European Council President Charles Michel and other key EU figures talked to Euronews on Tuesday as we unveiled an exclusive, first-of-its-kind pan-European poll ahead of June's European elections.
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Among the topics Euronews discussed with some of the bloc's top politicians were Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the situation in the Middle East, migration and how Brussels can ensure people turn out to vote in the elections that will be held between 6 and 9 of June.
"We need to provide more military equipment now" to Ukraine, European Council President Charles Michel, said. "Not in two years. It will be too late in two years. It's now."
Meanwhile, European Commission Vice-President Margaritis Schinas, discussed migration and highlighted recent deals struck with third countries as a good way to crack down on irregular arrivals to the continent.
"We tried to establish partnerships with the 25 countries of origin in transit that mattered to us with migration," he said, emphasising the agreement struck over the weekend with Egypt.
We also heard from European Parliament President Roberta Metsola and NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg.
You can look back at what was said in the live blog below:
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Stay tuned on Euronews for comprehensive electoral coverage between now and June's European elections.
Which parties are topping the polls in EU member states?
Exclusive Ipsos polling for Euronews reveals that the far and eurosceptic right could clinch victory in six of the European Union's 27 member states when EU citizens head to the polls in June.
Parties belonging to the far-right Identity and Democracy (ID) group are on course to win in Austria, Belgium, France and the Netherlands, while parties from the eurosceptic European Conservatives and Reformists are tipped to win in Italy and Latvia.
The centre-right European People's Party is on course to win in an impressive 12 member states, and continue to be the parliament's biggest faction.
Faced with a shrinking electoral base, left-leaning parties could suffer as voters tilt to the right. The centre-right Socialists and Democrats are projected to win in just four countries - Denmark, Lithuania, Malta, and Sweden.
The Left is projected to win in Ireland, while the Greens are not likely to top the polls in any EU member state. The centrist Renew Europe group is on course to come first in the Czech Republic.
Here's what the new European Parliament could look like, according to exclusive polling for Euronews
First-of-its kind polling by Ipsos for Euronews suggests that while support for hard-right and eurosceptic parties is on the rise, pro-European parties will still hold 63% of the seats after June's elections.
It means the so-called 'grand coalition' of pro-EU parties could cling on to its majority.
Yet, parties from the radical and eurosceptic right are projected to see significant gains, topping the polls in six EU member states, including four of the bloc's founding countries - Belgium, France, Italy and the Netherlands.
The findings are based on a survey of 26,000 people in 18 EU member states that represent 96% of the bloc's population.
Exclusive poll projects pro-EU grand coalition straining, but alive
Rising support for the far right and a collapse for Greens and Liberals won’t change the fundamental MEP arithmetic after June elections, the groundbreaking Eu…
Euronews launched Polls Centre to track June's key election
The Euronews Polls Centre allows users to see the distribution of European Parliament by viewing the selectable Map View feature to compare current and future seats for each EU member. Users can also use the Graph View to compare current seats with the Euronews Forecast for 2024, our projection for how seats will be dispersed among the EU Party Groups based on current polling data.
Euronews Polls Centre : Tracking the next European parliament
Europe’s most innovative, interactive and comprehensive resource dedicated to campaigns, elections and political polling for the 2024 European Elections.
Exclusive Euronews poll projects pro-EU grand coalition straining, but still alive
Rising support for the far right and a collapse for Greens and Liberals won’t change the fundamental MEP arithmetic after June elections, the groundbreaking Euronews/Ipsos survey found.
Support for the far-right is likely to rise in the next European Parliament, but pro-European parties will still hold 63% of the seats, according to a poll carried out by Ipsos for Euronews, published today (19 March).
The exclusive survey – of nearly 26,000 people, in countries representing 96% of the EU population – is the first of its kind in the run-up to landmark elections due in June.
