Europe after the EP 2024 elections

2024 was a challenging year for any government’s ruling party. Incumbent governments struggled as the cost-of-living crisis disgruntled voters around the globe. This was especially true for junior coalition partners, who often bear the brunt of electoral backlash. Green parties were no exception to the rule.

By Eric Balonwu

What to expect in the first 100 days of the von der Leyen II European Commission?

Infographic

On 18 July 2024, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen was elected for a second mandate and presented to the European Parliament her Political Guidelines for the next European Commission. A new European Commission will kick-off its work on 1 December 2024, after its approval by the European Parliament. We take a look at von der Leyen's promises for the first 100 days (and beyond) of the new European Commission.

By Joan Lanfranco

Green Deal under attack? Mapping the risks with the European Green Deal Risk Radar

There is a real risk that the European Green Deal will be weakened this new European policy cycle. What exact changes will be made to it? And will or won’t these changes ensure that we stay “the course on all of our goals”, as promised by re-elected European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen? Our new European Green Deal Risk Radar looks into that.

By Roderick Kefferpütz

Past events

Böll.Global 22 | After the 2024 European elections: The future of the EU institutions and green priorities

How do the results affect the work of the newly elected European Parliament? What are the opportunities and risks? What are the key priorities for the Greens/EFA? What challenges can be identified with regard to the composition and agenda of the new European Commission? What impact did the election have in individual member states, particularly in Germany, France and Poland? With: Terry Reintke, lead candidate of the European Green Party and Bündnis 90/Die Grünen; Co-Chair of the Greens/EFA Group; Roderick Kefferpütz, Director, EU office, Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung Brussels; Marc Berthold, Director, Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung Paris; Joanna Maria Stolarek, Director, Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung Warsaw. Moderation: Eva van de Rakt, Head of European Union and North America Division, Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung, Berlin.

By Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung

The aftermath of the EP elections - Towards a new EU legislative term

Europe has voted! The new European Parliament will shape the future trajectory of the European Union. The election results will not only influence the constellation of the next European Commission. They will also affect future EU policies such as democracy, climate, economy and social affairs. In this context, we discussed what are the main takeaways from the EP election results, what political groups will be formed, what majorities are possible, and what potential political alliances can be foreseen, and what does this mean for key issues such as the green transformation as well as the EU’s reform and enlargement agenda. With: Jan Philipp Albrecht, Prof. Simon Hix, Joanna Maria Stolarek, Dietrich Herrmann, Marc Berthold, Michalis Goudis, Nóra Köves, Armida van Rij, Mar Garcia Sanz, and Roderick Kefferpütz.

By Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung European Union

How platforms are responding to EU regulations to prevent climate disinformation

This webinar with EU DisinfoLab took place on 16 April 2024, with Devin Bahceci, expert from the Climate Action Against Disinformation (CAAD), who shared his insights on how platforms have responded to the EU regulations to prevent climate disinformation.

By EU DisinfoLab and Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung European Union

No carte blanche for Orbán - the European Parliament takes the European Commission to court

The European Parliament made a decisive move on 11 March 2024 to initiate a lawsuit against the European Commission before the European Court of Justice, following the contentious release of €10.2 billion in frozen EU cohesion funds for Hungary. This occurred despite Hungary ceasing to be a democracy and continuing to suffer from systemic corruption and rule of law deficiencies according to experts, multiple indexes and the EP itself. This webinar took place on 20 March 2024, with Márta Pardavi (Hungarian Helsinki Committee), Kim Lane Scheppele (Princeton School of Public and International Affairs) and Prof. Laurent Pech (Sutherland School of Law), moderated by Adéla Jurečková, Director of the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung Prague.

By Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung European Union and Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung Prague

Towards the 2024 European Parliament elections: How can EU reform and enlargement succeed?

Why is EU institutional reform important and what are the priorities? What is the connection between EU reform and enlargement? How would a possible right-wing shift affect the EU’s ability to carry out internal reforms and how can reform and enlargement still succeed? This panel discussion took place in Berlin on 7 March 2024, with Dr. Thu Nguyen (Deputy Director, Jacques Delors Centre, Berlin) and Piotr Buras (Head of Office, European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR), Warsaw), moderated by Jan Philipp Albrecht, President, Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung.

By Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung

Trump 2.0: How should the EU approach an isolationist America?

