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https://politico.eu

Accessibility

· 13 checks — Landmarks, headings, alt text, forms, and link quality rolled into one auditable list.
SCORE
64
GRADE
D
FIX
4
REVIEW
5
PASS
4
INFO
0
Checks
13
4 PASS 5 REVIEW 4 FIX
D
Web Manifest
Action
Not found
FIX
Not found
Info::
No web manifest found
No manifest at standard paths (/manifest.json, /site.webmanifest). A manifest is optional but enables PWA features like home screen installation and standalone display.

No web manifest found.

D
Dark Mode Support
Action
Theme color only
FIX
Theme color only
Info::
Theme-color present but no dark variant
A theme-color is set but no dark-specific variant was found. The browser toolbar may not adapt for dark mode users.
Got: #ffffff
Info::
No dark mode signals detected
Consider adding CSS with @media (prefers-color-scheme: dark) and <meta name='color-scheme' content='light dark'>.
Info::
Detection limited to meta tags and inline styles
External CSS files may contain prefers-color-scheme rules not visible to this scan.
Dark ModePartial Dark Mode
color-scheme meta Not set ✗Dark theme-color Not set ✗CSS indicators Not detected ✗

Detection limited to meta tags and inline styles.

D
Print Stylesheet
Action
No print styles
FIX
No print styles
Info::
No print-specific styles detected
When users print this page, they get the screen layout including navigation and non-essential elements. Add @media print rules to hide navigation and optimize layout for paper.
Print Stylesheet No Print Styles
Print stylesheet Not found ✗Inline @media print Not detected ✗
F
Navigation UX
Action
1 navigation pattern(s)
FIX
1 navigation pattern(s)
Info::
Skip navigation link detected
Info::
7 navigation landmark(s) detected
Info::
Hamburger menu detected (responsive design)
Breadcrumbs
Search
Skip Link Skip link detected
Labeled Navigation 7 <nav> element(s)
Back to Top
Hamburger Menu
Sticky Navigation Cannot reliably detect (CSS-based)
3 of 6 testable patterns navigation patterns detected. Strong navigation UX with multiple discovery paths.
B
Form Accessibility
3 of 4 controls have issues
REVIEW
3 of 4 controls have issues
Warning::
3 control(s) rely on placeholder only
Placeholder text disappears on focus and is not a reliable label.
Got: <input type="email" name="ev_newsletter_subscription_component__email" id="ev_newsletter_input_1">; <input type="email" name="ev_newsletter_subscription_component__email" id="ev_newsletter_input_2">; <input type="email" name="ev_newsletter_subscription_component__email" id="ev_newsletter_input_3">
Info::
1 control(s) properly labeled
4 controls
1 labeled
3 placeholder only
0 unlabeled
ControlTypeLabelMethod
#search-fieldsearchSearch for:for/id
#ev_newsletter_input_1email(Enter your email address)placeholder only
#ev_newsletter_input_2email(Enter your email address)placeholder only
#ev_newsletter_input_3email(Enter your email address)placeholder only

Placeholder text disappears on focus and is not a reliable label.

<input type="email" name="ev_newsletter_subscription_component__email" id="ev_newsletter_input_1">; <input type="email" name="ev_newsletter_subscription_component__email" id="ev_newsletter_input_2">; <input type="email" name="ev_newsletter_subscription_component__email" id="ev_newsletter_input_3">

Why this matters

Placeholder-only labels disappear when the user starts typing — they must remember what the field was for.

Learn more ▾

Placeholders are NOT labels. They vanish on input, fail color contrast checks (most are gray), and don't satisfy WCAG SC 3.3.2. Always use a real <label> alongside (or aria-labelledby).

Source: WCAG 2.1 SC 3.3.2 / Nielsen Norman

C
404 Error Page
Action
HTTP 404, custom page
REVIEW
HTTP 404, custom page
Info::
Correct 404 status code returned
Got: HTTP 404
Info::
Custom styled 404 page
404 Page Quality ✓ Custom 404 Page
Status Code HTTP 404 ✓Page Title Page not found – POLITICO ✓Custom Styling ✓Navigation ✗Homepage Link ✗Search Form ✗
B
Favicon & Branding
7 icon(s) detected
REVIEW
7 icon(s) detected
Info::
favicon.ico present at site root
Info::
HTML icon links detected
Info::
Apple touch icon present
Info::
Multiple icon sizes detected
✓ favicon.ico Present
✓ PNG Icons Present
✓ Apple Touch Present
✗ SVG Favicon Missing
✗ Manifest Icons Missing
✓ Multiple Sizes Present
C
Color Contrast (Screenshot)
Action
20 text elements analyzed, 5 fail WCAG AA
REVIEW

Analyzes text contrast against the actual rendered page, including background images, gradients, and overlays that CSS-based tools cannot detect.

