Europe News German vice chancellor open to dialogue from left to right As Germany prepares for its 2025 elections, Green Party’s Robert Habeck said he is open to talks with all parties for possible post-election coalitions. 13/11/2024
The Europe Conversation Sinkevičius: Russia tapped into North Korea to boost its failing army The conscription of around 10,000 North Korean troops to fight on Ukrainian soil means Putin is under less pressure to replace the approximately 1000 troops Russia is losing on the battlefield daily. 08/11/2024
EU Decoded EU DECODED: Governments may try to delay action on air pollution In this episode we talk about air pollution, the biggest environmental risk to health in the European Union. The Ambient Air Quality Directive has just been revised with stricter limits, but some member states may ask to postpone it under the pretext of protecting economic activity. 05/11/2024
Europe News European Commissioners-designate face parliamentary grillings Some Commissioner candidates including Raffaele Fitto and Olivér Várhelyi face tough scrutiny in the hearings. Countries whose candidates are rejected must restart the process with a new nominee. 04/11/2024
Europe News Sandu and Stoianoglo face off in crucial Moldova presidential runoff Moldovan voters to choose between pro-European incumbent Maia Sandu and challenger Aleksandr Stoianoglo, who favours closer ties with Russia. 30/10/2024
EU Decoded EU DECODED: How will future European Commissioners be 'vetted'? In this episode, we explain what will happen in the confirmation hearings for the nominees for the future European Commission, which begin on 4 November at the European Parliament. To work with Ursula von der Leyen, they will have to pass an "exam," known as a "grilling". 29/10/2024
Norway Norway agrees €340-million air defence deal with US The announcement comes as Nordic countries vowed to increase defence spending following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. 28/10/2024
Europe News Bulgaria heads to the polls for the seventh time in three years Voters return to the ballot box amid high apathy and a surge for the far-right. 24/10/2024
Belarus Belarus' Lukashenko to run again in January presidential election Authoritarian leader Alexander Lukashenko expected to extend his term through election opposition call a "farce". 23/10/2024
The Europe Conversation Opportunities and challenges in EU's quest for closer ties with Gulf states The EU has just had its first summit with the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council with the aim of developing a closer partnership with the powers in the region. It's a relationship built on opportunities but also multiple challenges, not least human rights issues. 17/10/2024
The Europe Conversation Growth in Ukrainian military capabilities a sign of optimism Amid war in Ukraine, the rapidly unfolding conflict in the Middle East and uncertainty about future relations with US, the EU has rarely faced such challenging times. Jacob Kirkegaard, Senior Fellow at the Bruegel thinktank shares his views on what the coming years may hold. 10/10/2024
World Ombudswoman O'Reilly: Commission needs strong accountability mechanism Ireland's Emily O'Reilly will soon leave her role as EU Ombudswoman after more than a decade in the job. Under her watch governance of the bloc has become more transparent and accountable, but she feels more work needs to be done. 04/10/2024
Radio Schuman Having more far-right governments across Europe is a matter of time Cas Mudde, a Dutch political scientist and one of Europe’s leading populism scholars, answers Radio Schuman's question of how more and more far-right party chiefs are becoming government leaders in Europe. 04/10/2024
World How the EU's drugs agency is tackling a new surge The European Union Drugs Agency is dealing with new challenges to the rule of law as the illegal drugs trade surges. 27/09/2024
Health news France fines 11 pharmaceutical labs €8 million over drug shortages Big names in the pharmaceutical industry were accused of failing to comply with regulations to prevent drug shortages. 24/09/2024
Europe News Socialist Ribera becomes von der Leyen’s new right-hand woman Teresa Ribera, Spain's climate expert, is set to become the EU's second most powerful woman in Ursula von der Leyen's new College of Commissioners. 18/09/2024
Europe News European democracy is weakening, report warns Traditionally stable European countries are seeing the rule of law deteriorate as voter turnout and democratic legitimacy decline worldwide, International IDEA said, highlighting concerns over France, the Netherlands and Spain. 17/09/2024
World Vestager: 'a gender-balanced Commission can do unprecedented work' Denmark's Margrethe Vestager has been a driving force of the European Commission's agenda, particularly in her role as Competition Commissioner. She talks to Global Conversation ahead of passing on the baton. 06/09/2024
Europe News How has Jordan Bardella voted in the European Parliament? During his time in the European Parliament, the French MEP and president of the Patriots for Europe group has voted against a resolution on EU support for Ukraine, the pact on migration and asylum and the European health pass. 26/08/2024
World Ex French top diplomat says world order and democracies at risk Around the world conflicts are multiplying and democracies seem increasingly in crisis. Has the world become ungovernable? Sergio Cantone put this question to Hubert Védrine, ex advisor to French President François Mitterrand and former Minister of Foreign Affairs for The Global Conversation. 24/07/2024