The 2024 US presidential election will be closely watched. After all, the potential return of Donald Trump to the White House would have a significant effect on Europe’s security dynamics with profound implications for the European Union. This is raising some uncomfortable questions. Webinar with Max Bergmann (Center for Strategic & International studies), Jana Puglierin (European Council on Foreign Relations, Berlin), Steven Everts (EU Institute for Security Studies), moderated by Teresa Eder, Program Director Foreign & Security Policy, Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung Washington, DC.

By Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung European Union and Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung Washington, DC

Views from our offices & Voxeurop

Contributions from the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung's EU & North America Division offices and their partners, on the EP 2024 elections and the next EU legislative term.

Contributions from Voxeurop, an independent online media outlet and a community of journalists, editors, translators, media partners and members from over 30 countries.

France & Italy

Are suburban and rural France necessarily anti-environment?

The 2024 EP elections are marked by a context much less favourable to the environmentalist agenda. In 2019, the European elections were held in the midst of massive global climate strikes and marches, and the so-called Green Wave reflected those concerns. What is the situation today? Is there a vision of peri-urban ecology and what is the impact of EU policies on these areas with specific needs?

By Fondation de l'Ecologie Politique

Is environmental activism being repressed in France?

This article highlights three emblematic cases where environmental activism came face to face with the police and judiciary in France: actions against mega-basins in Sainte-Soline, actions against the A69 motorway construction site and an action to remove portraits of Emmanuel Macron.

By Lucile Schmid

France faces a normalised far right: "We must be ready for a cultural battle that will last for years"

In France as in other EU countries, the polls are predicting a far-right surge in the coming European Parliament election. In parallel, France's generally thriving civil society has become the object of attacks and an official clampdown.

By Margot Hemmerich

TV, information and culture: How Giorgia Meloni is changing the country’s narrative (to stay in power)

The Italian Prime Minister has always claimed to be fighting against an alleged cultural hegemony of the left. And ever since she won the election, she has been trying to take over public broadcasters, museums, and theatres. The aim is to take control of the collective discourse and impose her own narrative.

By Martina Castigliani

"Save the Earth, it’s the only place with parmigiana".

Climate change in Italian politics: polarisation, demonisation and repression

If smart politics and scientific evidence went hand-in-hand, decarbonisation would be understood as a political issue that transcends party lines. Yet in the run-up to the EU elections, a political division over this issue seems to be emerging, both at an EU level and within the member states.

By ECCO

Italian society remains ‘untamed’ by the most rightwing government in decades

Repression is the hallmark of Giorgia Meloni's far-right government. The targets: migrants, the LGBTQ+ community, climate activists, and demonstrations of dissent in general. But Italian society is proving resilient.

By Leonardo Bianchi

Press freedom in France is threatened by crisis, concentration, and a lack of independence

Over the past fifteen years, the French media landscape has been radically transformed. While demand for information has never been so high, thanks to the digital revolution, the overall supply of information has never been so low, giving rise to growing concern among media professionals represented by journalists' societies, unions, associations and collectives.

By Fonds pour une Presse Libre (Fund for a free press)

Czechia, Slovakia & Hungary

EP election results in Slovakia: Disinformation does not always come out on top

For the Hlas party, whose candidates won big in elections to the national legislature and the presidency in Slovakia, harsh anti-EU rhetoric and disinformation was a new tactic in the elections to the EP – the wrong one, as it turned out.

By Barbara Zmušková

A newcomer against the Orbán regime

The Hungarian political scene has never been more turbulent in the past 14 years. Since the start of the clemency scandal in early February, Fidesz has been unable to control the political narrative for months, despite its dominant position in power. The campaign leading up to the local and the European Parliament (EP) elections has been dominated by a new challenger, Péter Magyar, and his Respect and Freedom Party (Tisza) so far, although in recent weeks Fidesz has found its footing again.

By Róbert László and Richárd Demény

Viktor Orbán’s foreign policy as reflected by his official trips

With the Hungarian EU Council Presidency quickly approaching, it is instructive to examine how the Orbán administration has positioned itself through its global diplomatic visits over the last few years.

By Kata Moravecz and György Folk

The far right – a stress test for civil society in Slovakia

Slovakia's ruling nationalist-populist coalition plans to introduce controversial Hungarian-style NGO regulations, raising concerns about transparency and fears of increased bureaucracy and repression of civil society.

By Martin Makara

Populism merges with the far right: Welcome to Hungarian politics

The Hungarian civil society plays a crucial role in countering radical rhetoric, yet populists trends blur boundaries between a mainstream that is leaning ever more to the far-right and radical right-wing ideologies.

