STRASBOURG ― Ursula von der Leyen appealed for unity when she appeared before MEPs on Monday ― for the sake of the whole of Europe. Three months on from the last time she faced a no-confidence vote, the European Commission president was in a slightly more conciliatory mode, and so were her more moderate opponents. In July, von der Leyen used the occasion to defend herself against accusations of wrongdoing on “Pfizergate” ― the unpublished text message exchange with a drugmaker CEO during the Covid pandemic. But this time there was less policy debate and fewer surprises. MEPs will vote on the two no-confidence motions, brought by the far right and far left, on Thursday (even though she’ll almost certainly survive that because her centrist opponents say they’ll back her). Here are some things we noticed. 1. A SOFTER TONE BUT VON DER LEYEN STILL PLAYS UP THREATS FROM THE KREMLIN When she faced the first no-confidence vote in July, the Commission president made headlines by saying her critics were “supported by our enemies and by their puppet masters in Russia or elsewhere.” She wasn’t quite so strident this time but it’s clear she still sees this as a valid line of attack. She urged lawmakers not to fall into what she called a “trap” laid by Vladimir Putin. She said the Russian president’s attempts to divide Europe were “the oldest trick in the book,” which aimed to “weaken our resolve and resilience.” “This is a trap and we simply cannot fall for it,” she said. 2. SHE DID SEEM TO TRY TO BE MORE CONCILIATORY Von der Leyen said she understood that many of the criticisms heading her way “come from a place of genuine and legitimate concern,” citing issues such as Gaza, Ukraine, trade, and relations with the U.S. That struck a far more mollifying note than the one she expressed in July. 3. VON DER LEYEN THINKS IT HELPS TO PORTRAY HERSELF AS THE STABILITY AMID THE CHAOS When the world is going to hell in a handbasket, at least it’s got the president of the European Commission to keep things steady. That’s one of the tactics von der Leyen is using to urge MEPs to stick by her. Ursula Von der Leyen said she understood that many of the criticisms heading her way “come from a place of genuine and legitimate concern.” | Christophe Petit Tesson/EPA “The world is in the most precarious and perilous state it has been for decades, and Europe is on high alert, from reckless space incursions to attempts at economic cohesion,” she said. “We need to focus on what really matters, which is to deliver for Europeans.” 4. THE CENTRISTS ARE RALLYING ROUND HER… The past few months have seen an escalation in the conflict between von der Leyen’s center-right and the center-left Socialists and Democrats, who aren’t supporting the motion to remove the Commission president. There have been some very public falling outs between the parliamentary chiefs of each side, Manfred Weber of von der Leyen’s European People’s Party and S&D boss Iratxe García. But now they seem to be on the same page for what they see as the greater good ― turning their ire on the extremes and keeping von der Leyen in power. Weber was scathing in his criticisms, notably calling out the far-right Patriots for Europe group for their opposition to the U.S. trade deal. “You are the ones with strong ties to MAGA, so what are you doing for us now?” And García said: “In the face of the empty cries of the far right and a left that has given up governing, our response is clear — dialogue, negotiation and compromise are what bear fruit and improve the lives of citizens.” 5. …BUT IT’S NOT A BLANK CHECK “Support is not unconditional; it depends on you,” García told von der Leyen, suggesting the threat of further opposition will never be far away. “You will only have our support if you keep the agreed promises.” 6. SHORTER IS BETTER? Another of von der Leyen’s tactics seems to be to talk less. In July, she spoke for around 15 minutes, this time she limited herself to just seven. 7. PARIS HANGS OVER EVERYTHING… It’s been another day of turmoil in the EU’s second-largest country. French politics has been a bit of a mess for a while and there’s a school of thought that this has leaked onto the European stage. After all, this week’s two motions of no confidence were both proposed by French MEPs, from the far right and far left respectively. EPP chief Weber described the motions as a “simple propaganda tool.” “I hope you have collected enough material for your French electoral campaign,” he told them. “Support is not unconditional; it depends on you,” Iratxe García told von der Leyen. | Martin Bertrand/Hans Lucas/AFP via Getty Images 8. …AND THE FRENCH FAR RIGHT AREN’T REALLY PRETENDING OTHERWISE  “This is a vote against the Europe of Macron,”  said far-right French MEP Jordan Bardella, who proposed one of the no-confidence motions. (It should be remembered that Macron and von der Leyen don’t hail from the same party.)  