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Western European Politics

January 22, 2026

Has Chega changed the Portuguese parliament? What parliamentary votes reveal

Nelson Santos Nelson Santos, Sofia Serra-Silva, and Tiago Silva analysed voting patterns in Portugal’s parliament. They found that the legislative behaviour of populist radical-right Chega contradicts the party’s anti-system rhetoric. Meanwhile, conflict has reached unprecedented levels in what was historically a consensual parliament Read more
January 7, 2026

The social cost of the UK’s approach to transport policy 

Will Edmonds The UK’s car- and London-centric transport policy undermines accessibility. It is pushing millions into effective poverty and entrenching transport emissions through forced car ownership. Will Edmonds argues that prioritising public transport, and equalising accessibility, would break Britain's reliance on the car Read more
November 28, 2025

The failure of social housing in the UK and the abandonment of the the poor

Will Edmonds Will Edmonds argues that the UK’s targeted, means-tested social housing is permitted by a culture that criminalises poverty, and has enabled tragedies like the Grenfell fire. A look through the history of UK public housing shows that the government should adopt a humane, universalist approach Read more
November 18, 2025

National parties' strategies for mobilising expat voters

Adrian Favero The recent Dutch parliamentary elections and the popular vote on electronic ID in Switzerland revealed the considerable influence of the expat diaspora, which adds crucial votes to overall election results. National political parties, argue Adrian Favero and Gilles Pittoors, need to harness the power of transnational organisations to mobilise non-resident voters Read more
October 10, 2025

Is the 'Remigration and Reconquest' committee a turning point for Italy's extreme right? 

Federico Taddei On 6 September 2025, the Italian extreme right sealed a new pact. At a national congress, CasaPound Italia, Patriots’ Network (a Forza Nuova splinter), Veneto Skinhead Front, and Brescia to Bresciani launched the committee they call Remigration and Reconquest. Federico Taddei argues its launch could mark a turning point in Italy’s extreme-right galaxy  Read more
July 9, 2025

The British National (Overseas) visa: a geopolitical tool in UK-China relations 

James F. Downes Political parties frame the UK’s British National (Overseas) visa scheme as historical humanitarian responsibility towards Hong Kong in the context of UK-China relations. But is that really the case? James F. Downes and Kenneth Lai analysed parliamentary speeches from 2019 to 2023. Their findings suggest the UK government uses BNO visas as a geopolitical tool Read more
April 25, 2025

Rising waters, fading lessons: how Spain bungled another crisis

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
April 17, 2025

The Freedom Party of Austria and the legacy of 'völkisch' nationalism

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

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