By György Folk

"They should have tried harder": Czechia cannot find an answer to populism

Czech populists are on a roll, partly due to the antisocial policies of the country's right-wing government. While liberals put the blame on disinformation, the left continues to languish or to flirt with fascist ideas. And migrant-phobia has long become mainstream.

By Petra Dvořáková

How the Orbán administration’s political approach to the EU affects the upcoming rotating presidency

Will Hungary be able to credibly fulfil its task of holding the EU Council Presidency in the second half of 2024? This key question has frequently popped up during discussions in the Brussels bubble in recent months.

By Kata Moravecz and György Folk

The 'Eurosceptic Internationale' at the Gates of Brussels?

Study

Political Capital Institute’s latest study, in cooperation with the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung Prague, aimed to give a snapshot of the state of populist radical parties and their cooperation and the Hungarian government’s role in it, before the campaign starts for the 2024 European Parliament elections.

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Greece

From the wreckage, a ray of hope for Greek politics

The European election brought dissapointment to almost everyone in Athens, except to the far Right and the far Left. Yet, the most striking result was the collapse of the vote for the governing New Democracy – 10% of the registered electorate, one million people, abandoned Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ party in one year. What are the reasons for that? And why did the parties of the opposition not do better? An analysis by Pavlos Eleftheriadis, Professor of Legal Studies at NYU Abu Dhabi and a Senior Research Fellow at Mansfield College Oxford.

By Pavlos Eleftheriadis

Women’s representation in Greek media in the run up to the 2024 European Parliament elections

The issue of women’s visibility in the media is key to understanding and addressing gender inequality at the social and political levels. Mass media, after all, reach the majority of citizens, contribute in shaping their views and thus affect electoral behaviour. In this article you can read the preliminary findings from the research project "Gender (in)equality in Greek media & politics" (GenderINmediaGR) by the National Centre for Social Research (EKKE), with the support of Heinrich Böll Foundation.

By Giorgos Katsambekis , Sophia Kanaouti and Manina Kakepaki

The Greek far right is advancing under the radar

Greece's far right has taken root and Greek civil society is struggling to come up with a counter-narrative. The reason: economic woes and a left that seems compromised.

By Fabien Perrier

Lost in a legal maze: 10+1 stories of asylum seekers in Europe

Video playlist

Through the stories of eleven asylum seekers, the video series "Lost in a legal maze" by the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung Thessaloniki office aims to reveal the difficulties of navigating a legal system designed to fail them. In these five-minute episodes, filmed in Greece in November 2023, eleven refugees in different stages of their asylum procedures share on camera their own legal journey – from pushbacks to unjustified rejections to retroactive laws.

By Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung Thessaloniki, Greece

Investigating migration along the Balkan Route and the EU’s external borders

The debate on migration and asylum is highly polarised in Europe. Public discourses are often based on stereotypes and fear, rather than on actual facts and figures. The Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung is committed to supporting transparency and an informed factual debate on migration. Independent journalism can play a key role in this context. Our studies on mainstream media reporting in the region however revealed an often-biased view on migration and people on the move. This dossier aims at offering an alternative view to readers by gathering independent investigations and analyses, supported by us, on the realities regarding migration along the so-called Balkan route.

By Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung Thessaloniki, Greece

Poland

Poland's political marathon: navigating the road to the 2024 EU elections

Poland is in the midst of a political marathon, having already experienced groundbreaking parliamentary and local elections. Former Prime Minister Donald Tusk's coalition has returned to power, but the nation remains politically divided. The upcoming EU elections, featuring high-ranking ministers, set the stage to the presidential elections in 2025.

By Joanna Maria Stolarek and Agata Gontarczyk

A tale of two Polands

In the upcoming European Parliament elections, Poland is torn between two diverging views of its current trajectory. These understandings depend on its citizens' sense of identity, their visions of the future and the role the country should play on the continent. The key choice may be the place of the far right in Polish society.

By Olga Byrska

Spain

Migrants, memory and rights: Spain's battle against the far-right narrative

The rise of Spain's far-right Vox party is exploiting fears of migrants and unaccompanied minors, but civil society is fighting back with pro-migrant legislation and efforts to preserve historical memory against Francoist nostalgia, as well as LGTBI rights.

By Víctor Honorato

Germany

German democracy awakens at last

In an extraordinary upsurge, millions of Germans have been demonstrating against the far right. The unexpected movement has shaken the AfD without seriously threatening it. But Germany's political landscape looks likely to change.

