Zeynep Şahin Mencütek
The European Commission has proposed a new system for returning third-country nationals staying illegally in the EU: sending them to designated holding areas before deportation. Zeynep Şahin Mencütek and Soner Barthoma explain why its plan will not work Read more
Magdalena König
Enlargement’s symbolic revival after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine risks repeating past failures. Magdalena König warns that without credible timelines and reform momentum, the EU may trap candidates — old and new — in an ‘eternal waiting room’. Frustration, backsliding, and geopolitical drift are likely unless promises are matched by progress Read more
Francisco Javier Romero Caro
Many regarded the coronacrisis as a shock that would reshape the management of public life, improving Spain's preparedness for future crises. But Francisco Javier Romero Caro explains how, in their disastrous handling of recent floods in Valencia, Spanish politicians seemed to have forgotten the lessons learned during the pandemic Read more
Kaja Kaźmierska
The Lisbon Treaty appeared to restrict the powers of the presidency in external affairs. But it might also have made presidential powers more flexible. Kaja Kaźmierska describes how a reshuffling of leadership positions in the EU affected the role of the presidency Read more
John Chin
Since 2024, Slovakia has witnessed democratic backsliding and major political unrest. The future of populist nationalism in Slovakia – and Slovakia’s position in Europe – are at stake. John Chin and Daniel Hayase contextualise this unrest, reviewing the challenges posed by Prime Minister Robert Fico’s efforts to consolidate power and to build a bridge between […] Read more
Stefan Telle
Differentiated membership may offer a pragmatic path to EU enlargement, but it risks undermining unity in a multipolar world. Stefan Telle argues that without investment in centre-formation and shared political identity, the EU could drift into transactionalism, weakening its global voice and eroding the ideal of an ever-closer union Differentiated membership is gaining traction as […] Read more
Ivo Kesler
In its 2024 election manifesto, the far-right Austrian Freedom Party sets out its plan to curb migration and naturalisations. Ivo Kesler argues that the party is also advocating for a two-tiered völkisch – ethnic – nationalist conception of citizenship Read more
Denis Cenusa
Russia’s hybrid tactics — emboldening sovereigntist populism, spreading disinformation, and weaponising economic hardship — threaten EU enlargement. Countermeasures, argues Denis Cenusa, are thus essential to protecting the enlargement process and the Union’s strategic resilience Read more
