Democracy

Donald Trump is once again threatening to pull the US out of NATO. But you don't need to leave an alliance to make it ineffective. For Europe, the conclusion is unavoidable: we need to stand on our own two feet. Our latest newsletter also looks at why the false hype around small modular reactors deserves serious scrutiny, and our recent content and upcoming events.

The European Commission released its new EU Gender Equality Strategy 2026–2030, setting the course for EU gender policy over the next five years. While the previous strategy (2020–2025) brought progress in several areas, it struggled to effectively address the rise of anti-gender ideologies and integrate gender equality across broader EU policy frameworks. In recent years, the growth of far-right and anti-feminist movements across Europe has highlighted the urgent need for a more comprehensive and resilient approach to defending gender equality and democratic values. In this context, we discussed on 19 March 2026 the new EU Gender Equality Strategy and our newly published report 'Defending Equality in an Age of Democratic Decline – Reframing Europe’s Gender Equality Strategy for 2026–2030' with its author Rémy Bonny (Forbidden Colours) and MEP Alexandra Geese (Greens/EFA), moderated by Louise Mollenhauer (Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung EU | Global Dialogue).

Westminster woke up to what the BBC called a "seismic event." In the Gorton and Denton by-election, Green candidate Hannah Spencer didn't just edge ahead. She won decisively with over 40% of the vote, reshaping assumptions about the limits of Green politics in the UK. It marked the first ever Westminster by-election victory for the Greens, adding to their seats from the 2024 general election and bringing their total to five MPs. In a fragmented political landscape where Labour and Reform were expected to dominate the contest, voters chose a different path. What does this victory tell us about shifting political coalitions? Is this a protest vote or something more durable? And can the Greens translate a by-election breakthrough into sustained national momentum? Roderick Kefferpütz asked Natalie Bennett, Green Party peer in the House of Lords, and former leader of the Green Party of England and Wales (2012-2016), for her take.

Signs of a more assertive Europe emerge through flexible coalitions, enhanced cooperation, and renewed political confidence in Brussels. In our Böll EU Newsletter 02/2026 we look at at emerging “coalitions of the willing”, debates on pragmatic federalism, and proposals for a European Security Council, as well as our recent publications and upcoming events.

On 28 April 2025, a sudden blackout plunged the Iberian Peninsula into darkness. Within hours, renewables were blamed. Months later, experts found a voltage surge – not green energy – triggered the collapse. This article explores how blackouts fuel anti-climate disinformation and distort Europe’s debate on the energy transition.

This bonus episode of The Black Thread zooms in on a single case that distills the Norwegian paradox perfectly: the planned electrification of the gas processing plant on Melkøya. It’s a key conflict site where Norway’s net zero transformation collides with its fossil fuel industry, Indigenous rights, the youth climate movement, worker safety, and even criticism from the United Nations.

When a series of power outages hit Europe last year, the finger of blame was quickly – and falsely – pointed to an unlikely source: renewables. Blackouts are being used as a political tool to oppose the energy transition. But they can also become an opportunity for open discussions about energy infrastructure – a topic too often reserved only for technical audiences.

The turmoil in British politics offers an unprecedented opportunity to the Green party, writes Ros Taylor – though with just four MPs and a culture of local activism rather than big-picture policy thinking, it has a lot of work to do.

Europe does not lack power. But too often, it lacks coherence and therefore appears weak. This contradiction became clearly visible last week. In Böll EU Newsletter 01/2026 (2.0), we take a closer look with Three Questions on the EU-Mercosur agreement, an updated dossier on EU India relations, an interview on the Democracy Shield initiative, and more.

Iran is facing the most serious challenge to the regime in years. Unprecedented protests, a collapsing economy, and a brutal crackdown are pushing the system to its limits. What is happening on the ground, why this protest cycle is different, and what Europe must now do: we asked three questions to Hannah Neumann, Green MEP and Chair of the European Parliament’s Delegation for relations with Iran.