Can the EU’s climate strategy survive election season?

The EU’s push for a stronger leadership role at COP31 is being tested by a populist surge ahead of elections across the bloc, raising doubts about whether Brussels can hold its climate agenda together. Zoya Sheftalovich and Ian Wishart examine how that political shift could weaken the EU’s hand in U.N. climate negotiations. The tension matters because the EU has positioned itself as a heavyweight at global climate summits, and any erosion of that stance would reshape the dynamics of the talks. What to watch next is whether election results translate into softer climate commitments from member states and whether the EU can still speak with one voice as COP31 unfolds.