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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. deryugina2_ANATOLII STEPANOVAFP via Getty Images_ukraine ANATOLII STEPANOV/AFP via Getty Images

    Trump’s Best Hope for Peace Is to Support Ukraine

    Tatyana Deryugina, et al. warn that trying to appease Putin could cast the American president-elect as a modern-day Neville Chamberlain.
  2. picture alliance/Getty Images

    Should Ukraine Have Nuclear Weapons?

    Slavoj Žižek dismisses the idea that firing Western missiles at Russian targets represents a dangerous escalation.
  3. fischer122_NurPhotoGettyImages_berlin_wall_35th_leaders1 NurPhoto/Getty Images

    The End of the Liberal West

    Joschka Fischer considers what Donald Trump’s return to the White House will mean for Europe and the post-war world order.
  4. op_disparte1_SadikDemirozGetty Images_digitaldollar FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images

    Trump’s Inflationary Triple Threat

    Maurice Obstfeld

    Contrary to the claims of techno-libertarians like Elon Musk, independent central banks have a decades-long record of successfully controlling inflation. Yet, as the Federal Reserve’s credibility and oversight capabilities become more critical than ever, US President-elect Donald Trump’s policies threaten to undermine them.

    warns that the incoming administration’s agenda would weaken the Fed and destabilize the financial system.
  5. BP trump china MARK RALSTON/AFP via Getty Images

    What Will Trump Do About China?

    US President-elect Donald Trump campaigned on a promise to take a confrontational approach to China, with tariffs as his weapon of choice. But unless his administration adopts a measured approach, his plans may end up harming American businesses and consumers, undermining US democracy, or even leading to military confrontation.

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    The Big Picture

  7. karman1_getty images_cooperation Getty Images

    Human Progress in the Trump Era

    Tawakkol Karman, et al. propose ways to foster a culture of cooperation at a time of rising conflict and democratic erosion.
  8. frankel166_JemalCountessGettyImages_national_debt Jemal Countess/Getty Images

    Elon Musk’s $2 Trillion Fiscal Fantasy

    Jeffrey Frankel dives into the incoming US administration’s absurd claim that fresh tax cuts will not increase the deficit.
  9. buchholz21_getty images_us china Getty Images

    The Deal Trump Should Offer China

    Todd G. Buchholz proposes that the incoming US administration push for a debt write-off and market access instead of tariffs.

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