15 pass 5 fail WCAG AA 2 pass AA only
title POLITICO – European Politics, Policy, …
2.86:1
#000000
on
#565656
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · top of page (header area)
a Skip to main content
2.86:1
#000000
on
#565656
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · top of page (header area)
span Advertisement
2.86:1
#000000
on
#565656
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · top of page (header area)
span Menu
2.95:1
#000000
on
#585858
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · top of page (header area)
label Search for:
3.00:1
#000000
on
#595959
needs 4.5:1 (normal text)
16px · above the fold
Show all checked elements (20)
ElementRatioRequiredFGBGResult
h2 Thin ice, thick tens…3.00:13.0:1
#000000
#595959
Pass
h3 POLITICO Pro3.00:13.0:1
#000000
#595959
Pass
title POLITICO – Europea…2.86:14.5:1
#000000
#565656
Fail
a Skip to main content2.86:14.5:1
#000000
#565656
Fail
span Advertisement2.86:14.5:1
#000000
#565656
Fail
span Menu2.95:14.5:1
#000000
#585858
Fail
label Search for:3.00:14.5:1
#000000
#595959
Fail
span Submit7.37:14.5:1
#000000
#999999
Pass
span Edition: Europe21.00:14.5:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
span Europe21.00:14.5:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
span France21.00:14.5:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
span Germany21.00:14.5:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
a Policy areas21.00:14.5:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
a Agriculture and Food21.00:14.5:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
a Central Banker21.00:14.5:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
a Competition and Indu…21.00:14.5:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
a Cybersecurity and Da…21.00:14.5:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
a Defense21.00:14.5:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
a Energy and Climate21.00:14.5:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass
a Energy and Climate U…21.00:14.5:1
#000000
#FFFFFF
Pass

Methodology: The top 20 text elements by font size were checked. Background color was sampled from the desktop screenshot using a 5-point pattern. WCAG 2.1 AA requires 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text.

