The Greek crisis and SYRIZA's government: conflicts and agreements with the EU in Tsipras's Greece
Five years ago, when the last European elections were held, Greece was governed by a coalition of New Democracy (ND), member of the EPP, and the Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK), member of the PES. The discourse at the time, not surprisingly, was not about the MEPs that would represent electors in the European Parliament. It was about whether people trusted the incumbent government and all it...
In five years, the Danish moved from thinking of pulling out to the EU to supporting it
Compared to many of its European peers, Denmark can be considered a ‘dull’ country to follow. At a time when the European economy keeps disappointing, the Danish economy is booming; unemployment is historically low, exports keep increasing and Denmark is the most digitized economy in the European Union (based on the EU’s DESI index). The news are dominated by big stories from abroad...
The environment and migration among the biggest concerns at the very (institutional) heart of Europe
From the 23rd until the 26th of May, electors from 27 (or 28, depending on the issues of Brexit) European countries will vote to elect 751 members of the European parliament. In Belgium, home to the EU Parliament (one) and the European Commission, one could expect a certain feeling of excitement in regard to the upcoming event. But no. On one side, it may be because at the time of writing this article,...
Austria under Chancellor Kurz is a politically divided nation between right-wind nationalism and pro-European forces
It is late January in Vienna, ball season. A tradition that dates back centuries, there is a ball for everything – universities, sports clubs, policemen, doctors, hunters, different regions, political parties. This particular Friday evening appears no different than the others: men in white-tie tuxedos leading women in elegant dresses to the Imperial Palace, ready to dance the waltzes of Johann...
La nazione austriaca nell'era del presidente Sebastian Kurz, una zona neutrale tra nazionalismo di destra e europeismo
È gennaio inoltrato a Vienna, la stagione dei balli. Una tradizione che risale a secoli fa e che vuole che ci sia un ballo per ogni occasione – università, associazioni sportive, polizia, gruppi di caccia, regioni differenti, partiti politici. Questo particolare venerdì sera non sembra molto differente dagli altri: uomini in doppiopetto portano donne in vestiti eleganti...
Com'è vista l'UE nel paese che ne ospita il Parlamento? Immigrazione e ambiente tra i temi più importanti
Dal 23 al 26 maggio elettori da 28 paesi saranno chiamati a votare per eleggere i 751 membri del Parlamento europeo. In Belgio, che ospita il Parlamento e una delle Commissioni europee, ci si aspetterebbe una certa eccitazione riguardo all’evento, ma no. Probabilmente perché i membri del parlamento non sono i soli per i quali i belgi dovranno votare. Come se l’organizzazione del...