The 'hedgehog' approach of mainly trying to shield the EU against authoritarian influences from abroad also falls short because many authoritarian influences come from within. A hedgehog is no match for a bear.

Wealthy Russian tourists are flocking back to Italy, France, and Spain — despite the Ukraine war and EU allies' security fears.

The centre-right European People's Party has been accused of aligning with the far-right to commandeer key migration files in the European Parliament.

Legal scholars have dubbed it a "sleeping beauty" — a potent yet practically unused EU Parliament instrument akin to the EU's own Article 7, designed to safeguard the rule of law and the integrity of its institutions.

Today, we kick off an anniversary campaign to convince new supporting members to join EUobserver's mission of providing the information citizens need to safeguard EU democracy.

Russian spies are still active in the EU capital and have a "higher risk appetite" than before the Ukraine war — despite Belgium's efforts to push back against their plots.