Connecting minds, shaping futures
The European Governance and Politics Programme (EGPP) is a research programme hosted by the Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies (RSCAS) at the European University Institute (EUI) in Florence, Italy.
The EGPP conducts research on European politics and governance at the intersection between nation-states and the European Union. Theoretically and empirically, it analyses the broad fault lines in Europe, the cleavages and tensions within increasingly polarized European societies, and how these dynamics shape political conflict and policy responses — including the challenges posed by democratic backsliding.
The European University Institute and the Scuola Normale Superiore in Florence have established BackDem, a new inter-university research centre dedicated to the comparative and interdisciplinary study of democratic erosion.
How do women’s rights in Iran drive EU action without formal power? Research Fellow Abdollah Baei Lashaki explores how the European Parliament builds coercive pressure through discourse anchored in the experiences of Iranian women.
A new report, just released by the European University Institute (EUI) and the European Union Institute for Security Studies (EUISS) charts the present landscape of conflict-related risks to the European Union: ‘Global Risks to the EU’ is the first
Investigates the EU's role in global politics by examining its external relations, power dynamics, and strategic autonomy across national, regional, and global levels.
Fosters mutual learning between Europe and the Indo-Pacific by advancing education, research, and policy dialogue on the international politics and economics of the Asia-Pacific.
Deepens understanding of Southeastern Europe’s political and social trajectories by focusing on democracy, regime transitions, conflict, and European integration.
Investigates the dynamics of elections and political behavior across Europe, focusing on how multiple systemic crises drive affective polarization and democratic backsliding.
Provides a systematic comparative framework to analyze the socio-economic, territorial, and political cleavages driving the politicization of European integration.
Coordinates comparative research and capacity building to translate lessons from past EU integration phases into actionable policy recommendations for Ukraine and the Western Balkans.
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22 October 2026
Conference
European governance and politics in times of global transformationRead more
European politics and governance cannot be understood in isolation from one another. The dynamics within European societies — the cleavages, the grievances, the competing visions of the future — are the raw material of politics. How policymakers respond to these challenges is the essence of governance. Polarization is the thread that connects the two: it emerges from societal tensions, shapes political conflict, and ultimately determines whether Europe can build the consensus needed to move forward. Academic research underpins this process, providing the evidence that enables effective policy responses.
Lorenzo Cicchi
Robert Schuman Centre research fellow and EGPP co-director
The first pan-European survey of expert perceptions on conflict-related threats to EU interests.