Spain’s new culture war
The inauguration of the most fragmented parliament since 1978 will usher in a period of culture war centring on national identity
Unlock Europe’s Majority
The Green Deal will make or break Europe
The European Union's new leadership has decided to invest much of its political capital in a plan to position Europe as the global leader in the transition to a carbon-neutral economy. But if too many constituencies feel as though they are being sacrificed on a green alter, the plan will never even get off the ground.
Table scrap: Budget talks in a fragmented Europe
It will be difficult for the member states that are most invested in the EU’s global role to prevent a reduction in the external portion of its budget
Will Europe Ever Trust America Again?
As Western leaders gather in London this week, you might be able to detect a huge rupture beneath the surface
The benefits of political fragmentation
The EU's new pluralism has made public debate more political, as parties and groups have become careful to protect their distinct identities
Bringing the radical right in: Lessons learned from Spain
Vox’s success in Spain illuminates some of populism’s successful escalation strategies, as well as the mistakes of mainstream parties
The real battle for Poland’s future
Jaroslaw Kaczynski promises the ‘Polish model of the welfare state’ and social protection like in the West – but if his party stays in power after the October 13 election, the country will drift further away from its hard-won freedoms and connections with Europe
False moves: Migration and development aid
Europe should not confuse development aid’s role in reducing forced migration with that of reducing migration more broadly
The instinctive multilateralist: Portugal and the politics of cooperation
The Portuguese hope that the EU can help them tackle the challenges of globalisation: from climate change to cooperation on the impact of freedom of movement
Von der Leyen’s safe Commission
Billed as a safe pair of hands, Ursula von der Leyen is about to find out that caution can only take her so far