The European Council on Foreign Relations

ECFR This Week: 27th January 2012

Date: 27th January 2012  |  Author: Andreas Mullerleile,

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To start off with some good news, we’re pleased to say that we did rather well in the most comprehensive global ranking of think tanks. The “Global Go To Think Tank Index”, which examined 6545 think tanks, rated us as in the Top 10 in three categories: the best non-US think tanks; the world’s most innovative policy ideas and proposals (global); and the best use of the internet and social media in engaging the public (global). Many thanks to everyone involved, whether writing, reading, listening or responding to any of our work.  

This week our prestigious ‘Reinventing Europe’ debate continued. Richard Rosecrance (Harvard University) argues that Greece and Spain are in fact essential for the eurozone as they keep the value of the currency at a competitive level. Brigid Laffan (University College Dublin) thinks that there is enough political will to save the euro and to develop a new EU with the euro at its core.

We also created a ‘storify’ where you can follow the reinvention debate and catch up on all contributions so far. On Monday we will hear from Charles S. Maier so make sure you check our website next week! But we also need your innovative ideas or scenarios on 'how to reinvent Europe' - so do join the debate! You can leave a comment on the various pieces or write a post on your blog, record a podcast or simply tweet your ideas - just let us know on twitter @ECFRheadlines or email us (.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address))

Elsewhere:

• Nick Witney analyses the EU’s decision to tighten sanctions against Iran.

• One year after the protests in Cairo erupted; Daniel Korski looks into ‘Egypt's popular putsch’ and argues that it is too early to write off Egypt's revolution.

• The latest edition of China Analysis explores Beijing’s foreign investment strategies and highlights the challenges of the ‘going out strategy’ as China is transforming itself from a major exporter of goods to a major exporter of capital.

• What is Germany really thinking? Nobody seems to know but everyone speculates about the strategies of the Merkel government. On our blog, Hans Kundnani looks into this phenomenon and coins the term Kanzleramtololgy.

• Ben Judah discovers Alexey Navalny, Russia’s first internet politician, and wonders whether he is a blogger, an opposition leader or merely a populist?

• Our Madrid office produced another podcast, this time interviewing Spanish MEP Raül Romeva i Rueda (in Spanish). And on our English podcast you can find Nicholas Walton talking to Simon Winder, the author the 'Germania' (in English).

An exciting week lies ahead of us as we are getting ready to publish our European Foreign Policy Scorecard 2012 which provides a comprehensive evaluation of Europe’s performance in pursuing its interests and promoting its values in the world. Follow us on twitter @ecfrheadlines to be among the first to get your copy of the scorecard!

In the meantime, many of our experts have also joined twitter - a useful list can be found here. But we are also on Facebook and iTunes, and you can subscribe to our free email round-up of the best articles on the Middle East and North Africa.