From Brussels to Berlin, Europe’s liberal parties are struggling to define their role in an increasingly fragmented political landscape. Once the kingmakers of the European Parliament, they now find themselves relegated to the fifth-largest group, unable to balance left and right as they once did.
As the European Union contends with internal fragmentation and rising global uncertainty, Denmark has assumed the EU Council Presidency with a slogan that reflects both ambition and urgency: *“A strong Europe in a changing world.”* In a special episode of *CEA Talk*, Szilárd Szelpál spoke with Otto Brøns-Petersen, Director of Analysis at CEPOS and one of Denmark’s most influential economic voices, to unpack the deeper motivations and policy visions behind this presidency—and what it means for Europe’s political and economic trajectory.
Two decades have passed. Poland is on the brink of celebrating the 20th anniversary of its accession to the European Union in the vibrant Parc Cinquantenaire of Brussels. The festivities promise a lively May Day atmosphere, complete with games for children and a captivating country image campaign showcasing Poland’s diverse regions and municipalities to a cosmopolitan audience. One question lingers as Poland prepares to mark this momentous occasion: do they genuinely have cause for celebration?
Recent international events have underscored the resilience of the West and its commitment to defending democratic values and Ukraine. Despite internal divisions, a bipartisan Congressional decision in the United States allocated $100 billion in foreign aid to support Ukraine’s defense efforts against Russia. This decisive action, supported by Republican and Democratic majorities, demonstrated a unified stance against Russian aggression.
On 8 February, American journalist and conservative commentator Tucker Carlson interviewed the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, in the Kremlin. This was a highly anticipated and controversial event which drew much criticism: two liberal members of the European Parliament went as far as to suggest that Carlson could be sanctioned by EU authorities for acting as a mouthpiece of the Russian government – a possibility which the European Commission promptly ruled out.
Author: Zoltán Kész Agriculture is an issue which is viewed very differently depending on which European country you look at it from. Whether it is the subsidies or the methods, it seems like there is no real understanding among all the EU member states. In this edition of the CEA Talks podcast, host Zoltán Kész […]
Slovakia’s former head of government Mikuláš Dzurinda delivers an answer to his Hungarian colleague Viktor Orbán, who recently suggested him the creation of a “new axis” in the EU. The President of the Wilfried Martens Centre also talks about the future of the V4 cooperation, the necessity of reforms on the EU level, and how […]
Slovakian economic analyst Martin Vlachynský talked in the CEA Talk podcast about why Europeans should be concerned about the EU’s €750 billion coronavirus Recovery Plan, how the European Union is moving in a centralized direction and the Visegrád Group countries are seeing Brussels as a source of money. Host: Zoltán Kész In the eyes of […]
MEP Daniel Freund (Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance) discusses kleptocracies, corruption in Hungary, the question of democracy and rule of law, the new CDU leader Armin Laschet and the challenges ahead of the European Union in the coming years. Host: Balázs Csekő Before Daniel Freund became an MEP in 2019, he was working for […]
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