After its establishment just nine months ago, Bulgaria’s strange "coalition of rivals" has finally broken down. This will lead to another early election, but for the time being Bulgaria’s pro-Western course seems safe.
Poland, Romania, Czechia, and Hungary lag in euro adoption, mainly driven by political factors, concerns over national sovereignty and potential economic drawbacks.
Viktor Orbán caved in without a fight at the EU summit as fellow leaders made clear they were ready for a harsh response to his intransigence over aid for Ukraine and pro-Russian course.
The Polish democratic alliance won the October elections on a promise to restore the independence of politically captured state institutions, including the National Bank of Poland, whose governor is mounting an international campaign to avert a probe into his conduct.
A senior aide to President Andrzej Duda has dismissed speculation that he might block the appointment of Donald Tusk, the former EU council chief, as Poland's next prime minister on the pretext that he was a "risk to national security". Such an attempt to defy the parliamentary majority that backs Tusk would plunge Poland into an uncharted constitutional crisis.