Articles

Water is the basis of life. It covers more than two-thirds of our planet and shapes ecosystems and cultures. Industrialisation, overexploitation, and population growth are driving water scarcity, water pollution and conflicts.

Contamination, parched rivers and recurring floods expose the fragility of Europe’s water systems. Robust legislation exists, but governments are slow to act. Delivering water resilience requires leadership, investment and real accountability.

On 29 October 2025, the Netherlands went to the polls in a much-anticipated election that could reshape the country’s political landscape – and its role in Europe. After two years of a populist government, the centrist liberal party D66, led by Rob Jetten, emerged as the winner. Meanwhile, the GroenLinks–PvdA alliance fell short of expectations, raising new questions about the future of the Dutch centre-left – and about what comes next in coalition talks. So – what happened, what’s next, and why should Brussels care? In this new Böll·Europe Podcast episode, host Joan Lanfranco upacks with Noortje Thijssen (Director of the Scientific Bureau GroenLinks, the political foundation of the Dutch green party) the election results, the prospects for coalition-building, and what this means for the Netherlands’ direction – both at home and in Europe.

Defence topped the October EUCO agenda. Read our Böll EU Newsletter 10/2025 for analysis on Europe’s evolving defence landscape, the political crisis in France, Czech elections, local housing solutions and our upcoming events.

Friedrich Merz and Emmanuel Macron have repeatedly announced their intention to prioritize European security and to take a more decisive stance against Russian aggression. Yet they have failed to follow through on these pledges. Europe now needs a defence union that is worthy of the name. 

Europe’s defence landscape is shifting fast. Our new Böll EU Brief maps more than 160 defence agreements among EU countries, the UK and Ukraine – most signed since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. It shows how bilateral cooperation boosts trust and speed, but also risks fragmentation without an EU-level strategy.

After weeks of confusion and controversy around Sébastien Lecornu’s appointment as Prime Minister, President Macron faces mounting pressure at home and growing doubts abroad. Joan Lanfranco asked Marc Berthold, Director of the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung Paris office, what this means for Macron, France’s role in the EU, and the wider impact on Europe.

Levies, charges, and taxes make electricity expensive – and hinder the switch to the climate-friendly, electricity-based alternatives that we urgently need. Yet many companies and consumers have long been ready to make the change. The technology is already available, often from German manufacturers, who have been waiting for years for a market breakthrough. Instead, Katherina Reiche's reckless wrong-way drive continues unabated.

The European Commission’s new LGBTIQ+ Equality strategy for 2026-2030 puts equality back on the agenda – but for Rémy Bonny, Executive Director at Forbidden Colours, it comes too little, too late. As Europe faces a coordinated anti-gender movement importing authoritarian narratives into the EU, he warns that “a few nice words won’t stop that.” Joan Lanfranco asked him where the EU needs to show real political courage, how it can counter disinformation and violence, and why defending LGBTIQ+ rights has become a test of Europe’s democracy itself.