9. HER CRITICS AREN’T PULLING THEIR PUNCHES “You have been accompanying the genocide in Gaza,” said Manon Aubry, co-chair of The Left, which proposed the other motion. She also said: “You capitulated to Donald Trump.” Bardella spoke of von der Leyen’s “trade surrender” and said the bloc’s migration and enlargement policies were eroding European sovereignty. 10. ALL IS NOT ROSY IN THE CENTRISTS’ GARDEN Von der Leyen ― like EPP Commission presidents before her ― has relied on Europe’s mainstream parties to keep her in power. But that” pro-European majority”, as it’s called, “is malfunctioning,” according to liberal Renew Europe chief Valérie Hayer. Voting in favor of von der Leyen, as her group will do, “doesn’t mean everything is fine,” Hayer said. “Because since the first motion of censure last July, we can’t say we’ve really made any progress.” 11. THE GREENS ARE NOT PART OF THE VON DER LEYEN CLUB VDL’s EPP is weakening Europe because it’s vacillating on “which side of the political spectrum they stand on,”  Greens co-leader Terry Reintke said. The Greens have plenty of complaints, from the “late reaction” to suffering in Gaza to the scrapping of climate initiatives. But they won’t vote against her, Reintke said, because “do we really, in this crucial moment, want an institutional crisis?” 12. THE ECR IS ON THE FENCE The right-wing European Conservatives and Reformists are no real fans of von der Leyen but they don’t particularly agree with some of her critics either. That will all add up to some of the group backing her in the confidence vote, and some not. That happened in July, too, when the Brothers of Italy party backed von der Leyen, while the Polish ECR delegation voted to remove her. The right-wing European Conservatives and Reformists are no real fans of von der Leyen but they don’t particularly agree with some of her critics either. | Christophe Petit Tesson/EPA “In the ECR, every national delegation will be free to vote according to its conscience and in the interest of its people,” said leader Nicola Procaccini. 13. THE WORLD IS WATCHING (MAYBE) Von der Leyen concluded her speech by saying she believed her words needed to “reverberate around Europe and beyond,” and the message was that “Europe stands together ― and it delivers together.” Whether they’re listening in Prague, Budapest, Bratislava ― or even Berlin and Paris, for that matter ― is another question. Von der Leyen looks almost certain to survive this week, but the wolves are circling.

Listen on * Spotify * Apple Music * Amazon Music From rule of law battles to inside stories, Věra Jourová looks back on a decade in the Berlaymont. The former European Commission vice president recalls her clashes and alliances in Brussels — from sparring with Frans Timmermans to discovering that Thierry Breton never laughed at her jokes. Now back in Prague as vice rector of Charles University and adviser to President Petr Pavel, she reflects on Czech politics, Europe’s future, and life after stepping back from frontline politics. She has also published a book with Viktor Daněk: “Bohové, mlíkař a já.” Plus: Vladimir Putin’s drone incursions over Poland and Romania — cheap plywood craft with costly consequences. Host Sarah Wheaton asks what they revealed about NATO’s readiness, Europe’s unity, and Donald Trump’s hesitation, with Oana Lungescu, distinguished fellow at the Royal United Services Institute and former NATO spokesperson; Jan Cienski, POLITICO’s defense editor; and Eva Hartog, POLITICO’s Russia expert.

Listen on * Spotify * Apple Music * Amazon Music “Europe is in a fight.” With those words, Ursula von der Leyen set the tone for her State of the European Union speech — framing this as Europe’s “Independence Moment.” She proposed sanctions on extremist Israeli ministers over Gaza; floated using frozen Russian assets for Ukraine; and backed calls for a drone wall to protect the bloc’s eastern flank against Russia. She also pledged action on jobs, poverty and housing. But were those fighting words enough to bridge the gap between promises and reality — or did they simply paper over a fraying coalition? Host Sarah Wheaton is joined by Rym Momtaz, editor-in-chief of Carnegie Europe’s Strategic Europe blog; Carsten Brzeski, ING’s global head of macro research; and Sorcha Edwards, secretary general of Housing Europe, to unpack the geopolitics, economics and social policy in the speech. We’ll also hear from POLITICO’s Max Griera in Strasbourg, with on-the-ground reactions from MEPs — and look across the border to France, where President Emmanuel Macron faces fresh political turmoil after the government of Prime Minister François Bayrou collapsed.

