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

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

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

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

A Comment on the Cynical Welfare Debate in Germany There are few better media attention triggers than the image of the "lazy immigrant." Discourse on foreigners who do not contribute to public funds, but drain countries' tax-financed welfare system enrages tax payers and does well in big letters. Fairly so, in times of aging populations, national social assistance schemes carry the twofold burden of even more pensioners and a shrinking working age demographic. Any public cent

Europe in a nutshell  As you might have guessed from our names, we are French and Dutch students. We are also writers for a student newspaper in Maastricht. But above all, we are young European citizens, attached to improving the EU that we believe in.  And we are not alone. Looking at recent news events and elections in Europe, there is a large attachment of the young generation to causes that shape the future of the continent. Among young voters, many of them tend to turn t

On November 14 th , we had the opportunity to participate in one of the events as part of the FASHIONCLASH festival. The event was labelled as a Design workshop  and Open Ateliers . It was portrayed as a chance to explore the works of several entrepreneurs and to see their creative process firsthand, in all its raw reality . Away from the busy streets, Designshop  and Open Ateliers took place in a more suburban and industrial part of the city, adding to the events’ intimate a

We asked several Maastricht Diplomat journalists to share their favourite exhibitions and pieces from this year’s FASHIONCLASH Festival, and why these stood out to them.  Now in its 17th edition, FASHIONCLASH  is an international, multidisciplinary fashion festival that provides emerging designers and artists with a platform to showcase bold, boundary-pushing work. This year’s edition took place in Maastricht from November 14 to 16, 2025.  Below, our writers reflect on the wo

For weeks, I heard whispers from my peers that an event was about to take place in Maastricht. Intrigued, I inquired about it, however, when I asked my friends, they knew little to nothing about it. The brief conversations I had on the topic brought nothing to light about what was actually going on.  Luckily, I discovered it was the FASHIONCLASH festival  from the Maastricht Diplomat, taking place across various locations in Maastricht from the 14th to the 16th of November. T

Climate justice discussions entangle multiple perspectives, which while often controversial must be addressed. Policy makers might have different priorities, while only pretending to listen to the voices of relevant people for climate negotiations. Are we supporting a more ecological and inclusive future, or simply using the sustainability flag to gain support and achieve hidden economic goals? COP, the Conference of the Parties 30, the 30 th  United Nations conference on Cli

“In the corners of a Circle”, an artwork created by Fashion Design graduate, Kim Gemmik, was exhibited at Bureau Europa for this year’s FASHIONCLASH Festival in Maastricht. The viewers could discover the artwork in its basement.  When walking down the stairs, I was immediately introduced to the interactive and playful part where the viewer was invited to become a model themselves. As another group of artists and friends were having fun with the activity, I chuckled, inspired

The UN’s Committee on World Food Security (or CFS) envisions a large role for governments in food systems with ambitious responsibilities for national and regional governments. The CFS gathered this summer to draft a shared vision on Urban and Peri-Urban food systems. Their conclusions included a vision for the formalization of markets, intentions for international oversight, and best-practice sharing.  The CFS’s primary mandate is to converge national policies and coordinat

As the human rights crisis in Gaza worsened, protests in Germany were rising, fuelled by some citizens believing that the government was not taking enough action. From activists and public figures being uninvited to conferences because of their views, to UN experts accusing the government of systematically suppressing manifestations for Gaza, public opinion grew increasingly divided whilst the government continued to send weapons to Israel.  Germany’s moral duty to support Is