German interior minister seeks direct talks with Taliban on deportations
Based on facts, either observed and verified directly by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
But Dobrindt, a Christian Democrat, criticised the current reliance on third parties to mediate deportations, calling it unsustainable.
'We need to strike direct agreements with Afghanistan to facilitate returns,' he told Germany's Focus magazine on Thursday.
In the run-up to the February federal elections, the Christian Democrats of now-Chancellor Friedrich Merz had repeatedly pushed to resume deportations of convicted criminals to Afghanistan and Syria. Public pressure mounted after rejected asylum seekers from both countries were linked to a number of fatal attacks in Germany. Since coming to power earlier this year, the new German coalition government had championed a more restrictive line on migration, both at home and at the EU level.
In response to Dobrindt's proposal, his coalition partner warned that direct talks to the Taliban could legitimise the group internationally. Sonja Eichwede, deputy parliamentary leader of the Social Democrats, stressed that such contact must not become routine.
"Recognising the Taliban as the legitimate government of Afghanistan undermines ongoing international efforts to find solutions for long-lasting peace in Afghanistan and stability in the region," a European Commission spokesperson said on Friday.
Yesterday, Austria became the first EU country to resume deportations to Syria since the fall of the Assad regime.
Magnus Lund Nielsen contributed reporting.
(vib)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Euractiv
2 hours ago
- Euractiv
New budget shows who runs Europe
In today's edition of The Capitals, read about the EU's new seven-year budget, the bloc pondering its stance on Israel, the Greens having no regrets, and the petrol car phase-out. Euractiv is part of the Trust Project Eddy Wax Jul 15, 2025 08:03 9 min. read News Based on facts, either observed and verified directly by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Welcome to the Capitals by Eddy Wax, with Nicoletta Ionta. Sign up here. Today: EU's new seven-year EU ponders Israel Greens have no regrets Petrol car phase out In the capital When Ursula von der Leyen outlines her plan for the EU's new seven-year budget on Wednesday it will be the purest expression of the true power balance across the union: National governments and the Commission are in charge, in that order. And as we'll explain, that's exactly why those in the know think it's doomed. Von der Leyen is tightening control over the trillion-euro fund and cutting out pesky MEPs and traditional interlocutors in Europe's regional governments. If this radical shake-up becomes reality, countries will need to submit a national plan and meet domestic reform targets to get their share of the EU's traditional cohesion and farming subsidies, worth two-thirds of the current budget, as Sofía Sánchez Manzanaro and Jacob Wulff Wold reported in this scoopy piece. The new framework will be modelled directly on the post-pandemic scheme, which sidelined Parliament and enraged auditors over its baked-in unaccountability. Despite soothing words to regions and farmers from von der Leyen in recent weeks, this nightmare – or much-needed modernisation, depending on how you see it – will set the frame for the upcoming negotiations with countries and MEPs. The EU's agriculture commissioner used to be a commanding figure in Brussels (think Franz Fischler). The current incumbent is fighting a rearguard action to stop rural investments from being subsumed into 'national and regional partnerships' – and made vulnerable to cuts, as Euractiv scooped on Monday. Christophe Hansen has insisted that per hectare farm subsidies be ring-fenced, but that doesn't mean the numbers will be at the same level. There is another view. Why should the Commission chew through 17 Spanish rural development plans, instead of just one? France and Germany, crucially, back a cash-for-reforms model, as made clear in this helpful overview of all EU countries' positions, and experts say streamlining the clunky budget is necessary. The model is no surprise. Since 2019, when von der Leyen first took over, Europe has become more governments-led, amid the need for quick Brussels-to-capitals decisions to support Ukraine and buy vaccines. Experts believe the budget's modest size could be its downfall. For all the talk of 'more Europe', Germany has ruled out spending more, and other big countries are hobbled by their budget problems, as Thomas Møller Nielsen writes in this analysis. EU ponders Israel EU foreign ministers will go through their options about how to rework their relationship with Israel to pressure it to end the war in Gaza today. Some diplomats thought the Gaza aid deal struck by the EU's top diplomat Kaja Kallas last week would diffuse today's talks. But the humanitarian situation in Gaza suggests otherwise. "We do not see enough improvement on the ground. We need to really see that this, all this – what we have agreed – is also happening,' Kallas told reporters, including our own Alexandra Brzozowski last night. An EU diplomat said that while 'aid access has gotten better since the deal last week, distribution still remains difficult and of course the aid deal falls short of any full ceasefire." Yet, ministers will remain deeply divided