Meloni leads EU coalition demanding ambitious budget as Germany calls for cuts

The European Council has begun, with a group of 16 member states, including Italy, meeting beforehand to demand an "ambitious, fair and balanced" EU budget for 2028-2034. The coalition, called Friends of Cohesion, signed a joint note outlining their shared priorities for the upcoming negotiations. The group's four key demands, as outlined by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, include sufficient resources for common priorities, safeguarding Cohesion and Agriculture funding, fair contributions from member states, and rejecting rebates on national contributions. The coalition aims to stay united to ensure these priorities are reflected in the final agreement. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, however, stated that the budget must be "significantly reduced" from the Commission's proposals, calling the negotiations "very, very difficult." He emphasized that no member state can afford current contribution levels, and identified competitiveness and defence as Germany's main priorities, while not expecting a conclusion this week.