The locations of the European Parliament, and the discussions regarding them. Although members of the European Parliament meet in Brussels most of the time, they also have to travel to Strasbourg for four days each month for plenary sessions. This is, in fact, the official location for these meetings; or the ‘seat’ of the European…
What is the Spitzenkandidaten procedure and who are the Spitzenkandidaten? Ursula von der Leyen, Nicolas Schmit, Valérie Hayer, Sandro Gozi, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, Bas Eickhout, Terry Reintke, Raül Romeva, Maylis Roßberg and Walter Baier. Not all of these names will sound familiar to European citizens, but they are the Spitzenkandidaten of the European groups in the…
The manuscript for fixing the European youth vote. Better reach and motivate young people to vote in European elections? If it is up to European Commission vice-president Margaritis Schinas, this should be done by harnessing the reach and popularity of US pop icon Taylor Swift. Clever? Yes, because at a time in which social media…
What are Malta’s biggest concerns ahead of the 2024 EP elections. Malta: the smallest European Union (EU) member state and one of the sunniest. This Mediterranean country, which used to be a British colony, has also been a film set for Game of Thrones and the 1980 Popeye movie. Malta joined the EU in 2004…
An interview with MEP and Volt Belgium party leader Sophie in ‘t Veld about the upcoming elections for the European Parliament and the ambitions of her party. Sophie in ‘t Veld has been a Member of the European Parliament (EP) since 2004. For a long time, she was a Member of the European Parliament in…
Continued disinterest despite controversial changes within the country? Welcome to the next country in Shaping Europe’s country profiles ahead of the European Parliament (EP) elections: Slovakia! This landlocked European Union (EU) member state is home to over 6000 caves and has the highest number of castles and châteaux per capita. Its capital, Bratislava, is located…
Major national political changes for the European pioneer in sustainability. Portugal is a Member State of the European Union (EU) in Southern Europe. The country was founded in 1143, making it one of the oldest nation-states in Europe. The Portuguese language is the official language in nine countries. The oldest bookstore in the world (1732),…
From the Ibiza Scandal to the Rise of the Right-wing. Nestled in the heart of Central Europe, Austria is a landlocked country, which is bordered by eight nations, including Germany, the Czech Republic, and Italy. The home country of the most well-known classical composer, W. A. Mozart fascinates visitors with its stunning Alpine landscapes, classical…
From a beekeeper and a Paralympian to a former Disney presenter and a TV chef. Recently, in this Shaping Europe article, you could read more about voting rights and candidacy for the European Parliament elections. Of course, it’s crucial to know a lot about that, but it’s much more enjoyable to examine the most remarkable,…
Keep the current course or go in a different direction? Romania, the land of Transylvania and Dracula. The homeland of Francesco Illy, the inventor of the espresso machine, and Nadia Comăneci, the first gymnast ever to score a perfect 10 at the 1976 Olympics. Where you will find the world’s heaviest building at a whopping…
Recent articles
What is the Spitzenkandidaten procedure and who are the Spitzenkandidaten? Ursula von der Leyen, Nicolas Schmit, Valérie Hayer, Sandro Gozi, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, Bas Eickhout, Terry Reintke, Raül Romeva, Maylis Roßberg and Walter Baier. Not all of these names will sound familiar to European citizens, but they are the Spitzenkandidaten of the European groups in the…
The manuscript for fixing the European youth vote. Better reach and motivate young people to vote in European elections? If it is up to European Commission vice-president Margaritis Schinas, this should be done by harnessing the reach and popularity of US pop icon Taylor Swift. Clever? Yes, because at a time in which social media…
What are Malta’s biggest concerns ahead of the 2024 EP elections. Malta: the smallest European Union (EU) member state and one of the sunniest. This Mediterranean country, which used to be a British colony, has also been a film set for Game of Thrones and the 1980 Popeye movie. Malta joined the EU in 2004…
2024 European Parliament elections
The locations of the European Parliament, and the discussions regarding them. Although members of the European Parliament meet in Brussels most of the time, they also have to travel to Strasbourg for four days each month for plenary sessions. This is, in fact, the official location for these meetings; or the ‘seat’ of the European…
The manuscript for fixing the European youth vote. Better reach and motivate young people to vote in European elections? If it is up to European Commission vice-president Margaritis Schinas, this should be done by harnessing the reach and popularity of US pop icon Taylor Swift. Clever? Yes, because at a time in which social media…
What are Malta’s biggest concerns ahead of the 2024 EP elections. Malta: the smallest European Union (EU) member state and one of the sunniest. This Mediterranean country, which used to be a British colony, has also been a film set for Game of Thrones and the 1980 Popeye movie. Malta joined the EU in 2004…
Conflict and Defense
Shedding light on the EU’s future path towards a self-sustaining defense capacity. Defense integration could be imperative for ensuring the internal stability of the European Union (EU) in the long term. The EU has been steadily advancing its ambitions in this area over the last decade. Right now, it has the opportunity to accelerate the…
The potential impact of the Slovak elections on support for Ukraine. Following the September 2023 Slovak parliamentary elections, the European Union (EU) and Ukraine may have something to worry about. The recent Slovak parliamentary elections saw the return of Robert Fico to national office. The success of Fico and his populist left party, Smer-SSD (in…
The contextualisation of the conflict between Armenia, Azerbaijan and Nagorno-Karabakh. On 19 September 2023, Azerbaijan launched an attack on the ethnic Armenian enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh. Azerbaijan claims it did this after four Azerbaijani soldiers and two civilians were killed in the enclave that same month. A ceasefire was declared rather quickly after the attack, so…
Climate and Sustainability
The dual threat of climate change to Europe’s last indigenous people. Climate change affects us all. Both the effects of climate change itself, and the measures that need to be taken to deal with it affect our lives. However, some groups are hit harder by this than others. Especially people who depend on their natural…
The history and current role of botanical gardens, and the mutual cooperation between them. Exotic plants that you normally never see, the sweet smell in the tropical greenhouses or the special style of a Japanese garden. These are the views that surround you in botanical gardens. But there is more going on in the green…
Why the Union List on invasive alien species is so important. Intensive luggage searches at customs looking for… fruit? You may have seen it on the TV programme Border Security. The Australian version of this programme follows the country’s customs. They have to deal with all kinds of matters, including drug smuggling or the import…