Articles

With right-authoritarian forces on the one hand and liberal-progressive ones on the other, elections in 2024 will be fought in several major democracies, including in the European Union. Focussing on the latter, this article explores the electoral chances of the European Green Party (EGP) members, an umbrella organization for environmentalist-progressive forces.

Corrupt politicians have been systematically plundering public budgets and natural resources in the Western Balkans for years. Increasingly, international actors are also discovering an El Dorado for dubious investments in these countries.

With US support waning, European nations could be much more in a bind to step up and provide streamlined military aid for Ukraine in 2024. While the war in Ukraine lead to replenished national defense budgets, different interests and agendas so far have prevented substantial European collaboration.

With the floods in northern Germany, the relaxation of the country’s debt brake is back on the agenda. But instead of always returning to the same debates, what is finally needed is sustainable reform. A new study shows what this could look like and sets out the options for financing climate protection over the short term.

Smart energy technologies can enable citizens to benefit from cheap renewable energy. They potentially optimise the use of our energy infrastructure, promising lower societal costs. However, one-size-fits-all solutions will not work when it comes to their daily use – with potentially significant risks to vulnerable households already struggling with fuel poverty. An inclusive smart energy transition should target the consumers most in need with more nuanced policies.

Five years after the “Green wave” reached the EU Parliament, fear and division seem to dominate political narratives ahead of this June’s EU elections. Instead of accepting the Right’s talking points, progressives should stick to their core values, embracing hope as the key to electoral success in troubled times.

While some Member states commit to Feminist Foreign Policy agendas, its implementation in Europe’s migration and asylum regime remains all but absent. How does Europe square the circle between Feminist Foreign Policy and border control policies?

2023 was a particularly challenging year. With the highest number of conflicts since 1945, we saw a world at war. It was the hottest year in recorded history, with “climate records tumbling like dominoes”. Challenges don’t disappear with a new year; we know that 2024 will be demanding. This year’s super election cycle is also testimony to the resilience of democracy and offers an opportunity for like-minded states to come together to solve shared challenges. 

Newsletter of the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung European Union office.

Under the umbrella of the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), thirteen journalists, press freedom, and civil society organizations are calling the EU institutes and the governments of member states to impose greater transparency on the media and their relations with political decision-makers and economic players.