Democracy

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.  

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.

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.

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.   

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.  

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.  

From Russia’s war in Ukraine to the green and digital transformation, we’re not short on challenges nowadays. What we are lacking is the vast sums of money needed to deal with them. The EU requires an estimated 500 billion euros a year for the green transition, while NATO’s European members need to find another 56 billion euros annually to meet the alliance’s 2% defence spending target.

In this super election year, concerns loom over how artificial intelligence might impact elections worldwide. Technology’s advances, coupled with the potential misuse of bad actors, are a real threat. However, there are intriguing contrasts in attitudes towards AI and the use of technology between Europe and the Global South. Prof. Dr. Payal Arora, Chair of Inclusive AI Cultures at the Department of Media & Culture Studies at Utrecht University, challenges prevailing narratives of techno-pessimism. She offers a nuanced perspective on the transformative potential of technology within inclusive frameworks. Zora Siebert asked her three key questions.

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.  

Although the Eurovision Song Contest was not intended as an instrument of European integration, it has become a symbol of it – even if the relationship between national and European identity is contradictory.