Von der Leyen’s fragile alliance put to the test over US trade deal
The Commission chief’s State of the Union defence of the pact she negotiated with Donald
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Von der Leyen to outline EU priorities after US trade deal backlash
STRASBOURG, Sept 10 (Reuters) – The European Union’s chief executive, Ursula von der Leyen, sets
A castle or merely a vassal
he US President Donald Trump’s weaponisation of tariffs forced most countries, barring China or Brazil,
Europeans try to stay on the board after Ukraine summit
Brussels (Belgium) (AFP) – For European leaders, the absence of a Ukraine deal at the summit
Von der Leyen’s Breaking Point
Sep 12, 2025Alberto Alemanno European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s ability to respond to
Citizens’ Initiative aims to block changes ‘weakening air-passenger rights’
Campaigners with the European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) Save Your Right, Save Your Flight! have flagged up plans
Campaigners seek to ground ‘passenger-hostile’ EU proposal
Campaigners have launched a citizens’ initiative to stop an EU draft law they say would
With fewer than 10% answered: Are European Citizens’ Initiatives missing the mark?
Despite being designed to give citizens a voice in EU policymaking, the European Citizens’ Initiatives
Europe’s Economic Surrender
Jul 30, 2025Alberto Alemanno The European Union’s tariff deal with US President Donald Trump highlights
Von der Leyen’s Moment of Truth
Jul 8, 2025Alberto Alemanno This week’s European Parliament vote on whether to dismiss Commission President
Europe should be standing up to Trump and Putin – instead it is mirroring them
THE GUARDIAN – Alberto Alemanno advocates for more EU integration and autonomy instead of mirroring far right policies.
How the EU always gets away with it
POLITICO – Alberto Alemanno comments on the Pfizergate and the accountability of EU institutions and leaders.
Text Messages, Transparency, and the Rule of Law
VERFASSUNGSBLOG – Alberto Alemanno discusses the General Court’s findings in the Pfizergate case.
Von der Leyen’s texts with Pfizer boss can be shared, says EU’s highest court
THE GUARDIAN – Alberto Alemanno comments on the recent General Court ruling in the Pfizergate case.
The Trump Boomerang Effect
PROJECT SYNDICATE – Alberto Alemanno argues that Donald Trump’s policies constitute an opportunity for reinforcing the EU’s strategic autonomy.
The EU’s Enduring Ethical Deficit in the Aftermath of Huawei
VERFASSUNGSBLOG – Alberto Alemanno discusses the need for improved ethical standards in the wake of a new public integrity scandal shaking the EU Parliament.
Europe’s Awakening in Trumpland
SOCIAL EUROPE – Alberto Alemanno and Edouard Gaudot argue that Trump’s return has reignited a dormant sense of European purpose.
Does the EU Have What it Takes to Counter American Plutocratic Power?
VERFASSUNGSBLOG – Jacquelyn D. Veraldi and Alberto Alemanno discuss the power challenges the EU faces with the new US administration.
The Dark Side of EU Deregulation
PROJECT SYNDICATE – Alberto Alemanno discusses the risks of deregulation in the EU.
Musk, Power, and the EU
VERFASSUNGSBLOG – Alberto Alemanno and Jacquelyn D. Veraldi launch a symposium exploring how the EU can respond to power challenges posed by the new US administration.
For the first time in its history, we could be looking at a genuinely rightwing European Union
THE GUARDIAN – Alberto Alemanno discusses the EU political landscape after the 2024 European elections.
Europe’s Shifting Alliances: Can the EU Stand Up to Trump?
SOCIAL EUROPE – Alberto Alemanno discusses the EU’s stance on the reelection of Donald Trump.
Why forming the next EU Commission might be harder than expected
EURACTIV – Alberto Alemanno discusses the formation of the next European Commission after the 2024 European elections.
Ursula von der Leyen has lost Europe’s trust. She doesn’t deserve a second term
THE GUARDIAN – Alberto Alemanno argues that MEPs should not reelect Ursula von der Leyen for a second mandate as President of the European Commission.
Why and How the Hungarian Presidency Must Be Stopped
VERFASSUNGSBLOG – Alberto Alemanno discusses the consequences of the ongoing Hungarian presidency of the Council of the EU.
The most confusing elections of all time?
THE EUROPEANS – Alberto Alemanno discusses the upcoming EU elections.
Unpacking the EU election results: ‘Europe is an afterthought’
THE PARLIAMENT – Alberto Alemanno discusses the EU election results in an interview.
Ursula von der Leyen in pole position as she tries to build majority to keep job
THE GUARDIAN – Alberto Alemanno comments on the designation of the next Commission president after the EU elections.
EU elections: earthquake in France and a rightward policy lurch? Our panel responds
THE GUARDIAN – Alberto Alemanno analyses the results of the EU elections and their consequences.
