Belarus: toughness towards the regime, solidarity with the people
Alongside working to confront Lukashenka, the EU should offer respite to those threatened by his dictatorship.
Politics
Social Europe is an award-winning digital media publisher driven by the core values of freedom, sustainability, and equality. These principles guide our exploration of society’s most pressing challenges. This archive page curates Social Europe articles focused on political issues, offering a rich resource for innovative thinking and informed debate.
Double standards on Palestine will come back to haunt the EU
The EU needs to engage in a paradigm shift on the Israel-Palestine conflict if it is not to be left behind by events.
Catalonia: time for a gesture?
Spain’s Supreme Court has put Pedro Sánchez between a rock and a hard place.
Recognising people on the move
Europe cannot continue to treat those who arrive on its margins—as in Ceuta—as mere flotsam and jetsam to be repelled.
Europe failing its solidarity test
By blocking Covid-19 vaccine patent waivers, the EU is damaging its reputation and holding the world back.
Hard Labour
Labour’s electoral debacle, Paul Mason writes, epitomises European social democracy’s coalition-building challenge. It just doesn’t see it that way.
Next steps for a people’s vaccine
Ending the pandemic requires not only an intellectual-property rights waiver but scaling up knowledge transfer and public production of vaccine supplies.
Decentralising and democratising while reforming European economic governance
The Conference on the Future of Europe needs to address how EU governance can be refitted to end the crisis of legitimacy.
Covid-19 in India—profits before people
Jayati Ghosh explains why more than a third of a million Covid-19 cases are being reported in India daily—and what that says about our world.
Erdoğan is feeling the heat
Growing economic pains and a more united opposition threaten the Turkish president's grip. His regime resorts to ever more repression.
Northern Ireland—the unhappy ending Europe’s story must avoid
Europe has always had its anti-enlightenment side. Northern Ireland graphically presents its extreme manifestation.
The European Union and global governance
The EU’s strategic ambition must not be just to carve out a niche for itself among the major powers but to reshape global governance.
Nineteen Burmese protesters sentenced to death—Europe get off your sofa!
The military in Myanmar is fully aware of Europe’s response to the killing spree against democracy protesters. It is not impressed.
Europe’s democratic renewal needs a feminist slant
The Conference on the Future of Europe shouldn't degenerate into political theatre. Politicians need to listen and give a voice to citizens.
Dealing with the right-wing populist challenge
Sheri Berman explores what the Swedish case reveals about strategies to adopt towards right-wing populist parties.
Democracy in Iceland
Iceland enjoys the general perception of Nordic countries as well-governed democracies. Its oligarchs would prefer that that remain so.
Why the protocol on Ireland / Northern Ireland matters
The protocol is a small part of the UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement but it has enormous implications for both parties. It is imperative they tread with care.