Böll.Thema

Russia’s war of aggression has rallied the countries of the European Union in unexpected unity. At the same time, it has exposed blatant deficiencies in European foreign and security policy and Europe’s defense capabilities. 

By passing a comprehensive support package for Ukraine, the EU has demonstrated its willingness to be an active geopolitical player. To fulfil this role, it must strengthen its defense industry, build its troops, and make them ready for action.

Hannes Lorenzen on the causes of farmer protests, EU's lack of planning and wrong decisions, and why a thorough restart of the Common Agricultural Policy is inevitable.

It’s not radical climate activists we need to worry about. The real threat is the lack of solidarity, panic, and ignorance among “mainstream” society.

Five years ago, the European Commission presented its new sustainability and growth strategy, the European Green Deal (EGD), the goal of which was to drive the transition to a competitive and sustainable economy and become the first climate-neutral continent by 2050. The foundations have been laid, but what are the next steps?

Demographic change, environmental crises, and social fragmentation – given all these challenges, generous social policy cannot be the sole solution for a European social model for the future. Rather, it must be a new form of “solidarity-based adaptation,” by which all citizens take responsibility and proactively drive change.

A conversation with Timothy Garton Ash about shattered illusions, the war in Ukraine, setbacks in democracy development, and the fight for freedom.

On May 1, 2004, celebrations took place in many Central and Eastern European capitals. There was great euphoria and joy at finally becoming members of the European family, which expanded from 15 to 25 members. How does the region look back on the past two decades? What can be learned from these experiences for future accession processes?

Polish citizens sent a clear signal against illiberal tendencies in their country with the election in October 2023. Learn more about the challenges of the new government and how Poland now constructively engages at the EU negotiation table.

Daniel Cohn-Bendit on facets of antisemitism and racism in today’s Europe, deep divisions in pluralistic societies, and the need to recognize the other side’s pain.

Resolute action has never been one of the European Union’s strengths. Swift decision-making is not one of the advantages democracies offer. But are the other advantages enough in times of war, as in Ukraine now, when every moment of hesitation costs human lives?

Learn more about the EU member states, key institutions, current parliamentary majorities, recent voter turnout, and the history of the EU.

Many of the anniversaries we mark in 2024 will remind us of how we overcame separation and division, but also of the fact that the task of reuniting Europe is yet to be accomplished. EU enlargement is in our own best interest – after all, a safe and stable neighborhood makes us all safer and Europe more stable.

War in Europe, the escalating climate crisis, Europe's position in the global power structure: The European Union faces historic challenges. The year 2024 will determine how things will proceed.

An examination of Ecuador's groundbreaking constitution, which centers nature, and the reasons it has the potential to inspire the world.

The mobility transition offers the opportunity for a new regenerative economic model that does not repeat the mistakes of fossil fuel era. To rely solely on electric cars now would be heading in the wrong direction. A central component of a just mobility transition would be to end dependence on private cars, expand public transportation and promote healthy and active mobility options such as cycling and walking in cities as well.

Even if all raw materials could be recycled, this alone would not be enough to meet the rapidly growing demand. It is crucial that all options for waste prevention and reuse be exhausted and products and infrastructure used for as long as possible. In addition, these must be designed to be durable and easy to repair.

The circular economy is an approach for a sustainable economy and a good way of life, as well as an actionable response to the triple planetary crisis – global warming, loss of biodiversity and pollution – and not least a solution to an increasingly uncertain supply of raw materials. How could it be implemented on a global scale?

It is long overdue that countries that extract or import raw materials establish clear standards and responsibilities for dealing with the consequences of mining. From the perspective of sustainability, most of the damage caused should no longer be tolerated at all.