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

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

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

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

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

Figure 1 : Stop the Shutdown Rally - Washington D.C., January 2019 43 days of uncertainty left millions waiting, federal workers at a standstill, and no pay. American federal workers and citizens felt, and are still facing, the repercussions of the longest government shutdown in U.S. history. The nation is left asking: How did this happen? What happens next?  What is a government shutdown? The United States is the only country with a government that fails to keep funding goin

A primary forest is a pristine forest that has never been altered by human activity. It is a precious ecosystem, particularly for its biodiversity. Globally, only 1,180,000,000 hectares  remain, primarily in six countries: Brazil, Canada, the United States, Russia, China, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. These forests have almost vanished elsewhere due to centuries of agricultural expansion, logging, mining, and urban development that permanently transformed natural land

October 29, 2025. 9 pm. The results of a closer-than-ever election appear on Dutch television. The centrist liberals of D66 are ahead of the vote, the culmination of a remarkable comeback in the final days of the campaign. Led by a young front-runner, 38-year-old Rob Jetten, they embody a new era for Dutch and European politics. At the end of August, polls gave D66 around 10 seats in the Tweede Kamer. Today, they are the largest party in the Netherlands, with 26 seats, and ha

The bullet that killed Charlie Kirk did more than end a life. It exposed a nation already bleeding from within. I realized how deep the wound had become last week while standing in the backyard of a house party in Santa Barbara. The music was loud and the conversations drifted from finals to travel plans. Everything felt light until someone mentioned Kirk’s assassination. One guest immediately laughed and celebrated his death as if it were a joke, reenacting the moment Kirk w

Eyes on Chilean Cinema Allende making a speech. Photo taken from the Battle of Chile, The Coup d’Etat by Patricio Guzmán / Atacama Productions / ICAIC - Instituto Cubano de Arte e Industria Cinematográfico. Por la razón o la fuerza. By reason or by force.   This proverb is Chile's national motto, reflecting the Chilean republic's desire to assert its right to exist in the face of the colonising powers of the 19th century. Chile shall defend its rights through diplomacy and re

On October 30, 2025, the Latvian Parliament voted to withdraw  from the Istanbul Convention, with 56 votes in favour, 32 against and 2 abstentions. If confirmed, Latvia would become the first EU member state to leave the Council of Europe’s treaty on preventing and combating gender based violence.  International observers, including the Council of Europe and women’s rights organisations, have criticised the withdrawal vote as a setback for gender equality in Europe. They have

With the Chilean presidential elections being held tomorrow, November 16 will be an important day for Chile. A Marxist communist president may be elected, the first since Salvador Allende ( 1970-1973 ); his legacy brings back painful memories to the coup d’état before the violent dictatorship . To honor and remember the victims of these frightful years, a museum was created, instilling their legacy in a national one. I will showcase the archives of the Museum of Memory and Hu

Suharto Titled “ National Hero ” On November 10 2025, Indonesia conferred the title of   Gelar Pahlawan Nasional  (“ National Hero ”) on former President Suharto, prompting widespread discussion. Such an act matters far beyond symbolic commemoration: it revives public debate over historical memory, addresses issues of transitional justice, and interprets the legacy of its authoritarian era. Many domestic and international observers have read the award as part of a broader pol

‘Blocchiamo Tutto’ Despite the first autumn downpours, the largest Italian cities were still scorching of heat in September. Streets, schools, railway stations and ports became epicenters of anger channeled by masses of twenty-something year olds, rallying for Gaza. The popular movement to bloccare tutto - block everything - spilled over the entire country, resulting in nationwide strikes backed by unions, and large-scale demonstrations, most notably the one on September 22.

It’s a wrap! Legislative elections took place on October 29, 2025, and it is time for us to summarize everything you must know about the outcome of the vote. You can easily get lost when looking at the winners, losers, surprise outsiders, and seeing a Parliament in such a fragmented  state…  To help us understand more about these results, we explored press articles and analyses. Also, on election night, a team of Maastricht Diplomat journalists attended the Studio Europa  eve

On October 29, 2025, the French Senate passed a bill introducing the notion of consent into national law, marking a major reform of the country’s approach to sexual violence. The legislation now defines consent as “ free and informed, specific, prior, and revocable, ”  and clarifies that silence or lack of resistance cannot be interpreted as consent. This means that now, under the French Penal Code, any sexual act without such consent will constitute sexual assault. This refo

Sitting with some friends at the terrace of a GS25 in Hongdae, we were celebrating the end of our midterms with Korean beer and peach soju. Before arriving at a consensus on what to do next - either playing darts at Corner PUB or dancing at MON5 - a Korean man kindly asked to sit with us. Gladly welcoming him, intrigued by the newcomer’s confidence and boldness, we resumed our varied discussions. At first, I didn’t pick up much of what he was saying from across the table, but

