"Europe will probably more closely resemble a confederation of some sorts" A confederation is already what the EU is -- with some entirely integrated competencies, some partially integrated ones, but no political union. And this is precisely what has to change: we now need a federal Europe. #toFedEU

A refreshing dose of American honesty

Falls short of calling for a federal Europe, which it should, but still worth signing.

"Leaving aside the usual MAGA obsessions, a more positive-minded reading can yield more constructive guidance, to highlight what the US believes and seeks, and to understand how Europe could respond and evolve." My take on the recent US National Security Strategy. www.euractiv.com/news/for-a-m...

Not that she is wrong, but how ironic is it to hear Ursula von der Leyen, entirely unknown to non-German European citizens in 2019, sing the "people should choose their leaders" chorus? Any steps made by the Commission since then to remedy this situation? ... none?! www.politico.eu/article/euro...

While this is just one example out of many: why isn't the allocation of public/taxpayers' money to #europeanparties published once it is decided, instead of months later in a PDF on an obscure sub-website of the EP? This is why we started the EPFO and we need you! www.betterplace.org/en/projects/...

For a more positive reading of the US National Security Strategy

"Leaving aside the usual MAGA obsessions, a more positive-minded reading can yield more constructive guidance, to highlight what the US believes and seeks, and to understand how Europe could respond and evolve." My take on the recent US National Security Strategy. www.euractiv.com/news/for-a-m...

Off-topic post of the day: Cory Doctorow talks Rescuing the Internet From “Enshittification” on the Daily Show inv.nadeko.net/watch?v=d2e-...

This sanction on the European Left opens an interesting question: should @volteuropa.org become a European party, does its integrated nature (same name, logo, colours, programme) mean that Volt Europa would be able to co-fund virtually all the activities of its national chapters? #europeanparties

On 4 December, the Party of the European Left (EL) was fined just under €5,000 by the Authority for European Political Parties and European Political Foundations. 1/3 @appf-eu.eudemocracy.eu #europeanparties 👉 For more: appf.europa.eu/appf/en/othe...

🚨 BREAKING: President Donald J. Trump has just won the very first and prestigious World Global Curling Federation Peace Prize for Tremendous Actions that Make the World More Peaceful Again. What a bigly achievement. #breaking #exclusive #FIFA #DonaldTrump #realaward

"Franklin and delegates from 7 colonies agreed to his Plan of Union and then went home to try and sell it. But when the plan was presented at the colonial capitals, each of the individual legislatures rejected it because they did not want to give up their autonomy." kenburns.com/films/the-am...

Reading about EU policy, regardless of the field, is very repetitive: 1/ some country (US, China,..) accomplishes something, 2/ institutions/experts/NGOs/gov call for Europe to do something similar, 3/ nat gov trip over their own feet because of national interests. www.euractiv.com/news/macron-...

The lack of transparency around #europeanparties, and citizens' complete lack of knowledge of/exposure to them, leads to situations that would be unacceptable at the national level. Whether this specific point is good or bad isn't the issue, the double standard is. www.euractiv.com/opinion/the-...

Monnet "saw politicians as short-termist by nature, egotistical by nature" -- this is why we have political parties, to create long-projects that go beyond politicians' self-interest. And this is why we need strong #europeanparties that citizens can join and vote for, and who choose representatives.

In its 2026 budgetary plan, the APPF asked Parliament for an additional 8 staff, to account for the increase in #europeanparties and foundations and for its expanded tasks under the new regulation. The @europarl.europa.eu heard that call and granted 0 additional staff. @appf-eu.eudemocracy.eu

Good to see MEPs calling for more independence from large foreign tech firms. There are too many European alternatives (or free and open-source ones, such as Firefox and LibreOffice) not to switch. european-alternatives.eu www.politico.eu/article/get-...

70 years too late already but, yes, a federal Europe is our only viable future. actionnetwork.org/petitions/un...

Not "our militaries", but "our military", @andriuskubilius.ec.europa.eu . You can't have war-ready logistics with 27 separate armies. We need one single European army.

[email protected]. And that's a wrap! As always, our foundation works for free but we need funding to update our platform, so do support us if you can! 28/28 www.betterplace.org/en/projects/...

Did both parties receive a loan to cover the entirety of their expenses for three months or more? No donations, no contributions, financial or in-kind? #europeanparties

Here it is: the once-a-year analysis of #europeanparties' donations and contributions -- all pretty with charts and graphs. Don't miss it! 🇪🇺

Oppose Elon Musk all you want (and I do), but he is not wrong here. The head of the EU's executive should really be elected* by European citizens. *not necessarily directly as in the US but, in line with parliamentary tradition, via #europeanparties.

