De Grauwe, Paul, (2017), “Brexit Creates Window Of Opportunities For The EU”, Social Europe, 5 April The British government has officially started the “divorce” procedure from the European Union. This procedure must be completed within two years. In April 2019 the UK will cease to be a member of the EU. Most divorces are painful affairs mainly because an agreement has to be found on who pays whom. The same will …Read More
Kaletsky, Anatole, (2017), “A Dramatic Comeback for Europe”, Project Syndicate, 28 March The Dutch are famous for building dykes that hold back the tides and storms sweeping across the Atlantic. Have the Dutch now done it again, holding back the wave of populist politics that seemed to be threatening Europe after last year’s Brexit referendum and Donald Trump’s victory in the United States? Relevant Posts Emmott, Bill, (2017), “Populism Versus Prosperity”, …Read More
Benedikter, Roland, Karolewski, Ireneusz Pawel, (2017), “The EU at 60: Why there is hope the future will be brighter than many expect”, LSE EUROPP, 28 March The European Union is marking the 60th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome, which was signed on 25 March 1957. But given the UK’s decision to leave the EU and rising scepticism in many European countries, is there a bleak future for the integration process? …Read More
Laboure, Marion, Braunstein, Juergen, (2017), “The Gaps of Nations & The Rise of Far-Right Populism”, LSE Euro Crisis in the Press, 23 March The rise of populism in 2016 has several potential explanations. Some commentators explain the US presidential election outcome as well as the Brexit vote as a form of protest with socio-economic origins. The tectonic plates upon which the socio-economic order of OECD countries rests have started to shift: …Read More
Eijffinger, Sylvester, (2017), “Europe’s Dutch Turning Point?”, Project Syndicate, 21 March Last week, Dutch voters dealt a blow to far-right populism in their country’s general election. With the Euroskeptic, anti-immigration Party for Freedom (PVV), led by Geert Wilders, having managed to secure substantially fewer seats than anticipated, the Dutch outcome is a promising start to a year of critical elections in Europe. Relevant Posts Reichlin, Lucrezia, (2017), “Democracy Over Sovereignty in …Read More
Hick, Rod, (2017), “The Troika gave Ireland more autonomy over social security cuts than is commonly recognised”, LSE EUROPP, 22 March The so called ‘Troika’ of the European Commission, European Central Bank, and the International Monetary Fund was frequently criticised during the Eurozone crisis on the basis that it had imposed austerity on countries requiring a bailout. But how accurate was this picture in reality? Drawing on new research in …Read More
Wolff, Guntram B., (2017), “What future for Europe?”, Bruegel, 16 March The Commission’s White Paper on the future of the EU sets out five scenarios, but misses the fundamental questions facing Europe. How should the EU interact with its neighbourhood? How can we manage the tensions created by multi-speed integration? And above all how can the Euro be made sustainable in the absence of a major step towards fiscal union? …Read More
Rodrik, Dani, (2017), “How Much Europe Can Europe Tolerate?”, Project Syndicate, 14 March This month the European Union will celebrate the 60th anniversary of its founding treaty, the Treaty of Rome, which established the European Economic Community. There certainly is much to celebrate. After centuries of war, upheaval, and mass killings, Europe is peaceful and democratic. The EU has brought 11 former Soviet-bloc countries into its fold, successfully guiding their post-communist …Read More
Reichlin, Lucrezia, (2017), “Democracy Over Sovereignty in Europe”, Project Syndicate, 14 March The future of the European Union may not officially be on the ballot in the upcoming elections in the Netherlands, France, Germany, and Italy, but the results will go a long way towards determining Europe’s fate. Anti-EU sentiment is more widespread than ever, as demonstrated by the feverish campaigns of right-wing populist insurgents like Geert Wilders in the Netherlands and …Read More
Barber, Tony, (2017), “Europe starts to think the unthinkable: breaking up”, Financial Times, 2 March As an illustration of the EU’s doubts about its destiny, Jean-Claude Juncker’s white paper on Europe’s future fitted the bill nicely. Unveiled on Wednesday, the European Commission president’s document contained no fewer than five scenarios for the EU’s evolution up to 2025: “carrying on”, “nothing but the single market”, “those who want more do more”, “doing less …Read More
