The first issue of volume 7 of the European Political Science Review marks the transition to a new phase in the life of the journal. Starting with this issue, all colleagues who were associated with the start of the journal in a variety of roles, will have stepped down from their editorial positions. With this editorial, we would like to thank those colleagues who devoted considerable time to making the European Political Science Review into what it is today.

Founding editors Professor Donatella della Porta (European University Institute, Florence, Italy) and Professor B. Guy Peters (University of Pittsburgh, USA) were the driving forces behind the journal, and led the journal as co-editors during the first phase of its existence.

Next to the co-editors, we also thank the four associate editors, who have played an important role in supporting the co-editors in their respective fields of expertise:

• ∙ Professor Richard Bellamy, University College London, UK

• ∙ Professor Mark Hallerberg, Hertie School of Governance, Berlin, Germany

• ∙ Professor Jon Pierre, University of Gothenburg, Sweden

• ∙ Professor Antje Wiener, University of Hamburg, Germany.

From 2009 until the beginning of 2014, Dr Lorenzo Mosca (University Roma Tre, Italy) played a pivotal role in the editorial process as the journal’s managing editor. Dr Louisa Parks (University of Lincoln, UK) was editorial assistant until July 2014, with responsibility for the post-acceptance phase in the editorial process.

Our work as co-editors has built and will continue to build on the foundations that were laid by all those with editorial responsibilities since the establishment of the European Political Science Review. Supported by the expertise and commitment of staff at Cambridge University Press, we will work on the strengthening of the position of the journal for political scientists in Europe and worldwide.