European Parliament Research Articles

The rise of populist radical right parties in Europe

After World War II, radical right parties in Europe experienced a decline, but over the last three decades, they have regained strength, becoming significant players in European politics. Since the early twenty-first century, they have secured representation at various levels, from local governments to national parliaments and the European Parliament. Nowadays, populist radical right parties rank among the top three most powerful political forces in one-third of European countries. In Austria, the FPÖ ( Freiheitliche Partei Österreichs) emerged as the leading party in the 2024 elections, winning 28.9% of the vote. In Italy, the Fratelli d’Italia coalition came to power with 25.99% of the vote in 2022. In Hungary, Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz party won its fourth consecutive election. In France, Marine Le Pen’s National Rally (RN – Rassemblement National) achieved major victories in both the European Parliament and national elections, becoming the country’s largest party. Though initially considered marginal, populist radical right parties have become a lasting and serious force in European politics. This special issue features six carefully selected articles, each offering empirical and theoretical insights into different aspects of the rise of radical right and right-wing populist parties in Europe, contributing to a broader understanding of this phenomenon.

In Vivo Efficacy of a Nanoconjugated Glycopeptide Antibiotic in Silkworm Larvae Infected by Staphylococcus aureus

To contrast the rapid spread of antibiotic resistance in bacteria, new alternative therapeutic options are urgently needed. The use of nanoparticles as carriers for clinically relevant antibiotics represents a promising solution to potentiate their efficacy. In this study, we used Bombyx mori larvae for the first time as an animal model for testing a nanoconjugated glycopeptide antibiotic (teicoplanin) against Staphylococcus aureus infection. B. mori larvae might thus replace the use of mammalian models for preclinical tests, in agreement with the European Parliament Directive 2010/63/EU. The curative effect of teicoplanin (a last resort antibiotic against Gram-positive bacterial pathogens) conjugated to iron oxide nanoparticles was assessed by monitoring the survival rate of the larvae and some immunological markers (i.e., hemocyte viability, phenoloxidase system activation, and lysozyme activity). Human physiological conditions of infection were reproduced by performing the experiments at 37 °C. In this condition, nanoconjugated teicoplanin cured the bacterial infection at the same antibiotic concentration of the free counterpart, blocking the insect immune response without causing mortality of silkworm larvae. These results demonstrate the value and robustness of the silkworm as an infection model for testing the in vivo efficacy of nanoconjugated antimicrobial molecules.

Beyond the revolving door: professional paths of accredited parliamentary assistants after the European parliament

ABSTRACT Based on the study of the professional careers of 439 parliamentary assistants of the 7th parliamentary term (2009–2014), we identify their different career patterns, especially after leaving the European parliament. We show which factors (social, biographical) influence mobility within the field of Eurocracy. We assess the importance of public/private circulation. Beyond the notorious ‘revolving doors’ and the question of the transfer of information from EU institutions to private interests, we show that parliamentary assistants form a group of specialised intermediaries of EU affairs who, after having acquired specific knowledge and know-how at the heart of European policymaking, are able to convert these assets in different sectors (public bureaucracies, private companies, or NGOs), at the EU level or in the member states. Such mobility illustrates the blurring of the public/private divide, and the hybridisation of EU governance. We thus shed new light on the structuring of the field of Eurocracy and the circulation of professionals within it.

Interparty Relations in the European Parliament 1952–2024: Between Cooperative and Adversarial Politics

Interparty Relations in the European Parliament 1952–2024: Between Cooperative and Adversarial Politics

Not anxious enough: The discursive articulation of ontological security in the European Parliament

Abstract This paper makes the case for a discursive understanding of ontological security and demonstrates the utility of such an approach in an analysis of European Parliament (EP) debates between 1990 and 2020. We argue that articulations of ontological (in)security operate through the (re)inscription of a set of metanarratives in what we call ‘discursive nodal points’. Building on an extensive analysis of EP debates over 30 years, we demonstrate that in contrast to the prevailing view of the European Union (EU) as an ‘anxious community’, at least on the political level, EU actors remain surprisingly confident in the European project. While they do invoke challenges to the EU, they see these as incentives to strengthen the integration project and often consider operating in crisis mode as an essential EU characteristic. In doing so, they draw on modernist metanarratives of progress, control, and power to construct an ontologically secure EU. We argue that the future ontological security of the EU will partly depend on allowing for more ambiguity in this modernist narrative without accepting a nationalist counter-narrative that undermines the idea of European integration.

