Democracy

It’s never all doom and gloom. Even when political developments feel heavy and the broader context darkens, light still finds a way through. Over the past weeks, we’ve seen some encouraging signs.

The failed Presidential election in Romania last year, fuelled by a wave of disinformation, triggered an unprecedented period of political instability in this EU and NATO Member State. A rerun took place on 4 and 18 May 2025, and the Mayor of Bucharest, Nicușor Dan, was elected. We asked MEP Nicu Ștefănuță (Greens/EFA), Vice-President of the European Parliament, what this result means for the future of Romania and its role in the EU, NATO and with regards to supporting Ukraine.

Following the change of government in 2023, Poland once again faces a historic crossroads. An emotionally charged election campaign reflects deep social divisions – and the struggle for the country's future.

With a new CDU/CSU–SPD coalition government in Berlin, the future direction of Germany's EU policy is in the spotlight. As the largest EU Member State, any shift in Berlin will inevitably echo across Europe. There are a lot of hopes and expectations and of course challenges that this coalition government will have to navigate. We asked Chantal Kopf MdB, the Europe Spokesperson for the German Green Parliamentary Group in the Bundestag, what this new coalition means for the EU.

This May invites a moment of reflection. We mark Europe Day and 75 years of the Schuman Declaration, a proposal that laid the foundation for what would eventually become the EU. We also commemorate 80 years since the end of World War II, and 70 years since Germany joined NATO. These dates remind us of how our continent’s institutions have woven diverse countries together in peace, prosperity and shared values.

A wave of pro-democratic uprisings is pushing back against the rise of authoritarianism in the United States, Turkey, Serbia, Hungary, Slovakia, Romania, and many other countries. In Serbia, four months of sustained protests have left the country in political limbo — without a functioning government and facing the prospect of yet another snap election.

While Brussels may see the Jadar lithium mining project as a strategic step toward a greener future, Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vučić sees it as a tactical tool to reinforce his grip on power - just as hundreds of thousands rise to reclaim democracy.

The rise of the far-right movement and recent shifts in global politics have led to significant cuts in foreign development assistance. What are the impacts on feminist and civil society organisations?

To understand the importance of self-representation within photography, Merel Maan Galama sheds a light on the history of photography, showing how prejudiced representation of Roma became part of archives, how this influenced the widespread development of stereotypes and how these are now continuously spread through algorithms. 

The global order is shifting. Old certainties are crumbling, and the structures that once upheld stability are being tested, eroded, or dismantled. In this moment of flux, the question is: who will hold the line?