STRASBOURG — The European Parliament on Thursday said the EU should sanction members of the Israeli government and pause payments to the country. The Parliament’s first common resolution on the situation in Gaza since the attacks by Hamas on Israel on Oct. 7 2023 came a day after Ursula von der Leyen said the European Commission would sanction “extremist ministers” and violent settlers, and pause bilateral payments to Israel. The text — which was adopted with 305 votes in favor, 151 against, and 122 abstentions — also supports von der Leyen’s proposal to partially suspend trade aspects of the EU-Israel Association Agreement. The Parliament called for EU governments to recognize the state of Palestine in view of achieving a two-state solution, and stated it “strongly condemns the obstruction of humanitarian aid to Gaza by the Israeli Government, which has caused a famine in northern Gaza.” The resolution also includes a demand to carry out an investigation into war crimes and human rights violations, “and for all those responsible to be held to account.” The Socialists, liberals and Greens agreed on the text on Tuesday, but the center-right European People’s Party — whose votes were essential to reach a majority — had refused to sign off on the wording. On Thursday morning, just ahead of the vote, the EPP backed the text after scoring concessions from the other groups. They managed to avoid the Parliament declaring the situation in Gaza as a “genocide” and cut any mentions to the situation in Gaza being a “man-made famine.” The EPP also managed to delete sections of the text that condemned the Commission and EU governments for lack of action. As the EU’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, said on Tuesday, EU governments haven’t been able to come up with a joint strategy on how to put pressure on Israel. 

Nearly a decade after EU leaders declared all Europeans have the right to decent housing, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Wednesday that it’s time for the bloc to deliver. “A home is not just four walls and a roof: it is safety, warmth, a place for family and friends,” von der Leyen told European Parliament lawmakers during her annual State of the European Union address in Strasbourg. “But for too many Europeans today, home has become a source of anxiety.” Citing data that shows housing prices across the bloc have increased by more than 20 percent since 2015, the Commission president vowed to do more to tackle an issue that has generated mass protests in many of Europe’s cities and become a major factor in national elections. “This is more than a housing crisis,” she said. “It is a social crisis.” Von der Leyen has made the housing affordability crisis a key priority of her second administration, tapping Denmark’s Dan Jørgensen to be the bloc’s first commissioner for housing. The latest Eurobarometer survey shows Europeans want the EU to make solving the cost-of-living crisis a top priority. During her speech, von der Leyen confirmed the Commission will unveil its European Affordable Housing Plan early next year, which will include measures to accelerate the construction of new homes, renovate existing buildings and end homelessness by 2030. Responding to long-standing demands from housing experts and national governments, she said the Commission will revise state aid rules so that EU members can use public cash to build affordable housing. Following up on last year’s EU legislation requiring the registration of all short-term rentals by 2026, she also promised to further rein in the tourist flats that are a major factor in the EU’s housing shortage. EU mayors are calling for measures that would target properties in stressed markets like those found in most of the bloc’s major cities and tourism hot spots. “Nurses, teachers, and firemen cannot afford to live where they serve,” she said. “Students drop out because they cannot pay the rent, and young people delay starting families.” “Housing is about dignity,” von der Leyen added. “It is about fairness. And it is about Europe’s future.”

