EUobserver’s digest: Europe in 2026
Influential. Investigative. Independent. EUobserver is a online non-profit news outlet reporting on the European Union.
EUobserved
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EUobserver’s digest: Europe in 2026
Influential. Investigative. Independent. EUobserver is a online non-profit news outlet reporting on the European Union.
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The Art of the Deal — EU style
Before being detained by Belgian police in Brussels earlier this week on suspicion of fraud, Stefano Sannino, the European Commission’s top envoy for Middle Eastern affairs, was busy extolling what he called shared “values, principles, and partnerships.”
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Will centrist EPP join forces with ‘rightwing extremists’?
The EPP could team up with the far right, including Germany’s AfD, in a vote that might redefine EU politics.
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Unilateral vetoes and process fatigue hinder EU enlargement, despite 2030 goal
The European Commission says it has never been more committed to expanding the 27-nation family — but two decades of well-meaning promises and an endless waiting room for would-be members have created a process that is easy to hijack politically, and puts the EU’s credibility and political goals at risk
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Language battle over ‘deportation’ shines light on EU spin
The European Commission doesn’t use the word “deportation” to describe kicking out failed asylum seekers and rejected migrants from the European Union. It prefers the euphemisms “forced returns” and “voluntary returns.”
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On Europe day, meet the inner workings of the EU
From EU nerds to EU nerds, with love.
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Romania is resitting the democracy test
Just months after Romania’s Constitutional Court barred the controversial “TikTok candidate” Călin Georgescu from the presidential race, the country prepares to return to the polls amid rising tensions, legal confusion, and deep political polarisation, plus a far-right surge on the horizon.
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By supporting Syria we are weakening Iran
Lifting some sanctions here and there every few months is not what Syria needs. It is necessary to lift all economic sanctions and invest massively in the country for strategic reasons — the fall of Assad has been a major blow for the Iranian regime.
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As US snubs Kallas, EU struggles to stay relevant on Ukraine deal
A planned meeting between Kaja Kallas and Marco Rubio on Wednesday was cancelled at the last minute. This latest snub comes amid a drastic shift in US policy in dealing with Moscow and Kyiv, which has left Europeans running around like headless chickens.
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80 percent said no — so let’s stop pretending the AfD speaks for ‘The People’
There are two takeaways from Sunday’s election in Germany — it was the highest turnout in two generations, and four-in-five Germans refused to vote for the racist far-right.
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A personal view from on the ground in Damascus
I walked the streets of Damascus last week and could read the joy on people’s faces. The many Syrians with whom I sipped tea or shared a meal were in a kind of intoxication, a combination of deep joy, pride and immense relief that Bashar al-Assad’s barbaric regime of terror is over.
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EU’s competitiveness pitch hinges on policies stuck in political limbo
While Ursula von der Leyen pitched free trade to counter Donald Trump in Davos, much of her vision hinges on member states’ ability to agree on policies, some of which have been stalled for over a decade.
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How Spanish conservatives tried to blow up the next EU Commission
Two weeks ago, when the parliamentary hearings for the new EU commissioners began, few could have expected that the new commission — and the inauguration of its president Ursula von der Leyen — would end up being so dependent on domestic Spanish politics (and climate change).
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20 down, six to go — the highlights (and lowlights) of EU commissioner hearings
How did the EU commissioner grillings go so far?
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Croatian commissioner’s domestic trips under fire, ahead of new Mediterranean post
Croatian commissioner Dubravka Šuica made numerous trips over the past five years to Zagreb and her hometown of Dubrovnik to participate in events — now the frequency and nature of these ‘official missions’ have drawn criticism, ahead of her new post as inaugural commissioner for the Mediterranean.
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EU parliament voting data reveals Ukraine’s MEP foes
The European Parliament approved a €35bn financial assistance package for Ukraine, though voting data reveals MEPs sympathetic to Russia.
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Embracing far-right framing renders the EU summit migration debate meaningless
The narrative framing of migration talks during this week’s European Council summit make the discussions a waste of time for all those gathered.
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Why EU leaders should get off Musk’s X
Leaders should ask themselves – is X really what I want my brand to be associated with?
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Hoekstra warns of ‘China problem’ — as he pitches for financial portfolio role
In a speech to students, the Dutch current EU climate commissioner, Wopke Hoekstra, advocated for even higher tariffs on Chinese goods — while enhancing his financial credentials for a potential new role in the Berlaymont.