Articles

Geopolitical pressures, energy shocks and the soaring cost of living have heightened the urgency of deeply transforming the economic system, alongside the imperative of enabling a good life within planetary boundaries. Yet the green transition must happen by design, not by accident, to deliver social justice. 

Die internationale Ordnung ist im Umbruch. Russlands Angriffskrieg gegen die Ukraine stellt Europa vor historische Herausforderungen und wirft grundlegende Fragen auf nach Abschreckung, Verteidigungsfähigkeit und langfristiger Stabilität. Gleichzeitig erhöhen neue geopolitische Rivalitäten, wirtschaftliche Abhängigkeiten und globale Krisen den Druck auf die Europäische Union, strategisch handlungsfähiger zu werden. Insbesondere vor dem Hintergrund einer Neuausrichtung der US-amerikanischen Außenpolitik. Über diese Entwicklungen sprach am 22. September 2026 Robert Habeck, Vizekanzler und Bundesminister für Wirtschaft und Klimaschutz a.D. (Bündnis 90/Die Grünen) mit Helga Schmidt, Journalistin und ehemalige Leiterin des ARD-Studios in Brüssel (Hörfunk). Im Mittelpunkt standen dabei zentrale Fragen für die Zukunft Europas: Welche Rolle kann und sollte Europa in Zeiten wachsender geopolitischer Spannungen einnehmen? Wie kann die EU ihre Sicherheit, Interessen und Werte wirksam schützen, und mit welchen Partnern?

The Berlin election has sent shockwaves through the political landscape, with the fringes gaining strength whilst the centre erodes. Surprisingly, The Left has emerged as the strongest force. The Greens have fallen short of their election target and lost key districts, but are playing a central role in the formation of the government.

The candidate makes all the difference; the CDU finds itself outside parliament for the first time the Greens secure their place in the state parliament and are highly likely to become a governing party. The AfD becomes the strongest force and the sole opposition party.

South Korea faces growing vulnerability as US resolve wavers across Asia and Europe alike, most starkly on the volatile Korean Peninsula. After June 2026 EU-South Korea summit's pledge to deepen their strategic partnership, it's time for both sides to act, turning shared commitment into concrete steps that strengthen mutual security.

Good news: Wind power is now the most important source of electricity in Germany. Twenty years ago, no one would have imagined this. There's still more to come.

The state election reflects a deep-seated division. The far right narrowly missed securing the absolute majority it had sought, thereby triggering a political earthquake. Forming a government is likely to prove difficult.

The Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung European Union | Global Dialogue office in Brussels is commissioning a policy paper studying past EU foresight reports. Applications should be submitted by Thursday 1 October 2026, EOB.

Europe faces war, trade tensions, climate chaos and AI disruption all at once, with limited political bandwidth to match. This month's newsletter explores what real capacity to act requires: dynamic institutions, bold partnerships beyond full EU membership, political leadership amid fraying centrism, and the funding to back it all up.