Ethical banks and social economy push housing to the heart of the European debate

At a time when house prices have risen by over half in fifteen years and nearly a million people sleep without a fixed place each night, the urgency of the topic becomes visible. Simultaneously, the practice of cooperatives, foundations, and ethical banks shows that solutions are under construction, though they require time, sustained cooperation, and thoughtful financing. The questions that arose during this afternoon – how much space Europe gives to the social economy in its policies, what role ethical banks get, and how quickly this can become concrete – will resonate for a long time with everyone following the housing issue.

Kazakhstan seeks new balance in its relations with Europe

The core of Roman Vassilenko’s message is clear: Kazakhstan stands between major powers but wants to help shape the rules itself. The country is investing in transport corridors, digital infrastructure, agriculture and energy, and is deliberately seeking close ties with the European Union. The fact that Kazakhstan supplies thirteen percent of Europe’s oil and sixteen percent of its uranium illustrates how significant that role already is. At the same time, the speech in Brussels raises further questions: how quickly can Europe keep pace with the plans for the Middle Corridor, and how far is it prepared to go in a partnership with a country that also cooperates intensively with Moscow and Beijing? For readers of indegazette.be, this report opens a window on a region that often seems far away, but in practice comes very close through energy, trade and logistics.

Protest outside ICC calls for action against Muslim Brotherhood

Manel Msalmi put it bluntly on Sunday in The Hague: while one report after another sounds the alarm, decisive action remains absent. Five Brussels municipalities under influence and extremist organisations operating with relative freedom – the evidence is there. The question that lingered in front of the ICC building: how much longer will Europe wait?

Harry Van Bommel calls in The Hague for an international ban on the Muslim Brotherhood

In essence, Harry Van Bommel used his appearance in front of the International Criminal Court to tie together his experiences in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, French findings on the Muslim Brotherhood and Dutch intelligence reports into a concrete appeal to international institutions. The reference to a French report describing the movement’s presence in social and political structures, together with warnings from the Dutch intelligence service about risks to the rule of law, stands out in particular. The broader question running through his speech is how democracies should respond when a religiously inspired movement seeks lasting political influence while operating within existing legal systems.

Europe searching for firm ground in its response to political Islamist networks

Ramon Rahangmetan pointed out that they too can face pressure when political movements use religion as an instrument of control within neighbourhoods, associations or families. Through factual research, open debate and consistent law enforcement, European societies can, according to him, both protect the rights of believers and prevent a political organisation from quietly changing the basic rules of democracy from the inside.

Iran-backed networks reaching into Europe under scrutiny in The Hague

In her speech in The Hague, Fahimeh Elghami draws a direct line between violence in the Middle East and security in Europe. She describes armed networks around Iran, the IRGC and ideological partners such as the Muslim Brotherhood and Al-Qaeda, and argues that these structures are already present on European territory. That single point gives particular weight to her appeal to the International Criminal Court and European states: either these organisations are recognised as responsible for violence and radicalisation, or the current situation is allowed to continue with predictable risks. The manifestation in The Hague shows how victims of repression and political violence try to make their experiences heard, hoping that institutions founded in the name of law and truth will also translate those principles into concrete action.

Middle corridor emerges as strategic lifeline between Europe and Central Asia

The summary for readers is straightforward: a freight route starting in China and passing through Kazakhstan is quickly becoming a test case for how Europe wants to trade, secure supply lines and work with partners in Central Asia. The choices made now, from infrastructure and investment to standards and transparency, will influence how goods, ideas and political dialogue move across Eurasia in the years ahead. Anyone following the debate on Europe’s future trade routes can see that the Middle Corridor is no longer a remote project, but a central element in that discussion.

Roundtable in Brussels on connectivity between European Union and Kazakhstan

In Brussels, on Wednesday 19 November 2025, between 12.15 and 14.15, policymakers and experts sit down together to discuss the future of the middle corridor between the European Union and Kazakhstan. The combination of strategic questions about trade routes, a 12-billion-euro investment package and a focus on digital infrastructure gives this meeting a very concrete character. For readers who follow the debate on European connectivity, it becomes clear how infrastructure, geopolitics and technological cooperation are brought together in a single conversation. Decisions taken in room SPINELLI 5G1 can ultimately influence the everyday work of freight operators, ports and companies that depend on reliable routes between Europe and Central Asia.