The only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about – Oscar Wilde. Hello! Welcome to our sixth issue of Loosely Talking, where we reflect on our lives between the cobblestones. Happy Easter! We hope you ate loads of chocolate in-between egg hunts and time in the sun!  While preparing today’s column, we (for the first time), entered into a full-blown disagreement. Who has better chocolate? Celia insists the Belgians do, while Ella defends the Germans. Here i

From constitutional battles to street protests and from anti-corruption crackdowns to diplomatic equilibrium, the Western Balkans remain a region where politics never stand still. This week once again shows how closely domestic reforms, identity debates, and regional tensions are tied to a shared ambition: joining the European Union. But as governments push forward, internal divisions, public distrust, and unresolved historical disputes continue to shape the pace and the limi

Whilst the current crisis in Iran has demonstrated that geography is a strategic asset in times of conflict – with the Strait of Hormuz bringing global energy trade to a standstill when it was closed – this strategic chokepoint is, unfortunately, not the only one threatening what little stability appears to remain in the region. Another strategic point could be held hostage, but this time extending the conflict zone beyond the Gulf States to include the countries of the Horn

The only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about – Oscar Wilde.  Hello! Welcome to our fifth issue of Loosely Talking, where we reflect on our lives between the cobblestones.  Welcome to April! What better way to kick it off than with a celebration that demands no budget, no family dinner, no formal outlet. All you need is a little sense of humor and some imagination to make someone's day a little brighter or worse… April Fools' Day is our kind of celebr

Welcome to the new six part series here at the Diplomat, called  Democracy Dismantled . My name is Ella Leffler, I am a third year UCM student studying international relations and philosophy. As a German-American, the history and state of U.S. politics has frustrated me for as long as I can remember taking an interest in politics.  The past year however, has been especially angering. Donald Trump has facilitated a multitude of domestic and especially international violations,

in the back of my mind there’s a door big hardwood door painted white, cracks in its paint a testament of time that’s passing by. the door left ajar, invites to a storage-like room, where one can stop by and think  of all the things that lay covered in dust, present, and past, in my mind’s labyrinth of tall, standing shelves. on one shelf, there’s a home: cozy and warm, parental love, filled with laughter, music, and games, blankets and hugs, kisses goodnight, my duvet tight;

As the war in Iran is now into its fourth week, concerns are growing that this could pull Europe and in particular the Netherlands, into economic instability. According to a report by the Atlantic Council , Europe’s decision to move away from using Russia’s pipelines for oil following the war on Ukraine in 2022 is now putting pressure on Europe to find other means of refilling their reserves. Even though the war unfolding in Iran might seem distant to students in Maastricht,

Life feels like it’s passing by in a blur— where has time gone? With exam season luring me into a constant schedule of studying, university work had me in a chokehold. It was a practical one week, a project the next and a proposal to write the day after— it had me occupied. So occupied that my unread messages had been piling into one big, giant list. Friends whom I had the time to meet so much last year, suddenly were the very people I only see weeks after. On top of that, th

The only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about – Oscar Wilde.  Hello! Welcome to our fourth issue of Loosely Talking, where we reflect on our lives between the cobblestones.  On March 29, the clocks will leap forward one hour, marking the start of daylight savings aka the best time of the year! As we welcome the season of longer daylight, warmer weather, and more time in the park with friends, we can’t help but feel how sudden this has all come on. It

The results of the 2026 municipal elections in Maastricht reveal a significant change to the city's political landscape. Voters reshuffled the balance of power, paving the way for coalition talks that will determine policy for the next four years. These elections will directly impact daily life in Maastricht, affecting everything from student housing to cultural spaces and urban mobility.  Following the ‘Visions for Maastricht’ Editions, it is interesting to examine the outco

This was a week in which the weight of the world was felt with particular acuity. Three separate major theatres of conflict, Afghanistan, the Middle East, and Ukraine, each produced developments of serious consequence, while diplomacy struggled to keep pace with events on the ground. Amid it all, quieter evidence emerged that collective action can bend the arc of history toward progress.   The Kabul Hospital Stri ke The most grievous event of the week was the destruction of

