Examining the challenges, critiques, and future paths for sustainable development in the Global South. Have you ever wondered how the European Union (EU) navigates its relationship with the Global South? Then this article is what you are looking for. Development policy is the EU’s primary tool for promoting sustainable growth and stability in regions historically…

The Reforms of the New Pact for Asylum and Migration. On 10 April 2024, after years of negotiations, the New Pact for Migration and Asylum was finally approved by the European Parliament. Presented as a ‘new start’ in European migration policy, this pact will enter into force in 2026. The New Pact has two main…

How can Europe prepare better for natural disasters? On Wednesday 30 October 2024, the Valencia region was hit by one of the deadliest floods in modern Spanish history. In some villages within eight hours almost 500 millimetres of rain fell – as much as the normal annual rainfall. The heavy rain turned streets into swirling…

A changing landscape in one of Europe’s largest industries. On October 4th, 2024, European Union (EU) member states made a highly debated decision regarding the European automotive industry, specifically on Chinese electric vehicles (EVs). The European automotive industry, accounting for over 7 per cent of the continent’s GDP, has traditionally been dominated by powerhouses from…

European Football and its soft power appeal to Oil- and gas-dependent states. The long history of the success of European club football is well-documented, with some of the biggest clubs and competitions. However, one recent phenomenon has occurred since the early 2000s: Oil and gas-dependent states investing money into European Football, with the most notable…

The potential impact of Trump’s victory on the EU-US relationship. After what at some points felt like a never-ending campaign cycle, the results from the 2024 United States presidential elections are in. The decision of American voters has resulted in another four years of a Trump presidency along with a Republican-controlled Senate and most likely…

Abortion law in the European Union. One of the major issues in the United States (U.S.) presidential election is abortion. In June 2022, the nationwide right to abortion, which was based on the 1973 Roe v. Wade court ruling, was reversed by the U.S. Supreme Court. This allowed states (again) to decide individually what abortion…

Europe’s housing crisis and the new Commissioner’s role. When I started my bachelor’s degree at the University of Groningen in 2020, I was lucky enough to secure my own studio. Many of my fellow students, however, found themselves unable to secure accommodation for months, some sleeping in big tents with rows of beds for far…

Time, trains and time zones. It’s that time of year again: the leaves are turning brown, trees are becoming bare, evenings are getting shorter, and the clocks go back an hour. This yearly ritual results in the same discussions and questions every time again: on which day do we change the clocks again? Do we…

Open strategic autonomy and crisis resilience in the pharmaceuticals industry. Open strategic autonomy: for some time already, this is the new ‘buzzword’ in the European Union (EU), after being confronted heavily with a range of existing supply chain vulnerabilities and strategic dependencies. To paraphrase how Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, former NATO Secretary-General, has described it:…

Recent articles

The Reforms of the New Pact for Asylum and Migration. On 10 April 2024, after years of negotiations, the New Pact for Migration and Asylum was finally approved by the European Parliament. Presented as a ‘new start’ in European migration policy, this pact will enter into force in 2026. The New Pact has two main…

How can Europe prepare better for natural disasters? On Wednesday 30 October 2024, the Valencia region was hit by one of the deadliest floods in modern Spanish history. In some villages within eight hours almost 500 millimetres of rain fell – as much as the normal annual rainfall. The heavy rain turned streets into swirling…

A changing landscape in one of Europe’s largest industries. On October 4th, 2024, European Union (EU) member states made a highly debated decision regarding the European automotive industry, specifically on Chinese electric vehicles (EVs). The European automotive industry, accounting for over 7 per cent of the continent’s GDP, has traditionally been dominated by powerhouses from…

2024 European Parliament elections

How a more democratic media provision gives power back to European citizens. With some 370 million voters, the past European Parliament (EP) elections are one of the world’s largest democratic processes. Informing all these voters about the elections, relevant issues and the results is an important but difficult task. European media face problems such as…

A look back at the 2024 European Parliament elections. The new European Parliament was officially installed on 16 July 2024, after the tenth European Parliament elections took place in June. A political landslide was predicted, in which parties on the (extreme) right in particular would gain ground. The official election results have now been determined…

From an occupied territory to one of the EU’s greatest success stories. Famous for its beautiful coasts and mountainous landscapes, being one of the strongest rugby nations in the world, St. Patrick’s Day, and disliking their British neighbours, Ireland remains one of Europe’s most progressive and fast-growing nations. It is a country that boasts a…

Conflict and Defense

An overview of recent developments in European defence. The defence issue is one of the most important themes that worries both European politics and European citizens. The European Parliament elections in June 2024 showed that citizens are concerned about security and defence and that politicians are trying to provide answers to this. European politicians agree…

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…

Climate and Sustainability

How can Europe prepare better for natural disasters? On Wednesday 30 October 2024, the Valencia region was hit by one of the deadliest floods in modern Spanish history. In some villages within eight hours almost 500 millimetres of rain fell – as much as the normal annual rainfall. The heavy rain turned streets into swirling…

A changing landscape in one of Europe’s largest industries. On October 4th, 2024, European Union (EU) member states made a highly debated decision regarding the European automotive industry, specifically on Chinese electric vehicles (EVs). The European automotive industry, accounting for over 7 per cent of the continent’s GDP, has traditionally been dominated by powerhouses from…

Why true conservatives are passionate climate advocates. The most fervent advocates for climate measures are  progressive politicians, often with a liberal or social democratic background. Parties with climate change as raison d’être are generally post-materialistic in nature due to their strong focus on individual and idealistic values. Parallel themes for these politicians are often inequality,…