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Politics

Social Europe is an award-winning digital media publisher driven by the core values of freedom, sustainability, and equality. These principles guide our exploration of society’s most pressing challenges. This archive page curates Social Europe articles focused on political issues, offering a rich resource for innovative thinking and informed debate.

Group of people wearing masks, social distancing, pandemic.

Confronting the Pandemic’s Toxic Political Legacy

Jan-Werner Müller

Resentment over pandemic policies fuels far-right gains, deepens distrust in science, and reshapes politics in the US and Europe.

A man observes a surreal landscape with a city and a large face made of trees and buildings.

Corporate Power vs. Social-Ecological Transformation: Why Progress Remains Stalled

Richard Bärnthaler and Andreas Novy

Fossil fuel giants and entrenched elites block climate action.

Man in suit and glasses, mountains background, Social Europe.

Austria’s Radical Lurch: Kickl’s Power Grab Looms

Robert Misik

A radical leader edges towards transforming Austria's democracy, sparking widespread concern.

Person standing in a suburban area with houses and trees.

Hungary: Safe Haven for Poland’s Corrupt Officials?

Sławomir Sierakowski

Fugitive Polish officials accused of corruption find asylum in Hungary, raising concerns about EU rule of law.

Donald Trump — author portrait, Social Europe.

The End of Progess? The Dire Consequences of Trump’s Return

Joseph Stiglitz

Trump’s second presidency could derail progress, dismantle Enlightenment values, and reshape global politics for the worse.

Cityscape within a human head, Social Europe.

Why Populists Are Winning: The Broken Promise of Liberal Democracy

Jan Zielonka

As democracy falters, voters turn to populists. Can innovation save democracy from its outdated frameworks?

Donald Trump — author portrait, Social Europe.

An American Catastrophe

Jan T. Gross

Trump’s second term will devastate democracy, erode global norms, and deepen the consequences of America’s collective folly.

Donald Trump — author portrait, Social Europe.

Populists Are Taking Over—Here’s Why Democracy Is Failing

Mark Blyth

Dissatisfied voters and outdated systems fuel populism’s rise. Can bold reforms restore trust in liberal democracy?

Man sitting on rocks, watching sunset over sea with ship in background.

A Changing Europe: Strategic Autonomy and Security in 2025 and Beyond

Almut Möller

Strategic autonomy, internal divisions, and external threats: Can the EU adapt and lead in an era of profound change?

London landmarks with European and UK flags overlay.

Britain’s Brexit reality check: Why the majority now want back in

Polly Toynbee

Every UK poll now shows a majority longing to rejoin the EU – but can Britain overcome its Brexit scars?

Man walking towards a map of Europe and the world, Social Europe.

Europe’s Challenge in a New Era of Shift and Shock

Brigid Laffan

The EU faces immense geopolitical and economic challenges in a multipolar world.

Elderly woman with a cane, sitting by a window, looking concerned.

Belgian workers against austerity and for social justice

Marie-Hélène Ska

Today, on 13th of January 2025, Belgian trade unions demonstrate in Brussels against austerity measures.

Elon Musk — author portrait, Social Europe.

Britain at a Crossroads: financial turmoil meets political threats

Paul Mason

Keir Starmer’s government finds itself on the frontline of a global power struggle.

Man in suit and glasses, mountains background, Social Europe.

Austria’s Far-Right Revival: How the ÖVP’s U-Turn is Paving the Way for Radical Leadership

Gabriela Greilinger

The Austrian far-right FPÖ’s likely return to government raises concerns about the erosion of liberal democracy.

Silhouettes of people on city buildings, social interaction theme.

The capacity to ‘compete’—rethinking the welfare state

Anton Hemerijck, Azizjon Bagadirov and Robin Wilson

Rather than a ‘burden on the taxpayer’, the welfare state should be understood in normative terms as productive social investment.

Donald Trump — author portrait, Social Europe.

What to expect from Trump 2.0?

Simon Johnson

Trump’s return promises bold rhetoric but faces stark economic and global challenges.

World map showing climate change impacts and rising sea levels.

Europe’s existential test: Navigating Putin, Trump, and the Global South

Guillaume Duval

How the EU must act to survive mounting global threats.

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S&D Housing Storytelling

Europeans are struggling with rising housing and rental costs, and we have been working in various ways to address this, because we believe a home is a right for everyone.
 Recently, we travelled across Europe to hear directly from people who struggle to afford a decent place to live. They shared a glimpse of how the housing crisis has affected their lives and why having a home is so important to them. Take a moment to check out their stories. They remind us why it is so urgent to act.

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ETUI Advertisement

New Edition - Social policy in the European Union: state of play 2025

Can Europe preserve its distinctive social model while simultaneously rearming, reindustrialising, and reorganising its economy in a more conflictual and competitive world? This is the central question raised in this new edition of the Bilan social, a reference publication released every spring for more than 25 years by the European Trade Union Institute (ETUI) and the European Social Observatory (OSE).

READ HERE
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Is financial resilience and trust in Europe faltering?

In this episode of Eurofound Talks, host Mary McCaughey and senior researcher Eszter Sandor unpack the results of the 2025 Living and Working in the EU e-survey. While headline inflation has stabilised at 2.1%, the data reveals a continent gripped by chronic precariousness, with 57% of respondents now at risk of depression. Mary and Eszter explore how this economic insecurity is impacting institutional trust and democratic engagement.

LISTEN HERE
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The Summer issue of The Progressive Post is out! 

The EU is belatedly awakening to a changing Mediterranean sea, where more assertive regional powers are reclaiming a role.

The new issue of the magazine also reflects on how we struggle to keep pace with AI innovations, examines the uncertainties surrounding the execution of the Pact on Migration and Asylum and the risk to human rights posed by the Return Regulation, and focuses on the EU Commission's newly proposed Industrial Accelerator Act.

READ THE MAGAZINE
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WSI Industrial Action Report 2025 cover page with red and white design.

The 2025 collective bargaining year in Germany was once again characterised by numerous strikes. The WSI recorded 261 industrial disputes in 2025. For the first time, the WSI has also quantitatively analysed the trade unions` industrial action objectives for 2025.

READ THE REPORT
FES Advertisement

“What is the actual purpose of the state?” – this central question is the focus of the analysis. At a time when bureaucratic processes are making life difficult for citizens, the paper proposes a three-part model. It aims at a conception of the state as a platform that helps society build the capabilities it needs to address its problems effectively.

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