In a right-leaning EU, Meloni poised to be bridge to Trump
31 Dec EU Institutions
In a right-leaning EU, Meloni poised to be bridge to Trump
In Trump's second term, Italy’s PM Giorgia Meloni has a good chance of keeping the EU in his good graces — if she can think beyond her own interests.
Op-ed: Recalibrate carbon policies to balance business and climate goals
30 Dec Energy & Environment
Op-ed: Recalibrate carbon policies to balance business and climate goals
ETS, CBAM and other frameworks must adapt to address environmental targets and business competitiveness.
Georgian protesters stand up to increasingly authoritarian crackdown
27 Dec Foreign & Security Policy
Georgian protesters stand up to increasingly authoritarian crackdown
As the contested government of the Georgian Dream party digs in against protesters, the spiral of violence is growing.
A fragmented defence industrial base is holding back EU armament
24 Dec Foreign & Security Policy
A fragmented defence industrial base is holding back EU armament
As long as EU members go their separate ways on military procurement, the bloc will never reach its bolstered defence goals.
Op-ed: Green Deal’s social costs threaten the most vulnerable
23 Dec Energy & Environment
Op-ed: Green Deal’s social costs threaten the most vulnerable
Adequate funding and targeted measures are needed to support those who lack the financial resources to adapt to the transition.
After Assad fall, EU finds itself in awkward position
20 Dec Foreign & Security Policy
After Assad fall, EU finds itself in awkward position
EU members have been quick to announce a freezing of asylum applications from Syria, but sending Syrians home will be easier said than done.
Op-ed: Lack of racial diversity continues to blight EU affairs
19 Dec EU Institutions
Op-ed: Lack of racial diversity continues to blight EU affairs
As the new European Commission forms, a few well-placed people of colour can’t disguise the overall lack of diversity in EU affairs.
Georgia's crisis deepens as presidential power in dispute
18 Dec Foreign & Security Policy
Georgia's crisis deepens as presidential power in dispute
Georgian Dream lawmakers have elected hardliner ally Mikheil Kavelashvili president, as the party expands its control of the country. The pro-European incumbent, however, is refusing to leave the office.
Op-ed: Low-carbon fuels are the shortcut the EU needs to hit its climate goals
16 Dec Technology
Op-ed: Low-carbon fuels are the shortcut the EU needs to hit its climate goals
Low-carbon fuels like methanol can cut emissions now and drive a renewable future – if the EU gets the regulations right.
Op-ed: Navigating the gap between efficiency and transparency with the EU's emergency powers
13 Dec EU Institutions
Op-ed: Navigating the gap between efficiency and transparency with the EU's emergency powers
The increased use of Article 122 to implement measures with longstanding effects, from the refugee crisis to Covid-19, should be a wake-up call to involve the EU’s elected lawmakers.
Romania's democracy under pressure after court annuls vote
12 Dec Member States
Romania's democracy under pressure after court annuls vote
In annulling the surprise win of a pro-Russian ultranationalist, a top Romanian court has either protected democracy or tried to sideline it. The uncertainty has shaken the confidence of voters already feeling economic hardship.
Estonia’s move to strip Russians of their right to vote rehashes complicated questions of belonging
11 Dec Member States
Estonia’s move to strip Russians of their right to vote rehashes complicated questions of belonging
The government says Russian and Belarusian citizens are a security risk, which has some of them rethinking their place in Estonian society. 
Op-ed: How civil society links can accelerate EU enlargement
11 Dec EU Institutions
Op-ed: How civil society links can accelerate EU enlargement
Candidate countries’ social partners can enhance EU decision making and lay the foundations for a fair and prosperous future.
Von der Leyen's new mandate is one of contradictions and competing interests 
10 Dec EU Institutions
Von der Leyen's new mandate is one of contradictions and competing interests 
The European Commission president's efforts to appeal to the left and far right have her allies calling her savvy. Her critics would call it duplicitous. Getting her agenda through will be a difficult balancing act. 
Op-ed: Clean Industrial Deal must bring businesses into the fold
10 Dec Energy & Environment
Op-ed: Clean Industrial Deal must bring businesses into the fold
European policymakers must tackle permitting, energy and financing to create the conditions for industry to decarbonise.
Why Raffaele Fitto was Meloni’s best bet for the new Commission
09 Dec EU Institutions
Why Raffaele Fitto was Meloni’s best bet for the new Commission
Raffaele Fitto’s appointment as an executive vice-president marks a significant shift in the European Commission, securing ECR presence in Europe’s new political landscape.
Q+A: French government collapses at pivotal moment for EU
06 Dec Member States
Q+A: French government collapses at pivotal moment for EU
Michel Barnier is out. Macron is on the hunt for another PM. What's next for the EU's second-biggest member?
Op-ed: Commission must rethink Mercosur approach to ease farmer unrest
06 Dec Energy & Environment
Op-ed: Commission must rethink Mercosur approach to ease farmer unrest
After 25 years of discussions, a deal between the EU and the Mercosur bloc looks imminent. The European Commission should soften the blow for Europe’s farmers.
‘An imperfect leader’: Weakened Macron set to limp on at helm of EU
05 Dec EU Institutions
‘An imperfect leader’: Weakened Macron set to limp on at helm of EU
The French president's minority government has collapsed, but the EU may still look to Macron for leadership.
Marta Kos has five years to unblock EU enlargement
05 Dec EU Institutions
Marta Kos has five years to unblock EU enlargement
The new Slovenian Commissioner is tasked with making progress on bringing new members into the EU, but not everyone is enthusiastic.
Will Frontex’s expansion lead to more oversight and accountability?
04 Dec EU Institutions
Will Frontex’s expansion lead to more oversight and accountability?
As the EU expands the powers and resources of its border and coast guard agency, concerns are growing about accountability and transparency over alleged human rights violations.
Q+A: Ireland's general election stays in the centre, with no far right in sight
03 Dec
Q+A: Ireland's general election stays in the centre, with no far right in sight
Ireland’s general election will likely return the country's centrist coalition to power. They have a surplus to spend, but also a housing crisis and other challenges to confront.
The EU wants to boost its sluggish economy. Could Spain offer a roadmap?
02 Dec Member States
The EU wants to boost its sluggish economy. Could Spain offer a roadmap?
Von der Leyen’s new mandate is likely to be consumed by an old problem: Promoting growth and innovation despite resistance to more spending.
Crisis causes EU power balance to tilt towards the Commission, but can they cling on?
28 Nov EU Institutions
Crisis causes EU power balance to tilt towards the Commission, but can they cling on?
Von der Leyen’s leadership reshaped the European Commission during an era of pandemic, war, and energy instability, but at what cost to democratic balance and the role of the European Parliament?