E.U. bitterly divided
The week's news at a glance.
Brussels
The first E.U. summit to include the 10 prospective new members collapsed in disarray last weekend after the countries couldn’t agree on a constitution. The stumbling block centered on voting power in the E.U.’s main decision-making body. Poland and Spain wanted to stick with the system that was agreed on three years ago, which would have given them nearly as many votes as Germany, which has twice their populations. Germany and France backed a new, weighted system of voting. Animosity was already high between the two camps over the Iraq war, which Poland and Spain supported but Germany and France opposed, and the talks broke down early. The expansion of the E.U. from 15 to 25 members will still go ahead next May, as planned; the union will continue to operate under the old system.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
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.
-
What should you be stockpiling for 'World War Three'?
In the Spotlight Britons advised to prepare after the EU tells its citizens to have an emergency kit just in case
By Elizabeth Carr-Ellis, The Week UK Published
-
Carnivore diet: why people are eating only meat
The Explainer 'Meatfluencers' are taking social media by storm but experts warn meat-only diets have health consequences
By Elizabeth Carr-Ellis, The Week UK Published
-
Scientists want to fight malaria by poisoning mosquitoes with human blood
Under the radar Drugging the bugs
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published