UK Finance Minister Rachel Reeves is working on a budget she says will put fairness first, though she may have to rethink past promises on taxes because of high debt and persistent inflation.
Meanwhile, the EU is looking at the possibility of adding new members by 2030, with Montenegro, Albania, and Ukraine making solid progress.
In the UK, Tommy Robinson was cleared after a judge ruled his border stop was unlawful. And in Germany, the government is pushing for more Syrian refugees to return home, even as concerns about conditions in Syria continue.
A glance at the major developments in Europe on Tuesday.
Reeves prepares tough budget choices
UK Finance Minister Rachel Reeves has hinted that her November budget will focus on fairness, even as talk grows about possible tax increases.
She acknowledged that the economy is in a tough spot, public debt is high, inflation has been stubborn, and something has to give.
Reeves said the government will need to make some “necessary choices” to protect essential public services and bring down the national debt.
Although Labour previously promised not to raise income tax or VAT, she suggested those commitments may need to be revisited in order to keep the economy stable and maintain market confidence.
The overall message is that she wants to avoid harsh cuts like those seen during past austerity periods.
Instead, the goal is to support families who are struggling with higher prices, while building a stronger, more resilient economy in the long term.
EU eyes 2030 expansion
The EU has suggested that it could welcome new member states by 2030, and countries like Montenegro, Albania, and Ukraine are showing promising progress.
Montenegro is currently the furthest along in the process, with the EU praising its reforms and efforts to meet the bloc’s standards.
Albania and Ukraine also received positive feedback for pushing ahead with policy changes and working to align with EU rules.
While the 2030 timeline is definitely ambitious, EU officials say these countries could be ready within the next five years if they keep moving forward.
This potential expansion shows the EU’s broader aim of strengthening stability and cooperation across the European region.
Robinson cleared on terror charge
British far-right activist Tommy Robinson was cleared on November 4 of a terrorism-related charge after he refused to give police the PIN to his phone during a border stop last year.
Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, thanked Elon Musk for covering his legal fees.
The incident happened in July 2024, when police stopped him at the Channel Tunnel as he was driving a luxury car to Benidorm. Officers demanded access to his phone using controversial counterterrorism powers.
However, the judge ruled that Robinson was likely singled out because of his political views, which made the stop unlawful.
Germany pushes Syrian repatriation
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced that Syrians currently in Germany no longer have valid grounds for asylum following the end of the civil war in Syria.
He urged Syrian refugees to return home voluntarily, stressing that their participation is vital for the country’s reconstruction. Merz warned that those who refuse to leave may face deportation.
This hardline stance comes as Merz’s conservative party counters a surging far-right ahead of key state elections next year.
Germany, which took in the largest number of Syrian refugees during the war under Angela Merkel’s open-door policy, now plans to accelerate repatriations despite ongoing humanitarian concerns in Syria.
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