This issue of European Policy Analysis (EPA) brings together research articles that deal-one way or the other-with effectiveness, but from different perspectives.Wiget (2024) investigates how beliefs shape the formation of advocacy coalitions among key stakeholders using the example of Swiss pesticide policy. The research is grounded in a survey conducted with 54 key actors, achieving a high response rate of 85%. The survey assessed both core beliefs-related to problem perceptions and policy objectives-and secondary beliefsconcerning support for specific policy measures. The findings reveal that actors' beliefs significantly influence their positions and interactions, suggesting that agreement and disagreement among stakeholders often reflect deeper ideological divides. Wiget's analysis aligns with previous studies that emphasize the importance of shared beliefs in coalition formation. For instance, Weible and Sabatier (2005) highlighted how policy networks are shaped by the beliefs of actors in marine protected areas, demonstrating that shared values can facilitate collaboration. Similarly, Zafonte and Sabatier (1998) discussed how shared beliefs and imposed interdependencies influence ally networks in overlapping subsystems, reinforcing the notion that belief systems are crucial in understanding policy dynamics. It will be interesting to see, how this study will relate to the rising body of research on emotions in advocacy coalitions (Fullerton et al., 2024;Gabehart et al., 2023) The study also contributes to the broader literature on environmental policy, echoing findings from Ingold and Varone (2011) who argued that policy brokers play a significant role in mediating conflicts and fostering cooperation among diverse stakeholders. By situating the Swiss pesticide policy debate within this framework, Wiget underscores the necessity of recognizing the ideological underpinnings of policy disagreements, which can inform more effective governance strategies.Focusing on another integral part of the policymaking process, Dotti et al. ( 2024) elaborate on policy learning and the mechanisms through which it might be impacted by policy evaluation. The authors build on a vast array of policy learning literature (e.g.,