The scramble for Europe
The European Union needs to lead the world towards a secure, multipolar future. If not, it will fall victim to the law of the political jungle.
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.
The downsides and dangers of economic determinism
Economic determinism has appealed, at various times, to some on the left and on the right. Either way it avoids facing the choices politics entails.
Better working conditions, more predictable work—the new EU directive
The EU directive on irregular work is a positive step but it struggles with the contradiction of protecting workers from the labour-market risks transferred by capital.
Time to act for climate justice
A ‘peoples summit’ in New York ahead of the official UN climate summit brings environmental and human-rights campaigners together in pursuit of climate justice.
From Fridays for Future to a global climate-justice unionism?
Since the social and ecological crises are so intertwined, a ‘climate-justice unionism’ is required to address them in a holistic way.
Ahead of the UN Climate Action Summit, listen to the science!
Public pressure is ratcheting higher on the climate crisis. But can the United Nations summit galvanise change, despite international divisions?
Managing cultural diversity—liberal values at a premium
If Vladimir Putin thinks liberalism is obsolete when it comes to managing cultural diversity, democratic western-European leaders should not be echoing him.
A European pivot from space to time
Kalypso Nicolaidis concludes our 'Euro2025' series with a look beyond the new EU term, on which it has focused, to the long-term future of the continent.
Could a progressive phoenix arise from the ashes of the UK’s political meltdown?
The solidly bourgeois Financial Times fears Labour could come to power with a potentially postcapitalist programme, Paul Mason writes.
Social policy starts at home
By designing a policy package around the needs of contemporary families, political leaders can promote women’s rights, children’s development and employment.
Spain à l’avant-garde on social protection for platform work?
Deliveroo ‘riders’ are workers and not self-employed, according to Spanish courts.
Politics in the age of data
Karin Pettersson argues that progressive politics is floundering in the waves generated by Big Data—when it could be shaping the tide.
‘Prorogation’: Britain’s populist coup
Proroguing Westminster is a transparent manoeuvre by Boris Johnson to set up a ‘people versus Parliament’ election, even with the UK on course to crash out of the EU.
Tackling precarity in the platform economy—and beyond
To focus on online platforms in isolation would miss the point that they are part of a wider phenomenon of spreading and intensifying precarity at work.
An inclusive Green New Deal: the EU must raise its ambition, confidence and determination
In our ‘Europe2025’ series, Kirsty Hughes argues that a Green New Deal can gel the domestic and neighbourhood policies of the union.
Weighted voting, revolution and the applause in a concert hall
Branko Milanovic argues that, after all the struggles to universalise the franchise, one-person one-vote is not the summit of democracy at all.
Rescue, not renewal: social investment for future wellbeing
The welfare state in Europe must become a social-investment state if the broken European social contract is to be renewed.