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Brussels blog round-up for 18 – 24 May: Little movement on tax evasion, an olive oil u-turn and are there too many European Commissioners?
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Chris Gilson takes a look at the week in Brussels blogging. The EU centre and the crisis The Common Agricultural Policy blog reports on last week’s farm council meeting which focused on the nature and scope for support for youn...
For the Kremlin, ‘Foglegate’ is another part of its psychological game with Washington.
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Last week, a Cold War style spy scandal erupted between the USA and Russia, as an US embassy staffer was caught trying to recruit a Russian counter-terrorism officer for the CIA. Ondrej Ditrych looks at Moscow’s very public exposure of …...
Leaving the EU will not only fail to secure what Eurosceptics desire but would likely make the UK’s position worse
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Seamus Nevin argues that the UK would still be strongly influenced by the EU even if it were to leave, contrary to what many Eurosceptics imagine. Moreover, it would find itself with much less power on the outside, which is import...
The Irish Presidency of the Council of the EU has shown that serious decisions on European security and defence still need to be made.
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Europe as a region has 1.7 million troops, and the second highest level of regional defence spending in the world. Yet it lacks the capacity to manage and coordinate these forces as a whole. Ben Tonra looks at how Ireland’s … Continue re...
Low bond yields have saved the German government €80 billion in interest since 2009.
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The eurozone crisis of the past half-decade has seen huge volatility in the market for government bonds, with the heavily indebted countries on the eurozone’s periphery facing relatively high rates. One side effect of this volatility, writes Je...
Who makes EU policy in the Conservative party?
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In recent weeks the UK’s membership of the EU has been an issue of intense controversy for Britain’s ruling Conservative Party. Simon Usherwood argues that David Cameron’s assorted pronouncements on the subject are a reflection...
If Europe is to tackle its demographic decline it should take lessons from the US’ comprehensive immigration reforms.
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With declining birth rates and an ageing population, Europe is facing the threat of a democratic decline by the middle of the century. Facing similar challenges, the US has recently moved to reform its immigration policies, thus allowing greater numb...
Religion can both hurt and enhance democratic attitudes.
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What effect does religion have on democratic attitudes? Pazit Ben-Nun Bloom and Gizem Arikan outline the results of three studies they have conducted into the relationship between religion and democracy. They note that while religious belief can unde...
Sweden has effectively used bilateral co-operation with the US and other European states as an alternative to NATO membership.
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Sweden is one of only a handful of EU countries which are not members of NATO. Jan Joel Andersson provides an overview of Swedish defence policy and assesses the potential for Sweden to use the EU as an alternative to … Continue reading →...
François Hollande can recover only if he spells out a more ambitious vision and delivers on reforms
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One year on from his election to the French Presidency, François Hollande now faces criticism from all corners over his handling of the economy and apparent failures to address France’s structural weaknesses. Renaud Thillaye writes that...
Book Review: The Great Convergence: Asia, the West, and the Logic of One World
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In The Great Convergence, Kishore Mahbubani reflects on the shifting world order, the future of international organisations, and the prospects for progress on key global issues. Jonathan Ossoff finds the book an unbalanced, repetitive volume tha...
Book Review: Political Parties in Palestine: Leadership and Thought
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Political Parties in Palestine is an up-to-date elucidation of the Palestinian political landscape, aiming to offer vital background information on movements such as Hamas and Fatah, as well as smaller political factions that have defined the Is...
Political communication in the age of austerity: Unless you can claim genuine authenticity – like UKIP’s Nigel Farage – then you will struggle to convince
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Charlie Beckett explores the lessons in political communication illustrated by Nigel Farage and UKIP in the UK. In an age of scepticism, one value that the voters want – authenticity – is rendered undeliverable by a professional...
Brussels blog round-up for 11 – 17 May: France in recession again, ‘Schwabylon’, and how to become a British Eurosceptic.
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Chris Gilson takes a look at the week in Brussels blogging. The EU centre and the crisis Jon Worth looks at six potential candidates from the European People’s Party for the President of the European Commission, including the Polish Prime...
Children with politically engaged parents are more likely to deviate from their parents’ political views in adulthood.
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How do the political attitudes of parents influence those of their children? As Elias Dinas notes, a common assumption is that children from more politically engaged families are more likely to retain their parents’ political views. Taking issu...
Bulgaria’s low election turnout is a symptom of the growing mistrust for the ruling GERB party and the country’s political system.
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Last weekend’s election saw GERB continue as the largest party in Bulgaria’s parliament, a success for former Prime Minister Boyko Borisov. Antoaneta Dimitrova argues that while European commentators may see the election result as confirm...
As the EU gears up to reform data protection rules, the rift between individuals and companies over online personal data processing is gaping.
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The EU is currently seeking to replace its nearly two decade old policy on data protection for the Internet, social networking and smartphone age. Its proposed reforms seek to deliver better data protection, legal certainty and trust, with the aim &h...
History suggests that Norway is in line for a change of government in September’s elections.
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Norway is due to hold parliamentary elections in September. Sveinung Arnesen looks ahead to the elections, arguing that the cost of ruling is taking its toll on the governing centre-left coalition. Despite the country’s oil-rich economy, eviden...
In the wake of the EU brokered agreement, Serbs in Northern Kosovo are more likely to pursue pragmatic co-existence with Pristina
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On 19 April, the EU brokered a deal to normalise relations between Serbia and Kosovo. This deal has been opposed by leaders in the majority Serb area of Northern Kosovo, but this view may not be shared by the population, … Continue reading &ra...
France has almost entirely failed in its strategy to prevent English taking over as the lingua franca of the EU.
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Prior to the accession of the United Kingdom to the European Economic Community in 1973, the French language held a privileged position as a lingua franca of the Community. David Fernández Vítores assesses the demise of the French langu...
