The geopolitical EU
The EU's neighbourhood is increasingly hostile and unstable, great power competition between China and the US is drawing in Europe, and climate change poses ever-growing economic, social and geopolitical challenges. The US's precipitate withdrawal from Afghanistan showed that even under Joe Biden the US may act in its own interests first, with minimal consultation with its allies. In such an environment, the EU needs to reconsider how it acts on the global stage in order to protect its prosperity and security. It needs to develop the tools to face these challenges effectively, boosting its diplomacy, its defence capabilities, and its instruments for tackling internal security issues.
The big European sort? The diverging fortunes of Europe's regions
08 May 2019
Over the last 15 years, graduate workers and high-value services and technology firms have been clustering together in Europe’s most successful cities. This process may widen Europe’s political fault-lines in the future.
Catch me if you can: The European Arrest Warrant and the end of mutual trust
01 April 2019
EU countries trust each other less than they used to, making them less willing to co-operate.
Appalled by strategic autonomy? Applaud it instead
22 March 2019
Strategic autonomy is a sign of the transatlantic relationship’s inevitable progression. Europeans and Americans need to manage the growing pains that will accompany Europe’s ambitions.
Tearing at Europe's core: Why France and Italy are at loggerheads
12 February 2019
Tensions between Italy and France are rising due to domestic politics in both countries, personal acrimony between Salvini, Di Maio and Macron, and policy differences.
How to combat Europe's economic slowdown
25 January 2019
Europe is experiencing an economic slowdown at an exceptionally bad time, but has the tools to fight it and should use them soon.
Putin's last term: Taking the long view
23 January 2019
Vladimir Putin has dominated the Russian political scene since 1999. But he is now in what should be his final term as president. He faces economic, social and foreign policy problems; and he has to decide what will happen at the end of his term of office.The performance of...
Why Europe needs legal migration and how to sell it
20 December 2018
Europe needs migrants, and migration is inevitable. Now, European leaders must articulate a powerful case for opening legal migration channels, rather than defaulting to vote-winning policies of containment and control.
Can the euro rival the dollar?
04 December 2018
The international role of the US dollar is deeply entrenched. To change that, Europe – and Germany in particular – would need to rethink some core economic policies.
Trump's Iran policy leaves the EU few options
11 December 2018
Trump’s decision to re-impose sanctions has placed the Iran nuclear agreement on life support and further destabilised the region. Unwilling to seriously support the deal, Europeans will have to rely on diplomacy to limit the damage.
China and Europe: Buying hearts and minds?
29 November 2018
The EU does not need to compete financially with China’s grandiose ‘Belt and Road Initiative’ (BRI) everywhere. But it should at least stop China buying the support of EU member-states.
Is Trump right to nuke the INF Treaty?
02 November 2018
The Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty is a cornerstone of European stability. The US should challenge Russian treaty violations, but not abandon the treaty without a better plan.
European policy in Asia: Getting past mercatorism and mercantilism
07 September 2017
Asia is a dangerous place, and closer to Europe than most Europeans think. They cannot leave Trump's America to tackle all Asia's security problems.