Exclusive poll projects pro-EU grand coalition straining, but alive
Rising support for the far right and a collapse for Greens and Liberals won’t change the fundamental MEP arithmetic after June elections, the groundbreaking Eu…
Mitsotakis: The EU needs to focus on building its strategic autonomy
The Greek Prime Minister took part in a Global Conversation earlier this week and outlined what he thinks are the topics the EU needs to focus on in the coming years.
"As you look at the next electoral cycle and the big issues that we have ahead of us, the ones that I would personally highlight are three. First of all, the need to turn strategic autonomy from a slogan into a real and effective policy.
Look at defence, for example. We not only need to spend more on defence, but we need to coordinate our defence spending.
"The second challenge has to do with overall European competitiveness. How we can ensure that Europe remains competitive vis-a-vis China, the US and the Global South? This will mean better jobs and better-paying jobs for European citizens."
"The third challenge is to be more specific and more sectoral. It has to do with agriculture and our farmers at a time when food security is very high on our agenda," he added.
Watch the full interview in the link below:
‘What we have achieved in Europe is unique in history,’ says Greek PM
Euronews asks Kyriakos Mitsotakis, the Prime Minister of Greece, what’s at stake in the upcoming European elections. #Globalconversation
Make ESMA a 'proper SEC' - Barclays Europe CEO
Barclays Europe CEO Francesco Ceccato calls on the bloc to ensure ESMA, the European Securities and Markets Authority, becomes a "proper SEC", suggesting he wants to see the Authority take on more oversight for regulating the securities markets.
Barclays Europe CEO: Inflation is falling, and it's falling fast
"I am optimistic, I think we have reasons to believe in a brighter outlook," Francesco Ceccato, CEO of Barclays Europe, says.
"The monetary policy of the EU has had an effect, and inflation is falling and falling fast."
The decline in inflation could give a powerful stimulus to investment, he explains, adding that the second half of this year could see an economic rebound following a period of stagnation.
Is @MargSchinas afraid of a far-right surge after the EU elections?
— euronews (@euronews) March 19, 2024
"If you look at Rome, I don’t see Giorgia Meloni as a catalyst for the extreme Putin-philes. I see her as a barrage to the extreme right," Schinas tells @sashavakulina.
"So let's wait a bit."
Metsola: The EU 'cannot become complacent'
In a video message to Euronews, Roberta Metsola, the president of the European Parliament, praised the bloc's track record over the past few years in dealing with major crises including the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
"However, we cannot become complacent. We need to keep delivering and making the case for Europe. But we must also be honest about what we could have done better. If we do not listen to people's concerns and worries we will lose out to those who just want to destroy rather than build."
"My message is: Do not take Europe for granted. Your vote matters. It matters for our freedom, our rights and our way of life," she added.
MEP Botenga: 'Brussels bubble' blind to European reality
People in the Brussels bubble are blind to the economic reality of many Europeans, MEP Marc Botenga of the Left group told the crowd at Euronews On Air.
"I've continued to live on basic salary of a Belgian worker throughout my mandate," he affirmed, when questioned about his own generous salary as an MEP.
He asserted that with one in three Europeans living in poverty, the reality of the political elite could not be more far from the reality of working class Europeans.
MEP Al-Sahlani: We need to reduce Brussels bureaucracy
"The over-bureaucracy of Brussels tends to harm our reputation among Europeans,” says Abir Al-Sahlani, Swedish MEP for the Renew Europe group.
She says reducing bureaucracy will be a core tenet of her party’s campaign in Sweden.
Liese: EPP will not block Green Deal but focus should be on competitiveness
When asked by an environmental activist whether climate regulation should be stopped, EPP MEP Peter Liese replied that his party plans to stick to the Green Deal.
He added that the EPP will "fight for the implementation" of the Green Deal but said that more needs to be done to boost the competitiveness of the continent.
Reminder: The EPP watered down the Nature Restoration Law, one of the pillars of the Green Deal.
