THIS YEAR will see the five-yearly elections to the European Parliament in May. They will be followed by a wholesale shake-up in the leadership of the European Commission, the European Council and the European Central Bank. A mood of angry discontent among many voters, fears of another slowdown in the euro-zone economy and continuing success for populist parties in many countries are combining to create deep concerns about the likely outcomes. Support for the European Union is in most countries higher than it has been for many years, yet the popularity of political leaders such as France’s Emmanuel Macron and Germany’s Angela Merkel has slipped, while Britain’s Theresa May is preoccupied with delivering Brexit. There are also continuing doubts about the state of democracy in several countries in central and eastern Europe. All this would certainly have given Nico Colchester, one of the finest reporters on European affairs of his generation, plenty to write about in his original and inimitable way, which included such ideas as a Mars Bar index and the division of countries and their leaders into the “crunchy” and the “soggy”.

In yet another momentous year for the European Union, here is your chance to emulate Nico’s successful career by launching yourself into the world of journalism at two of the world’s most global and well-respected news organisations.

What do the prizes involve and who is eligible?

Two awards are on offer: one, for a British or Irish applicant, will consist of a three-month fellowship in continental Europe at the Financial Times; the other, for an applicant from elsewhere in the European Union, will be a three-month fellowship in London at The Economist. The fellowships are open only to citizens of the EU or UK. Both winners will receive a bursary of £6,000 to cover accommodation and travel.

Who are the fellowships suited for?

The fellowships are intended for aspiring or early-career journalists with bold ideas and a lively writing style, each capable of working amid the excitement and pressures of a modern newsroom. The fellows should have a particular interest and curiosity about European affairs, as the prizes aim to help continental writers better understand Britain and British writers better understand the continent.

What is this year’s subject?

HOW HEALTHY IS DEMOCRACY IN THE EUROPEAN UNION? YOU CAN ANSWER THIS QUESTION AT THE EUROPEAN, REGIONAL AND/OR NATIONAL LEVEL

How to apply?

Please send a submission on the subject above, together with a CV and covering letter. The submission can be:

· an unpublished written article, blog post or data-rich essay of max 850 words (pdf or doc)

· an unpublished 2-minute video (avi or mp4)

· an unpublished 2-minute podcast (mp3)

Please make sure you submit your work in one of the formats specified. Big files can be sent using a file-transfer hosting service or by submitting a password-protected link.

Entries should be sent, by the closing date of April 5th 2019, by email to ncprize@economist.com.

Shortlisted candidates will be asked to provide confirmation of their citizenship.

Successful applicants will be notified by the end of May 2019.