Postdoctoral researcher at Studio Europa Maastricht. He received his PhD at the ARENA Centre for European Studies at the University of Oslo (Norway) and holds master’s degrees in political science and philosophy. His doctoral research focused on public perceptions of the euro. He is interested in how globalisation and modernisation transform everyday life, and how this in turn affects public sentiment. As a postdoctoral fellow, he studies the effect of external threats on the legitimation of European governance, focusing on how such threats affect European political community and identity. Next to his academic work, he has also written for Dutch media outlets such as NRC Handelsblad, Trouw, het Parool and De Groene Amsterdammer.
France’s snap elections are the most spectacular sign that EU elections now matter. But whether the far right’s shift from fundamental opposition towards reform from within politicizes the EU in a positive way depends on the centre’s readiness to hold its ground.