Right-wing populists are forming governments in more and more EU countries – with implications for cooperation at EU level. In the free content article in issue 4/2025 of integration, Alexander Schilin-König examines the consensus-oriented decision-making processes in the European Council and the Council of the EU. He identifies strategies for dealing with obstructionist attitudes by right-wing populist governments.
The challenges of joint decision-making in the EU are particularly evident in the CSDP. However, there are also numerous bilateral and multilateral formats outside EU structures in the field of security and defence. Daniel Göler analyses selected security agreements between EU countries and European NATO countries using the concept of differentiated integration.
Responding to pressure from China in trade policy, the EU imposed countervailing duties on battery electric vehicles from the People's Republic in 2024. Joachim Schild examines this move by the European Commission and answers the question of whether it represents a geo-economic turn in trade policy.
Joachim Wuermeling's forum contribution deals with the digital euro as an integration policy project aimed at strengthening the internal market and European competitiveness.
In the literature category, Robin de Bruin discusses two publications on the role of the Federal Republic of Germany in European integration since the second half of the 20th century.
Sabine Hoscislawski and Lilian Krüger report on the IEP annual conference in September 2025, which focused on increasing Europe's capacity to act in the face of growing pressure on the EU from within and without.
An unstoppable threat? Right-wing populist governments and intergovernmental decision-making in the European Union
Alexander Schilin-König
Right-wing populist governments have become a common reality in the member states of the European Union. This article aims to deepen our understanding on the systemic challenges they pose on intergovernmental decision-making and identify counterstrategies. Reflecting on anti-elitism and sovereignism, it points to the incentives that drive right-wing populist governments in undermining consensus-building practices in the European Council and the Council. Yet, conformist governments are not helpless. This article outlines deliberative and confrontational counterstrategies and studies two cases in which conformist governments employed them successfully to reach significant decisions despite populist veto threats: the rule of law conditionality mechanism and the Ukraine Facility.
Security cooperation at a 'third level' – bilateral security and defense agreements and their impact on the European security architecture
Daniel Göler
In addition to the European Union and NATO, the European security architecture is largely shaped by numerous bilateral and multilateral security and defence agreements. However, these agreements have received little attention in research. This article will examine some of these agreements in more detail, focusing particularly on their impact on EU and NATO membership and on their impact on the relationship between NATO and the EU. The analytical framework of analysis is the concept of differentiated integration.
A geo-economic turn in trade policy? The European Union's countervailing duties on battery electric vehicles from China
Joachim Schild
In the light of rapidly rising imports of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) produced in China, massive Chinese state support for the industry, and the build-up of overcapacities, the European Commission launched an investigation into Chinese subsidisation practices. In July 2024, it imposed provisional and in October 2024 definitive countervailing duties. This paper seeks to explain this bold move and traces its origins. Interest group lobbying falls short of explaining European decision-making outcomes. Against the background of deep divisions inside the Council, the Commission had a certain room of manoeuvre to pursue a more assertive trade defence policy vis-à-vis China, in line with its “open strategic autonomy” approach. The decision-making rule applied when turning provisional countervailing duties into definitive ones made it difficult for the member states’ governments to prevent the Commission from pursuing its preferred course of action.
Beyond payment – the digital euro as a political project
Joachim Wuermeling
The digital euro is more than just another means of payment. The digitisation of money, like the digitisation of media, photos, or videos before, unlocks enormous potential for innovation. This promotes Europe’s goals far beyond the monetary union. With the digital euro, the internal market can be deepened, competitiveness increased, digitisation advanced, and strategic autonomy strengthened. To seize the opportunities, European institutions must understand the digital euro as a European political project and take actions in many policy areas beyond monetary policy.
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