Legal Personality of Artificial Intelligences: From the classical canonical concept of legal person to the design of a specific legal personality and a Registry of Artificial Persons

On 16 February 2017, the European Parliament made recommendations to the Commission about civil law rules on robotics, including a proposal to design a specific legal personality for autonomous robots and most sophisticated Artificial Intelligences with the capacity to make decisions and interact with third parties. Although the recent European Union’s Artificial Intelligence Act presents notable advances on supervision, surveillance, control and registration in this field, the question of legal personality remains an open issue. In order to design a specific concept along the lines of the European Parliament’s proposal and to make further progress along this legal line, the classical concept of legal person devised by Sinibaldo Fieschi is an essential reference.

Analysis of the Impact of Selected Dynamic Parameters of a Motor Vehicle on CO2 Emissions Using Logistic Regression

The article analyzes the impact of selected operational parameters of internal combustion engine vehicles on CO2 emissions. The study was preceded by a detailed analysis of the issues related to CO2 emissions in the EU, with a focus on Poland, where the tests were conducted. The key scientific assumption is that individual vehicle users’ behaviors significantly impact global CO2 emissions. Daily use of private vehicles, driving style, and attention to fuel efficiency contribute to cumulative effects that can drive the transformation toward more sustainable transport. Therefore, the study was conducted using real-time empirical data obtained from the vehicles’ OBD (On-Board Diagnostics) diagnostic systems. This approach enabled the creation of a diagnostic tool allowing each vehicle user to assess CO2 emissions and ultimately manage its levels, which is the biggest innovation of the work. Two levels of CO2 emissions were identified as categorical variables in the model, considered either ecological or non-ecological from the perspective of sustainable transport. The CO2 emission threshold of 200 g/km was adopted based on the average age of vehicles in Poland (14.5 years) and Regulation (EC) No 443/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council. Three models of logistic regression dedicated to different driving cycle phases—starting, urban driving, and highway driving—were proposed and compared. This study demonstrated that during vehicle starting, the most significant factors influencing the probability of ecological driving are vehicle velocity, relative engine load, and relative throttle position, while for the other two types of movement, engine power and torque should also be considered. The logistic regression model for vehicle start-up obtained a value of sensitivity at about 82% and precision at about 85%. In the case of urban driving, the values of the discussed parameters reach significantly higher levels, with sensitivity at around 96% and precision at about 92%. In turn, the model related to highway driving achieved the highest values among the created models, with sensitivity at around 97% and precision at about 93%.

VLIK from Madrid to Vienna: the Search for a New Political Direction in the Liberation of Lithuania

The Supreme Committee for the Liberation of Lithuania (Vyriausiasis Lietuvos išlaisvinimo komitetas, VLIK), relying on its right to speak on behalf of the subjugated nation and its belief in the meaning of the Helsinki Accords, emphasised the importance of the Madrid conference for the liberation activities of Lithuania. One more aspect of the Final Act of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe, specifically the territorial integrity principle applicable to the liberation process of the Baltic States, was raised in the Spanish capital. Starting in 1981, the VLIK sought to draw international attention to the situation of Lithuanian dissidents in the Soviet Union and drafted memoranda on the situation in Lithuania. After it was ascertained that there was no possibility to raise the case of Lithuania’s freedom at the United Nations, focus was shifted to the situation evolving in Europe. A permanent VLIK representative for maintaining contacts with the European Parliament (EP) was therefore appointed. In co-operation with the Lithuanian diplomatic service and political organisations, the VLIK operated consistently and saw the passing of an EP resolution on the situation in the Baltic States in 1983. Observing signs of a new political trend in the liberation process of Lithuania, the VLIK sought to ensure that the ‘passive position of non-recognition of the occupation of Lithuania’ would become ‘an active and effective campaign’. To this end, expanding the geographical scope of its political activities, the VLIK established and strengthened its representative offices in North and South America, Australia, and Europe. The earlier strategy of cooperation between Lithuanians in the free world and those in the occupied country remained. Having established its intention to restore the ‘execution of the sovereign powers of Lithuania’, VLIK urged political figures at the Vienna conference to hold ‘a broader campaign in Europe’.