By Thomas Schnee

Belgium

In Belgium, a language barrier that mirrors attitudes to the far right

Belgium's internal divisions reflect its disposition to radical nationalist politics. In Flanders, the far right has had a foothold for three decades and continues to grow. Conversely, it has been driven out of the French-speaking south by a broad social movement encompassing the media and politics.

By Manuel Abramowicz

Turkey

Why Türkiye matters for Europe's migration challenges

While the European Union is poised for alteration, it becomes important more than ever to remember why Türkiye matters for Europe’s migration challenges. The EU needs a stable Türkiye. A country in severe economic and political conditions, lacking sufficient support for refugees and migrants, perfectly illustrates the push factors that drive further migration where the EU is a near destination. A stable Türkiye benefits the EU, the population in Türkiye, and the surrounding region. This cannot be achieved with unfair policies.

By Deniz S. Sert

Europe

Agricultural crisis: causes and possible solutions in France, Germany and Greece

Event report

While thousands of farmers have been protesting for weeks on the streets across Europe, the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung – the Paris Office in collaboration with the Thessaloniki Office – organised on 12 February 2024 a timely online discussion on the causes and possible solutions to the agricultural crisis. Representatives of farmers and researchers from France, Germany and Greece outlined the situation in their countries, illustrated their demands and contributed with suggestions.

A "super election" year

About half of the world's population is expected to go to the polls throughout 2024. To name a few: USA, India, Indonesia, Mexico, South Africa, Ukraine, United Kingdom and, of course, the EP2024 elections.

The 2024 Indian election: a new political landscape unfolds

On 4 June, India concluded its 18th national parliamentary election. Almost one billion voters were asked to cast their vote in a six-week long election that by most observers was expected to become another win for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The BJP did not disappoint. On 9 June, Narendra Modi took his oath of office for the third time. Yet, the cards were reshuffled.

By Jochen Luckscheiter , Shalini Yog Shah and Mirza Zulfiqur Rahman, PhD

3 Questions on the situation in Georgia to Sonja Schiffers

3 Questions

Just under six months ago, Georgia became a formal candidate for EU membership. The Law on Transparency of Foreign Influence, adopted in mid-May 2024, however, hinders Georgian accession to the EU and has drawn massive protests by Georgian society. The bill, which has great similarities to a Russian law, requires non-governmental organisations and media outlets that receive more than 20 percent of their funding from abroad to register as bodies 'pursuing the interests of a foreign power.' In this context, Zora Siebert and Helena Borst asked three questions to Dr. Sonja Schiffers, Director of the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung South Caucasus office in Tbilisi, on how she views the latest developments.

By Zora Siebert , Helena Borst and Dr. Sonja Schiffers

Countering online risks in a ‘Super Election Year’: Why the EU and Africa need each other

The European Union should work together with partners in Africa to secure electoral systems against cyberattacks and to prevent the spread of false and misleading information. This is also in line with European interests and values.

By Sabine Muscat and Cayley Clifford

India's 2024 election: democracy in action

India, the world's largest democracy, is holding its general elections from 19 April to 4 June 2024. As Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeks his third consecutive term, the ballot reflects the complex realities of the South Asian giant and its political landscape. This dossier by the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung New Delhi office offers concise analyses of select issues surrounding the election, providing perspectives on the country's current political climate.

By Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung Regional Office - New Delhi

South Korea’s general elections: restoring balance with regard to an out-of-touch president

On 10 April 2024, South Korea held its 22nd general election, which marked the highest ever turnout for a parliamentary election. Voters used the election as an opportunity to issue a verdict on the first two years of the right-wing conservative President Yoon Suk-yeol’s five-year term. Giving the opposition one of the biggest parliamentary majorities in recent decades, voters pushed the president, who has inappropriately exercised his presidential veto power on bills passed by the parliament, to the verge of being a lame duck. This article analyses the driving forces behind these results, suggests implications for Yoon’s foreign policy and explains the challenges that the election results have created for progressives in South Korea.

By Min Joung Park

Will Prabowo’s presidency chart a brighter future for EU–Indonesia relations?

On 14 February 2024, more than 164 million people cast their votes in Indonesia’s presidential election, making it the largest single-day election in the world. Frontrunner Prabowo Subianto, Indonesia’s defence minister, won by a landslide. This article analyses what Prabowo’s victory means for Indonesia, as well as EU–Indonesia relations, by looking at the current state of the relations and Prabowo’s recent nationalistic discourse.