MEPs defy right-wing opposition and approve Nature Restoration Law
The European Parliament gave on Tuesday the green-light to the Nature Restoration Law, defying a conservative push to bring down the bill. #EuropeNews
MEP Liese 'optimistic' that the political centre can withstand projected far-right surge
"I am quite optimistic about the outcome of these elections in country I know best," German MEP Peter Liese, of the centre-right EPP group, said when asked about a potential far-right surge in Germany.
"We can use the next weeks to mobilise the centre," he said.
MEP López Aguilar: We need to build up sense of European belonging
Juan Fernando López Aguilar, a Spanish MEP for the Socialists and Democrats group, calls for a greater mobilisation of European citizens so they feel connected to the European project.
He describes this as the "existential challenge" that the European Union has faced throughout its history.
Schinas: Famous Europeans are the best placed to draw out young voters
The Vice-President of the European Commission said he hopes to produce a "Taylor Swift effect" among young voters in the next European elections, with the influence of famous European personalities such as footballers.
"There are so many leaders out there in sports, in culture, in arts and philosophy, creative industries. We are the envy of the world when it comes to football," Schinas told Euronews.
"And most of these people are committed Europeans. They work across borders. They make a reputation across borders. What's wrong with having these people talk to young Europeans and tell them go to vote? That's, I think, something that governments should also embrace. I'm doing it from Brussels. I don't think that the commissioners are the right people to talk to young people, to tell them go to vote. Probably it will create the opposite effect," he added.
Brussels asks Taylor Swift to mobilise young voters for EU elections
Look what they made her do: Brussels has asked American star Taylor Swift to mobilise young voters ahead of the elections to the European Parliament. #EuropeNe…
Schinas: EPP will be at the heart of a coalition of "moderate, pro-European forces"
Schinas vows that his centre-right European People's Party (EPP) will be "at the heart of a coalition of moderate, pro-European forces."
"I don't see the EPP (...) joining any extreme-right allies," Schinas added.
Some prominent figures of the EPP, including its lead candidate Ursula von der Leyen, have refused to rule out building new alliances with members of the eurosceptic European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) following June's vote.
EU’s centre-right keeps door ajar to populists amid far-right surge
For years, the centre-right EPP group has drawn a red line on the eurosceptic, far right forces in the European Parliament. That line could shift after June’s…
Schinas: We tried to build relationship with 25 countries of origin and transit
European Commission Vice-President Margaritis Schinas tells Euronews that the Commission has tried to build relationship with a total of 25 third countries considered countries of origin or transit for migrants aiming to reach the European Union.
On Sunday, the bloc struck a comprehensive deal with Egypt, which includes cash earmarked to curb the departures of migrants towards Europe via the Mediterranean.
It follows similar deals with Tunisia and Mauritania.
Michel 'accepts criticism' of EU response to the Middle East crisis
"On the Middle East, I accept the criticism," Charles Michel responds when asked about the EU's response to the war between Israel and Hamas.
"The starting point was one of difference between member states."
"It is true there were ambiguous communications from the EU, but it has been used by the Kremlin to fuel this idea of Western hypocrisy," Michel adds.
"On the Middle East, I accept the criticism that it took more time to be united," European Council President @CharlesMichel tells @ShonaMurray_.
— euronews (@euronews) March 19, 2024
"But in a few weeks, in a few months, we are in a position to make significant progress."
Charles Michel: Today it is not a secret that Russia is in a stronger position from many points of view
Michel says it’s "no secret" Russia has the upper hand when it comes to the provision of ammunition.
That’s why the EU needs to speed up and ramp up its deliveries to Ukraine, he says.
Charles Michel: We must tell EU citizens the ‘truth’ about the threat of war
“We must tell the truth to the people… Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is a challenge to all of us. I am absolutely convinced that this is a serious threat,” Michel says.
“There will be European Council in a few days and once again we will try to take concrete steps to offer more support to Ukraine.”
Charles Michel has arrived
We're minutes away from the start of the show, and our main guest European Council President Charles Michel has arrived for the Global Conversation with Shona Murray.
