Evidence is strong that affective polarization and democratic backsliding are interlinked phenomena.
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Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán faces his most serious challenge yet in the April 2026 parliamentary elections. All of Europe should monitor the Fidesz campaign: It will use unprecedented methods of electoral manipulation to secure victory and maintain power.
Zsuzsanna Szelényi
Between Greenland and U.S. interference in Europe’s democracies, transatlantic relations risk rising to an unprecedented level of crisis. Amid continued arguments on how Brussels should react, tough times lie ahead for European leaders.
Marc Pierini
The United Arab Emirates has become a major investor in the Western Balkans. With enlargement back on the agenda, the EU must ensure that foreign capital meets rather than undermines its governance standards.
Iliriana Gjoni, Iva Čukić, Alba Çela, …
The second term of U.S. President Donald Trump is pushing Europeans to strengthen their capacity for collective action. But their biggest challenge comes from within: U.S.-backed radical-right parties that want to weaken the EU.
Stefan Lehne
As polarization increases across Western societies, the gap between Baby Boomers and Millennials could become a fault line. Rebuilding intergenerational trust is essential to restoring shared values in liberal democracies.
Cyrine Drissi, Marc Pierini
