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EU leaders discuss budget negotiations amid election pressure

◆3 sources

EU leaders met in Brussels to discuss the next long-term EU budget, high energy prices and further financial support for Ukraine. Negotiations on the 2028-2034 budget remain difficult, with net contributors including Germany and the Netherlands seeking to limit spending while other countries favour a larger budget. European Council President António Costa is seeking an agreement by 2026, before elections in several member states, but Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said Italy would not accept an unfavourable deal merely to meet that deadline.

French presidential candidate Marine Le Pen urged President Emmanuel Macron not to conclude a budget agreement before the French election. She has argued that France should reduce its EU contribution and end financial support for Ukraine, saying funds should instead address France's public debt. Le Pen also said a pre-election agreement would be undemocratic, while warning that a change in France's government could affect the negotiations.

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Le Pen's budget-deficit target

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French presidential candidate Marine Le Pen said she wants to reduce France's budget deficit to below 3% of gross domestic product by 2032. She criticized the government's 2027 budget and said she wants to present an alternative plan.

Politics

Warning over Marine Le Pen’s possible election as French president

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Ed Kronenburg said that a possible election of Marine Le Pen as president of France would pose a major threat to Europe’s security and cohesion. He said that, if she won, Vladimir Putin would have a supporter in the European Union and urged Europe to stand firm.

Politics

France prepares for disinformation around presidential elections

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France is preparing for possible foreign disinformation campaigns ahead of its presidential election, with Russian networks identified as a particular concern. Raphaël Glucksmann, a left-wing candidate, reported a fabricated video that falsely portrayed his wife, presenter Léa Salamé, as seeking to bribe journalists. The video used an imitation of journalist Edwy Plenel’s voice and was described as typical of the Russian network Storm-1516. Glucksmann’s campaign says he has been targeted several times by foreign interference. The French government has warned that manipulation and interference could increase as the election approaches. The agency Viginum, established in 2021 to detect and counter foreign interference, has investigated networks including Storm-1516 and Matryoshka. Researchers say such campaigns can blur the distinction between true and false information, although their actual effect on voters remains unclear. Glucksmann’s party, Place Publique, is responding by emphasizing direct contact with voters.