As the @consilium.europa.eu prepares to adopt the recast Regulation on #europeanparties, it is useful to re-post the long thread below, which highlight the main points of the legislation. TLDR: limited changes, not all positive. A couple of good things on transparency (cf. logos and machine-... 1/2

We do not need mass surveillance. We must stop Chat Control, again. mullvad.net/en/blog/mull...

Ahead of the @consilium.europa.eu's adoption of the new regulation on #europeanparties, here is your reminder that #transparency does not come for free. If you can, please support our Observatory! More on this awesome project below 👇

That members of far-right and nationalist #europeanparties meet more often and coordinate more closely than pro-Europeans is a very worrying sign -- both for the growth of nationalism and for the weakness of the pro-European majority and ideal.

On Wednesday, national government representatives (Coreper II) will discuss the updated regulation on #europeanparties, paving the way for its adoption and entry into force by 1st Jan 2026! @eudemocracy.eu @appf-eu.eudemocracy.eu

Not a word about reforming institutions. This is the sad truth about the @ec.europa.eu's work programme 2026. To be fair, the Commission does include important points: respect for the rule of law and funding conditionality, protection of independent media,... commission.europa.eu/publications...

European democracy is not nationally-elected members of the executive telling European legislators that their decisions are unacceptable and a mistake that must be corrected.

"Leaders will discuss housing, defense, competitiveness, the green & digital transitions, migration — all issues that officials from governments see as critical to containing the far right." Really, nothing about European democracy? Do you not see people want a say?! www.politico.eu/article/firs...

🚨 Long thread alert! Today, the EP (@europarl.europa.eu) is voting on the agreement reached with the Council on the new Regulation on the statute and funding of #europeanparties and foundations, under the Polish presidency back in June 2025. So, what does this mean for our common parties? 1/24

The clearest admission by European institutions that vetoes in democratic decision-making should not exist. Democratic decision-making is not about protecting the overriding interests of sub-groups, it is about majority rule and minority rights. www.politico.eu/article/new-...

BREAKING: The Party of European Socialists votes unanimously to expel Robert Fico's SMER party. #europeanparties #slovakia www.euractiv.com/news/europea...

Ahead of the @europarl.europa.eu's vote on the new Regulation on #europeanparties next week, here is your periodic reminder that real transparency matters! And that we need your support. 💪 www.betterplace.org/en/projects/...

Mainstream parties' inability to accept and commit to the drastic changes required by the times we live in means that institutions fail to deliver for European citizens. It should then be no surprise that they turn to populist parties, left and right. #eureform www.politico.eu/article/patr...

The single best way to strengthen our union is to build a real European democracy, so that citizens may decide what the EU should do and where it should go. These projects cannot be made on a national basis. And this starts by helping citizens know their parties!👇 www.betterplace.org/en/projects/...

European defense, capital markets union, single market, European champions, truly European elections, democratic deficit: let's be clear, these are not "European" or "Brussels'" failures, these are national governments blocking advances at every turn. #eureform www.politico.eu/article/eu-u...

One might not agree with the ideas being brought to the table, but a political system's ability to bring forth new parties is essential. An important step forward for #eudemocracy would now be to lower the requirements to register as #europeanparties.

And to think that China wasted a perfectly good spy for documents they could have easily gotten with a mere subscription to @contexte.com... www.politico.eu/article/far-...

Given the unprecedented threats facing the EU, there was surprisingly little on democracy in the #SOTEU. Ursula @vonderleyen.ec.europa.eu rightfully called for "a new Europe" and a "moment of independence", but proposed nothing concrete beyond "closing loopholes", ... 1/7

Es ist höchste Zeit, dass #Österreich seine ihm aufgezwungene #Neutralität endlich überwindet, um sich voll und ganz solidarisch innerhalb der EU einzubringen, ohne Ausnahmeregelungen und Ausreden. Wir brauchen jetzt in Europa absoluten Zusammenhalt und Solidarität, sonst sind wir ... 1/7

Finally coming around to listening to the State of the European Union address &debate. Interesting to hear @valeriehayer.bsky.social call for a "more federal Europe". But then why oh why call for transnational lists instead of a truly federal electoral system? Why not call for real #europeanparties?

On Monday, we celebrated Democracy Day. Unfortunately, at the EU level, democracy falls short of our standards. We need a strong Parliament, a real legislative upper house, a government chosen by citizens, and real and empowered #europeanparties. Support us! 👇 www.betterplace.org/en/projects/...

Great! Let every member state have its own separate defense programme, instead of consolidating our investment, research, procurement and capabilities. Looking forward to seeing Malta or Luxembourg build strong and independent military capacities as well. /s #ToFedEU www.euractiv.com/news/brussel...

One of the saddest thing in today's world is seeing greed and short-termism undermine democracies' efficiency, allowing some authoritarian regimes to become more efficient, productive, and technologically successful. We owe it to democracy to do better. www.lemonde.fr/economie/art...