Amid a world of resurgent imperial powers, a fragmented Europe grapples with its past and uncertain future.
Why Populists Are Winning: The Broken Promise of Liberal Democracy
As democracy falters, voters turn to populists. Can innovation save democracy from its outdated frameworks?
No Europe for young men
Europe’s democracies are failing their youth as short-sighted policies prioritise the needs of older generations, leaving young people without a voice or a future.
George Orwell and Europe’s new normal
Marine Le Pen’s far-right party has won the electoral first round in France. Welcome to a Europe Orwell would have recognised.
Is the world getting out of control?
A world in turmoil, Jan Zielonka writes, needs a democratic Europe, with a new social contract, offering hope to the helpless.
Poland: from populism … into the unknown
Jan Zielonka draws lessons from the second transition in Poland—and its Europe-wide ramifications.
Barking up the wrong European tree
A multi-level Europe of networks, Jan Zielonka argues, is the flexible alternative to brittle clashes over ‘sovereignty’.
Social democracy versus the nativist right
If progressives are to defeat the populists, Jan Zielonka writes, they must offer a vision beyond the nation-state.
The challenge of instant democracy
We need to find ways, Jan Zielonka writes, to ensure that ‘fast’ democracy is not ‘junk’ democracy.
The European Union at war
How can a civilian power such as the EU, Jan Zielonka asks, contend with uncivilised behaviour?
Has the coronavirus brought back the nation-state?
The coronavirus crisis has remade the case for public authority—but that can only work in a complex network of multi-level governance.
Europe’s future: democracy and equality should come first
In our ‘Europe2025’ series, Jan Zielonka offers a vision of a normative, not a technocratic, Europe, driven by the values of democracy and equality.
Harakiri, Italian Style
Liberals across Europe seem happy: President Mattarella has prevented populists from taking over the Italian government and averted another Euro crisis. Their joy will be short-lived, however. In my view, Mattarella’s decision is bad for Italy, Germany, and Europe. The only political force which is likely to profit is the Northern League – an extreme […]
The Big Idea For Liberals
Since the fall of the Berlin Wall, liberalism has been the “only game in town” across the whole of Europe. This is no longer the case. From Helsinki to Warsaw, Rome to Athens, liberals are losing votes to anti-liberal insurgents. The latter represent a very mixed bag, with numerous local variations. Yet they are doing […]
Why The EU Should Focus On Realistic Social Policy Projects
Inequality is back at the centre of the public discourse. Is this good or bad news for the European Union? Most contributions to this Social Europe 2019 series suggest the latter; namely, the observed rise of inequalities in Europe is driven by EU policies to a large extent. Some blame the EU for embracing the […]
Mending A Dysfunctional European Union
The EU is not an end in itself. Europe needs a vision of functional integration orchestrated and managed not just by states, but also major regions, cities, NGOs and firms. Elections create winners and losers; the former suffer from hangover due to the excess of champagne; the latter suffer from hangover caused by depression. These […]