Talking Europe

In a week when France has been at the forefront of EU news thanks to heated exchanges between President Macron and Members of the European Parliament, we speak to leading French MEP from the president's political group, Fabienne Keller. The former Strasbourg mayor tells FRANCE 24 Emmanuel Macron is "determined" to make progress on key issues including rule of law in the EU, and argues that he should be re-elected as French leader, saying "he needs five more years to finish the job".

As EU ally Ukraine reels from a massive cyberattack on government websites, the EU Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth tells FRANCE 24 that this kind of attack should not come as a surprise. "We should not be surprised but we have to be ready to act. That means more co-ordination and more joint actions between member states," Mariya Gabriel said.

As EU ally Ukraine reels from a massive cyberattack on government websites, the EU Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth tells FRANCE 24 that this kind of attack should not come as a surprise. "We should not be surprised but we have to be ready to act. That means more co-ordination and more joint actions between member states," Mariya Gabriel said.

As EU ally Ukraine reels from a massive cyberattack on government websites, the EU Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth tells FRANCE 24 that this kind of attack should not come as a surprise. "We should not be surprised but we have to be ready to act. That means more co-ordination and more joint actions between member states," Mariya Gabriel said.

As EU ally Ukraine reels from a massive cyberattack on government websites, the EU Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth tells FRANCE 24 that this kind of attack should not come as a surprise. "We should not be surprised but we have to be ready to act. That means more co-ordination and more joint actions between member states," Mariya Gabriel said.

In just a few weeks' time, Covid permitting, the Winter Olympics will open in Beijing. A celebration of sporting exploits it may well be, but the event will also be taking place amid a charged political atmosphere. Lithuania was the first EU member state to join the US, UK and Australia in declaring it would stage a diplomatic boycott of the Games, citing human rights concerns in China. The EU's overall relationship with China is the subject of this debate between two MEPs.

In just a few weeks' time, Covid permitting, the Winter Olympics will open in Beijing. A celebration of sporting exploits it may well be, but the event will also be taking place amid a charged political atmosphere. Lithuania was the first EU member state to join the US, UK and Australia in declaring it would stage a diplomatic boycott of the Games, citing human rights concerns in China. The EU's overall relationship with China is the subject of this debate between two MEPs.

In just a few weeks' time, Covid permitting, the Winter Olympics will open in Beijing. A celebration of sporting exploits it may well be, but the event will also be taking place amid a charged political atmosphere. Lithuania was the first EU member state to join the US, UK and Australia in declaring it would stage a diplomatic boycott of the Games, citing human rights concerns in China. The EU's overall relationship with China is the subject of this debate between two MEPs.

In just a few weeks' time, Covid permitting, the Winter Olympics will open in Beijing. A celebration of sporting exploits it may well be, but the event will also be taking place amid a charged political atmosphere. Lithuania was the first EU member state to join the US, UK and Australia in declaring it would stage a diplomatic boycott of the Games, citing human rights concerns in China. The EU's overall relationship with China is the subject of this debate between two MEPs.

The Omicron variant of Covid-19 has brought a "tidal wave" of new cases, according to the WHO. France has seen record numbers of positive cases – as have several other EU states. This week, President Emmanuel Macron said he wanted to "piss off" the unvaccinated, limiting their access to certain social spaces like restaurants and cinemas as a means of convincing more of them to get their jabs. Meanwhile, more and more EU member states seem to be moving towards making vaccination mandatory. Austria is set to become the first EU country to make the jabs obligatory, as of February – with the measure valid until 2024.