Politics
The Brief – Sun, sand, sea … staycation
The Brief takes its own summer holiday from today. In practice, few will be jetting off to somewhere warm. COVID-19 case rates are still stubbornly high, travel restrictions are still tight and most of us will be staying at home, again.
The Brief – Waiting for the next wave
There is news you want to hear, and news you will ignore. These days, Europeans are packing for their summer vacations. The news we don’t want to hear is that by the time we return from well-deserved holidays, the next wave of COVID-19 will have gathered force.
The Brief – There is no medicine for regret
As Germany settles in for the summer and a heavy heat blanket slows political activity in Berlin down to a near standstill, many die-hard Green voters eyeing September's election are heading to their vacation destinations - by train, of course - in a sombre mood.
The Brief – It takes EU to tango
As EU officials prepare for their holidays, they have an extra reason to pack their bags faster than usual; to avoid the siren call of British politicians haranguing them to reopen parts of the Brexit settlement. It would be easy,...
Kaczynski and Putin’s alliance without friendship
It is wrong to assume that Europe's far-right are divided in their attitudes to Putin's Russia, writes Maciej Kisilowski.
The Brief – Big brother is watching you (again)
The Pegasus Project's revelations remind us that journalists, officials and activists all over the world are still closely being watched by national and foreign intelligence services.
The Brief – Flattery by imitation
There’s no flattery like imitation, at least when it comes to migration control. Taking their lead from aggressive migration control measures in Denmark and the UK, Lithuania’s parliament last week approved the mass detention of migrants, in a move meant to deter high numbers crossing into the EU from Belarus.
Bring the Erasmus Generation to the Conference on the Future of Europe
The Erasmus Generation has mostly remained behind the scenes within NGOs, multinationals, and public administration. It is time for them to take on more political responsibilities and use their hands-on understanding of Europe, writes João Pinto.
The Brief, powered by Greens/EFA – Return to the Dark Ages
Thousands of demonstrators gathered across Greece this week to protest against the government’s push to effectively make immunisation against COVID-19 mandatory in order to lead a normal life.Special ReportPromoted content
We are struggling to get out of bed, but we still demand a seat at the table
While the coronavirus pandemic has left a scar on an entire generation of young people’s mental health; a youth-led political simulation game has exposed the failure of governments to support its young people. Rebecca Gaff is a Project Assistant at...
The Brief, powered by Greens/EFA – It’s the youth, stupid
It’s summertime and the livin’ is easier. Fish are jumping and although COVID is high, and a nasty variant too, it's not yet at everyone's doors, at least for the time being.
The Brief, powered by Greens/EFA – The guts to put pineapple on pizza
Italy's latest proud moments in Europe were prepared with an unconventional recipe that would tease purists of Italian culture.
The Brief, powered by UNESDA – Everything but content
Two and a half months before the German parliamentary election, the campaign is stuck in a maze of political misgivings, ranging between bad taste and mud-fight, abounding in everything but content, it seems.
The Brief, powered by ESA – The Merkelian pragmatism
The paradox of Angela Merkel is that while it is hard to imagine the last twenty years of European politics without her, it is equally tough to think of her legacy as anything other than a manager.
Slovenian Presidency with Janša: What happens on Twitter should stay on Twitter
Prime Minister Janez Janša, who is under fire in Western media as Slovenia takes over the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union, may be clumsy on Twitter but he is not an autocrat, writes Žiga Turk.
The Brief, powered by ESA – Contracting out asylum
With the EU’s latest plans for a pact on migration and asylum making little more progress than their predecessors, member states are taking matters into their own hands and not just the usual suspects.
The Brief, powered by Martens Centre – Five years
Lest we forget, five years ago this week the UK voted to leave the EU. It seems like a world away, yet it is striking how little has changed.
The Brief, powered by Martens Centre – Rainbow EU, divided EU
Who would have thought it? With such big issues like Russia and Turkey on the EU summit agenda, not to mention the COVID-19 travel certificate, without which our holidays will be spoiled, LGBTQI+ rights would eclipse both geopolitics and our sacrosanct lifestyle?
Catalan pardons are welcome but the political conflict is not over
The release of nine Catalan pro-independence leaders is a welcome end to years of suffering. But the political battle is far from over, writes Jordi Solé i Ferrando.
The Brief, powered by Martens Centre – Not so settled status
Whether or not the UK government and EU counterparts care to admit it, living abroad has become more complicated in the age of no more free movement.Promoted content
Another future for Europe
‘Democracy owes its existence to Christianity'. These words were uttered by Robert Schuman, the primary founding father of the European Union, half a century ago.
Time for transatlantic leadership on refugee resettlement
As numbers of displaced people across the world reach an all-time high, it’s time to restore transatlantic leadership on refugee resettlement, writes David Miliband.Promoted content
Has Covid-19 left a ‘pandemic scar’ on young people?
The end is in sight. Restrictions are lifting and slowly but surely, we’re starting to feel ‘normal’ again. Across Europe and beyond, offices are starting to reopen, empty classrooms have welcomed back students, and spending time with family and friends...