Contesting Western support for Ukraine. The radical left in the European Parliament

ABSTRACT The 2022 full-scale Russian invasion into Ukraine challenged the political parties of the radical left and right that have traditionally been sympathetic to Russia. This paper examines the positions on the Russian war against Ukraine of radical left members of the 9th European Parliament (2019–2024), based on their voting behavior in the first year since the start of the full-scale invasion. The data show that the radical left is most divided over sanctions. In contrast, MEPs from the 18 radical left parties under study are highly united in their support of international law. The divisions among radical left MEPs correlate weakly with the geographical distance to Russia and with their parties’ position on the left/right-axis, but more strongly with parties’ position on socio-cultural questions: Socio-culturally progressive parties are more inclined to support an assertive stance towards Putin’s authoritarian and traditionalist Russia than socio-culturally conservative ones.

AXIOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS OF THE ORGANIZATIONAL AND LEGAL MECHANISM FOR THE CONVERGENCE OF EU ACTIVITIES IN THE FIELD OF HEALTH POLICY

Abstract. The article addresses the issues of developing and implementing a unified strategy in the field of health policy and medical law in the European Union. The main focus is on analyzing differences between national legislations, assessing the institutional capacity of member states to adapt European standards, and studying the impact of a unified strategy on pan-European health effectiveness. Particular attention is given to the role of the European Parliament in shaping health policy and the potential of technological innovations to improve the quality of medical services. The purpose of the research. The purpose of the research is to determine and summarize the axiological aspects of the convergence of the European Union's activities in the field of health policy. Methodology. The methodological basis of the research includes an axiological analysis of national and European legislative acts, a comparative analysis of national approaches to medical standards, and an assessment of the institutional capacity of EU member states to adapt European standards. Scientific novelty. The scientific novelty of the work lies in the comprehensive analysis of the convergence of health policy in the EU and the study of the impact of a unified strategy on pan-European health effectiveness, with a focus on the harmonization of medical standards and regulations. Conclusions. The effective implementation of the EU's convergence strategy in health policy is a key factor in improving public health, preventing diseases, and eliminating threats to physical and mental health at the pan-European level.

Self-cleaning e exclusão obrigatória de operadores econômicos: uma análise comparativa entre a Diretiva 2014/24/UE e a lei de licitações brasileira

Public procurement plays a fundamental pillar as an instrument able to ensure a more efficient use of public resources. In the context of European Union, the Directive 2014/24/UE of the European Parliament and the Council, which takes care of public procurement, made notable changes in relation to the causes of exclusion of economic agents from participating in contracting procedures. In Brazil, New Public Procurement and Administrative Contracts Law, Law n. 14.133/2021, also promoted changes in relation to the sanctioning scope and the possibilities of rehabilitation of companies. In this way, the objetive of this article is, in the light of the principle of competition, analyze the limits of the restriction clauses required from the design of Self-Cleaning, as an institute of community law able to relativize the expulsion grounds set out in the Directive, relating them to the new Brazilian legislation. The comparison between the legislations shows that while Europe has an established and detailed system for self-cleaning, the Brazilian approach is still maturing and could benefit from European practices to strengthen public policies through mechanisms for the reintegration of economic operators. The conclusion is that the experience observed through the Directive can contribute to Brazil's public procurement system, optimizing transparency, competitiveness, and especially, integrity in public contracting processes.