A+
Landmark Structure
12 landmarks
PASS
12 landmarks
Info::
<main> landmark present
Info::
7 <nav> landmark(s) found
Info::
All <nav> elements are properly labeled
Info::
Skip navigation link present
Page Structure — as a screen reader sees it
BANNER header NAV "Edition navigation" MAIN CONTENTINFO footer
A+
Heading Hierarchy
70 headings
PASS
70 headings
Info::
Single H1 present
Warning::
1 empty heading(s)
Empty headings appear in the document outline but provide no information.
  • H1 (empty)
  • H2 The great unblocking? EU foreign ministers eye sweeping changes as Orbán exits
  • H2 The problem with Europe’s Big Tech breakup: It’s still hooked
  • H2 Lawmakers urge EU Parliament to halt monthly Strasbourg trip over energy costs
  • H2 EU looks to revive joint gas buying as energy fears mount
  • H2 Orbán’s EU fixer faces becoming Hungary’s ‘fall guy’
  • H2 Latest news
  • H2 Iran talks on hold because of Trump’s blockade
  • H2 EU to cut Venice Biennale funding over Russia’s participation, Kallas says
  • H2 Florida launches ‘criminal investigation’ into ChatGPT, fueled by university shooting
  • H2 Russia uses AI to hack Europe, Dutch intelligence warns
  • H2 EU members reject push to suspend association agreement with Israel
  • H2 Ukraine has repaired Druzhba pipeline, Zelenskyy says
  • H2 From Attila the Hun to Donald J. Trump: A brief history of popes battling world leaders
  • H2 EU Commission jobs reshuffle on hold as chiefs stick in post
  • H2 Romania plunges back into political turmoil as Social Democrats move to topple PM
  • H2 Editors’ picks
  • H2 Questions loom over Séjourné’s relationship with Attal
  • H2 Hungary must arrest Netanyahu if he visits, Magyar says
  • H2 7 reasons Starmer can’t shake off the Mandelson vetting saga
  • H2 Britain sidelined in talks on Carney-backed defense bank
  • H2 Trump is quietly seeking allies to fix Gaza, says Norway
  • H2 Orbán’s exit leaves Israel exposed in Europe
  • H2 How the Iran war set Beijing up for global clean energy dominance
  • H3 POLITICO Pro
  • H2 Thin ice, thick tensions: Europe and polar power politics
  • H2 Most read
  • H2 7 takeaways from Olly Robbins’ evidence on the Peter Mandelson vetting saga
  • H2 From Attila the Hun to Donald J. Trump: A brief history of popes battling world leaders
  • H2 The great unblocking? EU foreign ministers eye sweeping changes as Orbán exits
  • H2 EU top court strikes down Hungary’s anti-LGBTQ+ rules
  • H2 The problem with Europe’s Big Tech breakup: It’s still hooked
  • H2 EU members reject push to suspend association agreement with Israel
  • H2 Newsletters
  • H2 Podcasts
  • H2 Why Olly Robbins isn’t Labour’s only problem
  • H2 No Orbán, no excuses
  • H2 Defense deals and Thomas Tuchel’s chances: Inside the new Anglo-German bromance
  • H2 Security-Update: Hormus als Nadelöhr – wie kommt Trump aus der Krise?
  • H2 France
  • H2 Trump turns totally toxic for Europe’s far right
  • H2 Le Pen met France’s richest man and other major CEOs at secret dinner
  • H2 Forget Netflix — YouTube is our main rival, top French broadcaster says
  • H2 The continent
  • H2 At anti-Trump rally, Sánchez promises to ‘twist the arm’ of the global right
  • H2 How a fake Russian story became a real problem for Estonia
  • H2 ‘A political era has ended’: Orbán breaks silence after Hungarian election defeat
  • H2 Airlines cancel flights, ground planes as jet fuel shock hits Europe
  • H2 Britain
  • H2 Mandelson files to exclude worst of UK’s private comments on Trump
  • H2 Fatal flaw: Keir Starmer’s leadership vacuum threatens to swallow him up
  • H2 Starmer ‘furious’ over Mandelson vetting failures as Labour critics pounce
  • H2 Washington
  • H2 Trump’s loud Orban support contrasts with decades of covert US electoral warfare
  • H2 Europeans tried to win over the US this week in DC. Their efforts were lost in translation.
  • H2 Trump rejects ‘blackmail’ by Tehran as Iranian military shuts Hormuz again
  • H2 Brussels
  • H2 EU Parliament’s reputation at stake in access debate, new anti-fraud chief says
  • H2 Orbán is out. Who’s the EU’s next top disruptor?
  • H2 EU to game out bloc’s mutual assistance clause in case of attack
  • H2 Europe to accelerate effort to secure Hormuz despite Trump’s order to stay away
  • H2 Germany
  • H2 Can Germany restart its nuclear power program? A peek inside a decommissioned reactor suggests it could.
  • H2 Germany’s €2B battlefield digitalization system runs into trouble
  • H2 Merz’s coalition agrees on joint measures to tackle Iran war fallout
  • H2 Opinion
  • H2 The Iran war has been good for Starmer — to a point
  • H2 Thought there was enough maritime drama? Look to the Gulf of Finland.
  • H2 How football assisted Viktor Orbán’s rise — and maybe his fall
  • H2 Germany’s center left is on the brink of oblivion

Empty headings appear in the document outline but provide no information.

Why this matters

Empty <hN> tags break the document outline — screen-reader users navigating by heading hit dead silence.

Source: WCAG 2.4.6

A+
Alt Text Quality
All 40 images OK
PASS
All 40 images OK
Info::
40 image(s) with good alt text
40 images 40 good alt text
All images have appropriate alt text.
A
Lighthouse Accessibility Audits
Score 93/100 — 3 failing, 28 passed
PASS
93

Accessibility

These checks highlight opportunities to improve the accessibility of your web app. Automatic detection can only detect a subset of issues and does not guarantee the accessibility of your web app, so manual testing is also encouraged.

Contrast

Low-contrast text is difficult or impossible for many users to read. Learn how to provide sufficient color contrast.

Why this matters

Performance issues directly impact user engagement and conversion rates.

