Jean-Dominique Giuliani signed an editorial in which he reviews the challenges which for Europe mean an increase in power struggles in international relations.

The Democratic Party (SDS) led by Janez Jansa came out ahead in the general elections on 3rd June with 24.96% of the vote and 25 seats. The Marjan Sarec List (LMS) followed with 12.66% of the vote and 13 seats. The Social Democrats (SD) came 3rd with 9.92% and 10 seats (+4) followed by the Modern Centre Party (SMC) of outgoing Prime Minister Miro Cerar with 9.75% and 10 seats. The Left (Levica) won 9.29% and 9 seats; New Slovenia (NSi), 7.13% and 7 seats; Alenka Bratusek Alliance (ZaAB), 5.12% and 5 seats; the Democratic Pensioners Party (DeSUS), 4.91% and 5 seats and the National Party (SNS), 4.2% and 4 seats. In all 9 parties will be represented in Parliament, a record in the country's history. Turnout totalled 51.97%. The issue at stake is which parties will be able to join forces and form a government coalition.

Just one year before the European elections, a conference on the role of Parliament is being organised on 12th June at the European Parliament in Strasbourg. Jean-Dominique Giuliani, Chairman of the Robert Schuman Foundation will be moderating the debate with MEPs regarding the role of the Parliament and its place in European democracy.

On 28th May the Commission suggested new rules to counter plastic waste. They will target ten single use plastic products most seen on the beaches and in the seas around Europe as well as fishing equipment that is lost or thrown away which represent 70% marine waste.

MEPs voted on 29th May on the status of posted workers closing a debate that has divided Europe for a long time. The text provides that workers posted temporarily in another Member State must receive equal pay for equal work in the same place. Postings cannot go beyond 12 months with a possible 6 month extension of the period. Finally the text promises to provide better protection against fraud and exploitation.

On 28th and 29th May the Ministers responsible for Competitiveness debated the future financial framework for research and innovation in 2021-2027. They also spoke of Euratom post 2020, and adopted a general guideline on a draft regulation aiming to improve mutual recognition of goods marketed within another Member State.

On 29th May France organised an international conference bringing together the four main actors in the Libyan crisis, under the aegis of the UN. In the political declaration they committed to working "in a constructive manner with the United Nations" to "introduce their constitutional base for elections and to adopt the necessary electoral laws by 16th September, as well as holding parliamentary and presidential elections on 10th December."

Visiting rights generally mentioned for parents who want to continue seeing a child of whom they are no longer the guardian after a divorce also concern grandparents deemed the Court of Justice in a decision on 31st May.

On 29th and 30th May German Chancellor Angela Merkel was in Portugal to meet her counterpart Antonio Costa. Discussions focused notably on economic cooperation, the reform of the euro zone, the multi-annual financial framework and refugee integration.

On 1st June the motion of no-confidence against Mariano Rajoy's government initiated by the opposition won a majority of votes in Parliament (180 votes against 169). Mariano Rajoy (PP) is to be replaced as President of the Government by Pedro Sanchez, leader of the PSOE, who was sworn in on 2nd June.

On 30th and 31st May the OECD ministerial meeting took place in Paris and was chaired by Paris. The theme was "Reshaping Multilateralism for the Most Responsible, Effective and more Inclusive Outcomes."

On 31st May the 5 Stars Movement (M5S) and the Lega came to agreement for a new government led by Giuseppe Conte. The 20 new members of government, of whom 4 are women were sworn in on 1st June.

On 30th May the Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite signed Lithuania's membership agreement of the OECD. The country will officially become the 36th member after the ratification of the document by the Seimas (parliament).

"Let's step up the pace towards Europe," declared Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettel during his speech to the European Parliament on 30th May. With this he is following the path set by the French President and his Belgian counterpart, amongst others, to speak of the future of Europe in view of the European elections. He said he that he believed that only a European answer could guarantee the well-being of people on the continent and respond to world challenges.

On 29th May the IMF published its "Staff Concluding Statement of the 2018 Article IV Mission" regarding Portugal. This declaration states that Portugal's near-term outlook remains favourable.

On 30th May the Romanian Constitutional Court asked the President of the Republic Klaus Iohannis to lift his veto on the dismissal of the head of the Romanian anti-corruption court (DNA) Laura Codruta Kövesi. The Social Democratic government which lauded the decision, asked for her dismissal for having criticised the country's projects to reform the legal system. Several thousand people demonstrated before the government HQ to denounce this decision.

Some 18,000 soldiers from 19 countries, mainly members of NATO, are taking part in the Saber Strike exercise until 15th June in Poland and in the Baltic countries. This annual exercise piloted by the American army is one of the biggest deployments in Europe for the American forces since the end of the Cold War.

According to a Eurostat communication on 31st May the euro zone's annual inflation rate is estimated at 1.9% in May 2018, against 1.2% in April.

On 28th May the Commission published the 2018 scoreboard of justice in the EU which provides a comparative overview of the independence, quality and efficiency of the legal systems in the Member States.

Until 24th June the Pompidou Centre is launching its annual event called "Move", situated at the intersection of dance and performance and the moving image.