European lawmakers accused Commission President Ursula von der Leyen of striking a bad, one-sided trade deal with U.S. President Donald Trump after she defended the accord in her annual State of the Union address Wednesday.  “Where was Europe when you signed an unfair deal with Trump?” asked Socialists & Democrats leader Iratxe García Pérez. Responding to von der Leyen’s speech, she called the EU’s decision to accept a 15 percent tariff on most EU exports while scrapping its own tariffs on U.S. industrial goods “unacceptable.”  The EU’s strategic autonomy, said García Pérez, has been buried “under a golf course.”  She was referring to the trade deal that von der Leyen struck with Trump at his Turnberry resort in Scotland in July. Von der Leyen and her aides have defended the deal as the best that could be done in difficult circumstances. Many critics fear, however, that it will condemn the bloc to an era of economic subjugation. Ahead of Wednesday’s speech, the European Socialists had already come out against the deal — and others leaped at the chance to criticize the agreement or voice specific concerns.  Both on the left and radical-right side of the Parliament, the truce with Trump was criticized widely. Martin Schirdewan, the German leader for The Left, said that “fighting overcapacity with more trade is like throwing lighters on the fire of the European economic crisis.” LEFT-RIGHT PILE ON Bas Eickhout of the Greens and Jordan Bardella of the right-wing Patriots for Europe both slammed von der Leyen’s promise that the EU would buy €750 billion in U.S. energy — mostly fossil-based — albeit for very different reasons.  Eickhout argued that, amid climate change, this money should be invested into European renewable energy. Bardella claimed, falsely, that EU countries would be coughing up that amount. In reality, this number is based on projections of investments and market developments, not hard agreements. While less harsh in her assessment, Valérie Hayer, chief of the liberal Renew Europe group, urged von der Leyen to “continue standing firm” on the bloc’s regulatory power and autonomy in trade talks. Trump has repeatedly attacked the EU’s digital rulebook, arguing that it puts U.S. companies at a disadvantage. European People’s Party leader Manfred Weber — von der Leyen’s political ally and fellow German conservative — seemed relatively isolated in his defense of the trade deal, asking: “What is the alternative to Scotland?” In her speech, von der Leyen called on lawmakers to support the agreement. Their votes will be needed to pass legislation to scrap the EU tariffs on U.S. industrial goods, which in turn would unlock a reduction in the levies on European cars being exported to the U.S. “I have heard many things about the deal we agreed on over the summer,” she said in her hour-long address. “I understand the initial reactions … But when you account for the exceptions that we secured and the additional rates which others have on top — we have the best agreement. Without any doubt.” “The deal provides crucial stability in our relations with the U.S. at a time of grave global insecurity,” she told MEPs. “Think of the repercussions of a full-fledged trade war with the U.S.” Trump, however, is ready to demand more and on Tuesday told the EU it should put 100 percent tariffs on both China and India to pressure them into abandoning support for Russian leader Vladimir Putin and his war against Ukraine, the Financial Times and other news outlets reported. Von der Leyen, in her speech, did not respond to the U.S. demands, but did stress the need to keep up the pressure on Russia. “We need more sanctions,” she said, referring to a 19th round of measures that will prioritize phasing out imports of fossil fuels more quickly. This proposal is expected to land this week, with negotiations between EU governments to follow. 

Ursula von der Leyen’s big State of the Union speech on Wednesday covered a lot of ground, from a plan to sanction Israeli ministers and defense of her U.S. trade deal to support for regulations on Big Tech and calls for all Europeans to have access to electric vehicles. In a testy, at times hostile, European Parliament, the Commission president rarely appeared flustered. But what was beneath the rhetoric and the carefully-crafted statements? *** What she said: “Europe is in a fight.” What she meant: We used to stand beside — well, behind — the U.S. when taking on bullies Russia and China. But the U.S. is now one of the bullies, so let’s hit the gym. *** What she said: “Battlelines for a new world order based on power are being drawn right now. So, yes, Europe must fight. For its place in a world in which many major powers are either ambivalent or openly hostile to Europe.” What she meant: The U.S. alternates between being ambivalent and openly hostile to Europe. Sometimes within minutes of each other. I prefer the former. *** What she said: “We are also working to find a way to grant a bonus to those who support Ukraine or buy Ukrainian equipment. This is emergency financial assistance responding to an urgent need. Last week, I saw this for myself when I visited frontline member states. They know best the threat Russia poses.” What she meant: I was on a plane that may or may not have lost access to GPS signals, and if that did happen, it may or may not have been the work of Russia. The plane may or may or may not have been delayed for a significant amount of time, and the pilots may or may not have had to use paper maps to land. So I feel your pain. *** What she said: “There is no doubt: Europe’s eastern flank keeps all of Europe safe. From the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea. This is why we must invest in supporting it through an Eastern Flank Watch.” What she meant: With effectively no military capabilities, we are instead sending some binoculars to Estonia. *** What she said: “There is no time to waste. At the next European Council, we will therefore present a clear roadmap. For getting new common defense projects off the ground. For setting clear goals for 2030. And for creating a European Defense Semester. 