How the frugal four could grow in number and influence
Brexit has denied Denmark a regular ally in EU negotiations. Copenhagen can find new friends – but it should start the hard yards now.
Rethink:Europe
Why Finland never joined the frugal four
Recent signs that Finland has joined the “frugal four” are overstated, but one member of the group may well be its closest coalition partner.
How “frugality” hurts the climate cause – and how to undo the damage
Member states that dug their heels in during the EU recovery negotiations should now form a new climate coalition to achieve more than the July deal
Poland in the EU: How to lose friends and alienate people
Poland was once the leading voice of the EU’s east. But smaller countries such as Lithuania have overtaken it in responding to the situation in Belarus
Where there’s a will, there’s a way: France, Germany and EU coalition building
In this week’s episode, Mark Leonard presents the new and third edition of ECFR´s Coalition explorer, which also included special questions regarding the impact of…
Beware of mission-accomplished syndrome: Germany and European defence
It is ill-advised for Germany to be complacent on common European defence – especially at a moment when the country holds the presidency of the Council of the EU
Why Europe needs a recovery plan for strategic autonomy
Just as they have on the economic recovery, Berlin and Paris must overcome their differences and present a courageous plan to create a Europe that takes decisive geopolitical action
The limits of “no, no, no”: Why the Dutch are so ambivalent about Europe
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte is stuck between European partners urging him to engage in Europe at this critical moment and a growing chorus at home threatening to punish him if he does so
China, Europe, and covid-19 headwinds
China’s attempts to divide Europeans during the crisis, along with its fierce and openly hostile rhetoric targeting the capacity of Western democracy to effectively respond to the health emergency, have served as a wake-up call
The big engine that might: How France and Germany can build a geopolitical Europe
The EU Coalition Explorer survey reveals the importance of Germany and France within the EU, and the impact they can have when they cooperate with each other