B&K Newsletter: The End of France’s Exceptionalism
The Long Night of the Fifth Republic Sunday, 7 July, eight o’clock, spelled the end of France’s exceptionalism in the European political landscape. The results of the second round of the legislative elections sanctioned the divorce of the French citizens from the quasi-monarchic presidential system, in which the Parliament (Assemblée Nationale) plays a marginal role […]
B&K Newsletter: Saving Private Sunak
Today, the United Kingdom begins a new chapter in its history as polls open for the 2024 general elections. Only five years ago today, the Conservative Party was distributing the initial ballots to members for the leadership contest that would eventually elect Boris Johnson as Prime Minister. Within a few months, Johnson secured the largest […]
B&K Newsletter: AI in Europe: New Rules? New Game?
It is reasonable to say that the digital markets were the main protagonists of the last legislature when it comes to the European Commission’s efforts to offer regulatory frameworks for innovative products. It is also fair to affirm that those efforts have increased mainly the repercussions of the so-called “Brussels effect”, a term coined by […]
B&K Newsletter: The EU Council Strategic Agenda 2024-2029
Every five years, before the European Commission’s appointment, EU Heads of State convene to discuss and set the EU’s political priorities for the future. The EU strategic agenda for 2024-2029, expected to be adopted by the European Council during their meeting on June 27-28, is a significant milestone shaping the upcoming legislative cycle. It will […]
B&K Newsletter: The day after
The European People’s Party and its Spitzenkandidat Ursula von der Leyen won the European elections. The EPP not only confirms itself as the leading group in the next European Parliament, but with 185 seats, it increases its share of elected representatives. According to the almost final results, the Socialists & Democrats group is expected to […]
B&K Newsletter: North Macedonia’s Political Crossroads and EU Uncertainty
North Macedonia’s Electoral Shift: In the aftermath of recent elections, North Macedonia finds itself at a pivotal juncture, with political dynamics shifting towards the nationalist VMRO-DPMNE party. This seismic change has implications for domestic governance and the country’s relations with neighboring Bulgaria and Greece. The elections, held on May 8, saw VMRO-DPMNE making significant gains, […]
B&K Newsletter: European Media Freedom Act
In this week’s newsletter, we will dive deep into the European Media Freedom Act, which officially enters into force on March 7th, 2024. European Media Freedom Act: Safeguarding Democracy in the Digital Age In an era where information flows ceaselessly through digital channels, the European Union has taken a significant step forward in protecting the […]
B&K Newsletter: The Spitzenkandidaten system
The Spitzenkandidaten system was introduced in 2014 when the EU held its first vote after the entry into force of the Treaty of Lisbon, which clarified how the president of the European Commission was to be appointed. The idea behind the system of Spitzenkandidaten was to dispel the obscurity that traditionally surrounded the selection process […]
B&K Newsletter: This week’s (Last) Plenary Session
In today’s edition, we are reviewing the implications of the crucial votes of the last plenary session of this legislature and offer the latest regarding the EU-China (troubled) relationship. This week’s (Last) Plenary Session This week, Strasbourg hosted the last plenary session of this legislature for the European Parliament. Outgoing MEPs didn’t want to leave […]
B&K Newsletter: Hot midweek elections in Croatia
Apart from the already delightful weather, Croatia will face legislative elections on Wednesday that have the potential to turn from “warm” to “hot” in a blink. Voters will be called to the polls in elections to determine the political future of conservative Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic, who has been in office in Zagreb for almost […]