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It is hard not to see Emmanuel Macron's influence in Ursula von der Leyen's speech presenting her team of Commissioner-designates, or in the amount of top EU jobs obtained by France. But the idea of a powerful Europe is also seducing the Germans. EURACTIV France reports.

Belgium's nominee for EU justice commissioner was part of a corruption scheme involving the Congo and Libya, a Belgian former spy has testified.

Early on Saturday a dozen of drones attacked Saudi Arabia's oil installation Abqaiq, and oil field Khurais. Abqaiq is responsible for six million barrels of crude oil or six percent of the world's total oil production. The Houthi rebels of Yemen, who are supported by Iran, claimed responsibility for the attack. Analysts fear oil and gas prices will soar. The Saudi oil company Aramco says production will restart soon.

US officials claim they have proof that 17 points of impact on Saudi Arabia's main oil installation were caused by a combination of drones and missiles coming from Iraq or Iran. They also say that the Yemeni Houthi rebels lack the military sophistication for such a coordinated attack. President Donald Trump reacted on Twitter saying he would wait for Saudi Arabia to name the culprit. Iran denied any involvement.

According to an opinion poll by Belgian media, the far-right party, Vlaams Belang, would have 24.9 percent of the votes and become the largest party of Belgium. The Flemish nationalists (NVA) are losing a few percentages and become the second party with 22.7 percent. In Brussels the Greens would remain the largest with 21.4 percent. In Wallonia the socialist PS and the liberal MR are neck and neck.

Four Catalan and Basque nationalist parties (ERC, PNV, Compromís and Bildu) will endorse Spanish prime minister Pedro Sanchez's investiture to avoid new elections, according to Spanish newspaper El País. The only condition for Sanchez's centre-left Socialist Party (PSOE) is to reach an agreement with the leftist Unidas Podemos (UP). If Sanchez does not reconsider his position on ruling with a minority government before 23 September, elections are likely to happen.

EU's finance ministers supported on Saturday the idea of simplifying European fiscal rules "to increase transparency and predictability," said the commissioner for the euro, Valdis Dombrovskis. During the informal meeting held in Helsinki, the ministers backed the idea put forward by the independent European Fiscal Board (EFB) to focus fiscal rules on debt and government spending (over which finance ministers have control) - instead of on the structural deficit.

Italian former prime minister Matteo Renzi will lead a "consensual separation" from the ruling Democratic Party (PD) to set up a new centrist force, according to the Italian press. The new political party's name could be 'L'Italia del Sì' ('Italy of Yes'). However, senior PD figures asked him to hold back. "Don't let us break up, don't weaken us by splitting the party," said the minister of culture Dario Franceschini.

In the first round of the presidential elections in Tunisia, two independent candidates came on top of the polls: Kais Said gained 19 percent, while Nabil Karoui, a businessman currently in jail, received 15 percent. The candidate of the Islamist party Ennahda came third with 11 percent. The current prime minister, Youssef Chahed was fourth on seven percent. The elections come weeks after president Beji Caid Essebsi died in office.

Six weeks after he took office and six weeks before he is due to lead Britain out of the European Union, Prime Minister Boris Johnson is to meet Jean-Claude Junker.

France has urged the EU to introduce a framework for the regulation of cryptocurrencies, after the introduction of the new Facebook virtual money 'Libra' threatens the financial stability of the EU.

Torn between the cuts caused by Brexit and the investments that the European Green Deal requires, negotiations over the next EU budget after 2020 are getting tough. The EU must not, however, pass on the challenge and use 40% of its funds to support climate action, writes Markus Trilling.

A shock exit by Britain from the EU without an agreement would be "a disaster", the European employers' organisation, Business Europe, warned on Monday (16 September).

The Capitals brings you the latest news from across Europe, through on-the-ground reporting by EURACTIV’s media network. You can subscribe to the newsletter here.

The governments should take full responsibility for the implementation of national cancer plans, which are a commitment toward people and not just a piece of paper, health expert Dr Tit Albreht told EURACTIV.com in an interview.

The man Ursula von der Leyen chose to be her rule of law guard dog in the incoming European Commission is facing allegations of corruption and money-laundering, according to Belgian media. This could cast doubt on another member of her proposed college before all candidates are vetted by the European Parliament.

French far-right opposition leader Marine Le Pen waded into controversy over the appointment of an EU Commissioner for "protecting the European way of life", endorsing a move that has stoked concern about rising populism across the continent.