June 19.– The European Commission adopted on Friday a plan on how it intends to follow up on the outcome of the Conference on the Future of Europe and transform the proposals into legislative action.

This Communication is the first step in the Commission’s follow-up. It offers an assessment of what is needed to follow up on the Conference’s proposals, gives an overview of the next steps and sets out how best to learn the lessons from the Conference and embed participative democracy into the EU’s policy and law-making.

Dublin, June 16.– The 2022 Global Forum "Higher Education Leadership for Democracy, Sustainability and Social Justice" organized by the Council of Europe in co-operation with the International Association of Universities, International Consortium for Higher Education, Civic Responsibility and Democracy, Organisation of American States opened in Dublin today on the premises of the Dublin City University. The Forum gathered over 120 participants from all continents.

In his opening statement, Matjaž Gruden, Director for Democratic Participation of the Council of Europe, stated that "knowledge and critical thinking are the driving force of progressive change. Always had been. Always will be."

Surprising Le Pen's National Rally's parliamentary advance.

Paris, June 19 (Dp.net).– President Macron's centrist alliance is projected to lose its majority despite getting the most seats in the final round of the parliamentary election Sunday, while the far-right National Rally appeared to have made huge unexpected gains.

Macron's parliamentary candidates are not expected to reach de 289 seats required to have a simple majority but will certainly fall 40 seats short, if not more. However, he will still count with the larger group in Parliament, far ahead of the Socialists and the Greens (expected to get close to 200 seats), the National Rally hoping to get between 80 and 90 seats (up from eight seats before), and the Republicans and their allies, expected to get close to 70 seats.

Mélenchon’s France Unbowed party now leads a broader left coalition, known as the Nupes, or the New Popular Ecological and Social Union. Clémentine Autain, a close ally of Mélenchon, described the united left’s result as a “breakthrough”.

Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor on Thursday praised fellow Justice Clarence Thomas for his dedication to the high court’s integrity in light of recent protests and threats that were made against him and the institution.

Washington DC, June 18.– Speaking at the American Constitution Society, Sotomayor, who was nominated by former President Barack Obama, said Thomas is a “man who cares deeply about the court as an institution.”

And while the two often disagree in their opinions, Sotomayor said she and Thomas have a “common understanding about people and kindness towards them,” adding, “Justice Thomas is the one justice in the building that literally knows every employee’s name, every one of them. And not only does he know their names, he remembers their families’ names and histories.”