Europe 2024

Europa 2024

From 6 to 9 June, European Union citizens will elect their representatives in the European Parliament. At a time of war in Ukraine, EU enlargement and the dual challenges of climate change and migration, young people’s votes could be decisive. This collection includes analysis and reports around this important election.

European Elections: Key Issues

On 4 April 1949, the North Atlantic Treaty was signed, enshrining the creation of NATO just four years after the end of the Second World War. The primary objective of this military alliance of twelve European and North American countries was to prevent war in Europe and to counter the expansion of the Soviet bloc. Since its creation in the Cold War, the organisation has grown from 12 to 31 member states - including several former Eastern Bloc nations. Weakened by its turbulent history, NATO is facing a growing number of challenges: the difficulty of coordinating its members, the logistical obstacles in the event of an attack on European soil, and the threat, raised by Donald Trump, of an American withdrawal, at a time when European defence is almost entirely dependent on the United States.

A look back at the turbulent history of the military alliance facing unprecedented challenges in the face of Putin's Russia.

Putin, NATO, and Europe

On 1 May 2004, the European Union welcomed ten new members, including eight countries from Central and Eastern Europe. This massive enlargement changed overnight the dynamics of the EU. Twenty years on, how has this enlargement in the East shaped the new member states and the EU as a whole?

EU enlargement into eastern Europe was a major geopolitical moment in 2004. A focus on the European Union's biggest decision and its consequences.

EU Enlargement: Twenty Years On

Belgium is the latest EU country to broaden its electorate and allow 16-year-old to vote. Young people in the country will be able to cast their ballot in the 2024 European elections, without having to register in advance, but only if they choose. What do the main stakeholders think?

Belgium has allowed 16-year-olds to vote in the European elections.

Should 16-year-olds be able to vote in European elections?

How has the life of European Union citizens changed since the Maastricht Treaty came into force thirty years ago, on 1 November 1993? Documentary filmmaker, David Holland, born the same year as Maastricht travels the length and breadth of the continent by rail to find out.

A Journey through the Continent

How has the life of European Union citizens changed since the Maastricht Treaty came into force thirty years ago, on 1 November 1993?

Europe since Maastricht

Understanding the European union and how it came to be can seem difficult. Here is an attempt to explain everything in six minutes.

European (De)Construction

Stories of Conflict

All videos

Agriculture, migration, energy and climate change, the war in Ukraine andEU enlargement: just seom of the issues being debated at the European elections.

The Key Issues

Slovak prime minister Robert Fico, a Russia-friendly populist, has been back in power since October last year He was forced to step down as PM in 2018 after widespread protests at the murder of journalist Ján Kuciak, who had been investigating corruption in the country. Over the last five months, the government has abolished anti-corruption measures – perhaps unsurprising considering several of Fico's associates were under investigation.

Six years after the murder of journalist Ján Kuciak, Slovakia's fight against corruption is not looking good.

Slovakia: The fight against corruption in jeopardy

Denmark is often held up as a social and economic ideal, a model for other countries, with its dynamic economy and low unemployment. Yet this Scandinavian kingdom is suffering from a serious shortage of skilled labour, making filling certain positions in vital sectors – including healthcare, construction and renewable energies – a hard task.

Denmark is suffering from a shortage of skilled labour, making filling vital positions almost impossible.

Denmark’s skilled labour shortage

In 1995, the EU went from having 12 to 15 members. Among the newcomers was Finland. 30 years later, how do Finns view the EU? Have farmers, the majority of whom were against joining, changed their minds? And now that new security concerns have arisen due to the war in Ukraine, can the country count on the union?

Back in 1994, Finns voted in favour of joining the EU. Are they still as enthusiastic?

Finland 30 years after it joined the EU

In Cyprus, as elsewhere across Europe, the far right has the wind in its sails. Here, it is embodied by the ELAM party, an offshoot of the Greek far-right party Golden Dawn. It is heading towards becoming the third-largest political force in the country, not least because the issue of uncontrolled immigration is one of increasing concern to voters.

According to polls, the far-right ELAM party could become Cyprus’s third largest in the European elections.

Cyprus: the breakthrough of the far right

In Latvia, all eyes are on its border with Belarus. Since Lukashenko was elected and the EU imposed new sanctions on his authoritarian regime, Belarus has been accused of ‘weaponising’ migrants in response.

Latvia has strengthened its measures to stop migrants crossing from neighbouring Belarus.

'Weaponisation' of migrants at Latvia-Belarus border

Faced with discrimination, workers aged 50 and over in the UK are finding it harder to get a full-time job. Meanwhile, companies are increasing their number of zero-hour or part-time contracts, making workers more job insecure and delaying the retirement age.

In the UK, a record number of people aged 50 and over are working part-time.

Senior workers in the UK face job insecurity

Neighbouring Lithuania is a safe haven for exiled Belarusians. Hundreds have fled Alexander Lukashenko’s regime to seek refuge in this EU member state. But Minsk consistently tries to make life difficult for them, by impeding access to official documents or hindering their ability to do business back home.

Hundreds of exiled Belarusians have sought refuge in Lithuania. But Lukashenko’s regime makes life difficult for them, even abroad.

Belarusian exiled opposition faces pitfalls in Lithuania

Too many people, too little space. Migrants in Malta have contributed to a strong economic boom over the past 20 years. But as the island becomes more crowded, more and more residents seem to be turning against non-European migrants.

The smallest country in the European Union has the lowest birth rate. However, it is currently facing overpopulation.

Malta: an overpopulated and unwelcoming island

The housing crisis in Ireland has been a burning political issue since 2008. With a shortage of 250,000 homes for a country of just over 5 million inhabitants, the market has become saturated. And as the country’s population continues to grow each year with the arrival of new asylum seekers, tensions are rising.  

In Ireland, a serious housing crisis is throwing asylum seekers into disarray.

Asylum seekers face Ireland’s housing crisis

Estonia shares over 300 kilometres of border with Russia, so the war in Ukraine has rekindled fears of its powerful neighbour. As a result, Estonia has taken in more Ukrainian refugees than any other country since the war began. But this small town is struggling with the country’s decision to erase all traces of Soviet occupation from its public spaces.

Since the start of the war in Ukraine, Estonia has decided to erase all traces of Soviet occupation from its public spaces.

Estonia "cleans up" its Soviet past

Στις 28 Απριλίου, μετά από σχεδόν επτά χρόνια εργασιών, μια επιτροπή από τη Γροιλανδία παρουσίασε ένα σχέδιο Συντάγματος, για να ανοίξει ο δρόμος της ανεξαρτητοποίησης αυτής της χώρας που ανήκει  στο βασίλειο της Δανίας. Η Γροιλανδία επιθυμεί να αποκοπεί προοδευτικά από την επιρροή της Δανίας. Την ίδια ώρα, η Δανία, εν μέσω έντασης με τη Ρωσία, επιθυμεί να κάνει την Αρκτική προτεραιότητα για τον τον στρατό της.

Τον Απρίλιο, μια επιτροπή από τη Γροιλανδία παρουσίασε ένα σχέδιο Συντάγματος για αυτά τα εδάφη που ανήκουν στο βασίλειο της Δανίας.

Η Δανία αντιμέτωπη με την ανεξαρτητοποίηση της Γροιλανδίας

ARTE travels the continent to find out what’s important for Europeans at election time.