Explanations for the rise of right-wing nationalism in Sweden and Italy. In the first article on right-wing nationalism in Sweden and Italy, we explained how right-wing nationalism as an ideology grew during the past elections in these two countries. We compared some of the central election themes of the right-wing nationalist Sverigedemokraterna (Sweden Democrats, SD)…
Examining the rise of right-wing nationalism in Sweden and Italy. Sweden and Italy. Two countries that, at first glance, have fairly little in common. Yet it turns out that Sweden and Italy are a lot more alike than initially thought – at least socially and politically. Whereas Sweden has always been known as a social-democratic…
Some recent developments of the war in Ukraine highlighted. Exactly one year ago, on 24 February 2022, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began. At the time, this website covered the war several times from different perspectives. For instance, one could read articles about the European Union’s (EU) reaction to the invasion, the role of social media…
Preserving Competition through the Digital Markets Act. In recent years, the all-too-familiar ‘Big Tech’ has been taking over local, regional, and global markets. The European Union has been striving to adapt to this new reality by adopting legislation that is better suited to tackle the challenges arising from the digital economy. One such challenge is…
Everything you need to know about the Czech presidential elections. The Czech Republic starts 2023 with the election of a new president. The winner of the elections, of which the second round will be held on the 27th and 28th of January, will replace current president Miloš Zeman who has to step down after two…
It is on a Friday afternoon in Summer 2020 that a gray-haired man orders a beer next to me on a sunny terrace. The dark circles under his eyes betray he probably had a long few days at work. A few moments later, the guy takes a sip from his Guinness. The cold brew…
How “made in the European Union” is guaranteed. The European Union is rich in a variety of culinary traditions. Examples include French camembert, Italian Parma ham, Greek Ouzo and Irish Whiskey. Europeans are proud of their culinary delights and for this reason, these products are legally protected by the EU through geographical indications. That may…
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 article! Did you miss the previous article? If so, just…
Women about their menstruation and the taboo surrounding periods (Menstrual Hygiene Day – part 1). Today, 28 May 2022, is Menstrual Hygiene Day. And unfortunately there is a big chance that you didn’t know that. Even though approximately half of the world population menstruates (part of their life), there is still a stigma around the…
More than two billion people globally incorporate insects into their diets. While there are several reasons for this, varying across questions of tradition and culture, for the most part, the decision of including insects was made out of necessity. In many parts of the world, meat remains a luxury item and not something that…
Recent articles
Examining the rise of right-wing nationalism in Sweden and Italy. Sweden and Italy. Two countries that, at first glance, have fairly little in common. Yet it turns out that Sweden and Italy are a lot more alike than initially thought – at least socially and politically. Whereas Sweden has always been known as a social-democratic…
Some recent developments of the war in Ukraine highlighted. Exactly one year ago, on 24 February 2022, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began. At the time, this website covered the war several times from different perspectives. For instance, one could read articles about the European Union’s (EU) reaction to the invasion, the role of social media…
Preserving Competition through the Digital Markets Act. In recent years, the all-too-familiar ‘Big Tech’ has been taking over local, regional, and global markets. The European Union has been striving to adapt to this new reality by adopting legislation that is better suited to tackle the challenges arising from the digital economy. One such challenge is…
International relations
In 2004, the European Union announced its desire to form what it called a “ring of friends” through its Neighbourhood Policy. However, eighteen years later, it seems that this dream has turned more into one enormous nightmare, with tensions threatening the Union’s eastern and southern flanks. In the hopes of surrounding the European Union…
A reflection of the challenges of 2021 and the opportunities of 2022 Now the New Year’s Eve celebrations are disappearing from the rear-view mirror, we wanted to briefly reflect on some of the biggest challenges the EU has faced last year and consider what the first full year in a global pandemic has brought the…
In October, the European Commission presented its new policy plan for the Arctic region, hoping to increase its influence before the recent COP26 discussions. The Arctic region is warming three times faster than the rest of the planet, but the melting of the ice and the thawing of the permafrost there also has repercussions…
Sustainability
How a circular economy is going to change Europe’s economic future The economy must grow every year. That is the mantra that generations have grown up with. When you have economic growth, a country is doing well. Economic growth is expressed in terms of GDP, the Gross Domestic Product. This figure is the sum of…
In October, the European Commission presented its new policy plan for the Arctic region, hoping to increase its influence before the recent COP26 discussions. The Arctic region is warming three times faster than the rest of the planet, but the melting of the ice and the thawing of the permafrost there also has repercussions…
Arriving at COP26 This week world leaders meet at the 26th conference of the parties, or COP26 for short, with the aim of charting a path towards a sustainable future for humanity. This currently involves a widely shared pledge for net-zero emissions by 2050 and a global temperature increase of no more than 1.5℃. The…
Rule of law
The challenges of the EU’s new rule of law mechanism. The rule of law is one of the foundational values of the European Union and is the cornerstone of any well-functioning democracy. The Union institutions have repeatedly highlighted the importance of this principle, referring to it as a precondition for protecting all other fundamental EU…
Is the Commission’s attempt to improve fundamental rights protection enough? On 2 December 2020, the European Commission presented its Strategy to strengthen the application of the Charter of Fundamental Rights in the European Union, setting out a 10-year plan for its implementation. Through its Strategy, the Commission aims to ensure the Charter is applied to…
The EU’s tool box to save Poland and Hungary’s democracies. Independent judges, free media, protection against discrimination and the freedom of thought and religion. They all depend on strong rule of law. In a democracy with the rule of law, the government faces checks and balances from other institutions, such as the judiciary. A democracy…