Quote of the Day: Cracks Emerge in Hard Right Across Europe
THE NEW YORK TIMES – Quote of the Day about nationalist parties.
Europe’s Non-European Elections
PROJECT SYNDICATE – Alberto Alemanno questions the European nature of the upcoming elections for the European Parliament.
Unboxing the EU Body for Ethical Standards
VERFASSUNGSBLOG – Alberto Alemanno argues that the creation of the EU Body for Ethical Standards is a potential step forward in improving the EU ethics system.
EU enlargement, reform and the missing citizens
SOCIAL EUROPE – Alberto Alemanno discusses the role of citizens in foreseen EU reforms.
The visionary legacy of Jacques Delors
POLITICO – Alberto Alemanno remembers Jacques Delors’ legacy for Europe.
Future generations must be given a seat at the EU table
EURONEWS – Alberto Alemanno and Elizabeth Dirth discuss the need for future generations to be represented in the EU.
The EU’s ‘set menu’ membership model is failing. It’s time for an ‘à la carte’ approach
THE GUARDIAN – Alberto Alemanno discusses the need to reform the EU in the light of its foreseen enlargement.
Ursula von der Leyen—the accidental president
SOCIAL EUROPE – Alberto Alemanno analyzes Ursula von der Leyen’s 2023 State of the Union address.
Preparing for a post-Soros Europe
POLITICO – Alberto Alemanno explains the consequences that the Open Society Foundations’ retreat from Europe will have for civil society organizations.
Suspending Hungary’s EU presidency isn’t a sanction — it’s a precaution
POLITICO – Alberto Alemanno argues for the suspension of Hungary’s upcoming presidency of the Council of the EU.
Plan for EU ethics body falls short of parliament’s demands, critics warn
FINANCIAL TIMES – Alberto Alemanno comments on a proposed ethics body for EU institutions in the aftermath of the Qatargate.
Criminal complaint adds to Ursula von der Leyen’s Pfizer text woes
POLITICO – Alberto Alemanno comments on the criminal complaint against European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen.
‘Qatargate will go down in history as the largest and most damaging political scandal’
Alberto Alemanno is interviewed by Genie Godula (France 24) about the Qatargate scandal.
Brussels Playbook: Qatar scandal hits Commission — Finland’s next PM? — VdL in Washington
POLITICO – Alberto Alemanno comments on how the Qatargate scandal hits the European Commission.
Qatargate: A Missed Opportunity to Reform the Union
VERFASSUNGSBLOG – Alberto Alemanno discusses the need to establish an EU ethics body in the aftermath of the Qatargate scandal.
Why Europe must embrace participatory policymaking
EURACTIV – New models for citizen involvement in government are critical for the survival of democratic institutions in Europe, write Alberto Alemanno and Laura Batalla.
After Qatargate scandal, EU integrity rules need ‘teeth’: Expert Alberto Alemanno
FRANCE 24 – Alberto Alemanno discusses the implications of the Qatargate scandal that has rocked the European Parliament over the last few weeks.
‘Invulnerable’ MEPs set to test EU’s bid to raise ethical standards
FINANCIAL TIMES – Alberto Alemanno comments the EU’s ethical standards in the aftermath of the Qatargate scandal.
European Parliament corruption probe is a gift to the bloc’s critics
THE WASHINGTON POST – Four people have been charged on suspicion of money laundering, corruption and taking part in a criminal organization on behalf of Qatar.
Calls for EU lobbying rules to be reformed grow as corruption scandal rocks Brussels
EURONEWS – Calls to reform lobbying rules for European Union institutions are growing as Brussels reels from a corruption scandal involving the European Parliament.
The Qatar Corruption Scandal Is Rocking the European Parliament
TIME – A high-profile corruption case alleges Qatar bribed European lawmakers to sway policy.
4 people are charged with corruption in a bribery inquiry linked to Qatar
NPR – A high-ranking European Union lawmaker is one of several people snared in a corruption probe by Belgian officials for allegedly taking bribes from a Gulf state.
The Qatar scandal shows how the EU has a corruption problem
POLITICO – The Qatar “corruption” scandal has unveiled the inconvenient truth that money does buy influence in the EU.
Calls for EU reform after five arrested in Qatar corruption inquiry
THE GUARDIAN – The arrest of a European Parliament vice-president and four others linked to a corruption investigation implicating World Cup hosts Qatar sparked calls for “root and branch reform” in the EU institution.
Watchdogs wanted an EU ethics cop. They might get a scolding
POLITICO – Without enforcement or investigation powers, a new ethics body ‘misses the point,’ experts say.
Brussels to propose rise in cigarette taxes and first EU-wide vaping levy
FINANCIAL TIMES – Bloc’s push to cut smoking rates would increase minimum excise duty from €1.80 to €3.60 per pack of 20.