Analysis of Current Approaches to Monitoring the Content of Depressor Substances

INTRODUCTION. Raw materials of biological origin can contaminate medicines with depressor substances, such as histamine, acetylcholine, bradykinin, serotonin, and prostaglandins. In the Russian Federation, tests for the content of these impurities are conducted in anaesthetised healthy cats in accordance with the General Chapter Test for depressor substances of the State Pharmacopoeia of the Russian Federation. The global trend towards ending animal testing and the search for ways to eliminate animal tests for depressor substances motivate researchers to study international approaches to the determination of histamine-like substances.AIM. This study aimed to analyse Russian and international approaches to the control of biologicals for depressor substances and to consider the applicability of alternative instrument-based physicochemical methods for the determination of histamine-like impurities, with a view to reducing animal testing.DISCUSSION. The rationale for reducing the use of animals as test systems is set forth in Directive 2010/63/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 September 2010 on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes. In 2023, the European Pharmacopoeia Commission initiated the removal of in vivo tests for histamine-like substances from the European Pharmacopoeia. However, China and India use animal testing as the basic method for assessing the safety of medicines. In the Russian Federation, the control of depressor substances is regulated under General Chapter 1.2.4.0008.18 of the State Pharmacopoeia of the Russian Federation. Since the publication of General Chapter 42-0063-07 Test for histamine in edition XII in 2007, the State Pharmacopoeia of the Russian Federation has included a compendial text providing for a reduction in the number of cats used for testing. At present, Russian scientists are searching for targeted physicochemical and immunochemical methods for the determination of depressor substances. It has been demonstrated that a reasonable approach is to assess the need for testing a particular medicinal product in animals on a case-by-case basis. This approach will help minimise the number of in vivo tests and maintain an adequate quality of medicines at the same time.CONCLUSIONS. Despite the global trend towards ending animal testing, it is still necessary and required to control medicines for the content of depressor substances. Nevertheless, there is no global consensus on the need to use animals for this purpose. The absence of a separate general chapter/monograph, or references to it, will not change the fact that histamine-like substances are controlled worldwide. The decision to exclude in vivo methods from the European Pharmacopoeia necessitates the search for alternative test methods and the implementation of additional manufacturing controls to minimise the contamination risk for finished medicinal products. Studies have shown that high-performance liquid chromatography can determine the content of histamine in a limited amount of a medicinal product.

Working at home: Individual level drivers of MEPs’ focus on constituency work

Abstract This article investigates how Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) allocate resources between their parliamentary and constituency work, focusing on their staffing decisions. Specifically, it examines the distribution of MEPs’ staff between accredited assistants, based in the European Parliament (EP), and local staff working in their constituency. The study seeks to explain why some MEPs allocate a larger share of their staff to constituency work compared to others by testing several hypotheses related to the individual characteristics of MEPs while controlling for variations across Member States. Using a newly developed database with data on MEP assistants at three points during the 9th EP, the analysis reveals that Member State differences do not solely explain the variation in staff distribution. While there is no evidence that staff allocation is driven by strategic considerations to secure re-election, it depends significantly on their ideology and past political experience.

Knocking Down the Pillars of Democracy in Europe: Politicisation of Science and Law in Response During COVID-19

Abstract The European Parliament has stressed on numerous occasions in public documents and speeches its non-conditional support for the principles of democracy, the rule of law, good governance, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. Yet as the pandemic has developed these principles have not been defended by various member states of the EU, being traded for public health and public good. This presentation seeks to critically analyse the content of key rhetoric and narratives from the outbreak of the pandemic until the present time through public statements that shall be contrasted against the “unconditional principles” above within the theoretical frame of Situational Crisis Communication Theory. Attention shall be paid to key political officials and understand the role of mainstream mass media and social media as gatekeepers of the orthodoxy of knowledge established. Orthodoxy of knowledge is group consensus on defining and constructing ‘realities’ in the physical realm, even when the consensus is coerced. Given the increasing lack of scientific debate, which is a fundamental element of good scientific practice, and the use of heavy handed and largely unsuccessful responses to the virus (such as lockdowns, vax passports and vaccination campaigns), Europe (not only) is in a precarious position in terms of its societal principles and practice. Crisis management is expediently rushed through face of fear and time constraint based upon a lack of consideration for the consequences and long-term effects, some of which are already emerging but being silenced. Hence a creeping crisis of significant psychological and physical impact is in the making.

Article: A Hamiltonian Moment for EU Taxation?

