This June, 370 million European citizens will be called to vote in the European Parliament elections. In a year in which a large part of the world’s population will have the opportunity to elect their political representatives, Europeans are voting in a climate of high political polarisation, amid evidence of the rise of the far right, with two major armed conflicts on the EU’s doorstep as well as global challenges that impact on the local population. Plus, this is the first time elections are taking place without the United Kingdom – although in 2019, in the midst of the process of leaving the European Union, its participation was more symbolic than real.

The Conversation Europe wants to address issues that are either on the agenda for these elections or should be, because they concern, and worry, European citizens. Today we begin by looking at the Common Agricultural Policy, the current farmers’ protests (which have been organised at a supranational level) and the need to update regulations to provide solutions to the challenges faced by their sector.

We also focus on the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA), a law that aims to harmonise European regulations on media freedom, pluralism and editorial independence. The intentions are good, especially in an election year when disinformation will be rife. But is it up to the EMFA alone to ensure that we have an independent, rigorous and honest fourth estate?

In Germany, Daniela Klette, a member of the German terrorist group Baader-Meinhof, was recently arrested. Although the government welcomed the arrest, the fact remains that the country has not yet been able to put an end to the far-left terrorism that intimidated its citizens three decades ago.

An analysis of dissidents in Russia throughout the decades suggests that, unfortunately, the messages that transcend are, sadly, those of the people who are arrested or who end up dying for the cause.

And a new study indicates that the first Europeans arrived in Ukraine 1.4 million years ago.