It is election day in The Netherlands and I, like many, cannot help but be pessimistic. Only two years ago I found myself in this same place: the voting booth. It was my first time voting for the national elections and, even though I was far from content with the Dutch political situation, I was cautiously optimistic, hoping for improvement. Now I am here again and my cautious optimism has made place for regrettable pessimism. Instead of stability and solutions, we experience

D-1 Tomorrow, Dutch voters will go to the polls for what could be the most decisive legislative elections in recent decades. Indeed, the Netherlands can turn the page on the far right and place the left-wing coalition ahead. On October 29, young voters will head to voting stations, hoping to find solutions to issues that matter most to them. Many students feel a growing gap between political promises and their daily realities. Some candidates try to appeal to the youth, using

French government Lecornu II has made it beyond the one-week goalpost! S é bastien Lecornu´s second attempt as head of government is off to a better start than his first mandate, which ended on October 6, given his voluntary abduction and the consequent dissolution of the government (after 14 hours of effective governance). By accepting a second mandate offered by President Macron on  Friday, Oct. 10, and presenting his cabinet on Sunday, Oct. 12,  Lecornu is the first French

The official government building where the President of the Republic of Chile seats. Photo by Eleonore Dlugosz Donnen, September 2025. This November Chile will hold their presidential elections, a decisive vote for the political future of the country. These significant elections will require all Chileans to vote to elect the successor to current President Gabriel Boric of the Socialist Party. For these presidential elections, the three frontrunners include: Jeannette Jara, Jo

Last June the Dutch demissionary cabinet, then still composed of the BoerBurgerBeweging (BBB), Volkspartij voor Vrijheid en Democratie (VVD) and the Nieuw Sociaal Contract (NSC), presented a bill  that would criminalise the ‘glorification of terrorism’ as well as any public support shown towards terrorist organisations. Whilst the bill is still in its draft stage and therefore could be amended, dozens of human rights organisations including Amnesty International  and PAX  hav

Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Moldova's accession to the European Union is no longer just a fraternal project but a vital necessity for the Republic, as well as for the 27 member states of the Union. On July 4, 2025, Chisinau hosted an EU-Moldova summit for the first time, following the Council decision of June 26, 2025. Indeed, recognising Moldova's meritorious efforts to become a member of the European Union, The EUopened the first negotiation clus

Laughter, Clinking, Grief, Silence  As the large entrance in the corner of the room opened, the room filled with the clinking of cutlery...

Journalistic work has become increasingly dangerous in recent decades, with bodily harm becoming a normalised condition for war reporters...

Second Take  The Netherlands heads to the polls again, earlier than expected. If you missed the headlines this summer, you should know...

Author's note (June 14): At the time of reporting, the most detailed public timeline of events is provided by Maastricht 4 Palestine...

A Baby Bonus Americans are being asked an interesting question: “would you have a child if it meant you received $5,000 cash, no strings...

Most books do not get a happily ever after.  That is the realisation I had while working at the Foire du livre de Bruxelles , Belgium’s...

“ Make Maastricht University Great Again” This year, the elections for the University and faculty Councils took place between the...

The Catholic Church, with its 2000 years of history, predates the formation of all European states, making it one of the oldest...

What started as a deadly railway tragedy quickly ballooned into an unprecedented youth protest movement in Europe. For months now, tens...

“I'm impressed… I'm shocked… I have no words”. That’s all I was able to utter when Nazifa told me her story. Afterwards, I blamed myself...

With his first address, last Sunday, the new Pope - Leo XIV - has officially announced the direction of his papacy. These intentions set...

“In my first term, I negotiated the return of the World Cup to America. And now, in my second term, I’ll have the honour to host the...

When Friedrich Merz was officially elected Chancellor of Germany last Tuesday afternoon, he appeared visibly relieved. His conservative...

“Law is a powerful tool for social ordering”, writes Katharina Pistor in The Code of Capital . In her work, she argues that law not only...

Is Paris a green policy’s “ leader ”? As written on the municipality website in 2019, this is at least what the French capital claims....

Why would the President of the United States intentionally sink his own country’s economy—and with it, the global one? Why does Trump...

Ekrem İmamoğlu, the Mayor of Istanbul and a prominent figure in Turkey's opposition to the ruling party, has been a symbol of democratic...

Part 1: An anarchist dystopia Imagine it is a warm summer morning somewhere in the inner parts of Europe. The sun has just risen, and the...

“Women in Sudan are enduring the gravest forms of violence, particularly sexual violence, while being systematically excluded from peace...

Decked out in ponchos with umbrellas and anti-budget cut signs, a congregation of students, tutors, professors, and concerned citizens...

With Trump’s election to power and the arguable decline of the liberal world order, this might be an untimely question to ask. However,...

Germany’s incoming government presented a coalition deal last Wednesday, pledging to boost the economy and military – but critics say it...

In 1963, Hannah Arendt pointed out that portraying all Nazis as pure evil is incorrect. But next to incorrect, it is also incredibly...