It’s not much of a secret that Emmanuel Macron and Olaf Scholz don’t get along. Their deepening rift is damaging the Franco-German relationship—and Europe.
The Orbán government’s upcoming presidency of the Council of the European Union has sparked criticism. More important, however, is the question of how the EU deals with a member state that breaks away from the principles of the rule of law.
Africa is experiencing significant democratic backsliding in many countries. In their programs to support democratic elections, European funders should try to ensure they don’t play into the hands of authoritarians.
In 2020, the European Union spent big and agreed on a common vaccine strategy to survive the pandemic. Today, French President Emmanuel Macron believes EU cash and a common plan to arm Kyiv is what is needed to keep Russia at bay.
Brussels has signaled that securing critical raw materials for the green transition is a top priority. But it faces major challenges in its competition with China, of which the biggest is how to convince companies to prioritize geopolitics over the market.
The German government has straightjacketed itself by a return to the “debt brake,” pursuing a stringent fiscal policy at a time when the country is trying to fight its way of out a recession. Two of three ruling parties think the approach is wrongheaded.
If Emmanuel Macron’s party botches the European elections in June, the French president will lose control of his three remaining years in office. Thus, he is doing what he does best: putting on a big show.
For Poland to seriously consider becoming a nuclear power, its security environment would have to change dramatically. But it’s worth contemplating what the impact of such a scenario would be for Europe.
German leaders have long been reluctant to discuss, let alone set, grand strategy. Now, with the world in flux and the old ways no longer working, Berlin needs to step up and clearly lay out what it wants—and how it plans to get it.
Germany has a long—and flawed—history of debating whether values or interests should take precedence in foreign policy decision-making. Feminist foreign policy could provide an impetus to leave this behind.
Despite much goodwill on both sides, trade and economic relations between the United States and Europe have remained strained. Working together to collectively improve transatlantic geoeconomic security would offer a way forward.
Under AKP rule, Turkey has attempted to chart an independent course, focusing on the Eastern Mediterranean, the Black Sea, and Africa while not shying away from confronting the West. But there are limits to this strategy.
The United Kingdom has not become “unpredictable” or “undependable” as a consequence of Brexit. Rather, its grand strategy suggests a blueprint for containing Russia’s aggression and increasing Europe’s security.
With Lai Ching-te, the Taiwanese have elected another DPP president, to the ire of Beijing. For the EU, the election outcome offers a chance to forge closer relations with Taipei.
The German economy is already paying the price for having put the green energy transition on the backburner. To win the future, it needs four “Ds”: Decarbonization, digitalization, decentralization, and democratization.