A would-be assassin’s bullet didn’t have to kill Donald Trump to fundamentally change the course of the 2024 presidential election in the United States. The incident itself is just the most recent and highest profile example of an apparent increased willingness to resort to political violence.
The European Union already felt that in the weeks before its parliamentary elections, as several candidates were the victims of verbal or physical assault. Let’s not forget Slovakia’s prime minister Robert Fico, who survived five bullets earlier this year.
So there is talk all around about “lowering the temperature.” Surely that is on the mind of the European Commission, as it looks for ways to sideline the Viktor Orbán show as Hungary presides over the EU Council. Of course, the commission’s leader, Ursula von der Leyen, has to survive a parliamentary vote first. She’ll probably get the votes, but how many and from whom is the big question.
To try to answer that and other dicey dilemmas, Euroscopic brings on EUobserver managing editor Elena Sanchez as well as European insider and fellow substacker, Augustin Bourleaud.
You can follow Euroscopic on their Substack to receive the episodes as they're published, or find them here on EUobserver every week (in principle).
William Glucroft is a writer and journalist based in Berlin. Explorer of the Teutonic Imaginary who's covering Germany with wit, style, and insight worth reading. Martin Gak is a broadcaster and writer, a native of Argentina fascinated by the idea of Europe, its values and its cheese.
William Glucroft is a writer and journalist based in Berlin. Explorer of the Teutonic Imaginary who's covering Germany with wit, style, and insight worth reading. Martin Gak is a broadcaster and writer, a native of Argentina fascinated by the idea of Europe, its values and its cheese.