Eyes on South Korean Cinema IMDb, still from Lady Vengeance by Park Chan-wook. (2005). 여자가   한을   품으면   서리가   내린다 If a woman harbors han, frost will fall “The concept of han (한) has been invoked as crucial to understanding the Korean character. A supposedly untranslatable term, it denotes a uniquely Korean sense of profound sorrow, regret, resentment, rage and other negative emotions that are all bound up inside an individual as well as the people as a whole. It has been clai

The only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about – Oscar Wilde.  Hello! Welcome to our third issue of Loosely Talking, where we reflect on our lives between the cobblestones.  Yesterday, TEFAF closed its doors. For those who don't know, The European Fine Art Fair is one of the most prestigious art fairs in the world and it happens right here in our beloved Maastricht. Conveniently, or rather inconveniently, it takes place in the MECC: the very same venue

And more on why you should vote on March 18 We, the students of Maastricht, have learned to live and love this city.  Even if many of us see it as a stopover on our life paths, a means to our ends, we become the actors who help make this local community shine. Over the months and years we have lived in Maastricht, we have discovered the many challenges this city faces. A majority of us have struggled to find housing, dealt with the overbearing landlord, complained about the l

On Thursday, March 12, the Maastricht Diplomat moderated a Local Elections Debate for the Maastricht municipal council elections. Sponsored by OmniUM and student party NovUM, the debate saw participation from 10 of the 17 parties, with five candidates present being leaders of their lists. They included:  Muun Ubbink  (#6) Socialist Partij, Floris Soeren  (#5) Partij van de Arbeid/Labor Party, Luc Callemijn (#1) GroenLinks, Jules Vaessen (#1) Partij voor de Dieren/Party for th

Vote! Are you a European citizen, and are you registered in the municipality of Maastricht? Then, good news! You can vote in the upcoming local elections on March 18th !  Our local coverage team invited candidates for interviews, and it aims to give keys to students to make their choice, without any editorial endorsement.  In this last episode, meet Aurele Boesten, 23-year-old co-lead candidate in the 2nd position on the list of the Party for M:OED (‘Maastricht: Open Eerlijk

Vote!  Are you a European citizen, and are you registered in the municipality of Maastricht? Then, good news! You can vote in the upcoming local elections on March 18th!     Our local coverage team invited candidates for interviews, and it aims to give keys to students to make their choice, without any editorial endorsement.     We are already on our eighth episode! Check out the previous ones on our website. Today, we talk with Jo Smeets, from ‘Maastricht van Nu’.  About Jo

Over Jo Maastricht Diplomat (MD): Bent u in Maastricht geboren? Jo Smeets (JS): Ik ben een rasechte ‘sjeng’, ja. MD: Wat betekent het voor u om Maastrichtenaar te zijn? JS: Het woord 'Maastrichtenaar' vind ik al raar. Iedereen die in Maastricht woont, is een Maastrichtenaar. Of je hier nou geboren bent of niet. Ik maak soms wel de grap dat je alleen een ‘sjeng’ bent als je hier geboren bent, maar een Maastrichtenaar is iedereen die hier woont. Ik ben wel trots op mijn stad, n

The only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about – Oscar Wilde.  Hello! Welcome to our second issue of Loosely Talking, where we reflect on our lives between the cobblestones.  In case you haven't noticed, it’s almost mid March. From the third year onward, many “adult” deadlines start approaching, from planning trips for next year to applying for master’s programs and internships. All stress related events that all have one thing in common. By this point

Sculpture by Jean-Baptiste Goy, late 17th century, marble. Cleopatra, dying yet standing. December 2025 found me at the Arab World Institute  in Paris, beholding  the Mystery of Cleopatra , running from June 2025 to January 2026.   The exhibition was quite lengthy, beginning with a series of artifacts related to Egyptian mythology and historical foundations, an enumeration that appeared endless to me. Nonetheless, with the world of Cleopatra  open to me, I encountered numerou

