Trade is now diplomacy, and connectivity is diplomacy—like the IMEC corridor linking Asia and Europe. We can’t go back to old systems; instead, we must build a new order based on diplomacy, trade, and connectivity, preserving capitalism while fostering cooperation amid global challenges, Member of the Italian Chamber of Deputies Isabella De Monte told our site in an exclusive interview.
A recent piece by The Wall Street Journal points out that right-wing populist parties are leading the polls in all three of the largest European economies: Marine Le Pen’s Rassemblement national in France, Nigel Farage’s Reform UK in the United Kingdom, and Alice Weidel’s Alternative für Deutschland in Germany. What is behind this phenomenon?
A historic Putin–Zelenskyy summit may soon take place in Hungary, US officials confirmed after Trump’s White House meeting with Zelenskyy and EU leaders. The summit, to be followed by a trilateral session with Trump, could mark a breakthrough in efforts to end the war.
A Forsa poll shows Germany’s AfD ahead of the CDU, 26 to 24 per cent, the biggest lead since February’s election. The result mirrors a rightward trend across Europe, with Austria’s FPÖ, France’s National Rally and Reform UK also dominating national polls.
The European Union’s top court has issued a ruling that could halt deportations of illegal migrants to most non-European countries, prompting outrage in Budapest. Chief Security Advisor György Bakondi called the judgment ‘pro-migration’, warning it places virtually all repatriations in legal limbo. Prime Minister Orbán’s government says it will resist such judicial activism.
‘It is impossible to defend democratic legitimacy by hollowing out the very norms that give our institutions their credibility. Germany’s strength after 1949 was not rooted in the moral purity of its political representatives, but in the trust built around procedures, non-negotiable rules, and the idea that the parliament is bound not by political preference but by democratic representation.’
‘For the Hungarian minority in Romania, Dan’s victory represents a clear political win—particularly given the decisive role the community played in securing it…His proposal to include the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (UDMR) in the governing coalition has further reinforced a sense of security among Hungarian voters.’
On 30 June 2024, Andrej Babiš, Herbert Kickl, and Viktor Orbán announced the establishment of a new political alliance called Patriots for Europe, which soon became the third-largest group in the European Parliament. In this article, we examine PfE’s first year and explore what lies ahead.
‘Whether this era will bring consolidation or rupture remains uncertain, but one thing is clear: the age of managerial drift is over. In its place stands a presidency more Caesar than consul and more instinct than theory. History, once again, is taking sides—and Donald Trump appears determined to pick one first.’
As the Trump administration signals its intention to step back from peace talks over the war in Ukraine—pressuring Kyiv and Moscow to engage in direct negotiations—a new structure for peace efforts is beginning to take shape. In parallel, the Vatican under Pope Leo XIV is assuming an increasingly active role in the process, positioning Rome as the new epicentre of the negotiations.