Democracy and the future of work
Anxiety about the state of democracy amid political polarisation should direct us to an unexpected answer—economic citizenship.
North Kosovo: time to turn to civil society
The explosive tensions of recent weeks have exposed the limits of the dialogue brokered by the European Union.
Pay transparency yes, but we need more for equal pay
The gender pay gap is stubborn because several factors underpin it. Action is needed on all of them.
A feminist view of working-time reductions
Reducing working time is necessary to decouple work from growth. Well designed, it could redistribute care more evenly.
‘Gaslighting’ Europe on fossil fuels
Documents from the International Gas Union have revealed the strategy of disinformation pursued by the powerful lobby.
Legal challenges by NGOs, citizens key to climate battle
Strong climate governance means holding governments to account. The EU institutions have shied away from doing so.
Biodiversity: the EU and the race against time
The EU’s Nature Restoration Law must implement key COP15 outcomes on biodiversity—in very short order.
The final countdown: the EU, Poland and the rule of law
Faced with financial and political pressures at home, Poland is inching closer to rule-of-law reforms.
Romania and Bulgaria stuck in EU’s second tier
The vetoing of Romania and Bulgaria joining the Schengen zone sent bad signals to the south-eastern EU member states.
Tackling the cost-of-living crisis
Inflation is a number. But addressing it is not just a technical issue, best left to (usually male) economists.
The digital euro: a flawed concept doomed to flop
Peter Bofinger argues that on the ‘digital euro’ the European Central Bank has dug itself into a hole it would do best to vacate.
ECB lobbies for banks, instead of supervising them
The ECB has taken upon itself to challenge the Spanish government over a temporary tax on the profits of commercial banks.
After ‘Qatargate’: how to protect democracy in the EU
The Gulf state’s pursuit of influence shines a light on a systemic problem for the EU—and it’s not a good look.
Social-ecological public procurement
The vast sums disbursed in procurement and subsidies by public institutions must lever good work amid the green transition.
Defending women’s rights in a broken justice system
The right to a fair trial is no longer guaranteed in Poland, say the activists protesting against strict abortion laws.
Avoiding ‘carbon leakage’—adjustments needed
The EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism is ecologically justified but difficult to implement.
Europe-wide inequality during the pandemic
The pandemic increased inequality between member states but Europe-wide inequality has continued to decline, if more slowly.