on whether to take measures against Israel, which means no substantive action is expected. The bitter, if familiar reality for Europe, is that trajectory of Israel's war on Hamas will be decided in Jerusalem and Washington. Nonetheless, EU officials took solace in the fact that Israeli and Palestinian ministers came to Brussels for the EU-Southern neighbourhood ministerial dinner last night, the first time since the war in Gaza started. INTERVIEW: Greens have no regrets Greens chief Bas Eickhout said he doesn't regret voting for the European Commission last year, even though the European People's Party is now squarely setting the agenda on all things climate and environment. "But things need to change,' the Dutch MEP told me in an interview, in which he lashed out at 'nasty' pharmaceutical lobbyists for pushing the EU simplification drive too far, and said that von der Leyen, in her 'heart', wants to work with the Greens. Read the full Q&A here. Stick with petrol car phaseout, Berlin says Bad news for Manfred Weber. Germany's new environment minister said the EU should stick to its target of banning new fossil-fuel powered cars from 2035. 'I don't believe in revisiting decisions that have been made and agreed upon ... at the moment when they become effective,' said the aptly-named Carsten Schneider, a Social Democrat, on his first visit to Brussels, Niko J. Kurmayer writes. Europe's right-wingers hate the EU's planned 2035 combustion engine ban and the centre-right EPP – whom Schneider sits in government with – even campaigned for the 2024 EU election promising to scrap it. Whether Schneider's view will ultimately carry the day in car-crazed Germany is another matter. Major news on minors Countries are now allowed to set their own legal age limits for kids to access social media, in a win for France which was pushing for this. On Monday, the Commission released new guidelines to protect minors online. Anupriya Datta has the story. EU fraud-buster race Three contenders are in the running to lead OLAF, the EU's anti-fraud agency that has the power to ruin Brussels careers. Elisa Braun was watching as they made their pitches in the European Parliament Monday. Petr Klement said OLAF shouldn't be a mere advisory body; it must push for binding recommendations and work smoothly with its rival crime-busting body, EPPO. He came first in a secret ballot of MEPs. Slovak ex-Eurojust president Ladislav Hamran pitched OLAF as an 'intelligence service' capable of spotting risks early. Polish EEAS candidate Joanna Krzeminska-Vamvaka positioned herself as a sort of technocratic glue, emphasizing protecting the EU budget and communicating more with the public. In a sure sign of OLAF's independence, the Commission has the final say on who will replace outgoing chief Ville Itälä at the end of the month. Šuica's pact takes shape A Dubravka Šuica-shaped plan to bind the EU more closely to its neighbours around the Mediterranean will come on 15 October, the commissioner told reporters Monday as talks kicked off. Her flagship initiative aims to deepen economic ties and tighten migration management across the Med. Around the bloc UKRAINE | US President Donald Trump said on Monday Europeans will buy US weapons to replace gear sent to Ukraine – a move aimed at increasing deliveries to the battlefield and boosting European purchases of American-made equipment. Read more. GERMANY | Merz claimed credit for the above deal, saying last night: "President Trump and I have discussed this several times in recent days. I have assured him: Germany will play a decisive role." ITALY | The European Commission has raised concerns about Italy's use of its 'golden power' mechanism in UniCredit's €10 billion acquisition of Banco BPM, warning that Rome's conditions may breach EU law. Read more. POLAND | A third major fire in less than a week broke out in Poland on Monday, prompting the authorities to suspect that the incidents may be linked to hybrid operations by Russian intelligence services. Read more. CZECHIA | A Czech journalist is facing a torrent of hate after exposing abuse allegations against far-right MEP Filip Turek, which he denies. Read more. SPAIN | Spain and Catalonia's regional government jointly unveiled a proposed fiscal scheme for Barcelona on Monday, amid concerns that the 'unique' financing plan could undermine the principle of solidarity among the country's autonomous regions. Read more. BELGIUM | Several properties, including an antique store, were searched in connection with the money laundering investigation into former European Commissioner Didier Reynders, Belgian media and Follow the Money report. Reynders had several of his properties raided by Belgian police in December last year, days after he left his EU job as justice commissioner. He is suspected of laundering money by purchasing large amounts of lottery tickets. ROMANIA | The government survived its first no-confidence motion on Monday after Parliament rejected a challenge from far-right parties, but the vote exposed growing tensions within the pro-EU ruling coalition. George Simion, who was behind the motion of censure against the European Commission last week, also spearheaded this push, with other far-right parties. Read more. SWEDEN | The Sámi Parliament election was declared invalid after 88 votes were disqualified, triggering a rerun. The Sámi – an Indigenous people of northern Scandinavia – elect