Anoek Zijderveld, Author at Shaping Europe

Stemopkomst bij Europese Verkiezingen - Shaping Europe

Turnout in European elections

Posted on 22 May 2024
by Anoek Zijderveld

Improving or decreasing? Without citizen participation, the democratic foundation of a government institution is weak, and this especially applies to parliaments. The importance of having a democratic foundation was also one of the main motivations behind the European Parliament elections that have been held since…

Profiel EU-lid Polen: Polarisatie tussen conservatief en pro-Europees - Shaping Europe

Elections

Profile Poland: Polarized between conservative and pro-European

Posted on 5 March 2024
by Anoek Zijderveld

Looking back at the European Parliamentary elections of 2019 an looking ahead at the upcoming 2024 elections. As one of the larger countries, Poland puts its own mark on EU policy. Sometimes to the annoyance of the old Western member states. One example is the…

Landenprofiel Hongarije - Shaping Europe

Elections

Profile of EU member Hungary: Rebellion within the Union?

Posted on 30 January 2024
by Anoek Zijderveld

Looking back at the 2019 European elections and looking ahead at the elections in June. Hungary is known for its thermal baths, Goulash and Europe's largest festival, Sziget. However, it is also known for the prime minister's difficult relationship with Europe and controversial legislation. This…

De geschiedenis van het Europees Parlement - Shaping Europe

Elections

The history of the European Parliament

Posted on 30 January 2024
by Anoek Zijderveld

All you need to know about the history of this 55-year-old parliament. Every five years, we get to vote for the European Parliament, and Europeans will have this opportunity again in June 2024 for the ninth time. After India, the Parliament has the largest electorate…

Public Health

‘The red flag has been raised’ but 1 in 10 cannot afford menstrual products

Posted on 13 September 2022
by Sabine Herder, Loes ter Horst and Anoek Zijderveld
with 0 Comments

On menstrual leave, period poverty and breaking the taboo surrounding menstruation (Menstrual Hygiene Day - part 2). On May 28, 2022, International Menstrual Hygiene Day, Shaping Europe's first article in the series on menstruation was published. Welcome back to everyone who has already read the…

Digitalisation and Media

#Ukraine – How social media proves to be a vital instrument in times of war in the year 2022

Posted on 31 March 2022
by Anoek Zijderveld, Linda den Bol and Sandra Zwick
with 0 Comments

Social media has been heavily criticised in the last years for its negative impacts on mental health and its overall far-reaching influence on our daily lives. However, in the face of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, social media has fueled international cohesion and mobilised immense…

International Relations

EU-Africa relations part I: From colonisation to an equal dialogue?

Posted on 9 May 2021
by Anoek Zijderveld
with 0 Comments

The historical context of EU-Africa relations post-colonisation. This series will investigate various dimensions of the relations between the EU and Africa. This first part looks at the emerging relation after colonisation, it will form a historical context on which the following articles are built. Africa…

Ursula von der Leyen - President of the European Commission

European Integration

Why do Europeans know so little about the EU?

Posted on 3 February 2021
by Anoek Zijderveld
with 0 Comments

Why knowledge of the EU is important for European citizenship. During the American presidential elections, half of the Dutch population knew exactly how the electoral college, and all kinds of other underlying electoral laws worked. At the same time, many Dutch people and other Europeans…