The battle over the EU membership within the Conservative Party has exposed the deep-seated divisions as well as contradictions of its Thatcherite ideology. These will outlive the campaign itself.
One interesting aspect of the EU referendum in the UK campaign is the manner in which it has divided both of the main political parties. The tone of the debate has been characterised by populism, anger and misinformation. But beneath that, at a more fundamental level, it has revealed the re-orientation of party politics beyond traditional left/right divisions.
Should the United Kingdom remain a member of the European Union or not? On June 23rd, just shy of one week, the British people will come forth and seal the fate of their country and, perhaps, of Europe as a whole. But how did we get here in the first place?
Ukraine wins Eurovision song contest
The 2016 Eurovision song contest held in Stockholm, Sweden, on 14 May, was won by the female singer Jamala for Ukraine with the song “1944”, which got the highest score (534 points).
By Elisa Lledó
Spain has celebrated its thirtieth anniversary as a member of the EU, in a family that has little time for parties. The country has extensive experience in matters related to terrorism and the management of illegal immigration, the two most pressing issues for Europe. Therefore Spain could take on a leading role within the European club…
By Andreas Marazis
No, Europe is not considered a victim of the economic phenomenon known as “Dutch Disease” or “resource curse”, referring to economies of countries that rely heavily on natural resource revenues. But it might suffer from a different kind of “Dutch Disease” brought about by the serious blow from the “NO” outcome of the April 6, 2016 Dutch referendum regarding the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement which has served to fragment the EU and weaken its unified decision-making power.
By Carlos Carnicero Urabayen
The EU is at an extremely decadent moment in its history – so much so that it is hardly recognizable to citizens. Europeans must to be capable of fighting and working together for a different Europe.
Containing terror with security measures only goes so far.
An article with the same title as this one was published in the Jerusalem Post, Israel’s English-language daily a day after the terrorist attacks in Brussels. The author, Yossi Melman, describes the attacks as “the result of years of negligence” and “a colossal security and intelligence failure.” According to Melman, Europe missed the opportunity to profit from Israel’s security-related know-how. The author is both right and wrong.
by Evangelos Areteos
From the ashes of this ethical debris of the European civilization and the European project that were born after the Second World War and in reaction to all the ignominies of that past, the nation-state and its populist hubris are emerging as the big winners.
The destructive power of terrorism lies in its capacity to blow up a hole in the fabric that keeps society together. But today’s attacks in Brussels were also, if not primarily, an attempt to jeopardize the rule of law.
