China takes the climate stage
Adam Tooze assesses the significance of China’s goal-setting for climate neutrality.
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.
Evaluating democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights in the EU
The defence of universal norms needs to be broadened beyond Hungary and Poland and beyond the rule of law.
Are there any persuadable voters left in the US?
‘White working-class men’ are seen as the hard core of Trump’s support, yet a big group of working-class voters—black, brown and white—are persuadable.
Reviving transatlantic relations after Trump
If Joe Biden were to win the White House, transatlantic relations could return to default or be transformed—with much depending on how Europe reacted.
Golden Dawn verdict—no sunset for the far right
Paul Mason argues that with authoritarian conservatives in the White House and the Kremlin it’s no surprise the far right is thriving in Europe.
EU labour markets in the pandemic: unemployment only part of the story
The good news is that unemployment has only risen modestly so far; the bad news is that hours worked have plummeted.
Taking Europe’s pandemic pulse
A tentative growth in trust shows Covid-19 has not yet torn the social fabric of Europe.
Collective-bargaining rights for platform workers
The pioneering Danish collective agreement on platform-based domestic workers has been vitiated by a misguided ruling by its competition authority.
Mind the gap
The digitalisation of work, despite its potential, risks becoming an impersonal means by which employers tilt the balance of power.
Neglected, sacrificed: older persons during the Covid-19 pandemic
Older persons have suffered a terrible toll from the coronavirus—now countries must invest in long-term care.
Industry 4.0: the transformation of work?
‘Industry 4.0’ may be neither so extensive nor advanced as those in whom it arouses hopes and fears.
No Realpolitik please: Europe must support the Belarusian people
Proactive engagement to help overcome the stalemate and firm signalling that any autocratic crackdown will trigger strong and effective measures are needed.
The Covid-19 wake-up call to buttress social investment
The temptation to cut welfare expenditures to reduce deficits inflated by the pandemic must be resisted.
Making work fit for workers after Covid-19
The welfare state sought to protect workers from labour-market risks. After Covid-19, reduced working time and greater autonomy must be on the agenda.
Social democracy in one corner of the world
Branko Milanovic argues that ‘stop the world, we want to get off’ is no basis for a revival of progressive politics.
Trade unions need new strategies
With employers on a decades-long offensive against labour, the balance of power which once secured social dialogue has been transformed.
The European minimum wage will come—but how?
The principle of a European minimum wage is established. How it should be set is not.