Research Area

EU elections: what remains to be known before 2019

Bartolome T. Carvajal

05/08/2018

The European Union is at a turning point, and 2019 will be the major benchmark in this process. If it all goes according to planned, the UK will leave the EU in March, and two months later, the European... Be More Curious...

Will the Name Deal between Greece and Macedonia be Preserved?

Vicky Pathiakaki

04/08/2018

Western Balkans

There are times when historical time thickens, and the importance of specific moments not only concern the narrow boundaries of a country but also spread out in space and time. Such a historic time was ... Be More Curious...

Turkey’s Presidential System and Resource Distribution Tools

Xavier Palacios

03/08/2018

Analysts in Europe, the US and Turkey have focused on how the latest victory of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in the presidential elections and the victory of the Adalet ve Kalkınma Partisi (AKP) in the parliamentar... Be More Curious...

Puigdemont is back, what is next?

Alessio Tardivo

03/08/2018

On Saturday 28 of July, the former President of the Generalitat de Catalunya Carles Puigdemont came back to Brussels after being detained in Germany. His return to Belgium was possible after the Spanish... Be More Curious...

Will the Salvini-effect spread to Europe?

Valeria Mingardi

31/07/2018

The new Italian government, result of an extenuatingly long negotiating process between the League and the Five Star Movement (M5S), has been now in office for the past two months. Even though the role ... Be More Curious...

Can cyber attacks cause a major war?

Valeria Mingardi

30/07/2018

In the last two decades, the world has seen a rapid digitalization of services, both in civil society and state functions, thanks to the Internet and to the world wide web. As much as this is considered a p... Be More Curious...

“I am German when we win, an immigrant when we lose”

Zeynep Mentesoglu

27/07/2018

Mesut Ozil, Germany’s star football player of Turkish origin has announced his retirement from Germany’s national team on Sunday. Ozil stated discrimination and racism he has experienced particularly after ... Be More Curious...

American unilateralism vs. European multilateralism: the world is watching

Bartolome T. Carvajal

26/07/2018

As the great powers keep on leaning towards nationalist and unilateralist positions, the world becomes an increasingly polarised – and thus more dangerous – place. It is no surprise for countries like China... Be More Curious...

Between a rock and a hard place: how EU should deal with “Turkish issue”

Mehmet Onur Cevik

22/07/2018

Rather than talking about the necessity of cooperation between the EU and Turkey, an issue that has been triggering a massive body of literature, this analysis will focus on what strategy the EU mig... Be More Curious...

Iran after the Trump-Putin summit in Helsinki

19/07/2018

The Middle East situation on the ground is significantly different in comparison to a short while ago. There were times when Iran sought to become the leading hegemon in the region. With Tehran’s ho... Be More Curious...

Polish women’s rights are European women’s rights

Clara Berthelot

19/07/2018

During his last visit to the European Parliament in Strasbourg, Mateusz Morawiecki, the Polish Prime Minister, gave a speech in which he addressed the critics made against the Polish state regarding its... Be More Curious...

NATO Summit: The Atlantic Drift

Bartolome T. Carvajal

19/07/2018

Since he took office, President Trump has called on European NATO members to increase their military spending, in order to fulfil the pledge of 2% of national GDP assigned to defence, made during th... Be More Curious...

Spain: everything must change, so everything stays the same

18/07/2018

One of the greatest novels of all times is 'The Leopard' by Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa. It is set in Sicily during the Italian unification, as the old regime comes to an end. The main character, the S... Be More Curious...

Catalonia — the growing role of the EU

Bartolome T. Carvajal

17/07/2018

Last Thursday, the State court of the northern Schleswig-Holstein formally accepted the petition made by Spain, through a European Arrest Warrant (EAW), to extradite Carles Puigdemont. The former presid... Be More Curious...

UAE in the Balkans: Meeting point between ‘sultanism’ and authoritarianism?

16/07/2018

Western Balkans

This piece was written by Tena Prelec, Research Associate at the London School of Economics’ European Policy Institute, who was a speaker at the event the event “Beyond Berlin: What Does the Next Decade Hold fo... Be More Curious...

Palestinian rights are never lost

12/07/2018

Opinions represented at Vocal Europe belong solely to the contributor of the piece and do not represent any other people, institutions or organizations that the contributor may or may not be associated with in ... Be More Curious...

Theresa May’s “turmoil”

12/07/2018

Donald Trump performed his usual pre-international meeting diplomacy this week, when he had a go at his allies and commended an authoritarian former enemy. If you’re a NATO ally, you got the full Trump ... Be More Curious...

