Articles

Keir Starmer has survived the local elections, but commands little authority in his party or the country, writes Ros Taylor. Paralysed by the fear of a far-right government, his party has been too afraid to replace him.

European and Indo-Pacific security is more intertwined than ever. The Indo-Pacific is vital to European prosperity, maritime security, and the rules-based order. While security cooperation between the two regions has increased, it remains fragmented. And that fragmentation is costly. A new Böll EU Brief by Jacob Mardell presents a new extensive dataset mapping cooperation trends over time and potential for future engagement. The data reveals a pattern of national specialisation among the European member states and preferred partners in the Indo-Pacific. But these activities have not been organised into a coherent European offer yet. Reinhard Bütikofer, Jacob Mardell, Abigaël Vasselier, Kyung Joo Jeon and Katharina Emschermann debated the geopolitical environment impacting relations between the Indo-Pacific countries and Europe, the future of their security cooperation and how to address the coordination needs.

"The international order will be rebuilt out of Europe." A striking claim from Canadian PM Mark Carney, but is it right? Our latest newsletter argues it will be rebuilt with Europe, not by it alone. Also inside: Hungary's democratic hopes after the election, our latest publications and upcoming events.

Hungary has chosen a new start, giving a boost to democracy across Europe. A broad alliance of politics and civil society demonstrates just how powerful solidarity and the courage to embrace change can be. This presents both opportunities and challenges for European cooperation.

AI is no longer just a technological issue – it sits at the heart of Europe’s regulatory agenda and democratic future. From the Digital Services Act (DSA) and Digital Markets Act (DMA) to emerging frameworks on trustworthy AI, the EU is actively shaping how power, responsibility and accountability are distributed in the digital sphere. At the same time, AI’s impact on labour, markets and global competition is accelerating. Karen Hao’s investigative work sheds light on how dominant tech companies are driving the current AI boom, often outpacing existing governance tools. Her reporting raises urgent questions about concentration of power, data extraction, and the gap between innovation and oversight. In this conversation, Karen Hao reflected on her global research and engage with the European approach to digital regulation. The discussion with MEP Alexandra Geese (Greens/EFA) explored how the EU can build on its DSA and DMA foundations to advance ethical, human-centric AI – ensuring that technological development aligns with democratic values, protects workers, and serves the public interest. Moderated by by Roderick Kefferpütz.

Forty years ago, almost to the day, the Chornobyl disaster sparked a widespread movement against nuclear energy. Today it is clear that, without the nuclear phase-out, Germany would be much worse off economically. Renewables are now by far the cheapest form of electricity generation, while nuclear is easily the most expensive.

Trump has turned against the UK and Keir Starmer is looking to Europe for allies. Brexit has flatlined the economy, the White House has shown its contempt, and British public opinion has quietly shifted. For the first time in years, a UK government is making a serious case for rapprochement on trade, defence, and beyond. But after years of hostility, the EU is sceptical about Britain's overtures. Is this a genuine turning point, or the same old cherry-picking?

The opposition’s overwhelming election victory and the ousting of the Orbán regime are of historic significance for Hungary and the whole of Europe. A conversation with Bulcsú Hunyadi from the Budapest based think tank Political Capital on the reasons behind the success of the TISZA party, the challenges facing the future government, and the tireless efforts of civil society.