Read current blog posts of the REGIOPARL team as well as invited guests on the role of the regions in EUrope, the Future of Europe debate and REGIOPARL activities within the framework of our field research in the regions here.

European politics through the lens of members of the Austrian Landtage

What significance do European issues have for members of the Austrian Landtage, what possibilities to exert influence do they see and which cooperation networks do they use? Regarding these questions, this blog post presents first results from the REGIOPARL-survey conducted among members of the Austrian Landtage. (Blog post in German)

Regional actors – spectators or players in the “Brussels Game”?

EU legislation has a strong impact on the member states which is after decades of European integration not surprising. EU laws are negotiated and adopted between the three central actors of the EU, the EU Commission, the European Parliament and the Council and have to be implemented by the member states. What is sometimes overlooked […]

Rocky start, open ending: The Conference on the Future of Europe

The Conference on the Future of Europe has finally started. The negotiation process beforehand was characterized by fundamental discrepancies on the European level. This blog post takes a look at those critical developments in the run-up to the beginning of the conference, illustrating an underlying inter-institutional dilemma. (Blogpost in German)

The future of regional parliaments in the EU: two different perspectives on their role for European democracy

From the variety of subnational parliaments that exist in the European Union on the local, municipal or regional level, one group has received increasing attention over the last decade: regional parliaments with own legislative competences. Strengthening the role of these institutions in the EU’s multi-level political system comes with the hope or claim of improving […]

The Future of Europe in times of crisis: looking back at a turbulent year

The Conference on the Future of Europe was supposed to be officially launched on 9 May 2020 – on Europe Day. Meanwhile, 2020 is coming to an end and the Conference lacks both, format and leadership, as well as a political mandate by the EU institutions. This blog post looks back at a crisis-ridden year […]