Democracy Under Stress
Freedom House recently demoted the United States from top rank among the world´s democracies. The reasons given include ‘the cumulative impact of flaws in the
Has Populism Peaked?
After last year, when the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union and the United States elected Donald Trump as president, xenophobic nationalism was
Progress Revisited
Nowadays, in times of the decline of modernity, progress no longer enjoys a good reputation. It has fallen short of expectations, is accused of producing
The Immigration Policy Turn: The Danish Social Democratic Case
The Danish Social Democratic Party (SD) has recently changed course on immigration policy in a more restrictive direction. This change of policy is marked and
Can Macron Succeed Where Obama Failed?
For the first time in years, France is being looked at with interest and admiration. The country is having its ‘Obama moment’: the feeling that
Building A Europe For The People
‘For the people, not just for the elites!’: this is the rallying cry of all brands of populism. The triumph of populism is a calamity,
Ireland’s Brexit Borders: A Possible Solution
In the Brexit negotiations the European Council says it will ‘protect’ Ireland’s cross-border Peace Process; given ‘the unique circumstances on the island of Ireland, flexible
Populism, Austerity And Democratic Deficit
Critiques of the European Union target a political problem – the so-called democratic deficit – and an economic (and social) one: austerity, sometimes subsumed under
Macron And The Nordic Model
Emmanuel Macron’s political success has surprised many political commentators. The fact that in a large country like France with long-standing political traditions and within a
The Varieties Of Populist Experience
Emmanuel Macron’s decisive defeat of Marine Le Pen in the French presidential runoff was a major victory for liberal Europe. But it was a battle,
Can Macron Move Europe Forward?
Can Emmanuel Macron succeed in reforming the European Union and the Eurozone? The European question was already central to the French Presidential campaign itself: the
Europe-Wide Inequality
Inequality within member states has become a much debated and researched issue over the last decade (see OECD here and here). Reducing the inequality between
Time For The Biggest Fair Tax Reform In European History
In the dying seconds of his first 100 days in office, President Donald Trump published his ‘biggest tax cut in American history’. The spectacular cut
European Pillar Of Social Rights Mirrors EU Good Intentions And Contradictions
On 26 April the European Commission presented its long-awaited proposal for establishing a European Pillar of Social Rights designed to achieve ‘upward convergence’. Very much
Is Germany Unbalanced Or Unhinged?
For US President Donald Trump, the measure of a country’s economic strength is its current-account balance – its exports of goods and services minus its
Can Macron Pull It Off?
Emmanuel Macron’s victory over Marine Le Pen was much-needed good news for anyone who favors open, liberal democratic societies over their nativist, xenophobic counterparts. But
Work-Life Balance Policies – A Game Changer For Europe?
The European Commission, mindful again – finally – of its political role and responsibilities to uphold the law and the values of the European Union,