Matthijs Bogaards
There is no European electorate. When voters elect the European Parliament, they vote for their own parties in their own countries. Many want this to change, but existing reform proposals are not sufficient. Matthijs Bogaards proposes twinning. It works to connect local communities across Europe and it may provide a new way to elect the European Parliament Read more
Vicente Valentim
Do radical-right parties render political debate more negative?Recent studies indicate they might. But Tobias Widmann and Vicente Valentim show this is not true in Germany, where political discourse among mainstream parties becomes more positive when confronted with rhetoric from radical-right challengers Read more
Joop Van Holsteyn
Coronavirus dominated the Dutch elections to the virtual exclusion of all else. The outcome, write Joop van Holsteyn and Galen Irwin, is a parliament with a record number of parties. Although the current coalition has sufficient seats to return to power, this may not happen. The Liberal Party again has the biggest share, and it is likely Mark Rutte will return as Minister-President Read more
Daniele Albertazzi
Mario Draghi’s new government enjoys broad support in both Italian parliamentary chambers. But Matteo Salvini's League is likely to make its life difficult. Daniele Albertazzi and Davide Pellegrino speculate that Salvini’s party will likely keep one foot in and one foot out of government Read more
Luciano Bardi
Italians have voted in favour of a populist proposal to reduce, quite drastically, the number of parliamentarians. The result of this referendum was never seriously in doubt, writes Luciano Bardi, yet its ramifications raise fundamental questions about the democratic health of Italy’s political system – and whether it can ever be reformed Read more
