The Parliament

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni visited US President-elect Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida over the weekend. Her visit adds weight to the idea she could be one of Europe's leading "Trump whisperers" as he re-enters the White House later this month. "Meloni wants to be the leader. And now that Trump is elected, she really wants to show that she's able to have a direct dialogue with Trump,” Jean Pierre Darnis, a professor in Franco-Italian relations at the Université Côte d'Azur, recently told The Parliament. https://bit.ly/4h24OQu

Over the weekend, Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni made a surprise trip to Mar-a-Lago to meet with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, just days ahead of his inauguration. This move reinforces perceptions of Meloni as a leading European voice within Trump's circles. In a strategic development, Italy is reportedly nearing a billion-dollar deal with SpaceX, further bolstering Meloni's ties with Elon Musk and enhancing her influence with the new administration. However, she is expected to advocate primarily for Italian national interests rather than serve as a spokesperson for the EU as a whole, as I noted a few days ago together with Eloise Hardy for the latest issue of The Parliament. With comments by Nathalie Tocci, Jean-Pierre Darnis, Joern Fleck, and Luigi Scazzieri. https://shorturl.at/GgrLU

As EU member states work to reach higher defence targets, a fragmented approach to weapons production and procurement is undermining those efforts. A senior security researcher at The Clingendael Institute warns that scaling up isn't easy as it "requires expanding infrastructure and hiring more workers who are specially trained.” https://bit.ly/4gKQonZ

More high-income countries have been exploring how to outsource asylum to poorer ones. The overthrow of Bashar al-Assad in Syria has accelerated the conversation over how to reduce immigration. In an op-ed, Charlotte Slente the secretary general of the Danish Refugee Council / Dansk Flygtningehjælp observes the dangerous precedent that externalisation sets. It harms both asylum-seekers and international humanitarian law as a whole. https://lnkd.in/esqhtuCG

For Bulgaria and Romania, the new year comes with a new border policy. The EU members have fully joined the Schengen Area. But it comes at a time when the visa-free region is under threat from migration and security fears. https://bit.ly/3ZYLY5N

The new year means looking ahead. What Francesco Cappelletti sees is an urgent need for the EU to incentivise investments in its tech sector and digital infrastructure. In an op-ed, the cyber security researcher at Vrije Universiteit Brussel argues that the block otherwise risks falling behind global competitors. https://bit.ly/4gVRw7P

Could 2025 be the year the war in Ukraine ends? Donald Trump returns to the White House in just a few weeks, bringing with him a demand to negotiate with Russia. The EU's position remains a divided one, at a time the bloc may need to step up support for Ukraine if the US reduces its role. Here's where things stood at the 1,000-day mark. https://bit.ly/41YKxqO

With Trump returning to office, the EU is likely to pull every lever it can in hopes of getting on his good side. Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni may try to position herself as the go-to intermediary. She has presented herself as the happy medium between Trump's transactional worldview and the EU establishment's claim to values-based cooperation. If Meloni plays her cards right, she could boost her standing in a right-leaning EU. Critics, however, say she lacks the vision to see beyond her own power and national interests, which will limit her influence. https://bit.ly/4gNp882

As we head into the new year, we look ahead to a series of significant challenges that face the new European Commission. Trump, trade, climate, Ukraine ... these are just some of the top issues our coverage has the latest on. Check it out! https://bit.ly/4a0dft1

The EU's GreenDeal is under increased political pressure, in light of the bloc's new focus on competitiveness. In an op-ed, a member of the EESC Employers' Group argues that the EU must recalibrate its carbon policies to balance business and climate goals. https://bit.ly/49XeitL