The European Commission has just made public its political priorities for 2026. In an international context marked by war, geopolitical competition, energy insecurity, and internal social deterioration, Brussels has chosen to double down on an ideological agenda that appears utterly detached from the material reality facing Europeans. Brussels doubles down on gender, diversity, and decarbonisation while Europe’s strategic and social problems are pushed aside. The contrast speaks for itself. Among the issues the Commission claims to be leaving behind are matters that are central to everyday life and to the continent’s strategic stability: the war in Ukraine, dependence on Russian gas, soaring housing costs, job insecurity, and growing social divisions. In their place, the priorities for 2026 amount to a familiar repetition of vague and politically charged concepts: “democracy and European values,” gender equality, LGBT rights, accelerated decarbonisation, online safety, and sustainable finance. The message is unmistakable: structural problems are relegated to the background in favour of a cultural and identity-driven agenda.
