Janez Jansa is back at the helm of Slovenia’s government, heading what many see as the most right-wing government in the country’s recent history.
Despite its slim majority and radical rhetoric, the new government seems well positioned to last out its full four-year mandate. Our analysis looks at what can be expected from Jansa’s return to power.
Read more: Slovenia Braces for Veteran Right-Winger’s Radical Agenda (June 5, 2026)
Following Kosovo’s third parliamentary election in 16 months, incumbent Prime Minister Albin Kurti boasted that his party had won its fifth victory in seven years. Other observers were less impressed by his Vetevendosje party’s performance.
While the party came first – well ahead of its closest challenger – the overall turnout fell to a historic low, reflecting voters’ disenchantment with the political elite – and with Vetevendosje losing most votes. Kurti may be able to cobble together a new government. But the test of whether Kosovo can break its political crisis will be whether a wider compromise can be found to elect a new head of state.
Read more: Kosovo Election: Kurti Must Heed Message of Voters Tired of Crises (June 9, 2026)
The EU seems to be in full think-tank mode when it comes to the future of enlargement. The leaders of the two most influential member states – France and Germany – are pitching their own ideas over how to revamp the process, as are the leaders of the candidate countries themselves.
In her latest “Letter from Brussels”, Gjeraqina Tuhina takes stock of the latest Franco-German proposal, as well as the EU-Balkans summit held in Tivat, Montenegro. She notes a divergence when it comes to the EU thinking on Ukraine and the other candidate countries – which some may find worrying.
Read more: Letter from Brussels: Getting Creative about EU Enlargement in the Balkans (June 9, 2026)
The new thinking around enlargement in the EU seems to be driven more by geopolitical considerations than by the union’s old reform and merit-based approach. However, despite a clear desire to “reboot” enlargement, much remains to be thought through.
Engjellushe Morina argues in her opinion piece for Balkan Insight that concerns are growing that rushing membership for Ukraine, or for Albania, could come at a cost – not least for the countries themselves; fast-tracked membership might mean less incentive for them to reform internally, she writes.
Read more: Europe’s Enlargement’s Bargain on Ukraine, Balkans, Risks Backfiring (June 5, 2026)
While Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama’s rule faces little challenge from the political opposition, bottom-up societal discontent boils over from time to time. Rama has weathered many such episodes, but could the latest one be different?
A so-called “Flamingo revolution” has broken out in opposition to a planned tourism real estate development, which would see an island handed over to investors linked to Donald Trump’s family. Albanians are also enraged about the way that their government has tried to ram the development through. We look at what has fuelled this explosion.
Read more: Last Straw: Albania’s ‘Flamingo Revolution’ Fuelled by Long-Standing Grievances (June 10, 2026)
With Albania’s political parties offering little to those wanting radical reform and real change, many seem to have become resigned in recent decades to stagnation. Emigration is often the only way to transform their prospects in life.
In her opinion piece for Balkan Insight, Jezerca Tigani writes that it was precisely because of this mood of resignation and apathy that the latest wave of protests has surprised her. Albanians seem to have woken up and decided to try to take the fate of their country back into their own hands. The “Flamingo revolution”, she writes, is about much more than one luxury investment project.
Read more: Albania’s ‘Flamingo Revolution’ is About More Than Kushner and Birds (June 11, 2026)
