willing to defend itself in the new trade environment. "The geopolitical landscape is changing, it's getting more fragmented, it's getting more conflictual, we see the weaponization of trade. So we need to equip ourselves also as the European Union to function in this more conflictual world," Dombrovskis told CNBC's Karen Tso.

Persons: Valdis Dombrovskis, 02DEC17, Xiaomei Chen, Chen Xiaomei, Dombrovskis, Karen Tso, Mario Draghi, Joe Biden, Katherine Tai Organizations: European Commission, South China Morning, Getty, U.S, CNBC, European Union, European Central Bank, U.S . Trade Locations: Wan Chai, South, China, EU, Pennsylvania, U.S

☆ Why the Age Issue Is Hurting Biden So Much More Than Trump
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-10 | by ( Rebecca Davis O Brien | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Donald J. Trump has praised Hungary’s prime minister, Viktor Orban, for his leadership of Turkey, and confused Nikki Haley and Nancy Pelosi. President Biden has named dead former European leaders when describing his contemporary peers, and referred to Egypt as Mexico. The episodes might have raised parallel concerns about age and mental acuity. Instead, while Mr. Biden, 81, has been increasingly dogged by doubts and concerns about his advancing years from voters, Mr. Trump, who is 77, has not felt the same political blowback. Fewer than half of voters have expressed similar misgivings about Mr. Trump.

Persons: Donald J, Trump, Viktor Orban, Nikki Haley, Nancy Pelosi, Biden Organizations: New York Times, Siena College Locations: Turkey, Egypt, Mexico

☆ Russian court rules in favour of VTB Bank's $122 mln claim from former European subsidiary
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

SummaryCompanies This content was produced in Russia where the law restricts coverage of Russian military operations in UkraineMOSCOW, Dec 1 (Reuters) - A Russian court has ruled that state-owned lender VTB's (VTBR.MM) claim for 112.6 million euros ($122.1 million) from its former European subsidiary should be paid, court filings showed on Friday. VTB in September filed a lawsuit seeking to recover debt from the former subsidiary, now called OWH SE, and applied for interim measures that were granted in full, leading the Russian court to freeze securities owned by OWH. Frankfurt-based VTB Bank (Europe) SE, already ring-fenced by regulators due to sanctions and in liquidation since last year, has been renamed OWH SE, its Chief Executive Officer Frank Hellwig said last month. German regulator BaFin said the measures had resulted in a complete ring-fencing of the subsidiary from its parent. ($1 = 0.9222 euros)Reporting by Elena Fabrichnaya; Writing by Alexander Marrow; editing by Kirsten DonovanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: VTB, Frank Hellwig, OWH, BaFin, Elena Fabrichnaya, Alexander Marrow, Kirsten Donovan Organizations: VTB's, OWH ., VTB Bank, Thomson Locations: Russia, Ukraine MOSCOW, OWH . Frankfurt, Europe, Ukraine, VTB

☆ EU fiscal pact ignores green elephant in the room
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-21 | by ( Lisa Jucca | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

REUTERS/Henry Nicholls Acquire Licensing RightsMILAN, Nov 21 (Reuters Breakingviews) - The European Union’s troubled fiscal pact, once branded as "stupid" by former European Commission President Romano Prodi, has reached its sell-by date. Average EU debt has been consistently above the 60% target. NEW COURSEThe proposed revamp of the fiscal pact, now under discussion, is an improvement. BRAVE NEW DEBT WORLDFor all of Brussels’ reforming zeal, Europe’s future debt rules ignore a giant elephant in the room: climate change. Another option is to remove green investments from the fiscal rules’ deficit calculations.

