Articles

In November, the European Commission unveiled the long-awaited Democracy Shield initiative, designed to counter threats such as disinformation and foreign interference. While it acknowledges the systemic risk European democracy faces, the Shield falls short of addressing its root causes: engagement-based algorithms, Big Tech dominance, geopolitical dependency, and deep divisions that make Europe vulnerable to polarising messages. An interview with Alexandra Geese, Green Member of the European Parliament. 

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.

2026 is shaping up to be an extraordinary electoral year in Europe and for the European Greens. Opinion polls indicate that national parliamentary elections could reshape governments in countries ranging from Denmark and Latvia to Slovenia. The most consequential contest may take place in Hungary, where a potential defeat of long-time right-wing leader Viktor Orbán could result in a more assertive European Union. At the regional level, the Greens face a key test in Baden-Württemberg, where they have led the state government for more than a decade. 

The Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung European Union | Global Dialogue office in Brussels is welcoming applications for its traineeship programme, running from 9 March to 31 July 2026. The deadline for applications is Sunday 25 January 2026, 23:59 CET.

Through activities such as the Global Development Initiative, China seeks to redefine concepts such as democracy and sovereignty, and garner support from countries in the Global South. India and Europe are both faced with this challenge. It is time they increased cooperation.

2026 cannot be 2025 on repeat. After a year of buying time and holding ground, Europe enters 2026 facing mounting pressure on several fronts. In this newsletter, we look ahead to the key challenges and choices that will shape the year to come, and where Europe still has room to act.

As the global order becomes increasingly multipolar, Africa has emerged as a key arena of geopolitical competition. Shifting power dynamics and the growing influence of China are pushing the European Union to rethink its engagement with the continent, while African countries seek more balanced and diversified partnerships on their own terms.

Given complex, uncertain and highly volatile global power shifts, the European Union (EU) holds an essential, though currently underutilized, role as a strategic partner for Cambodia, offering support for peace, stability, development and the defence of principle-based international relations. 

Montenegro stands at a crossroads: will it normalise exceptional, deal-driven investment practices, or set regional standards for transparent and rule-based development? The EU has a critical opportunity to guide this process.

As the year draws to a close and Brussels slows down for the holidays, we would like to take a moment to say thank you to our community. In our December 2025 newsletter, we share seasonal wishes alongside in-depth analysis of the European Green Party’s trajectory in 2025, a report on consumers’ rights in the context of international trade agreements, an interview reflecting on the G20 Summit, and our regular “Three Questions” on the outcomes of COP30, among other highlights.