Research

Bad omens loom over Irish referendum

Bad omens loom over Irish referendum

01 February 2008
Ireland's voters have a crucial decision to make on the future of the EU – in May or June this year – when they vote in the only referendum on the Treaty of Lisbon.
Poland’s bold new foreign policy

Poland’s bold new foreign policy

01 February 2008
For the rest of Europe, the worst thing about Poland’s Law and Justice government, led by Jaroslaw Kaczynski, was its foreign policy. His approach towards Russia, Germany and (sometimes) the EU – supported by his twin brother, President Lech Kaczynski – was confrontational.
A new phase in EU-Iran diplomacy

A new phase in EU-Iran diplomacy

Tomas Valasek
25 January 2008
The US caused a small earthquake in the foreign policy circles when it announced, in November 2007, that it believes that Iran is no longer producing nuclear weapons.
Poland

Poland's bold new foreign policy

17 January 2008
As far as the rest of Europe was concerned, the worst thing about Poland’s Law and Justice government, led by Jaroslaw Kaczynski (and supported by his twin brother, President Lech Kaczynski), was its foreign policy. The twins’ attitude towards Russia, Germany and – sometimes – the EU was confrontational. The Civic Platform government that took over in October is shifting Poland’s foreign policy. Its ministers often speak to the Germans without reminding them of the war. More controversially, the government is trying to build bridges with Russia. Moscow has lifted its ban on meat exports from Poland, while Warsaw has consulted the Russians about the Bush administration’s plans to deploy missile defence systems in Poland. Prime Minister Donald Tusk is much less enthusiastic than the Kaczynskis about missile defence
Growing old gracefully

Growing old gracefully: How to ease population ageing in Europe

Alasdair Murray
17 January 2008
Europe stands on the cusp of a demographic revolution. Rising life expectancy and low fertility are radically transforming Europe’s demographic profile. Ageing populations pose profound political, economic and social challenges for Europe.
What, if anything, is Europe to do about Pakistan?

What, if anything, is Europe to do about Pakistan?

Melissa Ball, Tomas Valasek
10 January 2008
As if to prove that “when it rains, it pours”, Pakistan took yet another step towards chaos with the assassination on December 27th of Benazir Bhutto, the country’s former prime minister.