John Ryan
The recent municipal election results in North Rhine-Westphalia barely disguise Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s unpopularity. The result offers no respite for the CDU/CSU-SPD government at national level. Bold actions are needed domestically to tackle Germany’s deep and structural challenges, argues John Ryan Read more
Ugur Tekiner
European elections are traditionally seen as less significant than national elections. But Ugur Tekiner argues that the recent challenges facing the EU force us to rethink this classification. Recent European elections accurately reflect the national political mood in Member States, and reveal the growing polarisation around Europe Read more
Angelo Vito Panaro
Elections are the primary channel for political leaders to gain power in democracies. Amid concerns about the state of democracy around the world, Angelo Vito Panaro contends that in the 2024 elections, democratic regimes performed relatively well in comparison with autocracies Read more
James F. Downes
James F. Downes argues that the 2025 German election has upended decades of stability: the CDU’s rightward pivot and the AfD’s historic surge have left a fragmented parliament. With the SPD’s progressive coalition shattered, a shaky 'Grand Alliance' offers minimal respite. Germany’s turmoil threatens EU unity — and its own democratic foundations Read more
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