Boris Johnson: a political career in freefall
The Conservative Party used to be famed for its pragmatic retention of power, Paul Mason writes. It’s lost that muscle memory.
Politics
Analysis and debate on European and national politics, democracy, the rule of law, parties and elections, and Europe’s place in the world.
Capital flight—stopping the looting of Africa
Léonce Ndikumana and James K Boyce
As with the coronavirus, the global north needs to recognise its interdependence with Africa when it comes to financial flows.
Freedom—we won’t let you down
Pandemic protests have mobilised the language of ‘freedom’. Progressives need to redefine that as emancipation.
Portugal: socialist victory and the morning after
Why did the socialists win so big in Portugal? Maybe because they weren’t expected to.
Ukraine and the future of Europe
Vladimir Putin’s indulgence of his imperial impulses has far-reaching implications for Europe’s place in the world.
Portuguese elections too close to call
Disharmony on the left could pave the way for a right-wing coalition government.
The future of Europe: who holds the baton?
Political leaders must not turn the Conference on the Future of Europe into another EU black box.
The biggest killer of pandemic times: inequality
‘Inequality’ is never the official cause of a death. But, writes Jayati Ghosh, that doesn’t mean it’s not.
The drama of the French presidential election
Christophe Sente and Timothée Duverger
Social democracy is flatlining in a France which otherwise betrays common European features.
Macron wants EU ‘sovereignty’—but for whom?
Vicky Cann and Olivier Petitjean
The French president has made ‘sovereignty’ a buzzword. Yet corporations seem to enjoy more than citizens.
A green developmentalism for Europe?
The French EU presidency provides an opportunity to advance a ‘developmentalist’ strategy for the green transition.
While social apartheid endures, so will the pandemic
Denying vaccination to Africa was always bound to rebound on the global north.
Unnecessary tradeoffs
Progressive ideas can prevail in a democracy, Sheri Berman writes—but only if they are pitched in universal terms.
Russia: it’s raining men without umbrellas
What is Russia up to, at the Ukraine border and beyond? It takes a gender lens to see.
The virus antidote: political leadership, progressive government, public services
With still fewer than 50 fatalities, there is much to learn from how New Zealand’s Labour government has handled the pandemic.
A tale of loss and hope: what can we learn from Poland?
Poland’s ruling nationalists aren’t having it all their own way. The opposition needs more external recognition.