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Jun 03 2025
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Political Steps towards Eco-Social Transformations

By Featured, Publications

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This policy brief examines the political feasibility of transforming Europe’s welfare states to meet the dual challenges of ecological breakdown and rising social risks. While less transformative eco-social policies, such as those included in the current European just transition framework, have gained traction in recent years, they remain limited in scope, reactive in nature, and rooted in a growth-oriented paradigm. The brief argues that more transformative eco-social policies, grounded in the concept of sustainable welfare, are needed to address both the causes and consequences of the ecological crisis.

Drawing on the ‘three Is’ framework – interests, ideas, and institutions – the brief identifies barriers to transformative change and outlines strategies to overcome them. Key elements of these strategies include strengthening socio-ecological coalitions and constituencies; promoting rights-based ideas; and creating inclusive, multilevel and silo-breaking institutions. Ultimately, the brief calls for a bold rethinking of European social policymaking to ensure that ecological action reinforces, rather than undermines, democratic legitimacy and social justice.

Author

  • Matteo Mandelli, is a postdoctoral research fellow at the Centre for European Studies and Comparative Politics, Sciences Po Paris. He currently collaborates with the Green European Foundation (GEF) and is a board member of the Sustainable Welfare and Eco-social Policy Network. He holds a PhD in political studies from the University of Milan.

Published by the Green European Foundation with the financial support of the European Parliament to the Green European Foundation. The European Parliament is not responsible for the content of this publication. The views expressed in this publication are solely those of the author and contributors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Parliament. 

 

May 28 2025
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Bridging the Gap: Matching Europe’s budget with its strategic transformation needs

By Featured, Publications

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The EU’s next long-term budget will be a defining test of its strategic direction. This policy brief makes the case for a bold new European Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) that reflects the scale of today’s intertwined climate, social, and geopolitical challenges. It argues that without significantly increased and better-targeted public investment, the EU risks deepening divides, falling behind in global competitiveness, and losing public trust. The upcoming budget negotiations offer a rare opportunity to align Europe’s resources with its priorities: a green and inclusive economy and democratic resilience. With political momentum shifting and economic realities evolving, the moment to act is now. The brief lays out key principles and choices needed to deliver a budget fit for Europe’s future. Europe has the facts and data, the institutions, and the public support to lead through transformation. But it lacks a budget that matches its ambition. A forward-looking, adequately resourced, and strategically governed EU financial framework is essential, not only to navigate today’s crises but to shape a stable, green, and inclusive future.

This GEF Policy Brief was written with expert contributions from the independent climate think tank E3G.

Authors

  • Alba Berhami Sintomer is a Policy Advisor and a research lead at the climate change think tank E3G,
  • Sandra Tzvetkova is a Senior Policy Advisor at the climate change think tank E3G,
  • Taube Van Melkebeke is Head of Policy at the Green European Foundation (GEF). For further information, contact her at taube.vanmelkebeke@gef.eu.

Published by the Green European Foundation with the financial support of the European Parliament to the Green European Foundation. The European Parliament is not responsible for the content of this publication. The views expressed in this publication are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Parliament or the Green European Foundation. 

 

Mar 06 2025
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Citizens’ Assemblies and the European Green Deal: A Perfect (Mis)Match?

Citizens’ Assemblies and the European Green Deal: A Perfect (Mis)Match?

By Featured, Publications

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The European Green Deal has missed a key chance to tap into the recent deliberative wave across Europe. Yet the green transition is ongoing and must accelerate – with citizens at its core. Its success hinges on meeting people’s needs and embedding social impact in strong environmental policies. Citizens’ assemblies offer a way to ensure voices are heard at all levels, from local communities to EU institutions.

Citizens’ assemblies […] show that citizens coming together propose, more often than governments, bold policies to address the climate crisis while also considering social aspects. This creates a unique opportunity to redesign the Green Deal bottom-up.

This publication is part of the Green European Foundation’s work on Democracy and Participation and is the result of a collaborative  process between partner organisations from Belgium, Croatia, Finland, North Macedonia, and Serbia within the project Green Deal  for  All – Citizen’s Assemblies in Action, organised by the Green European Foundation.  Recognising the huge gap between the top-down implementation of the European Green Deal – reduced merely to a series of technological and financial measures – and the needs of various societies and communities across Europe, the aim was to explore the role citizens’ assemblies can play in ensuring its bottom-up democratisation.

 

This publication is also available in Greek

This publication has been realized by the Green European Foundation with the support of  the Institute of Political Ecology, Oikos, Visio, ASSED  Sunrise, Polekol and Center for Green Politics, as well as with the financial support of the European Parliament to the Green European Foundation. The European Parliament is not responsible for the content of this publication.