By Hans Nicholas Jong

3 Questions on EU-Iran relations to MEP Hannah Neumann

3 Questions

Supporting a range of militias in the Middle East and providing weapons to Russia in its war against Ukraine, Iran is increasingly in the geopolitical spotlight. At the same time, Iranian women are still fighting for their rights, while legislative voting took place on 1 March 2024. So, we asked three questions to MEP Hannah Neumann (Greens/EFA), Chair of the EP Delegation for relations with the Arab Peninsula, Member of the EP Delegation for relations with Iran, as well as Standing Rapporteur on Iran, regarding how she sees EU-Iran relations moving forward.

By Roderick Kefferpütz and Hannah Neumann

What would a second Trump presidency mean for UK-EU defence cooperation?

A Trump presidency would probably force the UK and EU to intensify their cooperation on security and defence. Fortunately, says Gesine Weber, this relationship was relatively less affected by Brexit. It would also push Europeans to have some difficult conversations about building on their own nuclear deterrent.

By Gesine Weber

Taiwan: and the winner is… democracy!

On 13 January 2024, Taiwan successfully conducted presidential and legislative elections. The people have shown that their hard-fought democracy is the one value everybody can agree on. There were no big surprises. The DPP won the presidency and now faces a divided parliament in which no party holds a majority. This article analyses what this means for Taiwan, as well as cross-strait and EU-Taiwan relations.

By Christina Sadeler

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How the Green Party will fight the UK general election in 2024

The Green Party of England and Wales hopes to win three seats in the General Election by appealing to voters who are uninspired by Labour. Ros Taylor talks to party activists about the growing differences between the two parties and how increasing numbers of Green councillors put their policies into practice.

By Ros Taylor

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Böll·Europe Podcast

Podcast series

Böll·Europe is the podcast of the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung European Union office in Brussels, presented by Gail Rego.

The Energy Transition Blog

Blog

This blog by the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung highlights how energy transitions around the world are moving forward. It shows how they work, and what challenges lie ahead.

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The EU and the European elections explained!

Official EU information campaign

Countdown to the EP 2024 elections

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January

Geogenic Hydrogen – a Contribution to the Energy Transition?

Online event Wednesday, 29. January 2025

Livestream

EU institutions and policies after the EP 2024 elections: How to advance in the Western Balkans accession?

Position paper

The EP 2024 elections could either invigorate the EU enlargement process or introduce new challenges, making it imperative to explore the possible impacts and strategic responses for the Western Balkans in this evolving context.

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European Green Deal Barometer 2024

Report

The fourth edition of the European Green Deal Barometer, the annual survey by the Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP), gathers sustainability experts’ views on the progress of the European Green Deal’s implementation. The 2024 EU elections are considered by sustainability experts to negatively impact the European Green Deal implementation. However, these experts believe the agenda will be maintained by the new European Commission.

100% renewable energy in Europe

In this dossier with Environmental Action Germany (Deutsche Umwelthilfe), we put forward an Action Plan for the European Commission to accelerate the transition to 100% renewables in the next EU legislative term.

By Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung European Union and Environmental Action Germany (Deutsche Umwelthilfe)

A fair participation in the EU’s energy transition

How can citizens benefit better from the EU’s energy transition? Which tools can help them to access directly renewables and building renovation? The Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung European Union and the Green European Foundation will publish in November 2024 a series of briefs with policy recommendations for the EU’s next legislative term.

By Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung European Union and Green European Foundation (GEF)

Böll·Europe Podcast #14 | Europe after the 2024 EP elections

Podcast episode

More than 400 million people are expected to vote in the European elections on 6-9 June 2024, and decide on the next European Parliament. According to the polls, a shift to the right is expected in many EU countries, with populist, radical far right parties gaining votes and seats across the EU. What impact would this have? Conversation with Roderick Kefferpütz and Sophie Pornschlegel.

Uncovering climate disinformation

Uncover the battle against one of our era's greatest challenges – climate change. This dossier unravels the web of falsehoods obstructing climate action initiatives, and delves into the work of the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung's Climate Disinformation Media Fellows. We expose the pervasive myths and misinformation campaigns hindering our collective efforts to address the urgent climate crisis.

By Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung European Union and Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung Washington, DC

Actually European!? 2024

Executive summary

The sixth edition of the long-term study Actually European!? examines how the German population views the European elections and what they expect from their government at the EU level, ahead of the 6-9 June 2024 European elections.