Failing Elements
6 MINS READ div.card__content > div.date-time > span.duration > span
4 MINS READ div.card__content > div.date-time > span.duration > span
3 MINS READ div.card__content > div.date-time > span.duration > span
Advertisement div.entry__content > div.wp-block-group > div.ad > span.ad-label
3 MINS READ div.card__content > div.date-time > span.duration > span
2 MINS READ div.card__content > div.date-time > span.duration > span
9 MINS READ div.card__content > div.date-time > span.duration > span
4 MINS READ div.card__content > div.date-time > span.duration > span
3 MINS READ div.card__content > div.date-time > span.duration > span
5 MINS READ div.card__content > div.date-time > span.duration > span
12 MINS READ div.card__content > div.date-time > span.duration > span
APR 21 div.article-card > div.card__content > div.date-time > span.date-time__date
10 MINS READ div.card__content > div.date-time > span.duration > span
APR 21 div.article-card > div.card__content > div.date-time > span.date-time__date
6 MINS READ div.card__content > div.date-time > span.duration > span
APR 21 div.article-card > div.card__content > div.date-time > span.date-time__date
5 MINS READ div.card__content > div.date-time > span.duration > span
APR 21 div.article-card > div.card__content > div.date-time > span.date-time__date
3 MINS READ div.card__content > div.date-time > span.duration > span
APR 20 div.article-card > div.card__content > div.date-time > span.date-time__date
12 MINS READ div.card__content > div.date-time > span.duration > span
APR 21 div.article-card > div.card__content > div.date-time > span.date-time__date
4 MINS READ div.card__content > div.date-time > span.duration > span
Advertisement article#post-1484880 > div.entry__content > div.ad > span.ad-label
5 MINS READ div.card__content > div.date-time > span.duration > span
3 MINS READ div.card__content > div.date-time > span.duration > span
4 MINS READ div.card__content > div.date-time > span.duration > span
2 MINS READ div.card__content > div.date-time > span.duration > span
12 MINS READ div.card__content > div.date-time > span.duration > span
2 MINS READ div.card__content > div.date-time > span.duration > span
3 MINS READ div.card__content > div.date-time > span.duration > span
Advertisement article#post-1484880 > div.entry__content > div.ad > span.ad-label
5 MINS READ div.card__content > div.date-time > span.duration > span
13 MINS READ div.card__content > div.date-time > span.duration > span
3 MINS READ div.card__content > div.date-time > span.duration > span
11 MINS READ div.card__content > div.date-time > span.duration > span
4 MINS READ div.card__content > div.date-time > span.duration > span
4 MINS READ div.card__content > div.date-time > span.duration > span
4 MINS READ div.card__content > div.date-time > span.duration > span
6 MINS READ div.card__content > div.date-time > span.duration > span
4 MINS READ div.card__content > div.date-time > span.duration > span
3 MINS READ div.card__content > div.date-time > span.duration > span
16 MINS READ div.card__content > div.date-time > span.duration > span
5 MINS READ div.card__content > div.date-time > span.duration > span
3 MINS READ div.card__content > div.date-time > span.duration > span
5 MINS READ div.card__content > div.date-time > span.duration > span
5 MINS READ div.card__content > div.date-time > span.duration > span
19 MINS READ div.card__content > div.date-time > span.duration > span
6 MINS READ div.card__content > div.date-time > span.duration > span
POLICY li#menu-item-69e7d50dac443 > ul.sub-menu > li#menu-item-69e7d50dac447 > a
NEWSLETTERS li#menu-item-69e7d50dac4e5 > ul.sub-menu > li#menu-item-69e7d50dac4e8 > a
PODCASTS li#menu-item-69e7d50dac539 > ul.sub-menu > li#menu-item-69e7d50dac53b > a
OPINION li#menu-item-69e7d50dac539 > ul.sub-menu > li#menu-item-69e7d50dac56f > a
FEATURED SERIES li#menu-item-69e7d50dac595 > ul.sub-menu > li#menu-item-69e7d50dac59a > a
SUBSCRIPTIONS li#menu-item-69e7d50dac595 > ul.sub-menu > li#menu-item-69e7d50dac5c7 > a
EDITIONS li#menu-item-69e7d50dac595 > ul.sub-menu > li#menu-item-69e7d50dac5de > a

These are opportunities to improve the legibility of your content.

Names and labels

Link text (and alternate text for images, when used as links) that is discernible, unique, and focusable improves the navigation experience for screen reader users. Learn how to make links accessible.

Why this matters

Performance issues directly impact user engagement and conversion rates.

