Albrecht Rothacher
In 2026, Bulgaria will likely join the eurozone. On the surface, the economic indicators look good. But Albrecht Rothacher and Martin Bull argue that this may be another example of the will of Brussels triumphing over hard socioeconomic reality. Bulgarians, they warn, should brace themselves for a fiscal shock Read more
Matthew E Bergman
Austrian parties have finally formed a new government – on their third bargaining attempt. The failure of the previous rounds drew media criticism of timewasting. But Matthew E Bergman and Wolfgang C Müller argue that time spent bargaining is in fact an investment in future government policy productivity 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
Martino Comelli
Across Europe, mainstream conservative parties are edging closer to ultranationalists and far-right populists. Many see this as a sudden turn. But Martino Comelli argues its roots are part of Christian Democratic strategy DNA. Historically, this strategy has balanced market liberalism with the desire to constrain mass politics Read more
Oliver Gruber
Oliver Gruber and Philipp Schnell examine how populist radical-right parties are extending their influence far beyond traditional populist policy areas, such as immigration. Across Europe, these parties are switching their focus to education policy. Read more
Frederik Henriksen
Frederik Henriksen analyses anti-systemic, populist movements during the Covid-19 pandemic. Here, he explains how these movements rely on alternative news media to establish their own digital information bubbles, and shows how ideological partisanship evolved in these environments Read more
James F. Downes
James F. Downes argues that elections to the European Parliament will likely lead to record representation for populist far-right parties. Lack of unity and ideological divisions, however, will make it difficult for the far right to wield any real power Read more
Ragnhild Louise Muriaas
Women have made great strides towards equal representation in parliaments across the world. Their short parliamentary careers, however, still stop them from representing their constituents as effectively as men colleagues, write Ragnhild L. Muriaas and Torill Stavenes, guest editors of The Loop’s blog series to mark International Women’s Day on Friday 8 March Read more
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