World
2023: Europe's year explained in charts and data
Dampened economic prospects, two raging wars and extreme weather events have all deeply affected Europe in 2023.
Whilst the cost of living crisis showed signs of abating in 2023 as inflation figures cooled, economies considered amongst Europe’s most resilient came under immense pressure due to the impact of inflation on consumer spending.
2023 also saw far-right parties make small but solid gains across the continent, building momentum ahead of the 2024 European elections.
July, the hottest year on record, brought with it extreme wildfires to southern Europe. The bloc has since started to increase its aerial firefighting fleet in preparation for increasingly scorching summers.
Euronews takes a look at Europe’s year in 2023 through data.
Cost of living crisis cooled
After prices sky-rocketed in 2022 amid the energy crisis brought about by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, 2023 saw inflation cool across the continent.
Whilst the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Slovakia continued to grapple with high consumer prices until the year’s end, inflation across the bloc’s 27 member states fell three-fold from an average 9.9% in February to 3.1% in November.
The drop was driven by a particularly steep decrease in the cost of energy, which fell 11.5% year-on-year in the euro area in November 2023, the biggest decline since 2020.
A consistent decrease in food prices also brought some respite to consumers, after the surge in the prices of household staples in 2022.
Economies came under pressure
But stubbornly high inflation throughout 2022 and early 2023 took its toll on Europe’s economies, with tightened belts curbing consumption and investments.
The 19-country euro area entered a technical recession in June after two consecutive quarters of decline, driven by soaring energy prices. It continued to contract in the third quarter, while the European Union’s economy stagnated.
The downturn was driven by disappointing economic performance in Europe’s industrial powerhouse, Germany. According to its government’s estimations, Germany’s economy is expected to shrink by 0.4% in 2023, while the EU executive foresees a slightly smaller contraction of 0.3%.
Far-right slowly gained ground
2023 saw Europe’s far-right make small but solid gains, gaining momentum that could translate into electoral success in key elections taking place in 2024.
Germany’s Alternative for Germany (AfD) won a historic local election victory in the in the central state of Thuringia in June and its first mayoral election in a city in December.
Geert Wilders caught many in Europe off guard when he snatched a surprise electoral victory in November’s Dutch election, leaving him in pole position in ongoing coalition government talks.
With support on the rise in countries such as France and Austria, far-right parties could be eyeing important gains in next June’s European elections.
Europe boiled
July was the hottest month the world has ever seen, pushing the average global sea temperature up to a new record of 20.98ºC.
Spain saw sea temperatures reach a scorching 31.21ºC in Dragonera, the Balearic islands.
With the scorching heat came devastating wildfires. The largest wildfire ever recorded in the EU raged in north-eastern Greece in August, as the EU mobilised half of its aerial firefighting fleet to contain the blaze.
World
Plane circles Fenway Park for an hour towing banner imploring Red Sox ownership to sell the team
BOSTON (AP) — A small plane towing a banner imploring Red Sox ownership to sell the team flew over Fenway Park on Friday while Boston and the Houston Astros took batting practice.
The plane towed a banner with big red letters reading: “FIRE CRAIG! SELL THE TEAM!”
The banner was aimed at Craig Breslow, Boston’s chief baseball officer, and Red Sox principal owner John Henry.
Boston enters Friday game against the Astros in last place in the AL East, with a 12-19 record.
Breslow fired manager Alex Cora on April 25 after a 17-1 road victory over the Baltimore Orioles.
The small plane circled the ballpark for over an hour. Fans outside the park were seen looking up and trying to read the banner.
With the Red Sox off to such a poor start this season, chants of “Sell the team!” have been heard at Fenway. Last week, those chants grew louder after the Red Sox were swept at home by their longtime rivals, the New York Yankees.
The 50-year-old Cora was the manager of Boston’s last World Series team in 2018, which won a club-record 108 regular-season games. And, Cora was a member of the team’s 2007 World Series-winning club. Cora was 620-541 as Red Sox manager, and the first manager to be fired this season.
Henry also owns the Liverpool soccer team. Last week, fans protested against rising ticket prices.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
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A driver in training sent a bus careening into the River Seine near Paris Thursday after hitting a parked car and veering off the road, triggering a massive rescue operation, according to BBC and Reuters.
All four people on board were pulled to safety as more than 90 firefighters, divers and emergency crews — along with boats and a helicopter — responded, officials said.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation, and drug and alcohol tests came back negative.
EMERGENCY CREWS RESPOND TO TOUR BUS ROLLOVER WITH DOZENS OF PATIENTS IN NEW YORK
French emergency services and firefighters responded after a bus with passengers fell into the River Seine in Juvisy-sur-Orge, near Paris, France, April 30, 2026. (Abdul Saboor/Reuters)
The incident happened in France’s Juvisy-sur-Orge, about 12 miles south of Paris, as the driver was nearing the end of her practical training, transport officials told the BBC.
Authorities said the bus missed a turn near the riverbank, instead continuing straight and dragging a parked car into the water before plunging into the Seine, Reuters reported.
Dramatic images show the bus partially submerged as rescue crews surrounded it with some individuals on top of the vehicle while others worked in the water below.
WILD VIDEO SHOWS SPEEDING CAR GOING AIRBORNE, EJECTS DRIVER INTO BACKYARD POOL
Workers recover a bus that plunged into the River Seine in Juvisy-sur-Orge Thursday, near Paris, France. (Abdul Saboor/Reuters)
Witnesses described a chaotic response, with one saying it felt like “every firefighter in the department” had arrived as bystanders initially threw life rings into the river before first responders took over.
TERRIFYING VIDEO SHOWS OUT-OF-CONTROL MTA BUS PLOWING INTO CARS IN THE BRONX, INJURING 8
French emergency services and firefighters respond after a bus with passengers fell into the River Seine in Juvisy-sur-Orge, near Paris, France. (Abdul Saboor/Reuters)
Officials later launched an internal investigation into what caused the crash.
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Video released later showed crews using cranes to pull the submerged bus from the river as helicopters circled overhead.
White House officially tells Congress that hostilities with Iran have ‘terminated’ despite continued presence of US troops in Middle East.
Published On 2 May 2026
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