The European Parliament elections are just four weeks away. As common criteria, all citizens of the European Union over the age of 18 have the right to vote. But in certain countries, the minimum age has been lowered. This is the case in Germany, where everyone over the age of 16 will be able to vote.

Around 4.8 million young Germans will be voting for the first time in June. This is a group with a relatively high level of trust in the European parliament but also one being heavily courted by Germany's far right. Their choice when they enter the voting booth for the first time should therefore prove interesting. 

The party most keen to win over this new cohort is Alternative for Germany (AfD). But its lead candidate, MEP Maximilian Krah, is at the centre of multiple scandals, most notable of which is the accusation that one of his aides has been spying  for the Chinese government. This is by no means the only footprint the Asian country is leaving in Europe. As the authors of this article explain, the influence of various Chinese companies in the European energy market is having a major impact on how we manage our own energy, and also on how we approach (or move away from) the goals established by the European Green Deal.

On a slightly lighter – but equally important – note, let’s talk about love. Or the lack of it. Inspired by the fractious relationship examined in the renowned French film Anatomy of a Fall, mathematicians have analysed the formula needed to make a relationship work… or break up. When reading it and reflecting on our personal lives, we may find that, sometimes, scientific arguments do not offer the comfort we hope they might.

All the best,