The current head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, will remain at the helm of the EU's most prominent body, as decided by MEPs on Thursday. Although Thursday's vote was expected to be close, she ultimately secured 401 votes, forty more than needed. She even achieved a better result than five years ago, when she won by just nine votes. Viktor Daněk, Deputy Director of EUROPEUM Institute, gave an interview to Seznam Zprávy about her re-election.
Show moreNegotiations on the EU leadership positions will continue next week. On Thursday, leaders and presidents are due to make their final decision at a summit in Brussels. Vladimír Bartovic, President of EUROPEUM Institute, commented on whether Ursula von der Leyen will defend her post as President of the European Commission.
Show moreThe concluding European Parliament experienced one of the toughest periods. It had to address challenges such as the COVID crisis, the war in Ukraine, the energy crisis, and the migration pact. How did the parliament deal with these complex issues? Viktor Daněk, Deputy Director of the EUROPEUM Institute, assessed the effectiveness of MEPs on a daily broadcast of ČT24.
Show moreWhat was the last parliamentary term like in the European Parliament? How did it manage two crises – the war in Ukraine and COVID-19? And how can the aid to Ukraine be assessed? Žiga Faktor, Deputy Director and Head of the Brussels Office of EUROPEUM Institute, answers these and other questions in an interview for Slovak television RTVS.
Show morePoliticians and companies should start putting more emphasis on prevention and education about active and healthy lifestyles, because the health of the population has a major impact on the competitiveness of companies and the national economy. Viktor Daněk, Deputy Director of EUROPEUM Institute, commented on this issue.
Show moreFive candidates for the post of European Commission chief clashed in a Europe-wide debate on Thursday. Two factions did not field a candidate. The system of spitzenkandidaten, i.e. the leading candidates of each group for the post of president of the European executive, was created as an effort by MEPs to increase transparency in the filling of the highest posts in the European Union, which clearly includes the president of the Commission. Who will be the one who will form the majority after the elections and does the current head of the Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, have a significant opponent among the other spitzenkandidaten? Viktor Daněk, deputy director of EUROPEUM Institute, analysed the debate for RTVS.
Show moreThe European elections are about a month away. Czechs will vote for 21 of the 720 MEPs. This will be the first election since Brexit, the Covid-19 pandemic or the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Turnout is expected to be higher than in the last elections five years ago, with right-wing and Eurosceptic parties strengthening. Žiga Faktor, deputy director and head of EUROPEUM Institute's Brussels office, described the possible reasons for daily broadcast of Czech TV.
Show moreWe invite you to a public podcast recording focusing on the discussion of the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on European industrial policy and its potential consequences for the Czech economy and society. We will discuss the new technological dynamics resulting from the pandemic and explore ways in which the European Union can respond to technological competition with the USA and China.
Show moreFarmers' protests have reminded that the measures of the Green Deal for Europe may not be politically viable for Europeans. To make climate policies politically viable, the EU should therefore focus on its commitment not to leave anyone behind in the green transition. Klára Votavová, a researcher at EUROPEUM Institute for European Policy, discusses the current development of the Green Deal for Europe and its social policy aspects in an expert publication for the Social Policy Forum.
Show moreEuropean Commission President Ursula von der Leyen faces charges related to the purchase of Covid-19 vaccines from Pfizer. The first information came from the The New York Times, which has subpoenaed European Commission documents relating to the negotiations for the purchase of the vaccines. Žiga Faktor, deputy director and head of the EUROPEUM Institute's Brussels office, commented on the case for TN.cz.
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