Persons: Henry Nicholls, Romano Prodi, Christian Lindner, Giorgia Meloni, Breakingviews, Bruno Le Maire, Olaf Scholz’s, Mario Draghi, Francesco Guerrera, Thomas Shum Organizations: Trust, REUTERS, Reuters, European, Reuters Graphics Reuters, European Commission, French Finance, EU, Intel, European Central Bank, Italian, Union, Thomson Locations: Green Park, London, Britain, Maastricht Treaty, Germany, it's, Italy, Greece, Brussels, EU, United States, Spain, Europe

VOORBURG, Netherlands (AP) — Cans of fish, jars of pasta sauce and bags of beans are stacked in blue crates. Meat, dairy and bread are kept cold in a huge freezer and a walk-in refrigerator in this affluent Dutch town. “There is a long list of things we need to do to challenge that cost-of-living crisis,” he told reporters at a campaign event. That shot up to 250 as a cost-of-living crisis swept across the world and did not spare the wealthy Netherlands. The Leidschendam-Voorburg food bank Kuipers oversees estimates that the true number of people eligible for food aid could be two to three times higher.

Persons: ”, Rob Kuipers, Maurice Crul, Pieter Omtzigt, Mark Rutte —, “, Frans Timmermans, Kuipers Organizations: Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Democrat, People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy, Union, . Locations: Netherlands, Leidschendam, The Hague

☆ Xi-Biden meeting in San Francisco is a baby step in the right direction, EU Chamber of Commerce's Wuttke says
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailXi-Biden meeting in San Francisco is a baby step in the right direction, EU Chamber of Commerce's Wuttke saysFormer European Union Chamber of Commerce President Joerg Wuttke discusses the Chinese economy and foreign relations on the sidelines of the UBS conference in London.

Persons: Biden, Commerce's Wuttke, Joerg Wuttke Organizations: Xi, EU, European Union Chamber of, UBS Locations: San Francisco, London

☆ Liverpool thump Toulouse 5-1, Brighton earn first European win
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The rest of the match belonged to Liverpool as Wataru Endo headed them back in front just past the half-hour mark. That goal took the Egyptian's tally to 43 for Liverpool in major European competitions, a record for any player at an English club. Liverpool top the group by five points over Union Saint Gilloise and Toulouse, who both have four points. BRIGHTON ROCKBrighton achieved a European milestone by beating Ajax and reigniting their chances of reaching the knockout stages. They are now level on four points with second-placed AEK Athens in Group B, a point behind Olympique de Marseille.

Persons: Diogo Jota, Wataru Endo, Darwin Nunez, Nunez, Ryan Gravenberch, Mohamed Salah, LASK, Cameron Puertas, Christian Burgess, Joao Pedro, Diant Ramaj, Ansu Fati, Maurice Steijn, Kostas Fortounis, Rodinei's, Angelo Ogbonna, Angelo Ogbonna . West Ham, Lucas Paqueta's, Edoardo Bove, Romelu Lukaku, Jose Mourinho's, Alejandro Grimaldo, Stade Rennais, Arnaud Kalimuendo, Tommy Lund, Ken Ferris Organizations: Liverpool, Brighton, Ajax, Olympiakos, West, Marseille, Leverkusen, Rennes, LIVERPOOL, Toulouse, Europa League, Brighton & Hove Albion, Ajax Amsterdam, Union Saint Gilloise, Union, BRIGHTON ROCK Brighton, AEK Athens, Olympique de Marseille, AEK, Seagulls, Olympiakos Piraeus, Europa Conference League, West Ham United, Freiburg, Backa Topla, AS Roma, Slavia Prague, Slavia, Bayer Leverkusen thumped Qarabag, Stade, Panathinaikos, Villarreal, Maccabi Haifa, Thomson Locations: Roma, England, Anfield, Brighton, Liverpool, Toulouse, Europe, Angelo Ogbonna . West, Gdansk

☆ Ukraine ally Poland is moving to the political center. And that's bad news for Russia's Putin
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-20 | by ( Jenni Reid | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

It has taken in more than a million refugees from its close ally Ukraine since the start of the war, with many more millions passing through it. Its relations with Ukraine have soured in recent months, partly because of a dispute over the impact of Ukrainian grain imports on local farmers. Tian also expects the result to "reposition Poland as a staunch supporter of Ukraine" and for Tusk to push for EU accession for Ukraine. "The big thing to bear in mind when looking at Poland and Ukraine is they have an overarching strategic common interest [challenging Russian aggression], and this supersedes everything. So it will be difficult to restore relations to how they were in the first 18 months of the war, regardless of what Poland does."

