Notices by European News 🇪🇺 (eunews@mastodon.social)

Tens of thousands chanted “Russians, go home!” at yesterday’s anti-Orbán concert in Budapest’s Heroes’ Square ahead of Sunday’s Hungarian election.

Hungary’s independent media has already won the election

Scoops and whistleblowers appearing in the country’s independent press have fed the sense that political change is in the offing

https://www.euractiv.com/news/hungarys-independent-media-has-already-won-the-election/

Orban’s Chances of Winning Hungary Election Drop After JD Vance Rally

The likelihood Viktor Orbán winning Hungary's upcoming parliamentary election has dropped since U.S. Vice President JD Vance made a speech endorsing him, according to the latest betting odds.

https://www.newsweek.com/viktor-orban-hungary-election-jd-vance-rally-11804123

EU warns Trump against ‘illegal’ bombing of Iran’s power stations

The American president has warned Tuesday will be “Power Plant Day” if Tehran does not ease its maritime blockade.

https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-warn-donald-trump-illegal-bombing-iran-power-station-antonio-costa/

Greens call for EU sanctions against Israel over death penalty law

The Greens/EFA Group in the European Parliament has strongly criticised the Israeli parliament’s approval of a law that would allow the death penalty for Palestinians convicted of terrorist attacks, and is demanding EU sanctions.

https://www.brusselstimes.com/eu-affairs/2059497/greens-call-for-eu-sanctions-against-israel-over-death-penalty-law

French Senator Claude Malhuret: "After assembling the most powerful army in the world, failing to win the war against a middle power, causing oil and gas prices to skyrocket, and making incoherent speeches, the golfer from Mar-A-Lago shamelessly admits to being stunned at the Iranian response..."

Troops see that the defense minister is not up to the task, and they are hoping for change – the former face of the Hungarian military speaks out

Former military recruitment face Captain Szilveszter Pálinkás publicly accused Hungary's Defense Minister of ruining army morale through politicization and severe mismanagement. He also claimed the Prime Minister’s son, Gáspár Orbán, is using his influence to push a disastrous, religiously motivated military mission to Chad.

https://telex.hu/english/2026/04/03/troops-see-that-the-defense-minister-is-not-up-to-the-task-and-they-are-hoping-for-change

EU delivers €50 million boost to Jordan’s healthcare, inaugurates key facility

The EU has inaugurated Jordan’s Central Medical Warehouse, the last of 14 facilities delivered under a €50 million health programme carried out with the World Health Organization.

https://www.brusselstimes.com/eu-affairs/2059304/eu-delivers-e50-million-boost-to-jordans-healthcare-inaugurates-key-facility/

EU redirects €1.4b profit from frozen Russian assets to Ukraine aid

The European Union has received €1.4 billion in profits generated from interest on immobilised assets of the Russian Central Bank, with the money set to be channelled into support for Ukraine.

https://www.brusselstimes.com/eu-affairs/2057054/eu-redirects-e1-4b-profit-from-frozen-russian-assets-to-ukraine-aid/

Spanish PM Sánchez: The war in Ukraine is not only about Ukraine, it's also about Putin's attempt to undermine the European Union.

Ukraine to seek alternatives to Patriot missiles amid global shortage, Zelenskyy says

There aren’t enough PAC-3 anti-ballistic missiles to go around, especially with partners prioritizing the war in the Mideast, Ukrainian leader says.

https://www.politico.eu/article/time-for-search-for-alternatives-to-patriot-missiles-ukraine-volodymyr-zelenskyy-said/

Spain closes its airspace to all US aircraft involved in Iran war

The ban comes amid strained relations between Madrid and Washington following US President Donald Trump's threat earlier this month to cut off all trade with Spain over its refusal to allow the bases to be used for Iran operations.

http://www.euronews.com/2026/03/30/spain-closes-its-airspace-to-all-us-aircraft-involved-in-iran-war

Norway should join the EU, says opposition leader

Norwegians voted against joining the EU in 1994. Now it’s time to ask them again, said leader of country’s conservative opposition party.

https://www.politico.eu/article/norway-should-join-eu-says-opposition-leader/

Sadiq Khan urges Labour to campaign on rejoining EU at next election

Mayor of London says returning to EU now more desirable because of economic instability caused by Donald Trump

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/mar/18/sadiq-khan-urges-labour-to-campaign-on-rejoining-eu-at-next-election

EU liberals pitch NATO-style trade pact with Canada, Japan and South Korea

Renew Europe group wants EU to find allies and stop U.S. and China from coercing trade partners.

https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-liberals-pitch-nato-style-trade-pact-canada-japan-south-korea/

‘Never heard him so angry’: Trump is furious that global allies aren’t pitching in in Iran

President Donald Trump on Tuesday fumed at longtime American allies he says aren’t doing enough to help the U.S. and Israel in their war against Iran, now arguing that their assistance was never needed after spending days publicly requesting their help.

https://www.politico.com/news/2026/03/17/trump-iran-nato-allies-assistance-00831355

Update on Trump's Hormuz coalition (Mon, March 16):

🇫🇷 France: REJECTED
🇬🇧 UK: REJECTED
🇮🇹 Italy: REJECTED
🇪🇸 Spain: REJECTED
🇯🇵 Japan: REJECTED
🇳🇴 Norway: REJECTED
🇨🇦 Canada: REJECTED
🇦🇺 Australia: REJECTED
🇩🇪 Germany: REJECTED
🇨🇳 China: NO RESPONSE
🇳🇱 Netherlands: NO RESPONSE
🇰🇷 South Korea: NO CONFIRMATION

EU states must provide proper ID for transgender citizens

The EU's top court on Thursday said the bloc's countries must provide trans citizens IDs reflecting their "lived gender." The case was referred to the ECJ by Bulgaria, which sought clarity on the issue.

https://www.dw.com/en/eu-states-must-provide-proper-id-for-transgender-citizens/a-76336447

Orbán’s rival accuses Kremlin of new smear blitz in Hungary election

The opposition fears that an impending barrage of disinformation videos aims to force its candidates out of the race.

https://www.politico.eu/article/vikto-orban-peter-magyar-kremlin-vladimir-putin-smear-blitz-in-hungary-election/

Trump team bashed Europe for a year. Now he wants support in war on Iran.

European leaders are ramping up their response to the crisis spreading outside Iran but remain wary of a conflict that could have untold ramifications.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2026/03/07/trumps-team-bashed-europe-all-year-now-he-wants-support-his-war-iran/

(To bypass the paywall: https://archive.ph/0JBZV)