The migration crisis that began in 2015 has had a major impact on countries in South Eastern Europe. Outlining findings and recommendations from a new project, Amanda Russell Beattie, Gemma Bird, Jelena Obradovic-Wochnik and Patrycja Rozbicka explain that the EU’s response to the crisis has resulted in the outsourcing of refugee settlement and care to states such as Serbia, […]
Tensions have grown in recent months between the EU and the United States over Iran, which was underlined at a US-backed conference on the Middle East in Poland last week that was largely sidestepped by many European governments. Cornelius Adebahr writes that the EU is right to take a more comprehensive approach to the region and resist attempts to […]
The crisis that hit members of the Eurozone a decade ago has often been attributed to design flaws in Europe’s Economic and Monetary Union. Drawing on a new study, Andreas Bieler, Jamie Jordan and Adam David Morton argue that this focus neglects the deeper issues that lie at the heart of European economies. Rather than simply reflecting the flawed […]
The EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement entered into force at the start of this month, but it is unclear whether the UK can retain the benefits of the agreement after it leaves the EU. Han Dorussen writes that the UK risks being excluded from what Brexiteers want: a free trade area ‘beyond Europe’ and greater ‘global influence’.
On February 1st, the EU-Japan […]
Since the end of 2018, anti-government protests have been held across Serbia. Maja Bjeloš explains the background to the protests, which have demanded an end to government pressure on the media, stronger protection for journalists and political opponents against violence, investigations into alleged political killings, and electoral reforms.
The President of Serbia and the country’s ruling Progressive Party (SNS), Aleksandar […]
A diplomatic row has developed between France and Italy over recent months, with tensions being raised significantly by the decision of Luigi Di Maio, Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister and leader of the Five Star Movement, to meet with representatives of the French ‘Gilets Jaunes’ protest movement. Simon Toubeau explains that at the heart of the conflict lie two radically […]
Jeremy Corbyn and Labour could potentially play a crucial role in determining how the UK’s Brexit process will develop in the runup to 29 March. But as Graham Room writes, having sat on the fence for so long, Corbyn must be feeling uncomfortable. Unless he moves swiftly to shift the impasse at Westminster he will be consigned to political […]
The management of the EU budget and the role of the European Commission in the EU policy process have been key topics in debates over European integration in recent decades. César Baena and Michael Neubert argue that the growth in EU bureaucracy that has occurred during the integration process raises questions about how taxpayers’ money is being spent. But […]
Under the so called ‘Dublin Regulation’, asylum seekers are usually deemed to be the responsibility of the country where they first entered the EU. But following the migration crisis that began in 2015, there have been efforts to reform this system given it places greater strain on countries such as Italy and Greece, who faced large inflows due to […]
Several radical right and radical left parties in Europe have seen their support increase in recent years. But how do electoral systems affect the potential for such parties to attract voters? James Downes and Edward Chan explain that while there is an assumption the radical right and left will benefit from proportional representation systems, the reality is somewhat more […]
The Italian economy entered a recession at the end of last year, but as Adriano Cozzolino writes, there is little agreement over whether the current government, which entered office following the 2018 Italian election, should be held responsible for the economic situation. He argues that the country’s frailties stem from the systemic failures of a political economy model built […]
Recent votes in the UK Parliament prove that it is no more capable of agreeing where to go next on Brexit than the cabinet. As Theresa May creates the temporary illusion of party unity, a no-deal Brexit grows ever closer, writes John Ryan. However, the political fallout associated with the economic hit of No Deal – or any form of harder Brexit […]
Former Greek prime minister Andreas Papandreou is widely regarded as a key figure not only in contemporary Greek history, but in 20th century European politics. On the 100th anniversary of his birth, George Kassimeris writes on the legacy of an ideal Greek everyman whose years in power were touched with national pride, but who in the end failed to […]
France and Germany are often credited with being the key driving forces behind European integration. However, as Laurent Warlouzet explains, both states have approached the integration process from distinct ideological standpoints, with French dirigism and German ordoliberalism lying at opposite ends of the economic policy spectrum. In an EU without the UK, this clash will continue to be a […]
Is austerity a ‘dream come true’ for neoliberals, or did the global financial crisis force policymakers to question neoliberalism’s core principles and change direction? Focusing on speeches by members of the International Monetary Fund, Kevin Farnsworth and Zoë Irving find little to suggest that the fundamental assumptions of neoliberalism have been displaced.
It is now over ten years since the […]
Ahead of the 2019 European elections in May, the European Parliament has launched a campaign to increase voter turnout. Nils Napierala argues that while this is clearly needed given the low turnout at the last elections in 2014, the campaign runs the risk of fuelling Eurosceptic sentiments by focusing too much on the EU’s successes and not on the […]
The Prespa Agreement resolving the long-running Macedonia name dispute between Athens and Skopje was ratified in the Greek parliament on 25 January. Nikolaos Tzifakis explains that with a majority of Greek citizens opposed to the agreement, the issue stands to have a significant impact on the Greek parliamentary elections due to be held later this year.
On 25 January, the Greek […]
How will Brexit affect the delicate balance of power in the EU? Ulrich Krotz and Joachim Schild argue that it will boost Franco-German power – but this will not go unchallenged by other EU members, especially the Visegrád bloc and the newly assertive Hanseatic League.
The effects of Brexit will be felt beyond the United Kingdom. The unprecedented exit of a key member state […]
The 2019 European Parliament elections will be held on 23-26 May. Ahead of the elections, we will be previewing the contest in all 27 EU states (assuming the UK leaves in March). In the first article of the series, Bianca Toma and Alexandru Damian discuss the elections in Romania, which will offer an opportunity for reformist groups to put […]
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Topic-modelling the 2019 European Parliament elections: The long awaited battle over the ‘soul of Europe’?
Topic-modelling the 2019 European Parliament elections: The long awaited battle over the ‘soul of Europe’?
The campaign for the next European Parliament elections in May is now entering full swing. Miriam Sorace presents a detailed analysis of the platforms of the main European Party Groups ahead of the vote and assesses what the political consequences of the election might be for the EU over the next five years.
In his speech at the December […]