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October 1, 2026

🌊 Far-right setbacks do not reverse illiberal change

Vera Tika Sweden's election defeated the Tidö bloc and blocked the Sweden Democrats' route into government. Yet the restrictive political settlement they helped construct may endure. Vera Tika argues that far-right normalisation is not automatically reversed by electoral defeat: once institutionalised, illiberal change can acquire a political life of its own Read more
September 25, 2026

America's absence from NATO’s latest space initiative, HALO

Akash Shah Akash Shah analyses the necessity of HALO for NATO’s integration of space architecture. Here, he suggests that President Trump’s push for European self-reliance, data sovereignty and technical challenges could all explain the US absence from this initiative Read more
August 26, 2026

A new layer of deterrence: the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement

Syeda Saba Batool Syeda Saba Batool argues that a new defence agreement between Pakistan, Türkiye and Saudi Arabia could diversify regional security options. It may also strengthen collective deterrence, and reshape the security architecture of West and South Asia Read more
July 29, 2026

🧭 Why Europe should reform through enlargement

Adam Kola EU institutions, policymakers and many expert debates often frame enlargement as a test for candidate countries. Adam Kola argues that it is equally a test for the European Union. The accession of Ukraine, Moldova and the Western Balkans will also reshape the EU by forcing it to reform and redefine itself Read more
May 21, 2026

The Bucharest Nine and its role in the European defence cluster-puzzle

Oana-Cosmina Mihalache On 13 May 2026, Bucharest hosted the Summit of the Bucharest Nine (B9) and the Nordic countries. Oana-Cosmina Mihalache argues that the reunion’s outcome was indicative of the format’s role in the architecture of European defence cooperation Read more
April 17, 2026

How Lithuania is navigating security as Pax Americana fades 

Roza Roovers On 28 January 2026, Roza Roovers, Hassan Naderi Far and Gigi Maria Massaro spoke with Lithuanian security expert Margarita Šešelgytė. With global power balance in flux, Šešelgytė suggests that many traditional assumptions in international relations theory no longer explain today’s security environment Read more
April 16, 2026

Why Europe’s support for war on Iran is backfiring 

Shamsoddin Shariati Europe’s support for the US-Israeli war on Iran, in the hope of securing American backing for Ukraine, is a strategic mistake, argues Shamsoddin Shariati. Rather than buying goodwill in Washington, European leaders are undermining their own security, credibility, and strategic autonomy  Read more
March 16, 2026

Civilisationism is transforming Europe–US relations

Josefin Graef In 1963, the Munich Security Conference was founded to strengthen West Germany’s integration into NATO. The 62nd annual Conference, which took place 13–15 February 2026, shows the increasing influence of civilisationist politics on transatlantic security, argues Josefin Graef Read more

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Advancing Political Science
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