Washington's Politico launches in Brussels

Goodbye European Voice, hello Politico.

The Washington-based political news site Politico has taken over European Voice, with the launch of a new editorial office in Brussels this week. The editorial team of Politico.eu has bold plans to dive headfirst into European politics and “incite a revolution”, according to Ryan Heath, coordinator of the capital’s new editorial team. "The European Union is a journalistic gold mine.”

Whereas most news organisations have one or two correspondents in Brussels, Politico is launching its European venture with 40 journalists. "We want to attract a readership here that is just as enthusiastic and influential as that in the US,” said Bill Nichols, who will help coordinate the editorial office in Brussels.

In a 50-50 joint venture with German media group Axel Springer, Politico bought the weekly newspaper European Voice, which now becomes part of Politico.eu.

Since its founding in 2007, Politico has launched one new product after another, but "the expansion into Europe is by far our largest project so far", Politico founder and editor-in-chief John Harris told The Guardian. "If we are not the leading publication within a year, we will certainly be a major player in the European debate."