This contribution explores the possibility of a ‘Hamiltonian moment’ in the European Union (EU) public finances, drawing a parallel with the historical experience of the United States (US) in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. It examines the different theoretical positions on the existence and scope of the EU’s authority to tax, as well as the legal and political challenges that such an authority would entail. It argues that the EU does have the power to levy taxes for funding its budget, based on Article 311 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU (TFEU), but that this power is constrained by the principles stemming from the common constitutional traditions, the respect for national identities, and the need for democratic legitimation. It suggests that a ‘Hamiltonian moment’ in the EU would require a qualitative change in the structure and size of the EU budget, as well as a stronger involvement of the European Parliament and the national parliaments in the decision-making process on the system of own resources.

Narrating Solidarity With Ukraine: European Parliament Debates on Energy Policy

The article aims to improve our understanding of the politics of energy policy in the EU in the context of the war in Ukraine. It shows how the energy policy debate is contextualised by the suffering of Ukraine and the country’s efforts to resist Russian aggression and full-scale war. An abductive qualitative content analysis of 10 European Parliament debates on economic sanctions against Russia between March 2014 and October 2022 is used to reconstruct four narratives of the EU’s transnational solidarity with Ukraine. The following solidarity narratives are compared in terms of underlying notions of solidarity, proposed policy solutions, and their temporal aspects: “solidarity based on the common enemy,” “solidarity as mutual sacrifice,” “solidarity based on shared independence,” and “solidarity based on our resilience.” We find that despite the prominence of the solidarity frame in all four narratives, there were latent relevant differences in the urgency of the proposed solutions. Moreover, the references to suffering in these narratives tend to contrast “their” and “our” suffering, rather than calling for help for Ukraine.

Institutions or ideology? Cross-party and cross-country analysis of factors contributing to the election of women to the European Parliament

Abstract The article examines the key factors influencing women’s electoral success in European Parliament (EP) elections. We present a new conceptual approach and a novel model that simultaneously incorporates trends in party characteristics, institutional and socio-economic factors and cross-country trends in women’s representation. The model provides a comprehensive analysis of the relationships between party-level and Member State-level factors and the election of women to the EP. The study is based on an original dataset of 450 observations on national political parties from all Member States, spanning four European elections from 2004 to 2019. Our results show that party characteristics such as incumbency rates, party size and ideological orientations (i.e. the party’s position on the GAL-TAN scale or its attitude towards European integration) play a key role in shaping women’s representation. This article provides novel insights into the unique features of Central and Eastern Europe, elucidating divergent patterns of women’s electoral prospects in conservative and progressive parties in Western democracies and Central and Eastern European post-communist EU Member States.

RISORGIMENTO'S ECHOES IN THE SOUTHWESTERN KRAI DURING THE 1860s IN THE CONTEXT OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS IN EUROPE

The article emphasises that during the nineteenth century, the processes of the rise of national movements in Europe, which led to large-scale transformations in international relations, were reflected in the territory of Dnipro Ukraine, and of particular interest is their impact on the public life of Kyiv, Podillia and Volyn provinces, where the Polish socio-cultural presence was traditionally significant. After the November Uprising of 1830-1831, Polish political emigration influenced the formation of Polonophile sentiments in Europe and the actualisation of the Polish question in the activities of European diplomacy, parliaments, and press. The echoes of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth's noble democracy were embodied in the Polish national liberation struggle, the uprisings against Russian autocracy in 1830-1831 and 1863-1864, the role of Polish emigrants in the socio-political processes of Western European and Balkan countries, and, above all, in the events of “the Springtime of Nations” of 1848-1849. The study of the documents of the Office of Kyiv, Podillya and Volyn Governor-General at the Central State Historical Archives of Ukraine in Kyiv, which were first introduced to scientific circulation, sheds light on the rise of patriotic sentiments and resistance to Russian autocracy among the local Polish population against the background of intensification of national liberation movements in Europe during the nineteenth century, the emergence of new states on the political map – Greece (1830), Belgium (1830), Romania (1861), completion of the unification of Italy (1871) and creation of the German Empire (1871), and the state and legal transformation of the Austrian (since 1867 – Austro-Hungarian) monarchy. First of all, it is about the influence of information about the events of the Risorgimento and the related intensification of Polish emigration in Europe on the public life of the Southwestern region of the Russian Empire in the 1860s. The unification of Italy was a significant process in the context of the dismantling of the Vienna system of international relations that was initiated by the results of the Eastern War of 1853-1856. In general, it was about a set of international political processes and phenomena that influenced the balance of power on the continent. Italy's geopolitical position determined its key role in the struggle of the great European powers for control over the Mediterranean, powerful military, trade and economic leverage at the intersection of strategically important sea routes between the West and the East.