MEP López Aguilar: No democratic deficit
"There is no democratic deficit at all, no competence deficit, we make laws!" Member of the European Parliament Juan Fernando López Aguilar tells Euronews when asked about the relevance of the European Parliament.
MEP Marc Botenga: we need to block the return of austerity
"We need to block the return of austerity rules," MEP Marc Botenga, of the Left group, said.
"We've got a few millionaires, billionaires even, controlling huge amounts of wealth, while one in three Europeans is at risk of poverty, and that's unacceptable."
Euronews On Air - Blue carpet arrivals
Guests talk to Euronews as they arrive for live On Air broadcast
🔴Join us for arrivals and interviews with guests attending our live event from Brussels: Euronews On Air.
— euronews (@euronews) March 19, 2024
Enjoy an evening of debate on Europe's future, getting behind-the-scenes access to live recordings of our programmes. https://t.co/3HL69FHgEl
MEP Abir Al-Sahlani warns of low electoral awareness among EU citizens
"What worries me most is that most European citizens don't know that the elections are coming up," Swedish MEP Abir Al-Sahlani, of the Renew Europe group, says.
Al-Sahlani will take part in the live broadcast of Euronews' talkshow Brussels, my love?
How will the upcoming election impact Europe's business environment?
Euronews' Angela Barnes is preparing to interview Barclays Europe CEO Francesco Ceccato.
"We'll be talking about how the forthcoming elections might impact business environment in Europe," Angela says on the Euronews blue carpet.
"We won't be giving investment advice, but we will be talking about interesting investment areas in Europe to look out for."
Charles Michel to be quizzed about the EU's divisive stance on the Israel-Hamas war
Shona Murray is preparing to ask European Council President Charles Michel about whether the bloc's divisive position on the war in Gaza is undermining the EU's credibility in the world.
The deal struck by EU foreign ministers yesterday to sanction violent Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank came after months of disagreement.
EU reaches ‘political agreement’ to sanction Israeli settlers: Borrell
After weeks of disagreements, the European Union has reached a “political agreement” to sanction extremist Israeli settlers, says Josep Borrell. #EuropeNews
Sasha Vakulina prepares to discuss migration with Commission VP Schinas
"We will talk about one of the most 'divisive issues' in the European Union - migration," Euronews' Sasha Vakulina says on the blue carpet ahead of her interview with European Commission Vice-President Margaritis Schinas.
On Sunday, the EU sealed a new €7.4 billion "comprehensive partnership" with Egypt, which includes €200 million to crack down on human smuggling and trafficking - the latest in a string of deals with third countries to curb illegal migration.
Analysis: The EU’s €7.4-billion bet on Egypt comes with high risks
After Tunisia and Mauritania, the European Union has found a new “strategic” partner to curb irregular migration: Egypt. #EuropeDecoded
First guests arrive on Euronews' blue carpet
Euronews reporters Aïda Sánchez Alonso and Maria Psara are interviewing guests as they arrive for our special On Air broadcast.
Follow Aïda live on Euronews' Instagram.
Lights, camera, action
Check out this exclusive behind-the-scenes peek into Euronews On Air
Here's what to expect from Euronews On Air
Tune in for a special live broadcast of Euronews' flagship programmes from 17.00 CET:
Global Conversation
- European Council President Charles Michel speaks to Shona Murray
- European Commission Vice-President Margaritis Schinas speaks to Sasha Vakulina
Brussels, my love?
- Méabh McMahon hosts two debates between Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) from six political groups
The Big Question
- Angela Barnes talks to Francesco Ceccato, CEO of Barclays Europe
Euronews and Ipsos will then reveal an exclusive, first-of-its-kind pan-European poll ahead of June's 2024 European elections.
Euronews On Air | 19th March 2024 | Live show from Brussels to Europe.
As the European Union goes to the polls amid global turmoil, we invite you on March 19 to join us and some of the continent’s leading voices at Euronews On Air…