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Victims of sexual abuse carry a grief that rarely fits into the neat language of policy papers. Politics doesn’t rearrange itself to protect them; it keeps moving with the same bureaucratic inertia. That has never been more apparent than today, on the 25th observance of International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.
Year after year, Brussels recites the same promises that would have you think violence against women is a technical problem, rather than a personal destruction.
Some claim that distance is necessary, that objectivity is a virtue, and emotion has no place in policymaking. But are our institutions more effective by detaching themselves from the pain they claim to address?
Every corner I turn is a reminder of who I was, what I said, who I disappointed; of the girl I used to be before the two rapes. Survivors try to unlearn themselves, one memory at a time. But before they even realise it, they’ve written a memoir of their own body.
The European Parliament has plenty of expert panels and debates that do nothing to address the profound emotional impact of rape. They present the numbers the victims of sexual violence waited ten years for and deliver speeches filled with reheated hot takes that only reinforce silence and disengagement.
When the EU finally passed its first directive on violence against women in 2024, institutions behaved as if they’d just reinvented feminism in a committee room. But the directive doesn’t contain an EU-wide definition of rape. In the end, France, Germany and the Netherlands joined a right-wing coalition and voted against the inclusion of rape in the directive, preventing rape from being included in the list of Euro-crimes.
It is striking how when the stakes are high – for instance when banks, business, or borders are on the line – political solutions can be found. But never for women.
Perhaps the Commission is unlucky that there’s just one piece of legislation on this topic – it will be hard to bury in one of those omnibus packages where other files have been killed from the agenda. Time and again, we face the same failures, the same excuses. Not because we don’t know better, but because knowing better has never stopped anyone.
Roundup
A far-right offer to Metsola – The centre-right Parliament President Roberta Metsola is chasing an unprecedented third term. The Patriots for Europe have offered a deal, which would give them more power in return for another term. “If we are part of a deal to get Metsola a third term, it means we want our representation in the Bureau,” said one Patriots for Europe MEP.
Will Trump’s drug pricing hit European patients? – The US president’s “most favoured nation” pricing policy aligns US prices with the lowest in Europe. As American pharma companies are ramping up pressure for higher drug prices in Europe, its health systems could face major disruptions as firms threaten to restrict or delay access to new medicines.
Obama tried to protect Greece – In his new memoir, ex-PM Alexis Tsipras revealed that in 2015, President Obama privately warned him that a powerful bloc was pushing for Greece’s removal from the Eurozone. The revelations have reopened debate over how the 2015 debt crisis was handled and come amid speculation that Tsipras may begin a political comeback.
Across Europe
The billionaire writing France’s rightward shift – As France creeps toward a 2027 presidential race, the book industry is becoming an new battleground, thanks to Vincent Bolloré’s takeover of publishing company Hatchette. Since the management change, Fayard – a Hatchette-owned imprint – has signed several high-profile figures of the right and far right. Employees have warned of an “ideological” project.
Poland must recognise outside same-sex marriages – The EU’s top court ruled that Poland must recognise same-sex marriages that took place in other countries. The ruling builds on another landmark case from 2018, where the court ruled that same-sex couples of EU citizens have the right to live in any member country, whatever their nationality, including those that do not recognise gay marriage.
Norwegian frustration with Europe’s power grid – Germany’s insistence on uniform electricity prices across the country has knock-on effects for Norway, driving up prices and leading the country to consider leaving the European electricity market, the energy minister told Euractiv. Anti-EU sentiment is rising among Norwegians.
