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Some European populists, as well as their supporters at the highest levels of the U.S. administration, are drawing parallels with the rejection by the European Court of Human Rights of Călin Georgescu’s appeal against a Romanian court. The court’s decision to annul Romania’s 2024 presidential election after the far-right candidate won the first round amid evidence of Russian interference is being framed as political intrusion by judges, rather than understood as protecting the democratic process.

What Le Pen’s sentence means for the rule of law in Europe

Marine Le Pen’s conviction for embezzlement and ban from elected office have sparked accusations from far-right and populist movements of antidemocratic behavior. But the ruling shows that attachment to the rule of law is resilient, and upholding it is the only way to counter claims that the system is rigged

Partnership through strength starts at home. Unity is essential for Europeans to stand their ground. However, it remains unclear whether the Trump effect will stiffen or splinter Europe. Far-right political forces across the continent share Trump’s illiberal nationalist worldview, and the Trump administration will likely seek to exploit divisions to weaken the EU.

Securing Europe’s future: Partnership through strength

By: EBR | Wednesday, April 9, 2025

The Trump administration’s antagonist and negligent approach toward Europe has eroded trust between historic allies. By fostering its sovereignty, Europe can restore the balance of the transatlantic partnership and secure its future

Europe’s continuing inability ‘to speak with one voice’ is the focus of several former EU officials and diplomats. “Should it not be possible to merge the EEAS with the Commission?” asks one, referring to the EU’s much-criticised diplomatic service. The consensus among them is that a clearer EEAS mandate and a more professional internal culture should be priorities.

Ways the EU could streamline its governance without a new treaty

By: EBR | Tuesday, April 8, 2025

Reform is in the air almost everywhere except in the European Union and its institutions

There is a great example of how Arabs can enjoy living in the best possible conditions, once freed from the yoke of radical Islam: Masdar City in the United Arab Emirates. I visited there a month ago, and was amazed at how in the desert, this City of the Future emerged, blending sustainable urban living, renewable energy, green building practices and advanced technologies.

Hope you rarely hear about

By: EBR | Monday, April 7, 2025

Hope will come when Palestinians have something valuable to lose, like their homes

Europeans and their willing partners can build a credible deterrent signal, but they need to change track and recalibrate expectations. An effective in-country reassurance force is a long shot, but it has become the improbable yard stick European action is being measured against.Europeans could arguably be more effective and credible through a combination of other components.

The problems with European Security Guarantees for Ukraine

By: EBR | Wednesday, April 2, 2025

The coalition of the willing has raised unrealistic expectations about its support for Ukraine, setting itself up for failure. To build a credible deterrent and contain Russia, Europeans and partners must revise their approach and help Trump strengthen his negotiating position

Germany’s working-age population is projected to decline from approximately 52 million to approximately 43 million by 2050. The country needs increased workforce participation among women, older workers and immigrants to close the labor supply gap.

Will Germany’s new government tackle the key economic challenges?

By: EBR | Monday, March 31, 2025

Germany faces a host of challenges, necessitating a strategic vision that strengthens growth and charts a path to future prosperity

EU institutions cannot fill that vacuum: While their governance still enjoys a shrinking political majority in the European Parliament, they can be hostage to party politics. Many of the EU’s decisions require implementation in the member states. Imposing measures without national ownership has proven an unsuccessful strategy in the past.

The case for Europe

By: EBR | Wednesday, March 26, 2025

Europe has the resources and ideas to grow stronger, but domestic challenges hinder their implementation. Achieving Europe’s strategic autonomy requires a radical shift in defense, security, and economic integration

Three member states implemented the 5G toolbox, with noticeable impact on their networks. The percentage of Chinese components in 5G mobile networks in Q4 2024 was 41% in Belgium, a significant reduction on its 100% dependence in Q4 2019. In the same period, the percentage of Chinese components in Romanian 5G fell from 61% to 44%.

Seventeen EU countries not ready to cut China 5G dependence

By: EBR | Wednesday, March 19, 2025

One decision by the Chinese Communist Party, with its deep ties to Huawei, could cripple Germany’s economy, triggering a widespread disruption across the entire EU

It suggests that some of the costs of the plan could come from a scheme that takes windfall profits from Russian assets inside the EU and uses them for the benefit of Ukraine.

EU diplomats suggest doubling military aid for Ukraine this year

By: EBR | Tuesday, March 18, 2025

The European Union should be prepared to go as far as doubling its military aid to Ukraine this year to 40 billion euros

Such a development would be dangerous for the rest of the world. The Treaty on Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), to which all EU members are signatories, tries to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons. If any European country worked towards gaining atomic weapons, it could undermine the agreement, so encouraging other nations to follow suit, including dangerous countries like Iran.

Europe’s Dr Strangelove moment: Is a new nuclear arms race on the brink?

By: EBR | Wednesday, March 12, 2025

Could Germany and Poland’s request for nuclear protection from France and the UK spark a global arms race?