2030 is tomorrow.” What she meant: Chances of the European Council agreeing on anything defense-related by 2030 are next to non-existent. *** What she said: “What is happening in Gaza has shaken the conscience of the world. People killed while begging for food. Mothers holding lifeless babies. These images are simply catastrophic. So I want to start with a very clear message: Man-made famine can never be a weapon of war. For the sake of the children, for the sake of humanity — this must stop.” What she meant: What is happening in Gaza is truly horrific, but I’m going to wait a while before mentioning Israel. *** What she said: “We will put our bilateral support to Israel on hold.” What she meant: We can’t do anything to stop EU members sending whatever they like to Israel. *** What she said: “We are tackling the key bottlenecks identified by the Draghi report — from energy to capital, investment to simplification.” What she meant: The Draghi report came out a year ago, and we’ve done almost nothing he asked for. But he keeps reminding people, so we can’t just forget it ever happened. *** What she said: “The omnibuses we have put on the table so far will make a real difference. Less paperwork, less overlaps, less complex rules. Our proposals will cut €8 billion a year of bureaucratic costs for European companies. A digital euro, for example, will make it easier for companies and consumers alike. And further omnibuses are on their way – for example, on military mobility or digital.” What she meant: You wait ages for an omnibus and then several turn up at once. *** What she said: “The IMF estimates that the internal barriers within the single market are equivalent to a 45 percent tariff on goods and a 110 percent tariff on services.” What she meant: So my deal with Donald Trump wasn’t that bad, was it. *** What she said: “Energy bills are still a real source of anxiety for millions of Europeans. And costs are still structurally high for industry. We know what drove prices up ― dependency on Russian fossil fuels. So it is time to get rid of dirty Russian fossil fuels.” What she meant: Message to Hungary: stop using Russian gas. Thank goodness I agreed to use massive amounts of American LNG instead. *** What she said: “A home is not just four walls and a roof. It is safety, warmth, a place for family and friends.” What she meant: I live in my office. *** What she said: “I believe Europe should have its own e-car. ‘E’ for environmental — clean, efficient and lightweight. ‘E’ for economical — affordable for people. ‘E’ for European — built here in Europe, with European supply chains.” What she meant: E for extremely scared of the German car lobby. *** What she said: “In Europe, we have access to high-quality food that our outstanding farmers and fishers produce at affordable prices. What she meant: Please don’t keep coming to Brussels and dumping liquid manure everywhere. *** What she said: “We have simplified the CAP [Common Agricultural Policy] — less paperwork and more trust. We have ringfenced income support in the next MFF [Multiannual Financial Framework]. And made sure that funding can be topped up by national and regional envelopes.” What she meant: We have every intention of passing the buck on farmers to the national capitals. *** What she said: “I have heard many things about the deal we agreed on over the summer. I understand the initial reactions. So allow me to be as clear as I can. Our trading relationship with the U.S. is our most important. We export over €500 billion worth of goods to the U.S. every year. Millions of jobs depend on it. As president of the Commission, I will never gamble with people’s jobs or livelihoods. This is why we did a deal to keep market access for our industries.” What she meant: It was a terrible deal, but if you annoy Donald Trump, he says mean things about you on Truth Social. *** What she said: “Think of the repercussions of a full-fledged trade war with the U.S. Picture the chaos.” What she meant: I know it’s already chaos. *** What she said: “We are on the brink – or even at the start — of another global health crisis. As a medical doctor by training, I am appalled by the disinformation that threatens global progress on everything from measles to polio. And this is why today I can announce that the EU will head a new Global Health Resilience Initiative.” What she meant: I’m more than happy to call Pfizer. *** What she said: “When independent media are dismantled or neutralized, our ability to monitor corruption and preserve democracy is severely weakened. This is why the first step in an autocrat’s playbook is always to capture independent media. So we need to do more to protect our media and independent press.” What she meant: Autocrat’s playbook is bad, but Brussels Playbook is great. *** What she said: “I strongly believe that parents, not algorithms, should be raising our children.” What she meant: And Netflix helps. *** What she said: “Climate change is making each summer hotter, harsher, and more dangerous. This is why we have to radically step up our efforts into climate resilience and adaptation, and nature-based solutions.” What she meant: I purposely waited until near the end of my speech to mention climate, to annoy the Greens. *** What she said: I would like to tell you the story of a group of 20 Greek rangers. They are specialists in taming the fiercest of forest fires … As the flames swept closer to the village of Genestoso, they fought day and night to contain the inferno. And in the end — together — they tamed the fire, and the village was saved. It is such an honor to welcome one of these heroes today.” What she meant: Try booing me when I’ve just introduced a handsome, brave firefighter! *** What she said: “I support the right of initiative of the European Parliament. And I believe that we need to move to a qualified majority in some areas, for example, in foreign policy. It is time to break free from the shackles of unanimity.” What she meant: There are too many far-right people in the Parliament, so we can just ignore them.