Expats During Municipal Elections

Living as an expat in Brussels is one of the most exciting ways to experience life. Part of this excitement comes from the fact that 35% of Brussels’ population, roughly 400,000 people, are not Belgian citizens. Of these, 220,000 are considered expats—highly qualified, well-paid individuals working for international organizations. In this highly livable city, characterized by vast green spaces and a vibrant cultural scene, around 180 nationalities speaking over 100 languages mix.

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Missed Opportunity

The much-anticipated debate in the European Parliament took place yesterday. It offered an opportunity for everyone to voice their own narrative, to offer ideas, a vision, and perhaps a solution for Europe. Unfortunately, no one took this opportunity. 

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We Need More Than Solidarity Now!

The European Parliament held its plenary session in Strasbourg this week. The main item on the agenda was an assessment of the Hungarian presidency’s achievements so far and a presentation of the remaining tasks and challenges facing the EU, which Mr Viktor Orbán PM, as head of the presiding member state, wanted to present.

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Banning Airbnb in One Budapest District Sets a Dangerous National Precedent for Hungary

The recent referendum in Terézváros, one of the inner-city districts of the Hungarian capital, to ban Airbnb rentals reveals deeper issues in public engagement and policymaking. With only 6,083 votes out of 41,000 residents, the turnout was a mere 15%, signaling widespread indifference. The low participation calls into question the referendum’s legitimacy and suggests that many residents may not view Airbnb as a critical contributor to the housing crisis.

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Ethical Remembrance & Solemn Recognition with Warsaw Ghetto Scholar Dr. Katarzyna Person

Dr. Katarzyna Person, the deputy director of the Warsaw Ghetto Museum that is set to open in 2026, has been awarded the Dan David Prize. Headquartered at Tel Aviv University and established in 2001, recipients of the prestigious honor “reward innovative and interdisciplinary work that contributes to humanity.” Dr. Person’s focused commitment to Holocaust studies as a professor, researcher, and writer on a number of books and articles, as well as editing volumes of many documents from the Underground Archive, has collectively earned her much respect as a renowned scholar. 

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On The Ground at Mob-Filled Rally in Washington

Much has been made of the nasty and perverse anti-Israel demonstration on Saturday April 27 outside the White House Correspondents Dinner at the Hilton Hotel on Connecticut Ave in D.C. The glitzy affair featured President Joe Biden hurling jabs at GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump while also offering dire warnings of the fate of democracy in America if he isn’t re-elected in November. 

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Possible Change Means Relief in the Essential Oil Business

A new red-tape mission is about to worsen the lives of Eastern European consumers, producers, and suppliers. Under the influence of the Green Deal, the European Union’s Chemical Agency (ECHA) will transition to a hazard-based approachpremised on preventing any potential threat. Regulators will no longer focus on concrete exposure levels to determine whether a product is safe for consumers, as they used to in the older risk-oriented assessments. Instead, policymakers will use lab-related hypothetical scenarios or advanced statistical tests to label a consumer good as dangerous or remove it entirely from store shelves if it could constitute a problem in any way, shape, or form.

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