The signs are that Trump’s tactics to hasten a ‘peace deal’ that would amount to a win for Russia are backfiring in other ways. There’s much less resistance from several EU member states – and by the European Central Bank – to flouting international law by seizing some €250bn in frozen Russian assets. That would sustain Ukraine and ensure Russia pays towards its reconstruction, and would deal a body blow to Putin’s own credibility.

Four blunt messages Europe needs to send to Trump

By: EBR | Tuesday, March 11, 2025

Europe’s leaders need to send some blunt messages to Donald Trump in language he cannot fail to understand. Diplomatic nuances are evidently lost on him, so hard-hitting talk has become the only way forward

To put it bluntly: For Trump, Ukraine is nothing more than a buffer state between the spheres of influence of two great powers—the United States and Russia, notwithstanding the latter’s dismal economy and conventional military.

Europe’s Critical Choices: Securing Ukraine Without Trump

By: EBR | Wednesday, March 5, 2025

To secure Ukraine and the continent, European countries must take action that Trump and Putin cannot ignore. This will require making three crucial but divisive choices on how to deploy financial and military capabilities.

“Our forecasts show that the world will need more gas for power generation, heating and cooling, industry and transport to achieve both the economic growth and climate goals’, the Shell report says.

Shell: Shortage of gas threatens Europe from 2030

By: EBR | Tuesday, March 4, 2025

Europe will have to contend with shortages of liquified gas (LNG) in five years’ time

Merz’s domestic agenda is clear: boosting investment across the board—including by loosening the debt break introduced in 2010 to curb surging government debt—and raising defense expenditure ahead of the NATO summit in June.But his defense and security agenda not only requires a DNA change for Germany; it is financially daunting. Merz needs to find political and financial support from the Bundestag to modernize the country’s armed forces instead of tinkering with reforms in the defense ministry.

Germany’s Chance to Lead Europe Strategically

By: EBR | Thursday, February 27, 2025

With Trump undermining the transatlantic alliance, Europe is in need of leadership. Germany’s incoming chancellor has a unique opportunity to empower the EU to take charge of its own security and defense.

Ukraine’s accession to the roaming area is expected to be formally validated in early July by a Council decision approved during an EU Council of ministers in its Trade configuration.De facto however, Ukraine has been permitted access to the EU’s roaming area since the start of Russia’s attack on the whole of the country.

One more step for Ukraine’s EU accession to its roaming area

By: EBR | Wednesday, February 26, 2025

The discussion coincides with a broader show of support by the EU to Ukraine

But for now, a major European grievance is that despite Western sanctions, Indian refineries have benefited from Russia’s reduced oil prices. New Delhi has helped turn Russian crude oil into diesel and gasoline for the global market – and with that, feed Moscow’s war machine.

Ursula von der Leyen dreams of a passage to India

By: EBR | Wednesday, February 26, 2025

Key obstacles to closer ties, however, are likely to be differing views on trade and New Delhi’s close ties with Moscow

The flat earth believers are back. Within a matter of weeks and the flick of a pen the entire post-Second World War social economic political and multilateral order is being ripped apart.

Europe’s choice

By: EBR | Friday, February 21, 2025

Europe must emerge as the voice of reason, thoughtfulness and kindness

According to a statement by the Italian government, a total of 90 individuals across 14 EU countries have been targeted in violation of established engagement rules and seven cases have been confirmed so far in Italy.

Italy’s spyware scandal shakes nation, but EU remains unmoved

By: EBR | Tuesday, February 18, 2025

Commission spokesperson maintains that national authorities are be responsible for investigating such cases, not the EU executive

Recently the geopolitical stakes rose even higher. It is not inconceivable that Hungary would, for example, block retaliatory tariffs against the United States, or disagree with increasing common borrowing for defense if the United States begins to withdraw. Also, the need to regularly renew sanctions against Russia gives Hungary, or any other wannabe disruptor, a very effective way to twist the European Commission’s arm.

Suspend Hungary’s Voting Rights to Save the EU’s Credibility

By: EBR | Wednesday, February 12, 2025

Hungary’s attempts to paralyze EU foreign policy through vetoes and blackmail continue. By failing to make Budapest pay, Brussels is normalizing such behavior and inviting further disruption

Merz claims that his five-point plan is in line with EU laws because the EU system is currently ‘dysfunctional’. Just look at the Dublin Regulation (2013) which obliges asylum seekers to submit their asylum application in the country of arrival.

Friedrich Merz accelerates Germany’s elections

By: EBR | Tuesday, February 11, 2025

The temperature rose to boiling point in the run-up to to Germany’s Bundestag elections on February 23 after a 28-year-old Afghan attacked a kindergarten class in Aschaffenburg, Bavaria, with a knife

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EU Actually

A UK-US deal sounds good but what does it mean

By: N. Peter Kramer

After Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s visit to the White House in February, the UK delegation referred to what was being negotiated as an "economic deal"