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wants the EU to help front-line countries monitor and defend their borders against potential Russian aggression — backing a long-standing request from Poland and Baltic nations. “There is no doubt: Europe’s eastern flank keeps all of Europe safe. From the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea. This is why we must invest in supporting it through an Eastern Flank Watch,” she told European lawmakers in her State of the Union address Wednesday morning. “This means giving Europe independent strategic capabilities. We must invest in real-time space surveillance so that no movement of forces goes unseen. We must heed the call of our Baltic friends and build a drone wall,” the German politician added. Von der Leyen’s comments came only a few hours after Poland scrambled fighter jets to shoot down Russian drones that entered its airspace. Back in June, Romania also sent warplanes to monitor Russian drones approaching its border. Wednesday’s incident over Poland has been perceived by Western allies as a way for Russian President Vladimir Putin to test NATO’s defenses. Front-line countries — especially Poland, Estonia and Lithuania — have long called for the EU to contribute financially to the defense of their borders. They argue their efforts will protect the bloc as a whole against any attack from Russia, as military and intelligence top brass have warned in the past that Putin could target Baltic nations or Poland to test NATO’s mettle. They have successfully pushed for money from the EU’s loans-for-weapons SAFE scheme to be easily available for items including drones and anti-drone systems. Warsaw launched a project last year dubbed East Shield that aims to strengthen the Polish border with Russia and Belarus, while Baltic nations are starting to teach children to build and fly drones. Countries such as Lithuania are also behind the idea of a “drone wall,” which they see as a permanent presence of unmanned aerial vehicles on their borders to monitor threats. A few days before giving her State of the Union address, von der Leyen went on a front-line state tour that took her to countries including Finland, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia and Poland. “Last week, I saw this for myself when I visited front-line member states. They know best the threat Russia poses,” she told European lawmakers on Wednesday. Von der Leyen also announced the EU will enter into a so-called Drone Alliance with Ukraine and front-load €6 billion from the G7-led Extraordinary Revenue Acceleration (ERA). Russia’s war in Ukraine has highlighted the importance of drones in warfare — they can be used for surveillance purposes and as lethal weapons to reach remote or dangerous areas. Ukraine is widely perceived as being innovative with the technology, namely through the use of AI and automation. Von der Leyen gave few details about the defense road map she has to present to EU leaders in October, but did say she wants to launch a so-called European Semester of Defence to monitor capitals’ progress in military buildup.

Listen on * Spotify * Apple Music * Amazon Music Vor ihrer ”State of the Union” in Straßburg steht EU-Kommissionschefin Ursula von der Leyen unter Druck. Nach dem demütigenden Zoll-Deal mit Trump und internem Streit um die Klimapolitik muss sie ihre Punkte machen. Hans von der Burchard analysiert, welche Ankündigungen zu erwarten sind – und ob von der Leyen den Green Deal opfert. Im 200-Sekunden-Interview: Franziska Brantner. Die Grünen-Chefin warnt davor, den Green Deal aufzuweichen und bezeichnet den US-Handelspakt als Ergebnis einer Erpressung. Sie erklärt, was die Bundesregierung jetzt für die deutsche Autoindustrie tun muss. Außerdem: Im Kabinett fällt die Entscheidung zur zweiten Nullrunde in Folge beim Bürgergeld. Rasmus Buchsteiner berichtet über die Hintergründe und welche anderen Vorhaben die Koalition gleichzeitig auf den Weg bringt. Das Berlin Playbook als Podcast gibt es jeden Morgen ab 5 Uhr. Gordon Repinski und das POLITICO-Team liefern Politik zum Hören – kompakt, international, hintergründig. Für alle Hauptstadt-Profis: Der Berlin Playbook-Newsletter bietet jeden Morgen die wichtigsten Themen und Einordnungen. Jetzt kostenlos abonnieren. Mehr von Host und POLITICO Executive Editor Gordon Repinski: Instagram: @gordon.repinski | X: @GordonRepinski.

Ursula von der Leyen’s State of the Union speech is one of the big set-piece events in the EU political calendar — and what better way to mark the occasion than to play a fun game? So switch on EBS, pour yourself a strong coffee (maybe with a shot of rum in it), and enjoy a game of State of the Union bingo. If you get a full line of correct answers, please stand on the roof of your office block/house and shout “bingo!” really loudly.