Ireland's EU Presidency at a Crossroads: Budget Deadlock, Housing Rules, and Migration Pact Show Their Teeth

The Taoiseach has declared it "extremely challenging" to agree a seven-year EU budget by the end of the Irish presidency, setting the stage for a high-stakes showdown at the October summit. Micheál Martin met with the leaders of Slovakia, Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic in Bratislava, where they presented a united front demanding protections for EU cohesion and CAP funding. The core standoff is between these traditional spending advocates and a bloc of net...