their own parliament. Only 9,755 voters were registered for the election, a fraction of Sweden's estimated Sámi population of 20,000 to 40,000. Also on Euractiv MONEY MAP: We mapped where every single EU country stands on the EU budget. Read here. LE PEN FEELS THE HEAT: From alleged misuse of EU funds to questionable campaign financing, France's far-right Rassemblement National heads into the summer under intensifying judicial scrutiny. Read the story. QUIET PART OUT LOUD: A European Commission official involved in US trade negotiations, said Washington has urged Brussels to 'follow us 100%' on China policy. Read more. THE VISÉ GRAD'S COMEBACK: Regional power blocs like the Viségrad four (Poland, Czechia, Slovakia, Hungary) or the Baltic Triangle are playing an ever more strategic role, argues Angelo Valerio Toma, in this op-ed. Read the op-ed. Agenda Von der Leyen meets a delegation of Fianna Fáil MEPs meets a delegation of Fianna Fáil MEPs Foreign Affairs Council, chaired by Kaja Kallas NATO chief Mark Rutte continues his US visit continues his US visit Press conference by MEPs Siegfried Mureșan (EPP) and Carla Tavares (S&D) on the new EU budget at 09:30 (EPP) and (S&D) on the new EU budget at 09:30 Hearing in the Parliament's social affairs committee with Commissioners Roxana Mînzatu and Valdis Dombrovskis Entre nous Armez les diplomates, formez les working parties: António Costa was spotted belting out La Marseillaise at the French permanent representation to the EU's Bastille Day party last night. A Meeh exit: Katharina Meeh, spokesperson for the German perm rep, is leaving Brussels to become an adviser for German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul. Contributors: Magnus Lund Nielsen, Jacob Wulff Wold, Niko J. Kurmayer, Anupriya Datta, Alexandra Brzozowski, Maria Simon Arboleas, Angelo Di Mambro, Thomas Møller-Nielsen, Elisa Braun, Charles Szumski, Catalina Mihai, Aneta Zachová, Nick Alipour, Aleksandra Krzysztoszek, Inés Fernández-Pontes, Alessia Peretti. Editors: Matthew Karnitschnig, Sofia Mandilara and Charles Szumski.
Euractiv
3 hours ago
- Euractiv
Inside the growing judicial cloud over France's far-right party
France's far-right Rassemblement National (RN) is entering the political summer under a cloud of deepening judicial scrutiny. From alleged misuse of EU funds to questionable campaign financing, the party aiming for presidency in 2027 faces mounting legal headaches, many of which strike at the heart of its financial and political machinery. Top figures on the far right, including the party's president and MEP Jordan Bardella, have characterised the various legal proceedings as politically motivated, describing one of the cases as "clear harassment' against the party." The following is a breakdown of some of the key cases dogging Marine Le Pen's movement – past, pending, and future. At the time of publication, the party and one of its spokespersons did not respond to requests for comment. Ongoing investigation Suspect financing in the 2022 election campaigns (France) French prosecutors raided RN offices on Wednesday as part of an ongoing investigation into the financing of the party's 2022 presidential and legislative campaigns, as well as its 2024 European election run. The probe started in 2024, after an audit by France's watchdog on political funding raised red flags about RN's financial flows. Prosecutors are looking into whether illegal private loans, inflated or fake invoices, later submitted for state reimbursement, were used to fund the party's campaigns, according to the public prosecutor. No charges have been filed so far, and all entities and individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty. A ruling of illegal campaign financing could undermine RN's efforts to present itself as a credible governing party and gather more financial support in the future. 'It's all meant to intimidate our lenders,' said party treasurer Kevin Pfeffer. The European Parliament group's money problem (EU) The European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO), tasked with investigating serious crimes affecting the bloc's financial interests, confirmed on Tuesday that it had launched an investigation into suspected misuse of EU funds, as first reported by Euractiv. An internal audit by Parliament services triggered the probe after identifying alleged fraudulent use of EU allowances to pay individuals or associations close to RN, yet unrelated to parliamentary work, between 2019 and 2024. As the investigation remains in its early stages, no charges have been filed at this time. The risks are both reputational and financial, as prosecutors could seek to reclaim over €4.3 million in allegedly misused funds – a serious threat to a party already burdened with debt. Le Pen, who told French radio RTL she was not familiar with the case, said: 'There may be administrative disagreements with the European Parliament,' and 'we are going to try, once again, to solve them." The parliamentary assistants' case: The high-stakes appeal This is the most politically damaging case, which began with allegations of fund misuse for parliamentary assistants spotted by the European fraud buster OLAF. It triggered a wide-ranging investigation by France's financial prosecutor in 2016 and resulted in several convictions in 2025, including a four-year prison sentence and a ban on running for office for Le Pen . If the ruling