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EU-UK relations after Brexit

The Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung is looking at critical themes for both the UK and the EU — their future relationship, democracy, foreign and security policy and the green transformation. We commission some of the leading thinkers on these topics to write commentaries and analyses.

Transatlantic relations

2024 is a crucial year for Transatlantic relations, with EU and US elections at both sides of the pond. This web dossier compilates articles, podcasts and resources from the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung offices and partners on the future of EU-US relations.

By Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung European Union

How European Transatlanticists Might Approach an Isolationist U.S. Administration

Policy brief

The 2024 U.S. elections will be closely watched around the world, especially in Europe. The United States is the European Union’s most important partner, guaranteeing Europe’s security through the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). A potential shift toward a less internationalist and more isolationist U.S. foreign policy would have profound implications for the continent.

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New Climate Clarity Hub

Info hub

The new Climate Clarity Hub is a platform that consolidates knowledge and expertise on climate mis|disinformation. Developed by EU DisinfoLab and supported by the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung European Union, it seeks to confront climate pessimism and call for action, sharing knowledge, analysis, content, resources and anecdotes both from an ecological activism perspective and within the counter-disinformation community.

By EU DisinfoLab

Platforms' policies on climate change misinformation

Factsheet

This factsheet delves into platforms’ policies on climate change misinformation, focusing on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X/Twitter and YouTube and their actions are currently in place to limit the impact of such content.

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Enlargement uncertainty: Reframing EU-Western Balkans relations

Position paper

The core of the EU’s relationship with the WB lies in the promise of full accession with equal rights and responsibilities. As the EU enters a period of reflection and potential reform, it must reintroduce clarity, determination, and honesty into its interaction with WB6.

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Getting back on track with new EU climate and energy targets for 2035 and 2040

Factsheet

It is very clear that if the EU wants to make a fair contribution to the effort to limit temperature rise to 1.5°C, it will need to follow the recommendation of UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and aim for achieving net-zero GHG emissions by 2040 rather than by 2050. This means the new EU 2040 target should become a net-zero target. It makes sense for the EU to set a very ambitious 2035 target of around 95% net GHG emission reductions at the same time.

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A roadmap towards greening the European Central Bank

Study

This study shows that climate change requires central bank intervention and that – in anticipation of climate risks – the ECB can and should double down on its pledges to green central bank activities. Against this background, the report identifies numerous concrete policy options, from enhancing green tilting approaches in asset purchasing programmes to offering favourable refinancing terms to banks engaged in green lending.

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30 years of the European Single Market

Report

This collection of brief essays shows the diverse views on the European Single Market, whilst unveiling green visions for the next 30 years. What unifies these different takes — ranging from environmental and consumer standards, Brexit, lobbying and more — is the understanding that the European Single Market remains a cornerstone of European Integration.

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Towards a common European China strategy?

Study

The majority of EU Member States do not have any formal China strategy papers. Some EU Member States and specific government ministries have adopted internal China strategies and guidelines that have not been officially released to the public. Commonly referred to as ‘China strategies’, these documents outline national positions on China, rather than concrete strategies for managing bilateral relations. Jacob Mardell mapped out the state of play of these strategies in EU27, UK and Switzerland.

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EU statecraft in the age of permacrisis: Investing on new uses of soft power and public diplomacy

Study

The purpose of this working paper is twofold. First, to suggest and examine how the EU can enhance its security and its global role, without diverting its focus to the remilitarization of European politics. Second, to examine how, in the age of permacrisis, deliberative and discursive processes should be at the heart of EU public diplomacy.

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The Radicality of Sunlight

Report

The EU is going through a critical moment in its history, expected to deliver on many fronts at once, from long-term transitions to crisis after crisis that has threatened to seriously upset its stability. It would be wrong, however, to assume that the EU can afford to ignore its deepest perennial challenge, namely its own democratic credentials. To offer ideas for the debates that will necessarily unfold, especially as we move towards the 2024 European Parliament elections, SWP and CEPS set up a High-Level Group on bolstering EU democracy.

‘Fire on fire’: how migrants got blamed for Greece’s devastating blazes

Climate Disinformation Media Fellowship 2023

In August, wildfires in Evros killed a group of people, including children, passing along a well-trodden migration route. Locals and politicians made the victims scapegoats for the disaster. First piece of our 2023 Climate Disinformation Fellowship by Giorgos Christides and Katy Fallon. Photos by Alexandros Avramidis.

By Giorgos Christides and Katy Fallon

Refugee protection in Europe: weakened at present, undermined in the future?