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German MP Strack-Zimmermann set to lead Liberals in EU elections

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German MP Strack-Zimmermann set to lead Liberals in EU elections

German politician and defence veteran Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann is set to join the race to head the EU executive, after she was fielded to be the lead candidate of Europe’s Liberal party (ALDE) in June’s ballot.

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Strack-Zimmermann – who belongs to Germany’s Free Democratic Party (FDP), part of the country’s three-way governing coalition – was the only name put forward to lead ALDE’s electoral bid.

ALDE is one of the three political forces that make up the centrist Renew Europe group, home to liberal, pro-European political parties in the European Parliament.

A defence expert who has earned a reputation domestically for her outspoken criticism of Russia’s war against Ukraine, Strack-Zimmermann will be one of three candidates sent by Renew to battle it out ahead of June’s vote.

She chairs the Bundestag’s defence committee and has consistently pressured Chancellor Olaf Scholz to step up military support by delivering more ammunition and long-range weapons, including Taurus cruise missiles, to Kyiv.

Her nomination will be formalised with a vote by ALDE delegates during the Renew group’s campaign kick-off in Brussels on March 20. A spokesperson told Euronews that her nomination is all but guaranteed.

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“ALDE Party believes Marie-Agnes has a strong and suitable profile that is needed to convey our liberal message in the European campaign for Europe to regain a competitive edge, for our citizens to regain trust in European institutions and to make Europe a safe place for its citizens,” the party said in a statement.

Its member parties include the likes of Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas’ Estonian Reform Party, and Dutch caretaker Prime Minister Mark Rutte’s People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy. 

The Renew Europe group is also home to two further political parties, the European Democratic Party (EDP) and French President Emmanuel Macron’s Renaissance party.

Each of its three political forces will field individual lead candidates ahead of June’s crunch ballot. The EDP has already nominated Sandro Gozi, a current member of the European Parliament, and Renaissance is mulling Valérie Hayer, who also chairs the Renew group in the European Parliament, as their choice.

A Renew spokesperson told Euronews that when all three parties convene in Brussels later this month, it is likely that Strack-Zimmermann will be endorsed as the lead pick from the three, likely to represent Renew Europe in electoral debates and lead the fight in electoral rallies.

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All three parties will also pitch individual manifestos, but have agreed on common ’10 priorities’, due to be unveiled later this month.

But none of the three candidates is likely to have a shot at the Commission top job, with latest polls suggesting the Renew group could drop from third to fifth place in June’s vote, losing its kingmaker position to far-right groups.

Ursula von der Leyen, the lead candidate of the centre-right European People’s Party (EPP), is likely to sail unchallenged to secure a second term at the Commission’s helm.

‘Europe of freedom’

The confirmation came as the FDP party launched its electoral campaign ahead of the EU-wide vote, which takes place on June 9 in Germany. Strack-Zimmermann will also head its electoral list.

She has made defence and a free market economy the core tenets of her platform, vowing to ensure less bureaucracy, more individual freedoms and more security for Europeans.

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In its manifesto, her party proposes further support to Ukraine so that it can “win the war and regain its territorial integrity”, a push for more free trade agreements, including with the US, a new EU ‘Bureaucracy Reduction Act’ and the legalisation of cannabis.

FDP leader Christian Lindner, who serves as Germany’s Finance Minister, said that the party’s campaign is “a double declaration of war” against those who are against European unification and those who want to make the EU a “bureaucracy trap.”

The party hopes the strong domestic profile Strack-Zimmermann has developed on defence policy in the context of Russia’s aggression can help buoy its support in the polls.

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But with all three parties in Germany’s governing coalition struggling with some of the lowest approval ratings in their history, her party faces an uphill battle. Recent polls put the FDP at 5%, its lowest support rate since the 2021 federal election.

The FDP has also often sparked uproar in Brussels for last-minute attempts to veto key EU laws, including the phase-out of the combustion engine and, more recently, new rules forcing companies to vet business partners for environmental damage and human rights abuses.

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2 people killed in collision between jet and vehicle at New York’s LaGuardia Airport, source says

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2 people killed in collision between jet and vehicle at New York’s LaGuardia Airport, source says

NEW YORK (AP) — An Air Canada regional jet struck a fire truck on the runway after landing at New York’s LaGuardia Airport late Sunday night, crushing the nose of the plane, according to authorities and photos of the wreckage.

Two people were killed, according to a person familiar with the investigation into the crash. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss an active investigation.

Two Port Authority employees who were traveling in the fire truck also were injured, the person said.

There were 72 passengers and four crew members aboard the aircraft, a Jazz Aviation flight operating on behalf of Air Canada, according to a statement from the airline. The flight originated at Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport, the major airport serving Montreal.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said in a statement that the jet had struck a rescue and firefighting vehicle that was responding to a separate incident at about 11:45 p.m. The airport was closed as of 3 a.m. to facilitate the investigation, officials said.

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Photos and videos from the scene showed severe damage to the front of the aircraft, with cables and debris hanging from a mangled cockpit. Nearby, a damaged emergency vehicle lay on its side.

Stairways used to evacuate passengers from aircraft were pushed up to the emergency exits on the jet, a Bombardier CRJ. The impact left the jet with its crumpled nose tilted upward.

In the moments before the crash, an air traffic controller could be heard on a radio transmission giving clearance to a vehicle to cross part of the tarmac, then trying to stop it.

“Stop, Truck 1. Stop,” the transmission says. The controller can then be heard frantically diverting incoming aircraft from landing.

Jazz Aviation issued a statement confirming the accident and noting the passenger and crew list was preliminary and subject to confirmation.