Persons: Donald Tusk, Donald Tusk —, —, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, Tusk, Tian, Aleks Szczerbiak, Szczerbiak Organizations: Civic, Getty, EU, Justice, CNBC, NATO, World Trade Organization, Law, Nurphoto, European, Economist Intelligence Unit, University of Sussex, Confederation, Soviet, Russia Locations: Warsaw, Moscow, Ukraine, Europe, Russia, China, India, Poland, Warsaw's, Krakow, Central Europe, Hungary, Slovakia, Berlin

☆ Clean energy fans should not expect too much from pro-EU Poland
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-17 | by ( Gavin Maguire | Thomson Reuters | Gavin Maguire Is The Global Energy Transition Columnist. He Was Previously Asia Commodities | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

Indeed, the pace of Poland's clean energy supply growth may more often undershoot expectations than exceed them over the near term, even with a significant swing in political power. POWER SYSTEM CHANGES ALREADY UNDERWAYA major reason for climate trackers to expect only modest shifts in clean energy policies and momentum going forward is that Poland's energy system has already substantially cleaned up its electricity generation mix in recent years. Between 2018 and 2022, Poland's electricity producers boosted clean electricity supply capacity by over 150% so that clean sources now account for roughly 40% of total electricity capacity, up from 20% in 2018, data from think tank Ember shows. BACKLOGS BREWINGEmerging problems linking new clean generation assets with Poland's electric grid are a key reason why clean power growth may slow going forward. Pushing power costs lower may even trump plans to further clean up the power generation system, which may only add to power generation costs over the near term despite resulting in lower emissions in the long run.

Persons: Donald Tusk, Donald Tusk's, Gavin Maguire, Sonali Paul Organizations: European Union Civic Coalition, European, Poland's Institute, Reuters, Thomson Locations: LITTLETON , Colorado, Poland, Germany, Ukraine, Europe, LSEG, Western Europe

☆ Analysis: EUphoria! Poland election surprise spurs investor hope
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-16 | by ( Marc Jones | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Donald Tusk, leader of the largest opposition grouping Civic Coalition (KO), delivers a speech after the exit poll results are announced in Warsaw, Poland, October 15, 2023. As Europe’s sixth-largest economy, a revitalised pro-EU attitude in Poland would be particularly welcome. The 66-year old Tusk and his pro-EU coalition allies may still have to wait weeks or even months though before getting a turn at forming a government. Duda has referred the issue at the heart of that row to a constitutional tribunal in Poland. The central bank though has slashed interest rates at its last two meetings as the election campaign burst into life.

Persons: Donald Tusk, Kacper, Poland's, Daniel Moreno, Mirabaud, PiS, Moreno, Hungary's Viktor Orban, Robert Fico, Tusk, Andrzej Duda, Duda, Viktor Szabo, Fitch, Szabo, Adam Glapinski, PiS ., Simon Quijano, Evans, Libby George, Karin Strohecker, Josie Kao Organizations: Civic Coalition, REUTERS, European Union, Law and Justice, European, EU, Brussels, PiS, Gemcorp, Ukraine, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Warsaw, Poland, Brussels, Europe, EU, Slovakia, Britain, London

Donald Tusk, leader of the largest opposition grouping Civic Coalition (KO), speaks after the exit poll results are announced in Warsaw, Poland, October 15, 2023. The incumbent Law and Justice (PiS) party has repeatedly clashed with the European Union over the rule of law, media freedom, migration and LGBT rights since it swept to power in 2015. An Ipsos exit poll published early on Monday gave PiS 36.6% of the vote, which would translate into 198 lawmakers in the 460-seat lower house of parliament. On Monday, Duda urged patience until the full election results were known. However, with the far-right Confederation seen winning just 6.4%, below expectations, according to the exit poll, PiS will struggle to forge a new government.

