Viva l’Europa: The prospects of the EU as a global security actor after the State of the Union Address

On September 15th, President of the European Union Commission Ursula von der Leyen delivered the annual State of the Union Address. Noteworthy key priorities were the continuation of the fight against COVID-19, climate change, migration, respect for rule of law, and a European defence policy. After the speech, many were left with further questions, be it from a public health policy perspective or from a security standpoint. […]

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Europe in the Face of a Global Pandemic – COVID-19 and the European Union

The global spread of Covid-19 not only threatens our health (systems), but it also constitutes a major challenge to the stability of the European Union and reveals unsolved problems. The current crisis demonstrates that national decisions have a global impact. Rapid national lockdowns, a high mortality rate, wildly fluctuating stock markets and constitutional reforms are only some of the negative consequences that have appeared during the recent weeks. […]

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The Commission’s first 100 days in office – A Europe in transition

The 9th of March marked the first 100 days since the new Commission took office. This is an important mark as it gives an indication of the future direction of political initiatives and their possible success. The 100-day promises made by the Commission President Ursula von der Leyen were characterised by a will to become an important global actor that spearheads responsible governance. […]

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The new Commission and current challenges for the EU

On 1st December, the members of the new Commission took office with Ursula von der Leyen as Commission President. Before the Parliamentary vote on 27th November, von der Leyen held that “Our Union will embark together on a transformation which will touch every part of our society and of our economy” while pointing to great ambitions for the future, with climate change and digitalisation being top priorities. […]

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