A New Era: Turkey’s 98-year parliamentary system ended

Zeynep Mentesoglu

11/07/2018

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan took the oath of office on July 9, which officially closed a page in Turkey’s history and started the new government system. Erdogan had won out the 24 June elections ... Be More Curious...

Sanchez and Torra: two sides of the same coin

Alessio Tardivo

11/07/2018

Last Monday the new Spanish President Pedro Sánchez and the President of the Generalitat of Catalonia Quim Torra met in Madrid for the first time after the establishment of the new government in June 2018. ... Be More Curious...

US divorces Europe

10/07/2018

Viktors Domburs is an expert on the Baltic Countries and a political commentator. Europe is in the anticipation of NATO summit which will take place on June, 11-12 in Brussels. Before this meeting the Pentag... Be More Curious...

Could the Chequers Summit be the Brexit Breakthrough that Theresa May Needs?

10/07/2018

The new “Facilitated Customs Arrangement” that has been conceived by Theresa May may be seen as a success for the embattled Prime Minster. The result of the make-or-break Chequers cabinet meeting on 6 June ... Be More Curious...

Poland’s dilemma: Euro-scepticism and US cooperation

Clara Berthelot

06/07/2018

As Poland is more and more on the conservative side and becoming a tenacious partner in European discussions, it seems, however, that it is open to a deeper cooperation with the United States. Since 2015... Be More Curious...

Why the UK needs to Commit to Cannabis

04/07/2018

As one of the most widely-used drugs around, the criminalisation of cannabis is blocking an untapped goldmine of potential for Britain. Swathes of money are diverted to the traders of the black market, user... Be More Curious...

Where are Europe’s Christian democrats?

03/07/2018

The politics of migration have triggered a resurgence of identity based appeals to the European populous. The political right, in particular, uses Christian values and heritage as a rallying cry against soc... Be More Curious...

When will migration determine the EU’s fate?

Alessio Tardivo

02/07/2018

On 28 June 2018, EU heads of state or government met in Brussels following the necessities to start a discussion on the current hot themes regarding the Union such as migration, security and defence, Russia... Be More Curious...

Can Intelligence Agencies Really Protect Us?

Yvonnemarie Antonoglou

29/06/2018

Inside Europe, The Opinion

Generally speaking, the intelligence management cycle refers to the continuous process of tasking, collecting, processing, analyzing, and disseminating intelligence information. It constitutes the overa... Be More Curious...

Council distrusts parents with junk food proposals

27/06/2018

The European Council has adopted draft conclusions regarding the marketing of so-called “junk food” products, in which it calls for restrictions on advertisement, in an effort to protect children. The targe... Be More Curious...

Understanding Turkey’s election

Julius M. Rogenhofer

26/06/2018

It is an eerily familiar sight: President Recep Tayyip Erdogan claims victory in a televised address. Across Turkey and several European capitals victory celebrations erupt in chants of the president’s name... Be More Curious...

Julie Ward on the role of Youth and Civil Society in the Western Balkans

22/06/2018

Events, Western Balkans

As part of Vocal Europe's research series on the Western Balkans, Julie Ward, Member of the European Parliament Delegation to Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Kosovo shares her take on the role that can be played b... Be More Curious...

Why Iran can’t take a decision similar to North Korea

22/06/2018

The historic meeting between the leaders of the United States and North Korea, and the resulting Korean Peninsula denuclearizing deal, has the potential of resolving a decades-old international crisis. This... Be More Curious...

Turkey’s Snap Dual Elections Under a New Political Paradigm

Mehmet Onur Cevik

22/06/2018

Previously, Turkey had covered a significant distance on the path of democratization by starting accession talks with the EU on October 3, 2005; however today, the global perception towards Turkish democrac... Be More Curious...

The Putin club is growing but who will benefit more?

Alessio Tardivo

21/06/2018

In recent days, Angela Merkel’s visit in Sochi to meet President Vladimir Putin, followed by Emmanuel Macron’s flight to St. Pietersburg to meet the former KGB lieutenant recently elected President for the ... Be More Curious...

Report Shows Jews Face Rising Anti-Semitism in Europe

21/06/2018

Beyond Europe, Israel

More than one out of every five Jews "feels unsafe" living in Western Europe, the birthplace of religious toleration and Universal Declaration of Human Rights, according to a new survey. Anti-Semitism which... Be More Curious...

Iran, Oil and the Destabilisation of the Middle East

21/06/2018

Oil prices have increased sharply following President Trump’s unilateral decision to withdraw from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and to reimpose the "highest level" of economic sanctions on... Be More Curious...

Which factors may determine the outcomes of critical June 24 elections?