Fight over migrant rescue ship sours Italy’s relations with France
FINANCIAL TIMES – Spat reinforces concern about Giorgia Meloni’s readiness to work constructively with EU.
Italy PM Giorgia Meloni hails ‘frank, positive’ exchange with EU leaders in first Brussels trip
EURONEWS – Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni welcomed a “very frank, very positive” exchange with European Union leaders in Brussels.
«La doctrine Borrell», une conversation avec le Haut représentant
Groupe d’études géopolitiques – Alberto Alemanno et Adam Mouyal conversent avec Josep Borrell au sujet de son discours devant les ambassadeurs de l’Union et la première promotion de l’Académie diplomatique européenne.
France and Germany’s relationship questioned as Scholz goes alone on policy
CNBC – Fresh tensions between France and Germany are challenging their relationship at a time when their unity is critical for broader European policy in tackling the energy crisis.
EU Influence: Broken science debate — Unlocking docs — Revolving full circle
POLITICO – Citizens’ access to documents is “the most concrete manifestation of the principle of openness and its corollary, transparency of the EU”
Migrants in Italy face uncertainty after far-right prime minister’s win
ABC NEWS – Meloni’s election last month will move the country to the far right for the first time since Benito Mussolini’s fall during World War II.
Experts criticise Council’s shady delay of EU Parliament’s Treaty reform request
EURACTIV – Legal experts suggest the Council of the European Union is violating EU law by not initiating the procedure for a Treaty reform.
Here’s what a Meloni government in Italy could mean for the EU
EURONEWS – The far-right victory in Italy’s elections is likely to translate into Rome joining Poland and Hungary by adopting a eurosceptic stance on European Union affairs.
EU Parliament slapped with complaint over ‘backroom deal’ to appoint secretary-general
EURONEWS – An official complaint has been launched against the European Parliament over a controversial deal to appoint its new secretary general, the institution’s top civil servant.
EU Parliament deflects cronyism cries as it appoints top civil servant
POLITICO – Alessandro Chiocchetti will become the Parliament’s new secretary-general, overseeing the institution’s expansive bureaucracy.
Italian right on path to power after PM Mario Draghi resigns
THE SUNDAY TIMES – Italy President Mario Draghi gives televised address amid political and financial turmoil
EU Influence: NGOs do it better — Schröder shame — QueasyJet
POLITICO – Sarah Wheaton speaks from The Good Lobby’s annual summer academy.
EU Influence: NGOs do it better — Schröder shame — QueasyJet
POLITICO – A surprising mix of transparency advocates, NGOers and unabashed corporate lobbyists meet at The Good Lobby’s annual Summer Academy.
EU Influence: UberFiles soul-search — Salaries spike — Your new Insta addiction
POLITICO – Uber Files outlined “a rather extreme, yet quite common (notably in the tech sector) method” of gaining access through lobbying
Former EU digital chief Neelie Kroes secretly helped Uber lobby Dutch PM, leak suggests
THE GUARDIAN – Uber Files appear to show Neelie Kroes trying to assist firm during ‘cooling-off’ period after leaving commission
Uber Files: Massive leak reveals how top politicians secretly helped Uber
BBC News – Thousands of leaked files have exposed how Uber courted top politicians, and how far it went to avoid justice.
What have we learned from the Conference on the Future of Europe? | View
EURONEWS – As the Conference on the Future of Europe just ended, Alberto Alemanno examines what we have learned from this unprecedented democratic exercise.
The Court of Justice of the EU goes (almost) public
Verfassungsblog – Thirteen years after the Lisbon Treaty, the CJEU continues to lack a fully-fledged publicity policy, albeit the growing public scrutiny over its work.
Over 10% of citizen proposals on EU’s future require treaty changes, expert says
EURACTIV – Twelve per cent of European citizens’ proposals as a part of the conference on the Future of Europe require a treaty change if they are to be implemented.
Ursula von der Leyen offers speedy response to Ukraine’s bid to join EU
THE GUARDIAN – European Commission chief visits Bucha before meeting Volodymyr Zelenskiy in Kyiv
« L’Union européenne doit accomplir un saut de citoyenneté pour passer à une Union politique »
Le Journal du Dimanche – Guillaume Klossa, co-président de CIVICO Europa, Daniel Cohn-Bendit, ancien président du groupe Les Verts, l’écrivain italien Roberto Saviano et 38 autres signataires plaident pour un nouveau « Pacte fondateur de l’Union qui permette de réaliser enfin l’Union de la défense, de l’énergie, de la santé, de l’économie, du travail, du social, de l’éducation et de la culture. »
Should European citizens dictate the bloc’s budget?
