If Scandinavians Are Against Us, Who Is With Us?
On 17 November in Gothenburg the Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Löfven reiterated the well-known position of many Scandinavian political actors in the European arena, namely
Politics
Analysis and debate on European and national politics, democracy, the rule of law, parties and elections, and Europe’s place in the world.
Globalisation, migration, rising inequality, populism…
Why is inequality such a big issue? Why is it so corrosive to societies? I think it became a big issue, because essentially of the
Climate Finance: Waiting For The First EU $1 From Pledged $100 Billion
Listening to Europe speak in Bonn, Germany during the recent conference on how to implement the Paris Agreement on climate change, it is possible to
Will The Left Keep Losing?
In electoral terms, 2017 has been a tough year for the centre-left. A suite of elections has taken place across Western Europe and other advanced
The Half Life Of Gas And Coal At COP23
While Germany has been positioned as a global leader in climate legislation, conflict over climate change policy in COP23’s host country left the Bonn conference’s
Pasok: New Leadership, New Discourse To Revive Greek Social Democracy
What would you say is the current situation of Pasok, the Greek social democratic party? What is the historic position of social democracy in the
Inconvenient Truths About Migration
Sociology, anthropology, and history have been making large inroads into the debate on immigration. It seems that Homo economicus, who lives for bread alone, has
Merkel’s Failure
The failure of the German Chancellor Angela Merkel to form a government after the elections a month ago came as a shock for many observers.
Small States Under Pressure
It is not always easy to be a small state in a global world. Many small states seek shelter, some by building alliances with larger
From The Gothenburg Social Summit To A European Social Union
On 17 November, the European Parliament, Council and Commission proclaimed a European Pillar of Social Rights in Gothenburg. The launch of the Pillar signals a
The Twilight Of Angela Merkel
Amid all the crises and upheavals that have battered the European Union over the past decade, one fixed point has been the stolid, stable government
The Political Economy of Illiberal Democracy
Contrary to widespread belief, Viktor Orbán is not in power in Hungary because he is popular. He enjoys the support of no more than one
The Illusion Of Freedom In The Digital Age
Over the last few weeks, media around the world have been saturated with stories about how technology is destroying politics. In autocracies like China, the
Rescuing Economics From Neoliberalism
As even its harshest critics concede, neoliberalism is hard to pin down. In broad terms, it denotes a preference for markets over government, economic incentives
Learning From Catalonia: To Secede Or Not To Secede?
The standoff over Catalan independence from Spain has split not only the region and country itself, but Europe as a whole. Beyond the ongoing pyrotechnics,
We Need A Strong ‘Social Pillar’ To Support Working People
The ‘European Pillar of Social Rights’: it could be a fine example of Euro-jargon masking very little substance, or it could be a chance for