EUROPP - European Politics and Policy at LSE

The power of proximity – European mayors on finding hope in city politics The European Cities Programme at LSE Cities recently spoke with six mayors from across Europe about what first drew them into city politics and what makes for a good urban leader. Imogen Hamilton-J…

Poland’s state-owned media dispute underlines the challenges facing the new Polish government A dispute over Poland’s state-owned media has shown how problematic the new Polish government’s project of elite replacement could be, writes Aleks Szczerbiak. In the week leading up to Christmas, …

Compensation for displaced workers is unlikely to halt the rise of protectionism in Europe The EU has created a special instrument – the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund – to compensate workers who have lost their jobs as a result of globalisation. Drawing on a new study, Stephanie…

How the European External Action Service influences EU climate diplomacy As the EU’s diplomatic service, the European External Action Service (EEAS) has an important role to play in EU climate diplomacy. Drawing on a new study, Joseph Earsom and Tom Delreux write that i…

The Dutch general election featured unprecedented levels of electoral volatility Geert Wilders’ surprise victory in the 2023 Dutch general election has rightly grabbed headlines, write Nick Martin and André Krouwel. But the election was remarkable for several other reasons, not…

How Brexit turned European families into mixed-status families The UK’s exit from the European Union resulted in important changes to the residence and employment rights of many British-European families. Drawing on new survey research, Elena Zambelli, Michael…

How public policy can energise private action to achieve a just transition Private companies can be engines for transformation in efforts to achieve climate and social equity goals, write Rob Macquarie and Oleksandra Plyska. But for this to be a reality, decision-makers w…

What next for the Polish left? Although the Polish left looks set to return to government after 18 years, its vote share decreased in last month’s election and it risks being subsumed within a coalition dominated by more economi…

Why the Netherlands looks set for a period of political uncertainty Geert Wilders’ Party for Freedom won the largest vote share in the Dutch general election on 22 November. Philippe Mongrain, William Bruce, Ruth Dassonneville and Michael S. Lewis-Beck reflect on t…

What we learned from Moldova’s local elections Moldova held local elections on 5 and 19 November. Clara Volintiru and Laurențiu Pleșca assess what the results of the elections told us about the country’s upcoming presidential and parliamentary …

How EU integration has affected economic redistribution in Central and Eastern Europe Has joining the EU helped countries in Central and Eastern Europe reduce income inequality? Drawing on a new study, Bilyana Petrova and Aleksandra Sznajder Lee examine the impact of EU membership o…

Can the EU-Mercosur trade agreement be saved? In 2019, the EU and Mercosur reached agreement on a trade deal, yet four years later, the deal remains unratified. Carlos Cruz Infante and Roland Benedikter examine the obstacles that continue to b…

What makes Ukrainian refugees different from other refugees in the eyes of Europeans? Millions of Ukrainian refugees have entered the EU since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Drawing on a new study, Alexandru D. Moise, James Dennison and Hanspeter Kriesi examine why U…

Post-colonial practices continue to structure European security assistance European states provide security assistance to a variety of partners across the world. Drawing on a new study, Simone Tholens and Chiara Ruffa argue that much of this assistance continues to be str…

Who donates to EU political parties? The “Qatargate” scandal has focused attention on the impact of lobbying on EU policymaking. Drawing on a new study, Alexander Katsaitis examines what we know about the financial donations received …

Why public shaming in politics is a double-edged sword Public shaming has become increasingly common in European politics. But what impact does this approach have on policymaking? Drawing on a new study, Rosa Sanchez Salgado argues that while shaming c…

How Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has transformed the EU Russia’s decision to invade Ukraine in 2022 has had a profound effect on the European Union. Nathalie Tocci examines the impact the EU’s response to the conflict is likely to have on its future tra…

How parents in countries with multiparty systems shape the political beliefs of their children The political beliefs of parents have an important impact on their children. But how do these dynamics play out in countries with multiparty systems, where there is greater potential for mixed sign…

Ageing advanced capitalist democracies risk heading for a future of economic stagnation Older people make up an increasing proportion of European electorates. Tim Vlandas writes that this ageing population is putting European economies on a path toward “gerontonomia”, characterised by…

Is Europe’s green wave turning blue? Making sense of the rightward shift in European cities As support for right wing movements and political parties has grown, so has the idea that cities might act as progressive bastions in an increasingly populist and illiberal national landscape. But …

Europe, Ukraine and “the West” What do we mean when we speak of “the West” in the context of the war in Ukraine? Spyros Economides and Andréa Delestrade write that while this term is frequently used, it remains difficult to defi…

How the EU navigated the energy crisis and renewed its commitment to net zero Russia’s invasion of Ukraine produced the biggest energy shock to Europe since the 1970s oil crises. Robert Falkner writes that while the energy crisis is far from over, the EU’s strategic decoupli…

Interview with Neil Lee – “If we want to have innovative cities, they have to deliver for everyone” Neil Lee is Professor of Economic Geography at LSE with a particular interest in cities. In an interview with LSE Cities, he discusses what’s driving anti-metropolitan politics in Europe and how a …

Why did the opposition win the Polish election? Poland’s opposition parties look set to form the country’s next government. Aleks Szczerbiak writes that an eclectic liberal-centrist agrarian electoral coalition won over voters who wanted change …

How regional inequality shapes trust in the EU Poorer European regions are often assumed to have less trust in the EU than richer ones. But is this always the case? Drawing on a new study, Sofia Vasilopoulou and Liisa Talving demonstrate that t…

The colonial origins of European integration The EU is often presented as a “peace project” that emerged in opposition to nationalism, war and the turbulence of geopolitics. Peo Hansen argues that while this narrative continues to shape perce…

The different tiers of party-interest group ties Political parties and interest groups sometimes work closely together and have strong organisational ties, while others have more limited connections. Drawing on a new study, Simon Otjes, Elin Haug…

How Britain’s systems of governance perpetuate inequality Among European countries, the UK stands out as one of the first to transform into a free market for labour. Yet, as Gwyn Bevan argues, the financialisation of its housing market, the need for an el…

Has the EU’s discourse on internet standards generated real policy change? Since 2019, the European Commission has launched a series of initiatives aimed at strengthening the EU’s role in setting the standards that govern the internet. Drawing on a new study, Clément Pera…

The EU weathered the natural gas crisis – but energy uncertainty awaits Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 generated an unprecedented energy crisis in the EU. Dimitar Lilkov writes that while the EU showed remarkable resilience in securing its energy supply …