How close is Ukraine to joining the EU?
Diplomats are racing against time to open negotiations on Ukraine’s accession to the European Union before Hungary takes over the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU on 1 July. Hungary, whose leader Viktor Orban has close ties to Russia, might try to kill or stall the deal. Will EU member states succeed? Global Europe’s editor Alexandra Brzozowski analyzes the scenarios ahead.
31 Mai 202413min
On the campaign trail with socialist frontrunner Nicolas Schmit
The current EU Commissioner for Jobs and Social Rights, Luxembourg's Nicolas Schmit, is touring EU member states to rally support for socialist parties and strengthen his party's standing ahead of June's EU elections.Our politics reporter Max Griera, who followed Schmit on the campaign trail, joined us to explain what happened during the tour and what main positions the Socialists’ lead candidate wanted to communicate.
30 Mai 202416min
The future of the far right in Europe, viewed from France
In the face of a deeply divided left, the French National Rally's grab for power is easier than many might expect. How is the party reshaping the influence of the far-right at the European level?We sat down with Paris correspondent Theo Bourgery-Gonse to put French dynamics into the European context.
29 Mai 202414min
Greens position themselves as alternative to far-right, focus on security and defence
As the European Parliament elections approach, the Greens are broadening their focus beyond environmental policies to address issues that resonate more with the general electorate, like security, defence, and housing.They are also positioning themselves as the sole alternative to the far-right, which has heavily politicised climate change in a bid to gather more support and secure additional seats in Parliament. But how can the Greens distinguish themselves from the other parties that focus on the same policies and are also battling with the far-right surge? To break down this topic, we spoke with Donagh Cagney, Euractiv’s energy and environment editor.
28 Mai 202411min
Why authoritarian leaders are on the rise, according to the latest UN report
Around the globe, the number of citizens who show unwavering support for democracy is on the rise but there are also more and more of those voting for leaders who may undermine democracy. Today, for the first time ever, more than half of the global population supports such leaders. We spoke to United Nations Development Programme's Pedro Conceiçao and Euractiv's politics hub editor Aurelie Pugnet to zoom in on the implications for the upcoming European Union elections.
27 Mai 202415min
Will the new Dutch coalition fight the EU or seek solutions?
Four Dutch parties, including Geert Wilders’ far-right Party for Freedom, have agreed on a government programme emphasising nationalism and a tougher stance on Europe. They plan to seek opt-outs from some European policies, particularly migration, despite knowing these efforts will likely fail. Does this mean they’re going for a strategy of confrontation with Europe or one of cooperation? And will their Eurosceptical approach damage the country’s credibility in the EU? To understand better the essence of Dutch politics, I’m joined by a special guest who knows the ins and outs of this topic, Euractiv's publisher René Moerland.
24 Mai 202416min
EU elections candidates clash over what’s best for European economy
Candidates across the political spectrum are meeting twice this week to confront their adversaries and share on a public stage,their vision for Europe.So, what did they have to say about the state of the EU economy, and what are their priorities for the next mandate?In the latest episode of Today in the EU, we sat down with Euractiv’s Economy Reporter, Thomas Moller Nielsen, who attended the debate.
23 Mai 202415min
How Fico’s assassination attempt sparked debate on political violence
Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico was shot five times on 15 May in an assassination attempt that shocked Europe.The attack has brought the issue of violence against politicians back into the discourse and raised some questions about Slovakia as well: What is the current state of the Slovak political scene and how can stability be achieved?To understand better what is happening with Slovak politics, we are joined by Radovan Geist, publisher of Euractiv Slovakia.
22 Mai 202411min
