July 7, 2025: VDL's Test, Trump's Tariffs, Macron's Gamble

On July 7, 2025, Europe is bracing for a whirlwind of political drama. In Strasbourg, Ursula von der Leyen faces her 'test'—a high-stakes no-confidence debate in the European Parliament where she's brought her entire College of Commissioners to project unity. Disgruntled lawmakers, particularly from Renew and S&D groups, are using this moment to rebuke her over concerns like the Green Claims Directive and her "flirtation with the hard-right allies," with the shadow of the 1999 Santer Commission's collapse hanging over the proceedings.Meanwhile, the specter of Donald Trump's 'tariffs' looms large over the EU. The U.S. has extended a deadline to August 1 for trade deals to avert brutal tariffs, threatening a 17 percent tariff on EU food imports, citing frustration with Brussels’ food safety standards, like the "chlorine-rinsed chicken". Trump has also threatened an extra 10 percent tariff on "Any Country aligning themselves with the Anti-American policies of BRICS," a stance that has even prompted Denmark to rely more on the EU than the U.S. for its security.And across the Channel, Emmanuel Macron's 'gamble' is once again a hot topic, as the French President has regained the constitutional right to dissolve the lower house of parliament and call a snap election. A year after his previous "fateful decision" resulted in political instability, despite the general view that another dissolution would be "political suicide," Macron remains tempted by this bold move amidst his domestic struggles and "hairline cracks" in his relationship with the UK on handling Trump. Join us as we unpack these pivotal moments shaping Europe's future.