By extending maternity and paternity benefits to short term migrants, the Italian state will help to facilitate the policy known as ‘replacement migration,’ which is often put forward by liberal politicians as a solution to Europe’s low birth rates and aging population.

Shortly after some 3,000 people gathered in front of the National Assembly last Wednesday in Sofia, tempers flared, and demonstrators—comprised heavily of supporters of the irredentist-nationalist Revival party—clashed with police and stormed towards the parliament, coming just several meters away from the main entrance.

The disappearance of the specific status of the Order is not simply a matter of symbols. Its diplomatic status, for example, facilitates its humanitarian work in a number of countries around the world.

For someone who has just landed one of the most prized jobs in the EU apparat, Metsola has an unusual profile. Her self-professed feminism and staunch defense of civil rights, would place her squarely in the progressive camp, and endear her to many inhabiting the EU’s institutions. Yet, she labels herself a conservative, with an anti-abortion stance to boot.

Poland, Latvia, and Lithuania, as well as other countries like Greece, are the gatekeepers of Europe, protecting their neighbours from a destabilising foreign influx. Their governments continually face hard choices but are steadfast in their commitment. There can be no compromises with extortionists.