In recent years Europe’s security environment has increasingly been shaped by overlapping crises which academics, experts and policymakers have tried to interpret. While the EU’s post-2022 security agenda has understandably focused on deterrence and the high-intensity conflict in the Eastern and Baltic neighbourhood, this shift has contributed to the marginalisation of the southern flank. This article examines the Western Mediterranean as a shared security space whose relevance has been underestimated despite the growing structural vulnerabilities and the variable threats that traverse it. Drawing on selected case studies from North Africa, it analyses how governance fragility, regional conflict spillovers, and the evolving engagement of regional and global actors are generating cumulative challenges for European security. The article also explores the implications of these dynamics for the EU–NATO relationship, highlighting persistent gaps between converging interests and fragmented policy responses. Taking all of these elements into account, it suggests that the Western Mediterranean remains a strategic priority for Europe and represents a test case for the EU’s ability to move beyond reactive engagement towards a more coherent and forward-looking security approach.
In the first half of 2024, the Italian government has confirmed a collaborative approach with the European Union institutions and leaders based on pragmatism, in particular in the economic sector, on the support to Ukraine against the Russian aggression, and on migration.In parallel, Meloni jas consolidated her relations with international leaders and realunched her politicl agenda, in particular the Mattei Plan for Africa, through the Italian Presidency of the G7. The campaign for the June European elections has exposed political divergences on European affairs within the government's coalition, and Giorgia Meloni has been marginalised in the negotiations for the new EU top positions, then partly recovered through the assignment of a weighty role to the Italian Commissioner. This chapter illustrates the political trajectory of the Italian government in its European and foreign policy, also in light of the recent electoral results in the United States, and identifies the possible repercussions on the role of the country at European and international level.
The year 2022 marked a turning point for global energy security, forcing nations to rethink their reliance on traditional fossil fuels. The geopolitical turmoil triggered by Russia's invasion of Ukraine exposed critical vulnerabilities in energy supply chains, particularly in Europe, where the dependence on imported oil and natural gas led to extreme price volatility and uncertainty. This crisis accelerated the need for stable, low-carbon, and geopolitically secure energy sources, bringing nuclear power and uranium back to the forefront of energy policy discussions. As countries worked to diversify their energy portfolios and enhance supply security, nuclear energy emerged as a key pillar of the energy transition. Governments once hesitant about nuclear power began reversing their phase-out policies, extending the lifetimes of existing reactors, and investing in new-generation nuclear technologies. This renewed momentum for nuclear energy has significantly increased uranium demand, leading to structural supply challenges, price surges, and a reevaluation of global uranium trade dynamics, especially for Western countries. This article explores the evolving role of uranium in the modern energy landscape, analyzing key consumption trends, supply challenges, geopolitical risks, and technological advancements shaping the future of the nuclear industry. With nuclear energy expanding across both established and emerging markets, uranium is set to play a critical role in securing a resilient, low-carbon, and geopolitically stable energy future.
