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3 weeks ago | 
theparliamentmagazine.eu | Eloise Hardy |Julia Kaiser
'Centrism' remains a buzzword in the EU establishment. Yet with rule of law under pressure, it's hardly clear what that means. As European democracies get increasingly harder to govern, finding their political centre has become a wild goose chase at best — and a mythical quest at worst. This dilemma is particularly acute in Germany, where the concept of “centrism” looms large in political discourse.
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Nov 26, 2024 | 
theparliamentmagazine.eu | Daniel Freund |Julia Kaiser
MEP Daniel Freund argues the EU should focus on the root causes of migration rather than building physical barriers on the border. Daniel Freund (Greens/EFA, DE) is an MEP and a member of the Committee on Budgetary Control and the Committee on Constitutional Affairs.
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Nov 25, 2024 | 
theparliamentmagazine.eu | Marilyn Wright |Julia Kaiser
'Planet Aqua' argues that water is Europe’s next climate battleground, demanding a bold new approach to managing our most vital resource. Grappling with the realities of climate change goes hand-in-hand with protecting an essential resource: water. In his new book, Planet Aqua: Rethinking Our Home in the Universe, economic and social theorist Jeremy Rifkin urges a complete rethink of our relationship with water. He sees the need for a ‘Blue Deal’ to complement the EU’s Green Deal.
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Nov 12, 2024 | 
theparliamentmagazine.eu | Julia Kaiser
The EU’s ambitious green agenda is at risk of stalling as the disruption associated with the economic transition begins to bite – and as Europe faces a barrage of extreme weather events.
Deadly floods in Valencia last month were a reminder that climate change is causing environmental disasters to become more severe and more frequent, and that the worst is still to come.
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Nov 8, 2024 | 
theparliamentmagazine.eu | Julia Kaiser
Finance is in focus at the COP29 climate summit in Baku this month. Government representatives from all UN member states, as well as the State of Palestine, the Holy See, Niue, the Cook Islands, and the European Union, will gather in the Azerbaijani capital from 11 to 22 November to discuss measures to combat climate change, including a mechanism for how high-income countries can support lower-income ones in decarbonising their economies.
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Oct 25, 2024 | 
theparliamentmagazine.eu | Eloise Hardy |Julia Kaiser
When Bulgarians go to the polls on Sunday for the seventh time in just over three years, the vote is expected to yield more political gridlock, a democratic headache for the EU and a potential opening for Russia to meddle.
Between 2009 and 2021, the centre-right self-described ‘Euro-Atlantic’ Citizens for European Development of Bulgaria (GERB) party ruled mostly without interruption. But since 2021, there have been six parliamentary elections.
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Oct 14, 2024 | 
theparliamentmagazine.eu | Julia Kaiser
Lithuania's Social Democrats came out on top of the second and final round of parliamentary elections, which took place on Sunday. The centre-left party will occupy 52 of the parliament's 141 seats in the next legislative term. That share could rise to 74, if two smaller centre-left parties join the Social Democrats in a governing coalition.
The ruling conservative Homeland Union, under Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė, came in second with 28 seats.
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Oct 9, 2024 | 
theparliamentmagazine.eu | Eloise Hardy |Julia Kaiser |BirdLife Europe
The coffee you have in the morning, the steak you eat for dinner, the chair you sit on at work: Many everyday products contribute to deforestation and forest degradation — in the European Union and worldwide. The health of forests, which cover 31% of land on the planet, is essential to the fight against climate change and to preserve biodiversity.
Trees can absorb the carbon dioxide that is warming the atmosphere to dangerous levels.
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Oct 4, 2024 | 
theparliamentmagazine.eu | Julia Kaiser
The EU and UK agree: Relations between the bloc and its former member need to be strengthened.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Wednesday met with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. It was the first time Starmer visited the EU capital since taking office in July.
Of many topics to discuss, one might stand out — especially to young people on both sides of the English Channel. The bloc is pushing for a youth mobility deal.
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Oct 1, 2024 | 
theparliamentmagazine.eu | Julia Kaiser
Austria's far-right Freedom Party (FPÖ) is the clear favorite after Sunday's national election. The party nabbed 28.9% of the vote — the most of any party.
That's nearly 13 points more than its 2019 result. It marks the first time since World War II that a far-right party in Austria has emerged as the strongest electoral force.
The parties currently in a governing coalition suffered.