11.L. Round table: Fiscal measures for building resilient European health systems

Abstract Currently, over 100 million European citizens are affected by obesity and non-communicable diseases. These health conditions impact individuals and society economically as well as socially. Therefore, an increasing number of Member States has introduced taxes on foods high in fat, sugar, or salt. However, divergent national fiscal health measures can lead to market distortion or fraudulent activities, revealing that, although the responsibility for implementing fiscal measures lies with national governments, health systems of different Member States are much interlinked. The increasing health risks for European citizens and its broader impact underline the importance of resilience in European health systems more than ever before, calling for early response and effective concrete actions from both EU institutions and national governments. Additionally, the topic of resilient health systems currently ranks high on the European agenda, with the Belgian Presidency promoting health system preparedness and early response and health care strengthening as one of their six priorities. The European Commission will also continue its work on this issue for the next five years. The EU has already taken steps in this matter, such as the launch of the European Health Union and the creation of HERA. However, in order to preserve a healthy society, the EU must further develop in this regard. Therefore, this round table discussion will focus on the question of how fiscal measures in Member States can contribute to resilient health systems. It aims to generate ideas on how Ministries of Health can contribute to resilient health systems via fiscal measures compatible with European Community law that promote health and prevent disease. Panellists from the WHO Regional Office for Europe, the Hungarian Ministry of Health and Ecorys, a research-based consultancy, will provide diverse perspectives on the topic. The added value of the round table is laying out possible ways of how both the EU and Member States can contribute to enhancing the resilience of European health systems. In the discussion, knowledge is derived from various research projects, such as Ecorys’ study for DG TAXUD on health taxes, their study for the Dutch Ministry of Finance on sugar taxes, and their literature study on sugar taxation and VAT reduction on fruits and vegetables. Furthermore, as an example of alternative funding mechanisms for resilient health systems, the Hungarian approach to health taxes will be reviewed, since a portion of the tax revenue from their public health tax is used to finance public health initiatives. From a policy perspective, the round table will aid in formulating recommendations for improving the resilience of EU health systems for the next five years. Key messages • Unhealthy foods and drinks consumption poses significant health risks, impacting economy and society, and requiring evidence-based fiscal measures as part of comprehensive measures. • The round table provides public health stakeholders the opportunity to generate recommendations for improving the resilience of EU health systems for the next five years. Speakers/Panelists Kremlin Wickramasinghe Division of Country Health Programs, WHO/Europe, Denmark Krisztina Biró Ministry of Interior, State Secretariat for Health, Budapest, Hungary Soila Karreinen Tampere University, Tampere, Finland Rana Orhan Pees Ecorys, Rotterdam, Netherlands Sara Cerdas Former Member of the European Parliament, Brussels, Belgium

Bridging the Atlantic: The case of EU–US parliamentary diplomacy

With the rise of non-executive forms of diplomacy, political scientists have increasingly focused on the role of parliaments as diplomatic actors. This article aims to deepen the study of European parliamentary diplomacy through an extensive case study of transatlantic parliamentary diplomacy (TPD) between the European Parliament and the US Congress during the Obama and Trump administrations (2009–21). It is hypothesised that the decrease in EU–US political alignment under the Trump administration resulted in a corresponding decrease in both the salience and positivity of TPD. Counter-intuitively, the data shows that the decrease in political alignment correlated with a higher quantity of TPD. However, a content analysis of the joint reports of the Transatlantic Legislators’ Dialogue indicates that the attitude of this TPD is found to have become increasingly negative.