European Student Think Tank

The German economy is in crisis. Its inability to accomplish growth objectives has resulted in a period of stagnation followed by a recession in the past two years. With the recent Federal elections, this article explores the structural causes behind the fall of the German Economic Model and analyses potential recommendations for national and European-level policymakers. 📉🇩🇪 ✍ Author: Jorge Ramos Archilla - Ambassador to Luxembourg 🔗 https://lnkd.in/eDr5EJmp

Last week we announced the winners of the European Policy Prize 2025! 🎉 The theme for this year was: 'Europe and Threats to Globalization'. 🏆 First Place: valeria sciore 🥈 Second Place: Lorenzo Avesani 🥉 Third Place: Eva Zimianiti & Evelyn Chen ☁️ EST extends a huge congratulations to all winners and a big thank you to all who participated. We will be sharing more details of the winning articles in the coming weeks, including an exclusive podcast episode with Valeria Sciore! 🔗https://lnkd.in/eyq5jWX5 #EuropeanPolicyPrize #ESThinktank #FutureOfEurope

🌍🏳️🌈 How do states use LGBTQ+ to promote nationalism and exclusion? Some governments highlight LGBTQ+ and women’s rights to present themselves as progressive while masking oppression (pinkwashing). Moreover, they might also use inclusivity narratives to exclude an “other” (homonationalism). But who do states attack with these narratives? Do they genuinely promote human rights? This article examines these tactics at the intersection of race, sexuality, and state power. It also calls for a more conscious foreign policy that avoids instrumentalizing social rights to justify strict migration laws, foreign interventions, and overall, exclusionary policies. ✍ Vera Rodríguez Corcho 🔗 https://lnkd.in/dKSXW7Nw

🌍 Why Youth Participation in Peacebuilding Matters 🕊️✨ Conflict is not just about politics and power—it’s about narratives, perceptions, and the stories we tell. Understanding the internal narratives of conflict is key to fostering empathy, challenging divisions, and advancing peace. Young people can play a crucial role in this process by using scriptwriting as a tool to deepen understanding, bridge divides, and ultimately transform the peace-making process. 🔹 Youth are analysts – They explore internal conflict narratives through conflict analysis, identifying key perspectives and underlying emotions that shape disputes. 🔹 Youth are storytellers – Through scriptwriting, they transform conflict analysis into narratives that foster empathy, helping others step into the lived experiences of those affected. 🔹 Youth are peace enablers – By amplifying empathy, they contribute to a deeper understanding of conflicts, paving the way for more inclusive and effective peacebuilding efforts. At the 2025 European Youth Event, the Security & Defense Working Group of the European Student Think Tank will explore the power of scriptwriting in understanding conflict narratives and fostering empathy. Our workshop, "The Power of Scriptwriting: Raising Awareness of Conflict Narratives", will engage participants in stepping into the shoes of communities in conflict—understanding their perspectives, crafting their narratives, and ultimately, rethinking approaches to peace. If we want a more peaceful world, youth must not only be heard—they must be empowered. 💡✊ 💬 How do you think storytelling can contribute to peacebuilding? Join the conversation below! ⬇️ #Youth4Peace #Peacebuilding #ConflictResolution #StorytellingForPeace #EuropeanYouthEvent #ESThinktank

🎉 Winners of the European Policy Prize 2025! 🎉 We are proud to reveal the winners of this year’s European Policy Prize, recognising their outstanding policy papers on Europe and Threats to Globalization. 🏆 First Place: Valeria Sciore 🥈 Second Place: Lorenzo Avesani 🥉 Third Place: Eva Zimianiti & Evelyn Chen 👏 A huge congratulations to all winners for their exceptional insights on protecting European integration and multilateralism in the face of rising protectionism! Stay tuned to our socials over the next few weeks to learn more about their contributions and join the conversation on Europe’s future. #EuropeanPolicyPrize #ESThinktank #FutureOfEurope

🫒🌍 Did you know that Tunisia is one of the world’s major olive oil producers? Dating back to the Phoenician era, the olive tree and its oil are not only a key source of economic revenue for this Mediterranean country, but also symbols of its rich cultural heritage. However, despite its pivotal role, the olive oil industry in Tunisia is stuck in an export system dynamic that prevents it from fully showcasing and capitalizing on the unique qualities of its products. How could this status quo be reconverted? How could EU and Tunisian policy makers contribute to putting Tunisian olive oil on the map? To analyse the olive oil sector is to reflect on a pivotal emblem of the shared Mediterranean heritage. However, the geopolitics of olive oil can also showcase the tensions and imbalanced power-relations created by the current international trade order. ✍ Laura M., EST EU MENA Observatory 🔗 https://lnkd.in/dYGQEy6Q

New Era for Europe! 🇪🇺 On January 1, 2025, Bulgaria and Romania joined the Schengen Area, expanding the free-movement zone to 29 countries and around 450 million people. Negotiations since 2011 have paved the way for boosted security, political cohesion, tourism, trade, and investments across the EU. Find out more in the infographic below 👇 ✍ Maria-Ioanna Dritsa

While the world looks away, a hidden genocide unfolds in West Darfur amid a Civil war that is far from over. The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) are accused of targeting non-Arab communities, echoing the horrors of the early 2000s. 🌍💥 Over 150,000 lives were lost, 10 million were displaced, and a humanitarian catastrophe worsened by the day. Yet, international intervention remains limited. Why is the world silent? How long will this suffering be ignored? ✍️ Author: Bernat Baena I Garcia - EST Ambassador to Spain Read more 🔗 https://lnkd.in/ez-FDuDR

👋 Hey Hey ESTers, it’s weekend days and this is InsideMENA! 📝InsideMENA is the EST’s newsletter that uncovers the most important facts and events from the Middle East and North Africa, touching upon the EU’s interests. 🌍This week, we shed light on Israel’s new attacks to Gaza, the Saudi new mediation-focused identify, Syria’s latest political developments, and Iran’s nuclear diplomacy as a tool of international re-engagement. Edited by Hafssa F. Elabiari and Sibilla Gosso 📝Authors: Hannah Colpitts-Elliott, Michele Curzi, Fatin Boualite, and Hafssa Elabiari. 🔗Don’t forget to subscribe to directly receive InsideMENA in your email every fortnight: https://lnkd.in/e-2gT5mE

What effects did reunification have on women's caregiving responsibilities in East Germany? Women still had to shoulder the "double burden" of unpaid caregiving and paid labour, even though the GDR encouraged them to enter the workforce. Care arrangements changed after 1990 as a result of market-driven policies, which frequently made gender inequality worse. The impact of changing economic systems on care policy and women's labour, both historically and currently, is examined in our most recent research paper. ✍ Bianca Emanueli, Deputy Head Gender Equality WG, Malaika Afridi, Pauline Huillard, Camilla Winterhager 🔗 https://lnkd.in/e9XdRHAy