Zeynep Mentesoglu

21/06/2018

Only a few days left for Turkey’s June 24 snap elections. Turkey will hold to two elections: parliamentary and presidential on Sunday. It is of capital importance. In April 2017 referendum people of Turkey ... Be More Curious...

Eduard KUKAN on Serbia and the EU Accession Process

21/06/2018

Events, Western Balkans

As part of Vocal Europe’s research series on the Western Balkans, Eduard Kukan, Chair of European Parliament Delegation to Serbia, shares his take on the recent state of the relations between Serbia and the EU ... Be More Curious...

Alojz PETERLE on the Republic of Macedonia (FYROM)

21/06/2018

Events, Western Balkans

As part of Vocal Europe’s research series on the Western Balkans, Alojz Peterle, Chair of European Parliament Delegation to Macedonia (FYROM), shares his take on the recent state of the relations between Macedo... Be More Curious...

Andre De MUNTER on the countries in the Western Balkans

21/06/2018

Events, Western Balkans

As part of Vocal Europe’s research series on the Western Balkans, Andre De Munter, Policy Analyst at the European Parliament, shares his take on the recent state of the relations between he countries in the Wes... Be More Curious...

Corina STRATULAT on the countries in the Western Balkans

21/06/2018

Events, Western Balkans

As part of Vocal Europe’s research series on the Western Balkans, Corina STRATULAT, Senior Policy Analyst at European Policy Centre, shares her take on the recent state of the relations between he countries in ... Be More Curious...

Isabella DE MONTE on Montenegro and the EU Accession Process

21/06/2018

Events, Western Balkans

As part of Vocal Europe’s research series on the Western Balkans, Isabella DE MONTE, Substitute of European Parliament Delegation to Montenegro, shares her take on the recent state of the relations between Mont... Be More Curious...

Milena HARITO on the Republic of Albania and the EU

21/06/2018

Events, Western Balkans

As part of Vocal Europe’s research series on the Western Balkans, Milena Harito, Former Minister of State for Innovation and Public Administration of Albania, shares her take on the recent state of the relation... Be More Curious...

H.E. Mrs. Suela JANINA on the Republic of Albania and the EU

21/06/2018

Events, Western Balkans

As part of Vocal Europe’s research series on the Western Balkans,H.E. Mrs. Suela JANINA, Ambassador of the Republic of Albania to the EU, shares her take on the recent state of the relations between Albania and... Be More Curious...

Thomas WAITZ on Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

21/06/2018

Events, Western Balkans

As part of Vocal Europe’s research series on the Western Balkans, Thomas WAITZ, Vice Chair of European Parliament Delegation to Kosovo, and BiH, shares his take on the recent state of the relations between the ... Be More Curious...

Toby VOGEL on the Western Balkans and the EU Accession Process

21/06/2018

Events, Western Balkans

As part of Vocal Europe’s research series on the Western Balkans, Toby VOGEL, Policy Analyst at Center for European Policy Studies, shares his take on the recent state of the relations between the countries in ... Be More Curious...

Clive Rumbold (EEAS) on the Western Balkans and the EU

21/06/2018

Events, Western Balkans

As part of Vocal Europe’s research series on the Western Balkans, Clive Rumbold, Deputy Head of Western Balkans Division at European External Action Service, shares his take on the recent state of the relations... Be More Curious...

The Iranian Pariah and the Zero-Sum Game

20/06/2018

Over the last four decades, especially in recent years, Iran’s regime has limited the scope of its policies and activities to brutal, regressive belligerence, which has ultimately led it to become an ostrac... Be More Curious...

Balkans, don’t let them say — it’s difficult

20/06/2018

Western Balkans is a great place to travel. Eating great various food in Tirana, taking a bath in Buljarica, Montenegro, following a show in Belgrade or having a good coffee in Sarajevo and a lot of other l... Be More Curious...

The two faces of the regime in Iran

19/06/2018

Beyond Europe, Iran

All opinions in this column reflect view of the autor(s), not of Vocal Europe. The Iranian regime has two faces that it presents to the world. The first is presented with the usual hardline sectarian mi... Be More Curious...

The Dublin system is crumbling, what will come next?

Valeria Mingardi

18/06/2018

The Aquarius shines bright in the middle of the sea, its orange hull stands out vividly from the deep blue sea that surrounds it. Six hundred and twenty nine people rescued from precarious dinghies by vario... Be More Curious...

The statistic, protection of personal data, and the single digital market

Ana-Maria Caminski

17/06/2018

25 May 2018. This day will enter with certainty in history. After two years, the proposal for reforming the old Directive 95/46/EC (‛Data Protection Directive’) and the Police Directive was finally adopted... Be More Curious...

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