EU Budget Talks Stall Ahead of Super Election Year, Costa Faces Entrenched Positions

EU Council President António Costa is leading budget negotiations with member states holding entrenched positions, threatening a deal before the 2026-2027 super election year. The impasse centers on fiscal allocations and conditionality, with uncertainty over whether a compromise can be reached. This matters because failure to agree could undermine EU cohesion and delay funding for key priorities ahead of elections.