What role did climate policy debates play in citizens’ voting decisions during the last European elections? What impact do populist governments have on academic freedom? These questions are addressed in two papers presented by Dr Simon Primus and Dr Lars Lott at the inaugural conference of the European Political Science Society (EPSS) in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The inaugural conference took place from June 18 to 20, 2026, and was a resounding success, attracting over 1,500 political scientists from Europe, North America, and other continents. Particularly against the backdrop of growing restrictions on academic exchange and individual freedom of research in the United States, many colleagues conducting research at American universities also attended this European conference.
On the panel “The Green Transition, Mobilization, and Voting”, Simon Primus presented a study co-authored by Sandra Eckert, Constantin Wurthmann, and himself, titled “Green transition on the ballot? The impact of green issue orientations on party choice in the 2024 EP elections,” and discussed it with colleagues. Lars Lott presented and discussed a paper co-authored with Angelo Panaro titled “Populist Leaders and Academic Freedom” during the panel “Democratic Erosion: Populism, Critique, and Institutional Capture.” The comments and contributions to the discussion provided both FAU participants with helpful feedback for revising their studies.