In 2024, there were 110 cases of physical violence against local officials across 12 EU countries. Italy led with 59 incidents — more than triple Germany’s 18. France followed with 12.

The new EU ombudswoman, Teresa Anjinho, faces the challenge of improving transparency and accountability within complex EU institutions. In her first three months, she has developed a strategy and launched an investigation into the issue of revolving doors — pledging a proactive approach to oversight.

Since 2018, the General Data Protection Regulation has been a global standard. Now the EU’s flagship data protection law is under attack. A new EU Commission proposal to ‘simplify’ the GDPR may look narrow and technical. But it could open the floodgates for a significant unravelling of the EU’s own rulebook.

Legal scholars have dubbed it a "sleeping beauty" — a potent yet practically unused EU Parliament instrument akin to the EU's own Article 7, designed to safeguard the rule of law and the integrity of its institutions.

Today, we kick off an anniversary campaign to convince new supporting members to join EUobserver's mission of providing the information citizens need to safeguard EU democracy.

Russian spies are still active in the EU capital and have a "higher risk appetite" than before the Ukraine war — despite Belgium's efforts to push back against their plots.