In a world characterised by the return of war to the European continent since February 2022 and Russia's military aggression against Ukraine, Franco-German military cooperation has been put to the test more than ever. Indeed, the classic image of France and Germany as the driving force behind European defence and military cooperation that has emerged regularly since the end of the Cold War seems to have become more than just a recurring source of discussion. The latest developments around the SCAF project or the European Air Shield Initiative (ESSI) launched by Germany without consultation between the two states in October 2022 have tended to fuel the idea that Franco-German military cooperation is far from being as fluid as the political rhetoric has tried for several decades to make out.
Yet these tensions between France and Germany, the original driving force behind European reconciliation, are nothing new. This paper will therefore draw on discursive institutionalism to analyse the strategic discourses developed by French and German governmental actors since February 2022 in order to understand how the rapid and far-reaching changes in German defence policy under the Zeitenwende are producing effects of dissonance between the strategic discourses and the operational means implemented by the two states, both in the military aid provided to Ukraine and in their way of conceiving European defence, between strategic autonomy and de facto dependence on NATO. This paper is empirically based on a field survey of around twenty-five qualitative interviews conducted in 2022-2023, nesides the content analysis of French and German strategic discourses and how they frame European defence in the context of the war in Ukraine.

This paper focuses on the creation of the Franco-German Parliamentary Assembly (FGPA). This unprecedented form of bilateral parliamentary cooperation between the two biggest EU member states was established in 2019. It is to institutionalize the cooperation between the German Bundestag and the Assemblée nationale and consists of a total of 100 members. This young assembly puts the bilateral relationship on a more integrated level. Before, the relationship consisted mainly of the close institutionalized ties between the governments. This paper asks: Why did the founding actors create the bilateral assembly at this point in time?

The purpose of this qualitative case study is to demonstrate the reasons and motives for the creation of the Franco-German Parliamentary Assembly in March 2019. The study traces the negotiations of the Franco-German founding group as they were experienced by 20 members of the German Bundestag and the French Assemblée and recorded in the official protocols in order to grasp the creation process. This study is situated in the research field of interparliamentary cooperation and its theoretical framework is based on historical institutionalism. Methodologically, the study applies a process-tracing approach and qualitative data analysis.

This study examines the complicated relationship between social networks and liberal ideologies, focusing on Hungary, Poland and Romania. It assumes that social networks are essential in political formation and narratives. This research investigates the effects of these platforms on the presence of liberal ideologies in these nations.

The research examines social media use in these countries during the 2024 European Parliament election campaign. It explores how Facebook has been used to promote anti-liberal sentiment, gather support and influence public opinion. The study examines the nature of content, communication tactics and user engagement on these platforms, assessing their potential as tools for political propaganda.

A crucial part of this study is examining populist and Eurosceptic rhetoric. It assesses how these narratives shape public opinion about liberal values and European institutions and their influence on civic engagement and the democratic process.

In conclusion, the study reflects on how these findings might influence the trajectory of liberal ideologies in Europe. Integrating Social Network Analysis (SNA) with theoretical exploration provides an interpretative view of the interaction between technology, politics and ideology, particularly in discussions about the future of democracy and liberal thought in Europe.