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The National Transportation Safety Board said it was investigating the incident.

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Trump, Starmer agree Strait of Hormuz must reopen as Middle East conflict escalates

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Trump, Starmer agree Strait of Hormuz must reopen as Middle East conflict escalates

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President Donald Trump spoke with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Sunday to discuss escalating tensions in the Middle East, with a focus on the urgent need to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and restore global shipping.

The leaders discussed the current situation in the Middle East, and in particular, the need to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to resume global shipping, Downing Street said in a statement.

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Keir Stamer, UK prime minister, during a news conference providing an update on the situation in the Middle East, at Downing Street in London, UK, on Thursday, March 5, 2026.  (Tolga Akmen/EPA/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

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“They agreed that reopening the Strait of Hormuz was essential to ensure stability in the global energy market. They agreed to speak again soon.”

The call came amid a rapidly intensifying conflict in the region, with Iran blocking the strategically vital strait since the United States and Israel launched coordinated strikes against Iranian targets on Feb. 28.

The military action triggered swift retaliation from Tehran and has since escalated into a broader regional war as Iran has sent missiles into numerous neighboring countries not directly involved in the initial conflict.

UK NUCLEAR SUBMARINE DEPLOYED TO ARABIAN SEA BEFORE IRAN TARGETS KEY US-UK BASE: REPORTS

President Donald Trump takes questions from reporters during a meeting with Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin in the Oval Office of the White House, on St. Patrick’s Day, Tuesday, March 17, 2026, in Washington.  (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

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On March 21, Trump issued a 48-hour ultimatum to Iran demanding the reopening of the key maritime route, through which approximately 20% of the world’s oil supply passes.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump warned that failure to comply would result in further U.S. action, including potential strikes on Iran’s energy infrastructure.

EU PUSHES FOR END OF IRAN WAR IN A MANNER WHERE ‘EVERYBODY SAVES FACE’

Bulk Carrier, Belray, in the Gulf, near the Strait of Hormuz on March 22, 2026 in northern Ras al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates. (Getty Images/Getty Images)

Sunday’s conversation between Trump and Starmer perhaps reflected a thaw in the tense relationship between the two leaders.

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Trump had publicly criticized the U.K. government, stating that Britain “should have acted a lot faster” in allowing the U.S. to use British military bases for strikes targeting Iranian missile sites.

Starmer had also maintained that the use of U.K. bases could only be justified under the principle of “collective self-defense” in the region.

He had initially declined to support the U.S.-Israeli military operation, drawing repeated criticism from the White House.

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Meanwhile, Trump appeared to apply public pressure, sharing a “Saturday Night Live” clip Sunday mocking the British prime minister’s handling of the crisis.

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French elections: Paris stays left as far right makes mixed gains

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French elections: Paris stays left as far right makes mixed gains

France’s municipal runoff delivered a mixed verdict for the country’s main political forces on Sunday: the Left held Paris with Socialist Emmanuel Grégoire, the far-right and its allies scored a major symbolic win in Nice, and mainstream parties pointed to resilience in several big and mid-sized cities ahead of the 2027 presidential race.

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Municipal elections in France are local contests to elect mayors and local councils, but they are closely watched because they test party organisation, alliance-building, and grassroots strength before national campaigns begin.

In the capital, Socialist Emmanuel Grégoire defeated conservative rival Rachida Dati, ensuring Paris remains under left-wing control after outgoing mayor Anne Hidalgo chose not to seek another term.

The result extends a quarter-century of left-led rule of the capital and hands to the Socialists one of the most visible prizes of the night. Grégoire presented the result as a mandate for a progressive vision of the city.

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Elsewhere, the left also had reasons to celebrate. In Marseille, Socialist incumbent Benoît Payan was re-elected after the far right had hoped to seize France’s second-largest city.

While in Lyon, Green mayor Grégory Doucet held on after a hard-fought race against his conservative rival, which was reshaped by a last-minute merger with the list of hard-left party France Unbowed.

Socialists record strong showing

The Socialists also held or performed strongly in several regional cities, reinforcing the impression of a broader recovery for the traditional left.

For the far right, the picture was more complex. National Rally (RN) leader Jordan Bardella hailed what he called the party’s biggest local breakthrough, and RN kept the southwestern city of Perpignan while also winning smaller municipalities.

But the party fell short in several of the larger cities it had targeted, notably Marseille, Toulon and Nîmes. The exception was Nice, where Éric Ciotti — once a senior figure in the mainstream right and now allied with RN — won the race, giving the far right and its partners control of France’s fifth-largest city.

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The elections also brought clearer signs of fragmentation on the centre-right and in President Emmanuel Macron’s camp.

Former prime minister Édouard Philippe was re-elected in Le Havre, strengthening his standing as a possible 2027 contender, while Macron’s centrist forces could point to a symbolic win in Bordeaux, where Renaissance candidate Thomas Cazenave defeated outgoing Green mayor Pierre Hurmic.

At the same time, the loss of Macron’s former PM, François Bayrou, in southwestern Pau, underlined the vulnerabilities of the broader presidential alliance.

Turnout remained a concern. According to the Interior Ministry, participation in mainland France stood at 48.1% at 5 p.m., higher than the Covid-disrupted 2020 election but still below pre-pandemic levels.

Taken together, the results do not predict who will succeed Macron in 2027. But they do sketch the political landscape from which that contest will emerge: a left that can still win major cities, a mainstream right that remains locally entrenched, a centre searching for durable footholds, and a far right that is growing but may still face limits in the country’s biggest urban battlegrounds.

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