Photo by Sara Kurfeß on Unsplash They say that the EU has not managed to significantly reduce persistent spending errors in cohesion policy, whose aim is to reduce social and economic disparities within the EU. European Commission and member state controls are still lacking at every level, according to a review by the European Court of Auditors. While…
The recent Global Peace Summit has proven to be a pivotal event in the ongoing struggle for international stability, particularly in the light of Russia’s aggressive actions. Despite Russia’s attempts to derail the summit, including efforts to forge alliances with China and Brazil and propose alternative peace plans, the gathering saw the participation of leaders…
Photo by Ra Dragon on Unsplash If polls are to be believed, a potential emergence of a more influential far-right bloc within the European Parliament could have significant ramifications for the EU’s migration policy. Historically, far-right parties have campaigned on stringent immigration platforms, advocating for tighter border controls and stricter asylum policies. A sizable presence of these parties…
Photo by roya ann miller on Unsplash The European Parliament is 45 this year. In 1979 the first direct election of MEPs took place. In June 2024 more than 400 million European citizens will elect 705 MEPs. Propagandists for the EU cite the elections every five years as proof of the existence of a European demos – a…
The three years of the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a terrible loss of life and exacerbated health inequalities. The global economy slumped and, worldwide, people’s lives were affected, writes Dr. Hsueh Jui-yuan This experience demonstrated that the present global health governance framework is not effective in responding to threats to global health. Although COVID-19 is…
He (or should it be ‘it’) has been described as “truly unique”. As seen on Netflix, Randy Feltface has spent the past two decades winning awards and garnering critical praise while amassing a huge and devoted following across the globe. So an audience in Belgium is in for a real treat this summer because Randy…
Photo by Hanna Morris on Unsplash An estimated 3 million people were “slaughtered” in the Rwanda genocide. It is an event that has passed into the annals of history as one of the worst ever such atrocities. The weekend,therefore, was a chance for the international community to come together to mark what was the 30th anniversary of this…
Less than a week ago, Russia held a so-called “presidential election” that once again confirmed that Putin’s rule poses a real threat to millions of people both inside and outside Russia. On 22 March, Russia launched one of the largest attacks on Ukraine, using 151 aerial attack weapons: 63 strike UAVs of the Shahed-136/131 type,…
Russia should bear “criminal responsibility” for the death of dissident Alexie Navalny, according to MEPs. The claim, by the Greens, came on the day Navalny’s widow, Yulia Navalnaya , made a speech to the EU parliament plenary session in Strasbourg. Her husband died in suspicious circumstances in a Russian jail over a week ago. Sergey…
Photograph Eduard Delputte on Unsplash Roberta Metsola, president of the European parliament, has paid a moving tribute to the winners of this year’s Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought. The prize has been awarded to Jina Mahsa Amini and the Woman, Life, Freedom movement in Iran. The award was presented in Strasbourg in a ceremony…
