France is digesting the controversial recommendations made by President Emmanuel Macron. Essentially the president is calling to combat Islamist separation in France. The sense that a religion can separate a person from the lifestyle and values of France, where church and state are separated by law. But will Macron's words in Mulhouse, in eastern France, get to the heart of the matter?
Where is Jamal Khashoggi? Since exactly one week ago, his fiancée and friends have been rallying outside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul where the journalist and prominent critic of the Kingdom's policies disappeared. Khashoggi has gone for wedding documents. Riyadh claims he exited through a back door, the Turks are dubious and the search is on for clues. We ask our panel how much the columnist is a thorn in the side of Mohammed Bin Salman and a régime which insists it's opening up.
A technocrat interim prime minister who may never form a government. Will the Italian president call early elections or try again to cut a deal with an unprecedented populist coalition. Will a founding member of the EU be led by euro skeptics? With no clarity on the horizon, the now-steadied European markets may falter. Why is the backlash against traditional politics still growing, with new parties blowing up the old left vs right divide? When the dust settles, what will Europe look like?
Italy is raising anchor and setting sail for unchartered waters, with Europe's boat rocked by an unprecedented populist coalition. President Sergio Mattarella is expected to approve law professor Giuseppe Conte as premier. The new government, led by the anti-establishment Five-Star Movement and the far-right League, is promising a flat tax, welfare payments to poor families, a pivot towards Russia and the deportation of migrants. Will this government be the kiss of death for a strong EU?
It's Donald versus Donald. The president of the European Council let loose on trade tariffs and the Iran nuclear deal ahead of an EU leaders' dinner in the Bulgarian capital on Wednesday. A fighting speech, but how does it help those trying to salvage the Iran deal? Already French giant Total has warned its new mega gas project with the Iranians is in jeopardy. How can the EU respond when the US owns the currency used to trade oil? What will Europe do?