Numerous places are not only charted on maps but also serve as geopolitical hotspots in the markets, among them: the Strait of Hormuz. This narrow maritime passage has had a recent, significant influence on multiple economies, following the American and Israeli strikes against Iran and the regional reprisals that ensued. This narrow strip of water is more than just a logistical corridor; it is the artery of global liquid oil consumption.  Where is this strait located? Why is

Maastricht kent, net als vele gemeenten, een breed scala aan lokale partijen. Een daarvan is de Senioren(Stads)Partij, met een naam die weinig aan de verbeelding overlaat omtrent haar publiek. Waar de loyaliteiten van deze partij daadwerkelijk liggen, hebben we met Harry Mevissen, gemeenteraadslid voor de SSP, besproken.  De SeniorenStadsPartij & U Maastricht Diplomat (MD): Waarom bent u de politiek ingegaan?  Harry Mevissen (HM): Lange tijd was ik werkzaam als vrijwilliger b

Vote!   Are you a European citizen, and are you registered in the municipality of Maastricht? Then, good news! You can vote in the upcoming local elections on March 18th!     Our local coverage team invited candidates for interviews, and it aims to give keys to students to make their choice, without any editorial endorsement.     In this episode, learn more about the Senioren(Stads)Partij (Senior(City)Party) with Harry Mevissen. Maastricht, like many other Dutch municipalitie

The only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about. – Oscar Wilde.  Hello! Welcome to our first issue of Loosely Talking, where we reflect on our lives between the cobblestones.  As this is the first edition, an introduction is essential. This column within the Maastricht Diplomat is here to bring more whimsy to the journal and talk about our student lives in relation to our environment. The ‘Loosely Talking’ column is written by Celia Kervyn and Ella Leff

Vote!  Are you a European citizen, and are you registered in the municipality of Maastricht? Then, good news! You can vote in the upcoming local elections on March 18th!     Our local coverage team invited candidates for interviews, and it aims to give keys to students to make their choice, without any editorial endorsement.     We are already on our sixth episode! Check out the previous ones on our website. Today, we discuss the program of the Christian Democrat party (CDA)

LIVE updates ended on 27th of February at 12:57pm 26TH FEBRUARY: FOREIGN AFFAIRS PARLIAMENT On February 26th, for the first Foreign Affairs Parliament session, scheduled from 10:00-12:00, the topic for debate was the amendments proposed to Article 2 and 3. At this time, no new amendments to Article 2 could be proposed.  At 10:05, an internal interpreter check was conducted while the session waits for its remaining MEP’s to arrive. Shortly after at 10:10, the chairs declared d

Vote! Are you a European citizen, and are you registered in the municipality of Maastricht? Then, good news! You can vote in the upcoming local elections on March 18th!   Our local coverage team invited candidates for interviews, and it aims to give keys to students to make their choice, without any editorial endorsement.   In this fifth episode of "Visions for Maastricht", we explore the programme of D66, with Marlou Jenneskens. On this rainy Friday morning, we met Marlou Je

For over six decades, the Munich Security Conference (MSC) has served as the undisputed high altar of international security, a " Davos of Defense " where the West has traditionally gathered to define itself. Since its founding in 1963 by Ewald-Heinrich von Kleist as  " Wehrkunde " ,  it has evolved from an intimate, smoke-filled transatlantic family meeting during the Cold War into the world’s most consequential independent forum for strategic debate. However, between Friday

Today, we’re closing a quite eventful week for the global community. The past seven days have been filled with positive events that brought people together. So what were the highlights of the past week? India AI Impact Summit This past week held an event that connected the international tech community by gathering them under one roof. From the 16th to the 20th of February, the AI Impact Summit  took place in New Delhi, India. This event marked the first global AI summit hoste

Take me to church through February’s piercing breeze  under the lunar light trembling body  trembling heart. Sea moss stones buried in raven sea under the decision’s pressure longed for reunion its sweet warmth.

