India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) look set to win the third parliamentary elections in a row. This probable election result will almost certainly exacerbate the conflict between the Hindu majority and religious minorities, especially Muslims, and further weaken democratic institutions and political pluralism. Parliamentary elections in India: The largest elections in human history In India, the world’s largest democracy, parliamentary elections are held from April 19 to June 1, 2024 to decide which party will form the majority in India’s lower house, the ..read more

In the midst of war, the groundwork must be laid for the future of Ukraine. What levers are available for a rapid and sustainable process of economic recovery? “Return to Europe” was the label under which the countries of Central and Eastern Europe seized their historic opportunity to overcome the East-West divide after the end of the Cold War. And yet, Europe remained a continent of divided security. The Russian full-scale attack on Ukraine on February 24, 2022 marked another watershed for Europe – the start of a new era in which a country is struggling for its very existence. The desire to o ..read more

Cumbersome word, important topic: cohesion. The success of the European Union depends on whether it can reduce economic and social disparities in Europe. The European Parliament elections are dominated by major issues. The war in Ukraine, the fight against climate change, migration, enlargement, geopolitics – there is no shortage of epochal challenges for the next legislative period. In light of these important issues, is it really necessary to deal with cohesion policy, the European funding programmes designed to help weaker regions with their economic development? Can‘t that wait? In fact, t ..read more

Democracy in Europe must be given new momentum. That was one of the six strategic priorities set out by the von der Leyen Commission. Almost five years later, it must be said that this has only worked to a limited extent. Political polarisation in the member states has increased, public debate is becoming more abrasive, the rule of law remains under pressure in some EU member states and the new possibilities that generative AI provide for democracy are offset by the overwhelming power of the tech giants. Of course, the EU itself has become increasingly democratic over the course of its history ..read more

Brussels is primarily focussed on reactive and protective measures towards China. What is missing is the active, coordinated shaping of relations under the new geopolitical conditions. The European Union and China have become closely intertwined economically – especially since China’s accession to the World Trade Organisation in 2001 and its subsequent rise to become the “factory of the world.” In 2003, both sides upgraded their relationship to a strategic partnership. But the honeymoon period is long over. Since President Xi Jinping took office in 2013, China has taken an increasingly aggress ..read more

The Royal Danish Embassy in Berlin and the Bertelsmann Stiftung, in collaboration with the Süddeutsche Zeitung (SZ Dossier), cordially invite you to the following event: Soft Power in a Tough World: EU Elections and European Responses in Challenging Times Tuesday, May 28th, 2024 18:15 – 21:00 Royal Danish Embassy, Rauchstraße 1, 10787 Berlin, Germany. Join us for a discussion on the key challenges currently facing the EU and the role that the future European Parliament should play in overcoming them. Europe must respond to questions about its ability to ensure its own security, its capaci ..read more

Translated from German by Dr. Brían Hanrahan Europe will see elections to the European Parliament in June, while the United States goes to the polls in November. Brussels would be advised to keep a close eye on events in Washington and make plans for a president who could again shun European allies. The Americans aren’t interested, at least not the Republicans. Since early this year, worried European delegations have been making their way to Washington. Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg spoke at the Heritage Foundation think tank in January, heaping praise on NATO’s “European pillar,” above a ..read more

Geopolitical upheavals are pushing the UK and the EU closer together, but there’s no guarantee that relations will improve in the long term. Brexit split the Western axis of an already fragmented world. The rift between the United Kingdom and the European Union, triggered above all by intra-Conservative party dynamics, came as a surprise to many, since EU membership was essential for the United Kingdom’s economy and place in the world. Conversely, the UK made a substantial contribution to the EU’s role on the global stage. Interestingly, growing global tensions and the UK’s subsequent geopolit ..read more

Europeans know who their European Commission president is, but they don’t feel sufficiently informed about her political work. There is a very fundamental problem behind this. European voters are set to elect a new European Parliament between June 6 and 9, 2024. The elections are happening at time when commentators are once again pointing to the EU‘s fragility, with mounting tensions on the world stage, inadequacies in foreign policy, backlash against climate policy, and weakening economic fundamentals fuelling political polarisation within member states. This polarisation could significantly ..read more

The EU has revived its enlargement policy to bring stability to the neighbourhood and curb autocracies such as Russia and China. What 
must be done to ensure that this process doesn’t come at the expense of the rule of law and
effective decision-making? Russia‘s attack on Ukraine has changed the political geography of Europe. NATO has grown to include Finland and Sweden, strengthening the transatlantic defence alliance and extending Russia‘s land border with NATO by over 1,300 kilometres. The European Union has revived its enlargement policy in response to the urgent desire of war-torn Ukraine ..read more