EU in Crisis: Will the Eurocrats survive? | MCC Brussels @ Battle of Ideas festival

The European Union is facing its most profound test in decades. Ursula von der Leyen may have survived a vote of no confidence, but the political centre that keeps Brussels afloat is fracturing across the continent. From Berlin to Paris to Warsaw, voters are angry—about energy prices, net zero, migration, and the sense that the people running Europe have stopped listening. At the Battle of Ideas festival 2025, four insiders and sceptics take on the question the Eurocrats would rather avoid: can the EU survive without real democratic renewal? Pieter Cleppe, editor-in-chief of BrusselsReport.eu, dissects how Europe’s green zeal and energy taxes are driving industry abroad. Suzanne Evans, former UKIP figure and director of Political Insight, argues the EU’s dream of a federal Europe has curdled into bureaucratic authoritarianism. James Holland, a seasoned political adviser in the European Parliament, warns that Brussels’ panic at populism is pushing it towards censorship and control. And Richard Schenk of MCC Brussels lays out the big picture: national weakness feeds EU power — and that balance may now be tipping. This is Europe laid bare: anxious elites, rebellious electorates, and a project that can no longer pretend to be above politics. Can the EU adapt to the populist age — or will it collapse under the weight of its own contradictions? Watch, argue, and decide for yourself. Enjoyed the video? Watch rest of the panel discussion with Q&A with the audience: EU in Crisis — Audience Q&A https://youtu.be/_2oZaifVjQA 00:00 Intro 01:03 Richard — Europe’s weak member states 07:16 Pieter — energy, migration, free speech 14:13 Suzanne — why the EU can’t survive 19:51 James — why the Eurocrats must survive Follow MCC Brussels on social media: https://twitter.com/MCC_Brussels https://facebook.com/MCCBrussels https://linkedin.com/company/mcc-brussels/ website: https://brussels.mcc.hu