Welcome dear readers,  For many of you, the year is already in full swing. Meanwhile, in Brazil, there is a popular saying that the year only officially begins after Carnival. Jokes aside, it is true that the two continents separated by an ocean share one thing: the upcoming week is especially loaded with cheerful and colorful celebrations.  In Europe, during the preparations for the exciting week ahead, all we can hope for is no rain and much dancing, singing, and drinking t

Vote! Are you a European citizen, and are you registered in the municipality of Maastricht? Then, good news! You can vote in the upcoming local elections on March 18th !  Our local coverage team invited candidates for interviews, and it aims to give keys to students to make their choice, without any editorial endorsement.  Meet Floris Soeren, candidate in the 5th position on the list of the Labour Party ‘Partij van de Arbeid’ (PvdA).  The red, yellow, and green decorations at

Vote! Are you a European citizen, and are you registered in the municipality of Maastricht? Then, good news! You can vote in the upcoming local elections on March 18th!   Our local coverage team invited candidates for interviews, and it aims to give keys to students to make their choice, without any editorial endorsement.   In this third episode, we explore the programme of GroenLinks with Anne Lucas. On this cold Friday afternoon, a warm drink at Paulus was highly appreciate

Dear readers, welcome back to the Sunday Summary, where this week we will be talking about everything except Trump! If you have been feeling overwhelmed by the seemingly endless stream of Trump headlines lately, you are not alone. The news cycle has been moving at an unbearable speed, with one controversy constantly tumbling into the next. We seem to be experiencing a classic case of what Trump, himself, calls “Flooding the Zone,”  where one saturates the media space with so

Vote! Are you a European citizen, and are you registered in the municipality of Maastricht? Then, good news! You can vote in the upcoming local elections on March 18th !  Our local coverage team invited candidates for interviews, and it aims to give keys to students to make their choice, without any editorial endorsement.  For our second episode, we introduce Muun Ubbink, candidate for the Socialist Party. [Author’s note: Our first article was in a “written format”. However,

Vote! Are you a European citizen, and are you registered in the municipality of Maastricht? Then, good news! You can vote in the upcoming local elections on March 18th !  Our local coverage team invited candidates for interviews, and it aims to give keys to students to make their choice, without any editorial endorsement.  Today, we start with Jules Ortjens, who is running for Volt.  Made in Europe  It was not difficult to convince Jules Ortjens, Fractievoorzitter (party lead

Image note: The teal butterfly symbolizes gynaecological cancer awareness and holds a deep, personal meaning to my family.  I lost someone very close and important to me. She was my second mother, someone I could run to and confide in, judgment-free. My aunt passed away at the end of February 2025 after a two-year battle with cervical cancer. What started as menstrual pain and bleeding slowly turned into something more serious. She spent her final years in and out of chemothe

My mom and I visited my brother in Namibia over the holidays. We’ve seen beautiful landscapes and felt very much welcomed by the people. However, the country has caught my attention before, it being a former colony of the Empire of Germany.  From 1884-1915 today's Namibia was under German rule and referred to as  “German South West Africa” . Germany’s colonial history is not part of the German Education Curriculum nor the genocide  of the Herero and Nama from 1904-1908 . For

The team of Place to Stay did a great job in transforming Griendgarage - the industrial space - into a comfy and welcoming movie room. From the cozy sofas and carpets to the hot chocolate and mulled wine stand, one could notice that the organizers put a lot of thought and intention into the details. All combined, they managed to create a pleasantly silent and respectful atmosphere, turning the grey hangar into a true place to stay! The organizers providing mulled wine and hot

This week’s weather has felt rather unpredictable, with two-thirds of Europe engulfed in snow, Australians sizzling in the heat, Southern Asia swimming in floods, and tornadoes hitting Southern Africa. It seems the planet is incapable of deciding on a single season.  As I write this, inside the warm atmosphere of the Fixed Gear Café, Maastricht has evolved into a winter wonderland due to a powerful Arctic outbreak . While I’m no expert, it’s clear to see that this has had som

