Sánchez walks a tightrope as Spain commits to NATO target
08 May Foreign & Security Policy

Sánchez walks a tightrope as Spain commits to NATO target

With Spain pledging to spend 2% of its GDP on defence, PM Pedro Sánchez faces scepticism as he stretches the definition of military spending. Around Europe, not everyone is impressed.
by Arno Van Rensbergen
Russian gas phaseout: Why going cold turkey is easier said than done
07 May EU Institutions
Russian gas phaseout: Why going cold turkey is easier said than done
Op-ed: EU's Russian speakers are an opportunity, not a risk
07 May Culture & Arts
Op-ed: EU's Russian speakers are an opportunity, not a risk
EU risks over-reliance on Turkey for defence
05 May Foreign & Security Policy
EU risks over-reliance on Turkey for defence
Giorgia Meloni's tightrope walk: Can Italy's PM leverage her influence in the post-election power struggle?
25 Jun EU Institutions
Giorgia Meloni's tightrope walk: Can Italy's PM leverage her influence in the post-election power struggle?
The Italian prime minister has long been considered the likely kingmaker in the post-election scramble to determine the EU’s top jobs, a result of the growing influence of her Brothers of Italy party within the European Conservatives and Reformists group.
Eight new members of the European Parliament to watch
20 Jun EU Institutions
Eight new members of the European Parliament to watch
From climate activists to race car drivers, here is a selection of first-time MEPs with colourful past careers.
From military support to EU membership: What the new European Parliament means for Ukraine
19 Jun EU Institutions
From military support to EU membership: What the new European Parliament means for Ukraine
While Ukrainians welcomed the electoral victory of Ursula von der Leyen’s European People’s Party, the rise of the far right could still cause them a headache.
What’s next for EU policy after the elections?
18 Jun EU Institutions
What’s next for EU policy after the elections?
Following this month's vote for the European Parliament, debates around defence, migration and climate are set to dominate the upcoming mandate. Here’s a closer look at six crucial policy areas.
Building a Greener Future: the EU's challenges and bold steps towards a circular economy  Partner Content
17 Jun
Building a Greener Future: the EU's challenges and bold steps towards a circular economy 
The transition towards a circular economy has emerged as a solution to pressing environmental concerns. Policymakers and experts convened to discuss the implementation of the PPWR and to chart the course of the circular economy in the forthcoming European mandate
Making sense of the EU’s ‘comprehensive’ corporate sustainability rules
14 Jun Economics
Making sense of the EU’s ‘comprehensive’ corporate sustainability rules
Hélène de Rengervé of Human Rights Watch explains how a new directive introduces ‘mandatory obligations’ for big companies to respect human rights.
Bogus thinktanks and transparency evasion at the European Parliament Partner Content
14 Jun
Bogus thinktanks and transparency evasion at the European Parliament
Is pan-European party Volt the future of EU politics?
12 Jun EU Institutions
Is pan-European party Volt the future of EU politics?
The party won five-time as many seats in this past weekend’s European Parliament elections than it did in 2019 – but experts question how much influence it will have.
Unpacking the EU election results: 'Europe is an afterthought'
11 Jun EU Institutions
Unpacking the EU election results: 'Europe is an afterthought'
'People supporting far-right, anti-establishment parties were doing it because of national reasons,' Alberto Alemanno argues in a new interview.
Centrist parties hold ground in EU elections, but far right makes inroads
09 Jun EU Institutions
Centrist parties hold ground in EU elections, but far right makes inroads
Results for the European Parliament elections showed the centre-right European People's Party to be the big winner, even as far-right parties in France and Germany made a solid showing.
As Europeans go to the polls, can the centre (left) hold?
08 Jun EU Institutions
As Europeans go to the polls, can the centre (left) hold?
With voting now underway across the EU for the European Parliament, centrist and centre-left parties are expected to lose ground when the results come in Sunday night.
EU elections: Battleground TikTok
07 Jun EU Institutions
EU elections: Battleground TikTok
Amid rising security concerns, EU institutions have banned the popular app from work devices and internal WiFi. But for many MEPs, TikTok remains a crucial tool for reaching young voters.
‘Anonymous grumbles and farts’: How a media firestorm has engulfed the Austrian Green party’s lead candidate
06 Jun EU Institutions
‘Anonymous grumbles and farts’: How a media firestorm has engulfed the Austrian Green party’s lead candidate
Lena Schilling, a 23-year-old a former climate activist, has found herself at the center of a weeks-long assault by the Austrian news media as the EU elections get under way.
Germany’s scandal-ridden AfD rides steady wave of support into elections
05 Jun EU Institutions
Germany’s scandal-ridden AfD rides steady wave of support into elections
Despite a cascade of recent controversies, polls show the far-right Alternative for Germany is set for a strong showing in the European Parliament vote.
How a far-right Greek party is gaining with a ‘coalition of voters’ ahead of the EP elections
04 Jun EU Institutions
How a far-right Greek party is gaining with a ‘coalition of voters’ ahead of the EP elections
With Europeans set to go to the polls this weekend, Greek voters look poised to boost the fortunes of Greek Solution – and that of the European Conservatives and Reformists group.
The EU elections in Greece: Opportunity and choice Partner Content
04 Jun
The EU elections in Greece: Opportunity and choice
The European elections on 9th June present Greeks with an opportunity to reaffirm the EU as one of Greece's greatest assets
Hungary’s NGOs feel ‘chilling effect’ of foreign funding law
31 May Culture & Arts
Hungary’s NGOs feel ‘chilling effect’ of foreign funding law
With Hungary set to take up the rotating presidency of the Council in July, the so-called sovereignty law is likely to exacerbate tensions with European institutions and other EU member countries.
Why civil society and unions oppose the EU’s new fiscal rules
30 May EU Institutions
Why civil society and unions oppose the EU’s new fiscal rules
European lawmakers last month approved new measures for member states to manage their debt and deficit levels, but labour groups and other social and environmental advocates argue the result will be austerity.
Why a circular economy would be a game-changer for the EU
28 May Economics
Why a circular economy would be a game-changer for the EU
Only through a circular recycling system can the EU economy achieve sustainability, both environmentally and economically.
Q&A: Political violence in Europe ‘is a gigantic challenge for our democracy’
27 May EU Institutions
Q&A: Political violence in Europe ‘is a gigantic challenge for our democracy’
In the wake of the assassination attempt on Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico, Prof. Stefan Ernst Marschall unpacks the root causes of an increasingly charged political environment – and the implications for European democracy.
The Parliament's latest print issue is out
23 May EU Institutions
The Parliament's latest print issue is out
This month’s edition offers an in-depth look at the key issues animating the upcoming EU elections.
Innovation and investment central to a smoke-free future for Europe Partner Content
23 May
Innovation and investment central to a smoke-free future for Europe
At a recent event in Paris, Philip Morris International presented its Integrated Report 2023, showcasing advancements in sustainability metrics, highlighting strides in environmental stewardship and societal well-being
Rare disease patients cannot be forgotten: a coordinated approach is needed Partner Content
22 May
Rare disease patients cannot be forgotten: a coordinated approach is needed
This HAE Day, Hilde Vautmans MEP makes the case for a European Action Plan for Rare Diseases to support Europe's rare disease patients
'Cordon sanitaire' under strain as Europe lurches to the right
22 May EU Institutions
'Cordon sanitaire' under strain as Europe lurches to the right
As polls predict a surge in support for the far right across the EU in June's elections, mainstream parties are eyeing up previously unthinkable alliances.