Europe Magazine

Which one is the most bizarre to you? And do you know any other unusual coat of arms?

Are these the wildest coat of arms in Europe? 

From crocodiles to a fish with antlers and chickens wearing pants, European heraldry can get pretty strange.

Swipe to see our top 5 most curious coat of arms across Europe.

And you, have you ever felt discriminated against? What should the EU and your country do to tackle inequality?

Story by Martina Bardini

It is important to note that perceptions of discrimination, when measured through surveys, can be strongly influenced by several factors. These include personal awareness, the legal context, and the level of societal acceptance.

However, a Eurostat study shows that self-perceived discrimination remains widespread. The housing market, which is already highly saturated and difficult to access, appears to be particularly affected by bias, further limiting equal opportunities.

These principles are implemented through key legislative measures, including the Racial Equality Directive and the Employment Equality Directive.

The European Union recognizes equality and non-discrimination as core values, as reflected in Article 21 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights. It prohibits discrimination on grounds including sex, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age, and sexual orientation.

Where does your country stand, and what would it take to close the gap?

Story by Jonas Altmann

The gap between the top and bottom is stark. Sweden leads at 73.7, while Cyprus scores just 47.6. Progress is uneven: gains in political decision-making are being offset by setbacks in health and education across most member states.

The EU average sits at 63.4 out of 100. Despite a 10.5-point improvement since 2010, EIGE estimates that full equality remains at least 50 years away at the current pace.

A 2025 report by the European Institute for Gender Equality (EGE) measures how close each EU country is to full gender equality across six areas of everyday life: work, money, knowledge, time, power and health.

As a transitional president, Iotova’s main task is clear: to guide the country through the crisis and ensure fair early elections.

A historic first, in a very pragmatic political moment.

What do you think: Will this presidency change Bulgaria’s political landscape?

Story by Ayshe Chanar

But the moment is less about symbolism and more about stability. Bulgaria has faced repeated elections, fragile coalitions, and ongoing political uncertainty in recent years.

Bulgaria has entered a new political chapter.

After the resignation of President Rumen Radev, Vice President Iliana Iotova has taken over the presidency — becoming the first woman to hold the office in the country’s modern history.

What lies behind this divide across the continent – age, income, education, infrastructure, or political priorities?

Story by Jonas Altmann

Even in 2025, millions across Europe have still never used the internet, not at home, not at work, not anywhere. While some countries are close to full digital inclusion, others continue to lag significantly behind.

Italy, often associated with coffee culture, sits only mid-table at 1.4.
The figures are based on International Coffee Organization data and reflect estimated averages.

Does this match how you see coffee culture in your country?

Europe's coffee map looks different than you might expect. Luxembourg leads with 5.3 estimated daily cups per capita, far ahead of Finland, Sweden, and Norway.

As the war enters its fifth year, are European governments prepared to match their rhetoric with sustained, accountable funding for the regions that have paid the highest price?

For Europe and its transatlantic partners, reconstruction is no longer a distant post-war scenario but an unfolding fiscal and political test. Pledges have multiplied, yet delivery remains uneven and often slow, while domestic debates over budgets and priorities intensify.

Even so, the scale already rivals the economic output of entire European countries and continues to grow as attacks persist.

These figures reflect assessed physical damage to buildings and infrastructure. They do not fully capture lost income, demographic collapse or the long-term social cost of displacement.

The concentration in the east and south shows how profoundly the war has hollowed out parts of Ukraine's economic and industrial core.

Four years after Russia's full-scale invasion, the regional balance sheet of destruction is shocking. Donetsk alone accounts for more than 53 billion US dollars in documented damage, followed at some distance by Kharkiv, and further still by Zaporizhia and Luhansk.

In other words: the higher the share of income spent on food, the heavier the financial burden, a pattern economists describe as Engel’s Law.

What is the situation like in your country?

Story by Kay-Lee Blatt

But lower prices don’t automatically mean a lower burden.

When looking at the share of total household spending on food, the picture changes: Romanian households spend 23.1% of their budget on groceries, compared to just 9.3% in Luxembourg.