Berlusconi: populist pioneer who rode Italy into the sand
Since Berlusconi’s death, the media have focused on his persona—not Berlusconism and its legacy.
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.
ILO condemns Belarus’ violation of union rights
The International Labour Conference has taken an unprecedented step to challenge Lukashenka’s denial of freedom of association.
Where is Poland heading, with elections looming?
Amid huge demonstrations against the populist government, buffeted by legal challenges, the stakes could not be higher.
New SPÖ leader: can he stem the far-right surge?
After months of strife among Austria’s social democrats—and an election screw-up—they have a new leader.
Barcelona: a feminist municipalism now at risk
Barcelona has shown the transformative role urban municipalities can play in conjunction with local civil society.
Is Spain on the right track?
If Spaniards vote for the right next month, Spain would be yet another country in its growing European bulwark.
Exploiting every crisis: why the FPÖ is topping the polls
At the heart of the scandal that broke the right-wing coalition government in 2019, the Freedom Party is now riding high.
EU enlargement: prospects and challenges
The geopolitical impetus behind further EU enlargement meets formidable forces of inertia.
Erdoğan, ultranationalists and ‘family values’
The victorious Turkish president is likely to pursue a hardline conservative agenda with his ultranationalist allies.
Politically disengaged youth in the former eastern bloc
Young people across the eastern-EU member states believe in Europe and universal norms—but their governments turn them off.
Big Toxics and their lobby firepower
The chemical giants outspend even Big Tech and Big Energy on lobbying the EU—and it’s working.
SPÖ: how not to run a leadership contest
The messy struggle for leadership of Austria’s social democrats, Robert Misik writes, nevertheless has echoes for others.
Turkey: does Kılıçdaroğlu have a path to victory?
The xenophobia from the social-democratic leader since his first-round defeat is unlikely to win him the second.
On the wrong side of Britain’s history
‘National Conservatism’, Paul Mason writes, fails to chime with British national-popular culture.
Russia, homophobia and the battle for ‘traditional values’
On International Day Against Homophobia, official Russia now demarcates itself very firmly on the other global side.
Reconstruction: time for transformative ideas
As the world inches back to normality, the Covid-19 crisis highlights deep structural inequalities and the urgent need for bold, systemic solutions to tackle climate change, social injustice, and economic precarity.
Russia’s appeal to ‘warrior masculinity’
Putin's Victory Day pitch for more military recruits is unlikely to encourage men to enlist in the army.