What European Democracies Can Teach America
Amid authoritarian and illiberal forces buffeting social democracies, it is helpful to renew appreciation for their political architectures, especially the central role developed over a
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.
Germany’s Minimum Wage Has Reduced Wage Inequality
Wages grew and wage inequality fell in most EU countries in 2015. Germany is not one of the countries where wages rose most but it
The New Turkey: Erdoğan’s Personal Fief
After a series of steps towards liberalization between 2002 and 2012, Turkey’s AKP government showed its teeth in 2013: it announced plans to build a
Stamping Out Fraud In Hiring Practices Across Europe
Reports in the media of workers hired from other European Union countries undercutting the pay and conditions of local workers have stirred controversy over many
ILO As Global Catalyst
Of all the institutions established by the international community in the wake of that cataclysm that was the First World War only one has endured
Why ‘America First’ Means ‘Europe United’
One of the main arguments made in support of the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union is that the UK will be able to
The Production Of Fear. European Democracies In The Age Of Populisms And Technocracies
Populisms and Technocracies: mastering the art of evoking fears In Europe, home to one of the most ambitious political and institutional experiments in recent history,
Turkey’s Presidential Election: Spearhead Of Authoritarianism In The EU’s Face?
When the Justice and Development Party (AKP), under the leadership of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, won the 2002 election, there was substantial optimism that the EU
Politics Of Fear Versus Politics Of Hope
There are many different ways to understand the dimensions of politics. The classic right-left scale has dominated most European politics for over a hundred years
August 2018: New Challenges For EU, Uncertain Prospects For Greece
Eight years after the eruption of the public debt crisis and having meanwhile implemented three consecutive economic adjustment programs, Greece is at a crossroads. Despite
Reforming Freedom Of Movement To Support Workers And Reduce Immigration
We now have a glimpse into the hard Tory vision of how a fully Brexited Britain will treat Europeans who want to work here. All
Business Takes All – Or Win-Win?
The new European Commission company mobility package is unbalanced. It aims at establishing European rules for business mobility in three areas: company conversions, mergers and divisions
Crisis Of Globalisation: From Its Causes To Emancipation
The dynamics of the capitalist world economy have been mystified as globalisation. In its technical sense, globalisation refers to the possibility that social relations can
Italy’s Crisis: Democracy And The Euro
The critiques Many commentators have argued that President Sergio Mattarella’s decisions of May 28 wounded Italy’s democracy and were damaging or counterproductive (e.g., most interestingly
The Road To Repeal: How Ireland Said ‘Yes’
On May 25th, the people of Ireland voted overwhelmingly in favour of repealing the 8th amendment of the Irish Constitution – the article that had
Rajoy Loses Power In Spain: What Happens Now?
Politics, unlike theatre, rarely gets pacing right. Either one spends months waiting for some seemingly inevitable drama, or all hell breaks loose in the space
Will Defunding Hungary And Poland Backfire?
Discussions surrounding the European Union’s 2021-2027 budget are intensifying, owing to many European policymakers’ insistence that regional development funds be disbursed only to member states