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FEPS Newsletter 3 Feb 2026 – 🚀 FEPS’ New Year Reception: Setting the tone for the year

New President, Progressive Person & more – If you have problems displaying this email, follow […]
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03/02/2026
New President, Progressive Person & more –

If you have problems displaying this email, follow this link
Progressive Yearbook 2026

Mariana Mazzucato is FEPS Progressive Person of the Year 2025-2026
 

Renowned economist and inspirational author, Mariana Mazzucato stands out among contemporary economists as a voice of clarity and reason, consistently challenging entrenched myths that pit the public and private sectors against each other that block progressive solutions.
 

FEPS awards the title of Progressive Person of the Year to social democratic leaders and personalities who contributed to important progressive policy initiatives of the past year.
Mariana Mazzucato is FEPS Progressive Person of the Year 2025-2026

Previous recipients include Frans Timmermans, Sanna Marin, Roberto Gualtieri and Teresa Ribera.
 

📺 Watch Mariana Mazzucato’s speech during the New Year Reception.

🎙️ Listen to the FEPS Talks interview given by Mazzucato for the Progressive Yearbook.
Progressive Yearbook 2026

BOOK LAUNCH – 29 JANUARY – FEPS HQ

📕 Progressive Yearbook launch

FEPS New Year reception
 

With the volatile start to 2026, what insights can progressives learn from 2025?
 

The 7th edition of the Progressive Yearbook offers analyses of the EU’s internal issues, including: defence and digital autonomy, what remains of the previous EU Commission’s Green Deal, as well as global questions, such as international trade, tariffs and the emerging new world order.

At the launch of the book, we were joined by authors and guests, such as Esther Lynch, ETUC Secretary General; Fabrizia Panzetti, S&D Secretary General; Giacomo Filibeck, PES Secretary General; Reiner Hoffmann, Vice President of FES and former President of the DGB; Bruno Jeanbart, Vice-president at OpinionWay and Daniela Huber, Associate Professor at Roma Tre University.
 

📺 Watch the full New Year Reception!

📢 Check out the highlights of the event.
FEPS’ New Year Reception & Progressive Yearbook launch
Maria João Rodrigues departs from FEPS Presidency, transitions to Nicolas Schmit

Maria Joao Rodrigues departs from FEPS Presidency – Nicolas Schmit is the new president
 

FEPS says goodbye to Maria João Rodrigues, who has officially stepped down as FEPS President. The role is now taken up by former Commissioner for Social Rights and Jobs, Nicolas Schmit. 
 

After serving eight years as FEPS President, Rodrigues requested to be replaced, having accomplished her mission of building a sound, strategic, and professional governance system that made FEPS the central think tank of the European progressive family.

From the FEPS team, thank you to Maria João Rodrigues for the leadership, courage, and guidance over the last eight years!
 

📺 Watch the full speeches by Maria João Rodrigues and Nicolas Schmit at the presidency handover.

📰 Media coverage of Nicolas Schmit’s new role includes Luxembourg Times and POLITICO.
Events

Upcoming events

See full schedule
Ukraine Solidarity Day
 

📅  23 FEBRUARY

💻 ONLINE

Ukraine Solidarity Day
Securing EU’s long-term support for Ukraine 
 

FEPS has updated and translated the book “Europe and the war in Ukraine“ into Ukrainian to reflect not only the war’s progression but also Europe’s ongoing engagement and Ukraine’s resilience. 
 

This event will mark the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full‑scale invasion of Ukraine and discuss the book. Register here.

Past events

See all past events

30 JAN – FEPS HQ

An EU social agenda for a geopolitical age

An expert meeting by FEPS
 

Five years after the Porto Social Summit and the adoption of the Action Plan for the European Pillar of Social Rights, the EU is facing an increasingly challenging geopolitical landscape. Against this backdrop, FEPS hosted an expert roundtable to explore how the EU can revive its social model and reaffirm its sovereignty. 
An EU social agenda for a geopolitical age

The draft upcoming policy brief “European sovereignty and the social dimension” was presented by co-authors László Andor and Robin Huguenot-Noël.
News
Von der Leyen’s management style ‘not good for Europe,’ says ex-commissioner

Photo credits: FEPS

ARTICLE IN POLITICO

Von der Leyen’s management style “not good for Europe”, says ex-commissioner
 

In this POLITICO article, FEPS New President Nicolas Schmit raises concerns about the Commission’s long-term vision and strategic planning, while noting its limited response to US sanctions against Thierry Breton. Read more.
Progressive Post

DOSSIER

Might over rights: power politics in the 21st century
 

In geopolitics, 2026 has kicked off on a roller-coaster. With this dossier, the Progressive Post asks: What new world (dis)order is in the making? Will the law of the strongest prevail?
Might over rights: power politics in the 21st century

Photo credits: Shutterstock / Alberto Andrei Rosu
Ending the US democratic experiment?

Photo credits:  Shutterstock.com/Peter Serocki

PROGRESSIVE PAGE

Ending the US democratic experiment?

By Mario Del Pero, Professor of International History at Sciences Po, Paris, and Senior Research Fellow at ISPI, Milan

During Trump’s second presidency, rhetoric has very often been matched by policy. By reshaping the normative landscape, Trump has made the previously unthinkable available for serious consideration, lowering the threshold of what institutions and citizens alike are willing to tolerate. Read more.
 

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Világháború, vagy amit akartok

by Mérce 18/03/2026
"World War, or what you will". FEPS Secretary-General László Andor escalating conflict between the USA, Israel, and Iran and the lack of 'brakes' to prevent escalation from Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu.

Africa and Europe Must Rethink Clean Energy Partnership After COP30 Setback

by News Ghana 27/02/2026
Read this article from News Ghana on the highlights of FEPS' event "Governing the global just transition", where diverse stakeholders discussed the EU's role in supporting a just transition from fossil fuels to clean energy in Africa

EUfória podcast Andor Lászlóval: Mire képes az EU saját erejéből és mennyire van kiszolgáltatva a világnak?

by EUrologus 26/02/2026
Listen to the EUfória podcast with László Andor, Secretary General of FEPS, on what the EU can achieve on its own, how to tackle its competitiveness challenge and how the Hungarian government’s stance shapes the EU’s image.

Can the EU ever become a superpower?

by Euronews 20/02/2026
In this episode of the podcast Brussels, My Love, FEPS President Nicolas Schmit discusses the informal meeting of the Antwerp European Industrial Summit and the Munich Security Council.