EURACTIV – MEPs and experts propose to scale up a city-level tool allowing citizens to decide how to spend a part of the municipal resources and let Europeans shape the EU budget expenditure.
With Putin’s war in Europe, the legacy of Germany’s Merkel is now being seen in a very different light
CNBC – The former German leader was known for speaking Russian and keeping diplomatic ties with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin. It was also during her term that Germany stepped up its energy links to Moscow and kept its national defense spending to a minimum.
When should business take a stand?
Financial Times – Companies are under pressure to speak out on a wide range of issues. Doing so while avoiding pitfalls will require them to rethink their approach to politics.
New Index Tracks How Brands And Companies Respond To Ukraine Crisis
FORBES – To help track businesses’ responses to the escalating crisis, the Ukraine Corporate Index was launched today by The Good Lobby, a nonprofit civic participation organization, and Progressive Shopper, which tracks political contributions.
Companies in the E.U. could be held liable for violations along their supply chain.
THE NEW YORK TIMES – Under the legislation, known as a due diligence law, businesses would need to establish regulations to detect, prevent and mitigate breaches of human rights.
How to shape the future of Europe?
EUROPE MATTERS – Alberto Alemanno discusses the Conference on the Future of Europe.
4 ideas on how businesses can be responsible for political lobbying
WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM – There is growing momentum worldwide to make business responsible for the ways it impacts the planet, workers and communities it relies on.
The future of Europe: who holds the baton?
SOCIAL EUROPE – Political leaders must not turn the Conference on the Future of Europe into another EU black box.
France’s EU presidency can lay the foundations of a new Europe | View
EURONEWS – “The year 2022 must be a turning point for Europe,” French President Emmanuel Macron said in his New Year’s Eve national address.
European Parliament, Jostling for Relevance, Elects a New Leader
THE NEW YORK TIMES – Roberta Metsola of Malta will succeed David Sassoli, an Italian politician who died last week, at a critical time for the institution.
David Sassoli, President of the European Parliament, Dies at 65
THE NEW YORK TIMES – He was a well-known journalist in his native Italy before going into politics, and devoted his tenure to making the Parliament more prominent.
Citizen Power Europe
Groupe d’Études Géopolitiques – In December 2021, two simultaneous events spoke radically differently on the conundrum of our age. The first, ‘The Summit for Democracy’. The other, the Conference on the Future of Europe.
The State of the Union speech was a big missed opportunity for Ursula von der Leyen | View
EURONEWS – The annual State of the European Union address provides a unique chance for all EU residents to get a sense of their lives’ shared direction.
The end of Euro-bashing
POLITICO – Euroskeptic posturing might win politicians votes at home, but it’s increasingly costing them on the European stage.
Polish media and opposition fight to save press freedom from state control
OPEN DEMOCRACY – Government’s controversial bill ‘would wipe out one of last institutions to hold authorities accountable’ and could lead to US sanctions.
Citizen Deliberation in Light of an Insurrection
EU SCREAM – Alberto Alemanno discusses the Conference on the Future of Europe.
Releasing Europe’s democratic genie
SOCIAL EUROPE – The Conference on the Future of Europe might sow the seeds of a genuine European political space.
Coalition led by B Lab Europe calls for mandatory stakeholder governance across the EU
PIONEERS POST – A coalition of 60 companies led by B Lab Europe is calling for an EU-wide change in company law to make stakeholder governance mandatory in the bloc.
Lack of citizens at EU’s citizens’ debate raises eyebrows
THE. GUARDIAN – Analysis: legitimacy of Future of Europe talks called into question as only a quarter of citizens likely to take part
These sixteen countries are now using the EU’s COVID travel pass (EUDCC)
EURONEWS – Sixteen countries have begun using the EU’s ‘Digital COVID certificate’ (EUDCC) to enable their citizens to easily travel across the bloc.
Will the EU’s Covid travel pass save the summer or create chaos?
RFI – Trumpeted as a quick fix to the holiday travel dilemma, and eagerly awaited by Europe’s struggling tourism sector, the certificate is intended to allow rapid movement between EU states without additional quarantine or coronavirus tests. Critics say it’s a recipe for delays and confusion.
EU leaders discuss repercussions for Belarus after Ryanair ‘hijack’
CNBC – Outraged European leaders are gathering in Brussels on Monday to discuss how to punish Belarusian authorities, after the forced landing of a Ryanair flight and subsequent arrest of a journalist on board.
The EU wants its citizens to shape its future. And fend off a euroskeptic surge
CNBC – The EU launched Sunday the Conference on the Future of Europe.
Anti-EU lawmakers strengthened their support following the sovereign debt and migration crises of the last decade.
Green wave — Vaccine comms lessons — New pesticides regime
POLITICO EU Influence – For the Brussels influence industry, AstraZeneca’s tarnished reputation is a cautionary tale — and a new client pitch.