Our Director, Adam Bartha, was recently interviewed in Expresso about the EU’s removal of Ukrainian export restrictions amid severe inflation, subsequently revealing challenges in EU solidarity and the need for reforms for future membership.

In The Times’ article discussing recent polling which indicates that one in three British voters would support a ban on gambling, findings from the 2023 Nanny State Index were featured. The article outlined how the British public were generally in favour of stricter controls and regulations to tackle gambling, obesity, alcohol intake, diet, and exercise.

Appearing on the ‘The Brussels Report Podcast’, IEA Head of Lifestyle Economics, Christopher Snowdon, discussed the main conclusions from the 2023 Nanny State Index.

In a Telegraph article delving into popular narratives surrounding ‘greedflation’, the 2023 Nanny State Index was referenced to dispel the belief that top-down, state-intervention measures in product markets provides the best remedy for high consumer prices.

In the Times’ ‘Ask the experts’ column, an article titled “What you can and can’t do in Europe’s most (and least) nanny-state countries’ unpacked the main findings from the 2023 Nanny State Index. The article explored how paternalist measures have turned out in practice through a series of interviews with individuals across Europe.

In his recent comments for Expresso, Adam Bartha, Director of EPICENTER, highlighted the EU’s foolishness trying to compromise with Viktor Orban’s government, despite its blackmailing attempts. While Hungary may be able to temporary block further financial support to Ukraine or protect Russia from the next round of sanctions, Orban’s government is ultimately in a weak position. Instead, EU officials should look at institutional reforms that minimise the redistribute nature of the EU and maximise the benefits of the Single Market.

The Lithuanian news outlet ’15min’ published an article discussing the findings from the 2023 Nanny State Index concerning Europe as a whole. The article explores how Lithuania’s shift toward increased state paternalism in the lifestyle sector is in-line with a broader trend across European countries.

The article by ‘Magyar Hang’ delves into the findings from the 2023 Nanny State Index concerning Hungary, highlighting how its dispiriting performance aligns with the broader pan-European trend of increasing state paternalism in the lifestyle sector. The article provides an exploration of these findings and their implications.

The Polish news outlet ‘Gazeta Polska’ published an article summarising the findings of the Nanny State Index 2023, focusing on Germany and Turkey, the most and least liberal countries on the list. There is an increase in paternalistic interventions across European countries. Poland currently has the highest tax on carbonated drinks when adjusted for income.