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Curated by Project Syndicate

The Future of Europe

106 commentaries

After the election of President Emmanuel Macron in France and the return of a centrist grand coalition government in Germany, many hoped that the Franco-German axis would lead the European Union back onto the path of integration. In fact, the EU remains besieged on all sides: not only by Middle East turmoil, a borderline-hostile United States, and the constant threat of Russian aggression, but also from within, by Brexit, populist governments in Central Europe and Italy, and German recalcitrance on institutional reform.

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  1. What Does Europe Have to Offer?
    moyo16_Daniel DayGetty Images_EUflagsun Daniel Day/Getty Images

    What Does Europe Have to Offer?

    Feb 5, 2020 Dambisa Moyo calls on European Union leaders to identify – and convincingly articulate – the bloc's global strengths.

  2. Who Pays for the Green Deal?
    sinn90_DUELGetty Images_euroshadow DUEL/Getty Images

    Who Pays for the Green Deal?

    Jan 21, 2020 Hans-Werner Sinn thinks the EU's latest climate initiative will further undermine the credibility of the European Central Bank.

  3. Will Eurozone Policymakers Take the Long View?
    gros130_shulzGettyImages_graphcoineuro shulz/Getty Images

    Will Eurozone Policymakers Take the Long View?

    Jan 7, 2020 Daniel Gros says continued economic stimulus measures are unlikely to offset the effects of Europe's demographic decline.

  4. Make Europe Relevant Again
    gabriel6_Peter Steffenpicture alliance via Getty Images_amazongermany Peter Steffen/picture alliance via Getty Images

    Make Europe Relevant Again

    Dec 27, 2019 Sigmar Gabriel & Christoph Bornschein lament that in today's contest for technological dominance, the EU finds itself in the role of a mere user.

  5. Three New Year’s Wishes for Britain and the EU
    barnier6_Luciana GuerraPA Images via Getty Images_EUUKbrexitflag Luciana Guerra/PA Images via Getty Images

    Three New Year’s Wishes for Britain and the EU

    Dec 20, 2019 Michel Barnier sets the main goals for negotiations between the European Union and the departing United Kingdom in 2020.

  6. Europe’s Age of Humiliation
    sierakowski49_michaklootwijk Getty Images_EUflageyesad michaklootwijk/Getty Images

    Europe’s Age of Humiliation

    Dec 18, 2019 Sławomir Sierakowski worries that Europe increasingly resembles beleaguered and vulnerable nineteenth-century China.

  1. manlan17_bgblueGetty Images_phoneheart bgblue/Getty Images

    Fintech Must Embrace Universal Inclusion

    Carl Manlan & Adanna Chukwuma point out that developing financial products for people with disabilities is a major economic opportunity.
  2. krueger82_Ishara S. KodikaraGettyImages_sri_lanka_debt_crisis Ishara S. Kodikara/Getty Images

    The Urgency of Global Debt Reform

    Anne O. Krueger highlights the need for an international framework that prevents prolonged restructuring negotiations.
  3. rajan96_Pallava BaglaCorbis via Getty Images_indiaengineer Pallava Bagla/Corbis via Getty Images

    Economic Development in a Protectionist World

    Raghuram G. Rajan thinks poorer countries should be exploring new growth models, regardless of whether a new trade war erupts.
  4. anelson2_Jam Sta RosaGettyImages_alice_guo_poster Jam Sta Rosa/Getty Images

    China Takes Aim at Philippine Democracy

    Adam Nelson & May Butoy urge the US and its regional allies to focus on helping policymakers address five key vulnerabilities.
  5. johnson182_MANDEL NGANAFP via Getty Images_trump Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images

    The Economic Consequences of Trump 2.0

    Simon Johnson explains why reality is unlikely to come close to matching the US president-elect's rhetoric.
  6. cferguson3_Getty Images Getty Images

    Our AI Near-Future

    Charles Ferguson

    Although AI has great potential to bring exciting changes to education, art, medicine, robotics, and other fields, it also poses major risks, most of which are not being addressed. Judging by the response so far from political and other institutions, we can safely expect many years of instability.

    offers a brief roadmap of how the technology will evolve and be deployed over the next few years.
  7. tharoor198_AnadoluGettyImages_kash_patel_maga Anadolu/Getty Images

    The Indians Dividing MAGA

    Shashi Tharoor shows how one immigrant group became central to the “civil war” within Donald Trump’s base.
  8. james225_AnadoluGettyImages_un_security_countil_meeting Anadolu/Getty Images

    Shock Therapy for Multilateralism

    Harold James considers what another Donald Trump presidency will, and will not, mean for global cooperation.
  9. rogoff257_Drew AngererGetty Images_trumppowell Drew Angerer/Getty Images

    Will Trump Fire the Fed?

    Kenneth Rogoff

    Despite Donald Trump’s assurances that he will not seek to remove Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, there is little doubt that the US president-elect aims to gain greater influence over the Fed’s decision-making. Such interference could drive up long-term interest rates, damaging the American economy.

    worries about the incoming US administration’s plans to weaken the central bank’s independence.

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