Opinions

Macron and the EU enlargement make-believe

French politicians’ fear of losing votes in the elections jeopardizes the dream of uniting Europe, writes Srdjan Cviijic.

EU elections: Two parties try to inject hate into Danish politics

The heated debate over refugees, minorities and Islam has affected the upcoming elections in Denmark, writes Bashy Quraishy.

The US isn’t protecting oil supplies from the Middle East, it wants to control prices as foreign policy

America’s extensive use of military and economic coercion in the Middle East and other oil-producing countries around the world reflects the US’s new position as an exporter of oil and liquefied natural gas, argues Robin Mills. Robin Mills is the...

EU elections in Hungary: The Catch ‘19

Hungary is now caught in an anti-migration and xenophobic discourse as the society did not have the chance to learn or prepare enough, and now it seems almost impossible to change this situation, writes Marcell Lörincz.

EU elections: Will 2019 be the year of climate action?

Climate change is now a top priority for EU voters, so where do the parities stand when it comes to climate action? Elisa Giannelli, explores.

Don’t let politics derail Greece’s economic recovery

With the Greek national elections on the horizon and the European parliamentary elections imminent, political controversy is driving inaccurate pronouncements on the state of the economy in Greece, writes Dimitris Papadimitriou.

Five clauses for a new European Social Contract

A group of Socialist employment ministers set out five requirements for a new European Social Contract, ranging from equal pay and social dialogue to reducing inequality.

Climate progress is key to reinvigorate European project

If the EU is to regain trust and achieve a renewed social contract, the most progressive response to the climate crisis must be at the core of its new mission, writes Martin Porter.

European vote in the UK: Silence is a mistake

Labour and the Tories will be equally to blame for not having challenged Nigel Farage, who is likely to be the big winner of the European elections in the UK, writes Stavros Papagianneas.

How can EU members make good on new single-use plastics law?

The European Parliament and the Council gave their official green light to the Single-use Plastics Directive on Tuesday morning (21 May). Larissa Copello de Souza explains how the implementation period is a golden opportunity to raise the bar even further.

Youth spell out five demands to tackle climate breakdown

Climate change is threatening the future of younger generations, but decision makers are still not taking it seriously. To get them started, youth organisations have joined forces with partners across Europe to come up with a set of five demands for how to solve the crisis.

Strengthening EU rule of law protection: start with freedom of expression

This Tuesday, during the General Affairs Council, ministers of foreign affairs will get a presentation by the Commission about a new Communication on the rule of law. Rather than just listen, ministers should show they are committed to backing up talk with immediate action, write Gráinne de Búrca and John Morijn.

Europe needs a new Social Contract for Sustainability and Just Transition

What happens after the European elections will determine the future of Europe. The next European Commission must support a new European Social Contract, writes Udo Bullmann.

Size doesn’t matter. Quality should be central to EU budget

An EU budget aligned to the goals of the Paris Agreement, the fulfilment of climate neutrality and the swift decarbonisation of the European economy is a win-win situation for both net payers and recipients to the EU budget, argue Markus Trilling and Raphaël Hanoteaux.

Iran seeks to prove it can disrupt oil and gas exports from Arab Gulf States

A recent attack on Saudi oil facilities west of Riyadh were designed to demonstrate Tehran’s ability to target all of the region’s oil and gas exports and raise exponentially the cost of military conflict for the US and its allies in the Gulf region, writes Hasan Alhasan.

Champions grow through competition

Instead of letting governments picking ‘champions’, the EU should strengthen the single market, invest more in innovation and “assertively” pursue fair and equal trade policies, argue Dutch ministers Eric Wiebes, Sigrid Kaag and Mona Keijzer.

The success of populism, and why it’s all about the middle class

Addressing the shrinking of the middle class is crucial to fight the rise of nationalism, protectionism and populism in the next European elections, Margherita Movarelli argues.

What Daimler’s move on carbon-neutral cars says about the industry

Daimler, one of the world’s leading producers of premium cars and commercial vehicles, has announced new commitments to make its entire passenger car fleet carbon neutral by the close of 2039. This is the most ambitious timeline among any of the leading automakers and signals a rapid acceleration in the shift towards zero-carbon transport, writes Nigel Topping.

Future of the Eastern Partnership: The Polish view

An “Association Agreements plus” with a secretariat, a rotating presidency, and the creation of a regional economic area. These could be the next steps for the "Eastern Partnership" (EaP) launched 10 years ago, writes Prof. Jacek Czaputowicz.

Today, the EU has used up nature’s budget for the year

Did you think Europe was doing relatively well, environmentally speaking? EU Overshoot Day is your reality check. The EU elections and the response of EU leaders will be crucial to turn the tide, writes Ester Asin.