Failing Elements
div.wp-block-column > div.content-header-new > div.content-header-new__subtitle > a div.wp-block-column > div.content-header-new > div.content-header-new__subtitle > a

These are opportunities to improve the semantics of the controls in your application. This may enhance the experience for users of assistive technology, like a screen reader.

Visible text labels that do not match the accessible name can result in a confusing experience for screen reader users. Learn more about accessible names.

Why this matters

Performance issues directly impact user engagement and conversion rates.

Failing Elements
READ REPORT section.pkb-gate > div.pkb-gate-inner > div.pkb-gate-actions > a.pkb-gate-primary
○Interactive controls are keyboard focusable
○Interactive elements indicate their purpose and state
○The page has a logical tab order
○Visual order on the page follows DOM order
○User focus is not accidentally trapped in a region
○The user's focus is directed to new content added to the page
○HTML5 landmark elements are used to improve navigation
○Offscreen content is hidden from assistive technology
○Custom controls have associated labels
○Custom controls have ARIA roles
●`[aria-*]` attributes match their roles
●`[aria-hidden="true"]` is not present on the document `<body>`
●`[role]`s have all required `[aria-*]` attributes
●`[role]` values are valid
●`[aria-*]` attributes have valid values
●`[aria-*]` attributes are valid and not misspelled
●Buttons have an accessible name
●Image elements have `[alt]` attributes
●Form elements have associated labels
●`[user-scalable="no"]` is not used in the `<meta name="viewport">` element and the `[maximum-scale]` attribute is not less than 5.
●ARIA attributes are used as specified for the element's role
●Elements with `role="dialog"` or `role="alertdialog"` have accessible names.
●`[aria-hidden="true"]` elements do not contain focusable descendents
●Elements use only permitted ARIA attributes
●Document has a `<title>` element
●`<frame>` or `<iframe>` elements have a title
●`<html>` element has a `[lang]` attribute
●`<html>` element has a valid value for its `[lang]` attribute
●Links are distinguishable without relying on color.
●Lists contain only `<li>` elements and script supporting elements (`<script>` and `<template>`).
●List items (`<li>`) are contained within `<ul>`, `<ol>` or `<menu>` parent elements
●No element has a `[tabindex]` value greater than 0
●Touch targets have sufficient size and spacing.
●Heading elements appear in a sequentially-descending order
●Skip links are focusable.
●Document has a main landmark.
●Deprecated ARIA roles were not used
●Identical links have the same purpose.
○`[accesskey]` values are unique
○`button`, `link`, and `menuitem` elements have accessible names
○ARIA input fields have accessible names
○ARIA `meter` elements have accessible names
○ARIA `progressbar` elements have accessible names
○Elements with an ARIA `[role]` that require children to contain a specific `[role]` have all required children.
○`[role]`s are contained by their required parent element
○Elements with the `role=text` attribute do not have focusable descendents.
○ARIA toggle fields have accessible names
○ARIA `tooltip` elements have accessible names
○ARIA `treeitem` elements have accessible names
○The page contains a heading, skip link, or landmark region
○`<dl>`'s contain only properly-ordered `<dt>` and `<dd>` groups, `<script>`, `<template>` or `<div>` elements.
○Definition list items are wrapped in `<dl>` elements
○ARIA IDs are unique
○No form fields have multiple labels
○`<html>` element has an `[xml:lang]` attribute with the same base language as the `[lang]` attribute.
○Input buttons have discernible text.
○`<input type="image">` elements have `[alt]` text
○The document does not use `<meta http-equiv="refresh">`
○`<object>` elements have alternate text
○Select elements have associated label elements.
○Cells in a `<table>` element that use the `[headers]` attribute refer to table cells within the same table.
○`<th>` elements and elements with `[role="columnheader"/"rowheader"]` have data cells they describe.
○`[lang]` attributes have a valid value
○`<video>` elements contain a `<track>` element with `[kind="captions"]`
○Tables have different content in the summary attribute and `<caption>`.
○All heading elements contain content.
○Uses ARIA roles only on compatible elements
○Image elements do not have `[alt]` attributes that are redundant text.
○Tables use `<caption>` instead of cells with the `[colspan]` attribute to indicate a caption.
○`<td>` elements in a large `<table>` have one or more table headers.
All checks on this page are automated. Results are estimates - run targeted manual reviews when the score affects a release decision.

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