Bread and circuses: why the Conservatives are on a roll Commentary The Covid-19 vaccine rollout played a big part in the Conservatives’ success at the 2021 local elections, but the shrivelling of political debate in the UK and an appetite for big government also played a role. By Ros Taylor
The present and future of the Green wave – Part 2: The Future Analysis Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Czechia, Cyprus, and Russia are just some of the European countries set to hold national parliamentary elections in 2021. Beyond that, voters have the chance to elect crucial regional and local assemblies, for example, in Scotland and Catalonia. The following article sheds light on elections relevant to the European Green Party (EGP) in the next twelve <months in the EU and beyond. It will show that the Greens have the chance to change the face of the continent, as they are well-positioned to perform strongly in multiple electoral races in powerful states and regions. By Tobias Gerhard Schminke
The present and future of the #GreenWave – Part 1: The Present Analysis The European Greens look back on two exceptional years of electoral history. In 2019, members of the European Green Party (EGP) won record numbers of seats in the European election. This two-article series shows how EGP members profited from this electoral wave in 2020 and sheds light on what to expect from elections in Europe in 2021. This first article shows that the Greens in Europe generally were able to establish themselves further at the local and regional level in Western Europe and get a foot in the door in some Eastern European countries. By Tobias Gerhard Schminke
After the US elections 2020: “Europeans shared a collective sigh of relief” Interview Eva van de Rakt, director of our Brussels office, interviewed Reinhard Bütikofer (Member of the European Parliament, Greens/EFA) about the US election results, the priorities of the Biden-Harris administration, and the future of the transatlantic relationship. By Eva van de Rakt
Democratic change with the Greens as the tip of the scales in Montenegro Analysis The small Adriatic state and EU candidate Montenegro is at a historic crossroads after the parliamentary elections on 30 August. After 30 years of permanent rule by Milo Đukanović and his DPS, a change of power is possible for the first time. By Simon Ilse
A political map of Slovakia two years after the tragedy of the murder of Ján and Martina Background February 2020 will be written into the modern political history of Slovakia as a month with a great turning point which combined in a special way two dramatic themes in the internal political development of the country. By Grigorij Mesežnikov
The Austrian Greens Make Their Comeback Commentary In an early election held after a corruption scandal collapsed the right-wing government, the Austrian Green party achieved a historic high, gaining 13.9 per cent of the votes. From appealing across the rural-urban divide to new electoral coalitions, the strategic questions emerging from the recent Austrian election are relevant for green and progressive parties all over Europe. By Ewa Ernst-Dziedzic and Bartlomiej Kozek
A Guide to the US Democratic Primaries Article The world is watching as the United States prepares for its next election marathon. Many Europeans want to know where the Democratic presidential hopefuls stand on issues from climate change or migration to regulating Big Tech. But where to start with more than 20 candidates? We try to cut a path through the US Democratic primary jungle. By Hannah Winnick and Sabine Muscat
A changing European Parliament Comment The European Parliament has become more pluralist and more diverse, which may mean opportunities for its future work. As part of a broader pro-European alliance the Greens will unquestionably play an important role in the newly elected Parliament. By Eva van de Rakt
The Ukrainian Presidential Elections in Times of Distrust Article After the first round of the Ukrainian presidential elections we asked three authors to analyse the outcomes from different perspectives. Yevhen Hlibovytsky, Hanna Shelest and Sergej Sumlenny have a close look at the general outcomes, foreign and security policy related issues as well as sociological aspects. By Sergej Sumlenny , Hanna Shelest and Yevhen Hlibovytsky