European Politics

Mario Draghi Is Right to Call the EU a Confederation

Ask people what the EU is and you will get vastly differing answers: certain are normative, along the lines of “the EU is the only entity that has achieved prosperity at such a large scale”, and others are more functional: “the EU is an organisation of ever-increasing delegation between multiple (…)

Wednesday 18 February 2026

Could a Nordic Federation Be Europe’s First Step to a Federal Future?

In an era when ‘federalism’ is often treated as a provocative word in European politics, the idea of a Nordic federation can sound almost utopian. Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden are usually portrayed as cooperative neighbours rather than constitutional trailblazers. Yet, beneath (…)

Monday 19 January 2026

Federalism requires fiscal responsibility

European fiscal federalism is an ambitious goal, but it is one that is often hampered by the ideological conflict between austerity measures and greater public expenditure. The sustainability of debt is not based on any fixed rule, but on the relationship between economic growth and the cost of (…)

Wednesday 17 December 2025

Europe is standing at a crossroads

The reaction to the 2025 State of the European Union address is clear: the centre-right European People’s Party (EPP) and the second Commission of Ursula von der Leyen are under pressure - and they must change direction. The annual meeting between the European Parliament and the Commission - (…)

Monday 15 December 2025

Europe in Turmoil: Defending Progressive European Values Amid the Mogherini Affair

Belgian authorities have formally charged Federica Mogherini in connection with a fraud investigation involving potential tender irregularities linked to the College of Europe. The news sent ripples through Brussels and the broader EU sphere. For many, it felt surreal. The former EU High (…)

Monday 8 December 2025

With European federalism mired in crisis, we should stop pointing fingers at others – and start looking at ourselves!

Amidst the relentless rise of right-wing populism and the ascent of a new authoritarian left, European federalism is teetering on the edge of crisis. Meanwhile, the integrationist values it embodies are more important than ever. Russia’s war on Ukraine, the looming threat of China, and Donald (…)

Friday 31 October 2025

From the Green Deal to the Green Dilemma

When Ursula von der Leyen began her first term as President of the European Commission, she did so with a clear promise: to confront the climate crisis with firm and ambitious measures. Out of that commitment came the European Green Deal, a roadmap aimed at achieving climate neutrality by 2050. (…)

Friday 5 September 2025

The New EU budget is “fit for yesterday”, not for a new era - it is time to get serious

The authors are former President of JEF Greece and current Board Member of JEF Piraeus-Athens On July 16, 2025, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen unveiled what she proclaimed as a budget “fit for a new era”, the €1.98 trillion Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) for (…)

Sunday 10 August 2025

More state intervention won’t stop populism – but a stronger middle class can

Europe is beset by a wave of populism and declining trust in politics. But the state getting more involved in people’s lives will make the situation only worse. For a strong democracy, politics must matter less for Europe’s middle class. That means shrinking the state. At the recent German (…)

Wednesday 9 July 2025

Issues in Governmental Transparency and the Case for a plausible opposition in Greece

Since the 2019 victory of the conservative New Democracy party and the election of Kyriakos Mitsotakis as Prime Minister—following the electoral defeat of Alexis Tsipras and SYRIZA—Greek society has experienced several periods of heightened tension. This tension reached its peak during two key (…)

Tuesday 24 June 2025

U.S. Tariffs as a Response to Technical Trade Barriers

Technical Barriers to Trade (TBTs) are non-tariff barriers — such as standards, certifications, and conformity assessments — that are less well-known than tariffs but more impactful. In this context, the U.S. tariff strategy should be seen as a countermeasure to rebalance trade relationships (…)

Wednesday 18 June 2025

Rethinking Belgian Federalism: Regional Divides and National Implications

The Federal Model Belgium is a nation marked by deep cleavages. Initially conceived as a unitary state, power was concentrated in Brussels. Eventually, social, economic, and political developments necessitated a new system of governance. A series of constitutional revisions, or state reforms, (…)

Friday 6 June 2025
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