is upheld, it would block her from the 2027 presidential race. Appeals are ongoing, with a final decision expected by summer 2026. Le Pen also appealed to the European Court of Human Rights, claiming procedural flaws and political bias, but her complaint was rejected on Wednesday. Campaign kits: A closed, precedent-setting case In 2024, the party received definitive condemnations over its use of standardised "campaign kits" sold to candidates during previous elections. Prosecutors deemed the setup a vehicle for illicit financing practices, resulting in final rulings that now weigh heavily on the party's legal legacy. The case also drew attention to long-time RN ally Frédéric Chatillon. According to an internal audit seen by Euractiv, one of his companies was among those flagged for suspicious payments in the EU's recent parliamentary money probe. The audit does not name him personally. Under the French justice system, repeated offences can lead to harsher potential penalties. Defamation, hate speech and other cases The RN and its members are also frequent targets – and sometimes initiators – of defamation suits, and legal complaints related to hate-related offences or misuse of public money, even as Le Pen has been working to clean up the French far right's image. In June, the spokesperson for the RN and MP Laurent Jacobelli appeared before the Thionville criminal court for having called Macronist MP Belkhir Belhaddad a 'scumbag' in October 2023, after asking him for news about Hamas. Jacobelli acknowledged "clumsy" remarks and said racism was against his philosophy. In recent weeks, MP Caroline Parmentier, a long-standing close ally of Le Pen, has been in the spotlight for having published, over 30 years, racist, antisemitic and homophobic comments in Présent, a far-right daily associated with Pétain, a collaborationist leader of Vichy France during WWII, and supported a Belgian Nazi. She denied the accusations and said her quotes were taken out of context. Last May, it was Daniel Grenon, an MP expelled from RN in October 2024 for stating that dual nationals of Maghrebian origins had 'no place in the highest echelons' of the state, was convicted of public insult and incitement to discrimination. Grenon appealed the ruling. Former MEP Maxette Pirbakas received a suspended one-year prison sentence and a five-year ban from public office for embezzling €57,000 from a Guadeloupe agricultural union. She was convicted of breach of trust, forgery, and using false invoices and appealed the decision, denying wrongdoing. In a separate case, she was ordered to pay over €160,000 in unpaid wages to her assistant. She said she would appeal and denounced a political and partial decision. Fréjus mayor David Rachline, a former campaign director for Le Pen and a RN vice-president, is set to stand trial in September 2025 for alleged favouritism and corruption. His home was searched by financial authorities in March. He denied all wrongdoing. Florent de Kersauson, RN regional councillor and former parliamentary candidate, is also facing charges of breach of trust and asset misappropriation. Prosecutors are seeking a two-year suspended and ineligibility sentence, with a verdict due in September. Nicoletta Ionta contributed to reporting. (mm)
Euractiv
3 hours ago
- Euractiv
Romanian government survives no-confidence vote amid coalition austerity rift
Romanian government survives no-confidence vote amid coalition austerity rift BUCHAREST - Romania's government survived its first no-confidence motion on Monday after Parliament rejected a challenge from far-right parties, but the vote exposed growing tensions within the pro-EU ruling coalition. The failed motion was brought to Parliament by far-right parties AUR, POT, and SOS in response to growing public backlash over the government's fiscal consolidation measures unveiled last week. Among other things, the Romanian government plans to raise the standard VAT rate from 19% to 21%, and replace the reduced rates of 5% and 9% with a single rate of 11%, which will affect essential items such as food and medicine. Romania's ruling pro-EU coalition includes the centre-left PSD, centre-right PNL, reformist USR, and the Hungarian minority party UDMR, led by Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan. However, acting PSD leader Sorin Grindeanu sharply criticised the government's approach, warning it risked repeating the 2010–2011 austerity-driven collapse. 'We didn't sign up to turn a budget crisis into a deep economic crisis,' he said in a bid to distance his party from the austerity measures implemented by the government. Grindeanu accused the government of placing the burden on low-income citizens and reiterated the PSD's call for a progressive tax system as a fairer alternative to widespread tax hikes. He argued that a well-designed progressive model would have avoided the need to raise the VAT. Centrist president Nicușor Dan also took aim at the VAT hike, stressing in a press conference that he had promised to keep it at 19% during coalition negotiations. 'I still believe it was the right path,' he said, noting that other budgetary solutions had been available. Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan defended the government's fiscal stance, pointing to 'early positive signs' from international markets. He also announced a second package of expenditure cuts to be unveiled by the end of July. (cs)
