Brussels
The E.U. this week split its top posts between the left and the right. The two largest parliamentary blocs of parties struck a power-sharing deal that put a conservative, former Portuguese prime minister José Manuel Barroso, in charge of the European Commission. A socialist, former Spanish transport minister Josep Borrell, assumed the presidency of the European Parliament. Both men are fluent in English and French, the two most widely used E.U. languages. Borrell opposed the war in Iraq, while Barroso backed it. But at his confirmation hearings last week, Barroso sought to downplay that support. While emphasizing that the E.U. should have a good relationship with the U.S., he added, “I hate arrogance. I hate militarism. That, I detest.”
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
'We already have the tools to do better'Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Kurdish PKK militia to disband for Turkey talksspeed read The Kurdistan Workers' Party will disarm after four decades of armed conflict with Turkey, putting an end to 'one of the longest insurgencies in the Middle East'
-
US, China agree to lower tariffs for 90 daysspeed read US tariffs will fall to 30% from 145%, while China will cut its tax on US imports to 10% from 125%