A wish finally granted in January: Bulgaria enters the euro era Since this summer, Bulgarians have been preparing for the switch to the Euro from the Bulgarian Lev. Everywhere in shops, prices have been displayed in both currencies. However, the Bulgarian political system remains fragile. In four years, the country has held seven elections, which has considerably destabilized the domestic political situation. Some fear that this instability will worsen with the adoption of th

“ Maybe my  photos will live longer than I do, and that’s what makes me feel at peace… a timeless image th at cannot be buried by time or place”  These words were the hope of the late Fatma Hassona, a Palestinian photojournalist  who enlisted herself to capture the daily lives of Palestinians in Gaza and the suffering they have endured as a result of Israel’s genocide. As one can discern from this qu ote, Hassona wanted to spread the truth with her photos, she wanted the worl

Since its creation in 1948, Israel has been by far the largest recipient of cumulative aid by the U.S , the total equivalent amounting to 330 billion dollars. Comparatively, the second largest recipient, Egypt, has received 170 billion dollars since 1948. After October 7, the American aid package increased exponentially, with new billion-dollar arms sale agreements. According to a report conducted by Brown Universit y, the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) could not have escalated

A Midnight Operation: The Fall of Maduro At 1:01 a.m. Eastern Standard Time in Caracas, an event unfolded that has already reshaped the international political landscape. Reports began circulating that United States special operations forces had entered the presidential compound of Nicolás Maduro. Within minutes, social media channels and global news outlets filled with claims that the Venezuelan president and his wife, Cilia Flores, had been captured and removed from the cou

This week, we welcomed the year 2026. The New Year is mostly associated with resolutions and a fresh start; however, reality often disappoints. Some things remain the same, or make a turn for the worse. This year has begun with political events that will leave their mark in history books and may determine the course of global politics for the upcoming months.  Trump-Netanyahu Meeting Regarding Palestine On Monday, the 29th of December 2025, US President Donald Trump met with

Christmas, the time of joy, happiness, presents, and most importantly, the period to spend time with your family and loved ones. With the year nearing an end, some good news and, unfortunately, bad news continue to circulate. Here is some news from this week. US launches strikes ISIS Terrorist in Northwest Nigeria  Christian persecution has been an ongoing discussion across several social media platforms. People have expressed their sadness and sympathy regarding the situatio

Are you tired of hearing about all the bad things that have been happening lately? With the ongoing war in Ukraine, the continued conflict between Israel and Palestine, and Climate Change becoming an increasing threat, it is easy to develop a pessimistic outlook on the world. Thus, we have collected some positive news of the past week.  More than a quarter of new cars sold in 2025 are electric  A recent analysis by the energy think tank Ember  showed that in 2025, more than a

Photo taken by Ella Leffler in Cusco, Peru : Mafia de Ricos Limenos Esclavizan a 50% De Peruanos Capitalistas Demonios Roban y Empobrechen a Los Peruanos / Rich Lima Mafia Enslaves 50% of Peruvians Capitalists Demons Steal Impoverish Peruvians On September 9, 2025, Nepalese youth  protestors successfully overthrew their government following decades of corruption plaguing their country and exploiting state resources and their people. This historical moment inspired youth-based

Our Strange Addiction About two years ago, starting university, I fell prey to the magical allure of ChatGPT. Much like those around me, trying to keep up with all the work, it was a nice (or even necessary) tool to keep my head above the water. When I simply did not have the time to read a text before class, it could summarize it for me. When I couldn’t come up with the specific word to use for an essay, ChatGPT would help me find it.   Before I knew it, it became commonplac

Eyes on Austrian Cinema Source: IMDb, photo from Sissi, the Young Empress (1956).  Seit ich an seinem Grab gestanden, Bin ich von Gluten aufgezehrt; Ich schmachte nach dem stillen Hügel, Und doch hat er mir nichts gewährt! Since being there, at his grave standing, Consumed I’ve been by ember ash. The quiet hill has left me pining For faintest glimpse of ancient past. Poem "Longing" by Sissi (1885)   From a bygone era yet with timeless charm, Romy Schneider delivers an unforge