Persons: Donald Tusk, Kacper, Donald Tusk's, Tusk, Lee Hardman, Andrzej Duda, Duda, PiS, Wladyslaw Kosiniak, Kamysz, beholden, Iga Frackiewicz, Lidia Kelly, Alan Charlish, Gareth Jones Organizations: Civic Coalition, REUTERS, EU, Justice, European Union, European, Polish Peasants ' Party, Thomson Locations: Warsaw, Poland, WARSAW, Brussels, Europe, Polish, Wrocław, Gdansk, Melbourne

Donald Tusk, leader of the largest opposition grouping Civic Coalition (KO), speaks after the exit poll results are announced in Warsaw, Poland, October 15, 2023. A late Ipsos exit poll published early on Monday gave PiS 36.6% of the vote, which would translate into 198 lawmakers in the 460-seat lower house of parliament. RECORD TURNOUTThe late exit poll had been delayed, and some commentators linked this to a record turnout of nearly 73%, the highest since the fall of communism in 1989. Tusk, 66, was jubilant following the announcement of the first exit poll results on Sunday. This is the end of the PiS government," he told party members.

Persons: Donald Tusk, Kacper, Tusk, Donald Tusk's, Cezary Tomczyk, Andrzej Duda, Duda, Mateusz Morawiecki, Joachim Brudzinski, Brudzinski, Wladysław Kosiniak, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, Lidia Kelly, Alan Charlish, Shri Navaratnam, Gareth Jones Organizations: Civic Coalition, REUTERS, EU WARSAW, European Union, Law, Justice, European, EU, TVN, Polish Peasants's Party, Local, Democracy, Thomson Locations: Warsaw, Poland, Brussels, Europe, Wrocław, Gdansk, Melbourne

Partial results with two-thirds of the voting districts reporting their results also showed the opposition parties with a clear lead. The earlier results tend to come from rural areas and small towns, with large cities where opposition parties do better reporting their results later. The Ipsos poll showed that three centrist opposition parties that campaigned on a promise to reverse the illiberal drift of the government had together secured 249 seats in the 460-seat lower house of parliament, or Sejm, a clear majority. “No matter how you look at it, we won,” Law and Justice campaign manager Joachim Brudziński said Monday in an interview on RMF FM radio. Even if the opposition parties take power, they will face difficulties in putting forward their agenda.

Persons: Ipsos, Viktor Orbán, Robert Fico, “, Magdalena Chmieluk, ”, Douglas Wake, Jacek Kucharczyk, ” Kucharczyk, Mateusz Morawiecki, Joachim Brudziński, Andrzej Duda, Duda, haven't, Kamysz, Donald Tusk, Tusk, Elżbieta, Cezary Tomczyk, ” Tomczyk, Kucharczyk, Pietro De Cristofaro, Kwiyeon, Raf Casert Organizations: European Union, Law, Justice, Russia's, Organization for Security, Cooperation, Institute of Public Affairs, Associated Press, ”, RMF, Third Way, Civic Coalition, European, Third, EU Locations: WARSAW, Poland, Poland's, Ukraine, Wroclaw, EU, Brussels, Berlin, Hungary, Russia, Slovakia, Europe, Warsaw, Rome, Belarus

☆ Poland holds high-stakes election amid rows over democratic rule
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-15 | by ( Justyna Pawlak | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/2] Robert Biedron, Wlodzimierz Czarzasty, Anna Maria Zukowska, Joanna Scheuring-Wielgus, Adrian Zandberg and Magdalena Biejat of the New Left (Nowa Lewica) alliance gesture during the final day of campaigning for the parliamentary elections in Warsaw, Poland, October 13, 2023. Opinion polls suggest PiS will come out ahead but could lose its majority amid intensifying discontent over its democratic record, which has cost Poland billions of euros in EU aid, and concerns over women's rights and the cost of living. "This election will show whether Poland will be governed by Poles, or by Berlin or Brussels," PiS leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski told supporters at the party's last campaign rally on Friday. It has built its support on generous social handouts, which it says rival parties will stop. Tusk says his party would maintain social support.

