Leonie Hoerster+

The EU Banned "Eco-Friendly"

The EU protects you better from lying labels. At the same time, it has stopped asking what happens behind them.

We Are Angry, and Populism Is Counting on It

How the far right turns our generation's frustration into power in Brussels and Berlin.

On AI, Europe Has the Brakes. Someone Else Has the Car.

What the AI panic is actually about, what EU rules already do for you, and why Brussels is louder in this debate than it is powerful.

The EU Wants to Inspire Us. Did Anyone Ask?

What von der Leyen’s State of the Union speech actually means if you’re young, European and a bit anxious about the future.

My CV Is a List of Housing Crises

This week the Commission proposed the Affordable Housing Act. Here is what it actually does, and what it does not.

The Most Expensive Thing Europe Ever Bought Was Cheap Gas

Europe is dismantling its climate rules to fix an energy problem those rules didn't cause.

The Quiet Cost of Being a Mobile European

Why investing is more important than ever and what Brussels is actually doing about it

What the EU does for your health

On women's health, endometriosis, and the limits of what Brussels can do

What Your Cash Says About Europe's Big Ambitions

I despise paying in cash.

Why Everyone Should Care About Politics

In a world where everyone seems to have an opinion and the societal and economic problems seem to pile up endlessly, it can be incredibly overwhelming to consume news and spend your valuable time educating yourself on exactly those problems.

The Book That Changed How I See Economic History

Some books you read and come out the other side slightly different.

Mercosur: An Agreement Nobody Got to Stop

On 1 May 2026, one of the largest trade agreements in the history of the European Union entered into force after 25 years of negotiations.

The Room Where It Happens

A guide to the trilogue — the EU’s most important process that nobody talks about

Start here

Hello, I'm Leonie

Peace Is Not a Condition

Why the EU still matters. And why I have chosen to work inside it.