Persons: Robert Biedron, Wlodzimierz Czarzasty, Anna Maria Zukowska, Joanna Scheuring, Adrian Zandberg, Magdalena Biejat, PiS, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, Donald Tusk, Tusk, Rafal Trzaskowski, Pawel Florkiewicz, Giles Elgood Organizations: New, Law and Justice, European Union, EU, NATO, liberal Civic Coalition, European, Warsaw, Confederation, JPMorgan, Thomson Locations: Warsaw, Poland, Slawomir, WARSAW, Ukraine, Washington, Kyiv, Berlin, Brussels, Skarzysko Kamienna, Kalisz

☆ Poland's elections this weekend could mark a crossroad for EU solidarity — and Ukraine support
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( Jenni Reid | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

The Leader of Civic Coalition Party, Donald Tusk delivers a speech during the Women for Elections Campaign rally on October 10, 2023 in Lodz, Poland. EU tiesLaw and Justice's leadership has seen Poland's relationship with the EU and its various institutions become increasingly strained. It resulted in Morawiecki saying last month that his country would no longer supply weapons to Ukraine as it was "now arming Poland." Poland's vote follows elections in neighbor Slovakia which saw populist former Prime Minister Robert Fico return to power. Hungary's firebrand rightwing Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has persistently used inflammatory language regarding the EU, attacking it repeatedly on social media.

Persons: Donald Tusk, Omar Marques, Tusk, —, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, Mateusz Morawiecki, Morawiecki, Robert Fico, Fico, Viktor Orbán Organizations: Civic Coalition Party, Women, Elections, Getty, European Union —, rightwing Law, Justice, Civic Coalition, European, Law, EU, Nurphoto, Consultancy Eurasia Group, Eurasia Group, Confederation, Ukraine, ING, U.S, NATO, rightwing, European Union Locations: Lodz, Poland, Ukraine, Krakow, Berlin, Brussels, Slovakia, Russia, rightwing, Hungary, Germany

Yet increasingly, euro area specific factors, particularly exposure to higher oil prices, risk further weakness in an already stagnating economy, and the single currency. The euro is especially vulnerable to rising oil prices, with net imports accounting for over 90% of oil products available in the European Union. "High oil prices are weighing on the euro area's terms of trade, and if oil prices move above $100 per barrel to $110 per barrel we think it will be difficult for the euro to avoid parity," said Nomura's G10 FX strategist Jordan Rochester. But it also lifts price pressures through higher import costs, compounding the impact from higher oil prices. "Definitely the euro zone is not in a good place right now," said Moec, adding that he did not rule out a euro move to parity.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Jordan, Nomura, Morgan Stanley, Jens Eisenschmidt, Francesco Pesole, Athanasios, Gilles Moec, Dhara Ranasinghe, Alun John, Yoruk, Christina Fincher Organizations: U.S, REUTERS, European Union, OPEC, Barclays, European Central Bank, ECB, ING, Germany, Bank of America, AXA Investment, Thomson Locations: Jordan Rochester, United States, ITALY, Italy, U.S, London, Amsterdam

☆ Thousands gather in Warsaw for opposition rally ahead of tight election
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-01 | by ( Justyna Pawlak | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/6] Overview of crowds and city skyline during the "March of a Million Hearts" (Marsz Miliona Serc) opposition rally, two weeks ahead of the parliamentary election, in Warsaw, Poland October 1, 2023. The opposition is hoping Sunday's march becomes the biggest in decades and galvanises voters to participate in the election. Some carried banners saying "PiSexit" or "The cat can stay", referring to the pet animal of PiS leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski. And we have been denied this money because someone has decided to destroy democracy in Poland," Warsaw mayor Rafal Trzaskowski told those at the rally. Reporting by Justyna Pawlak, Marek Strzelecki and Kuba Stezycki; Editing by Hugh LawsonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Agencja, Slawomir Kaminski, Donald Tusk, Hanna Chaciewicz, Tusk, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, PiS, Rafal Trzaskowski, Justyna Pawlak, Marek Strzelecki, Hugh Lawson Organizations: REUTERS Acquire, Rights, European Union, Law and Justice, European, TVP, Warsaw, Thomson Locations: Warsaw, Poland, EU, Otwock, Public, Brussels

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