Russia sanctions and magical thinking
Sanctions are clearly not an end in themselves. They are a tool and as such should be responsive to ensure maximum leverage. But this flexibility should not come at the cost of credibility.
Note from Berlin
The Netherlands: The EU’s hidden coalition champion
The experts surveyed by ECFR see the Netherlands as the most influential of the affluent smaller member states. Over 50 percent of the respondents rank the Netherlands as the most influential of the seven, and more than 75 percent rank it either first or second.
The swansong of Germany’s foreign policy president
Gauck’s commitment to bringing the German people into the conversation has helped to widen the space for a challenge to a stronger German role in European and international security
Spain: Southern Europe’s underrated player
In light of its demographic and economic weight and in view of its location at the crossroads of Europe and North Africa, Spain seems to be underrated in the current line-up of the large EU member states
Has Berlin overdone the challenge of migration?
It is now time to look at the collateral damage that Berlin’s desperate attempts to bring numbers down have meant for the EU system as a whole
Poland: Europe’s unlikely influencer
Poland appears to be firmly anchored among the six large member states of the EU, seen as more important than Spain
Time to start talking Turkey with Erdoğan
Angela Merkel needs a set of policy alternatives that she can build on if Erdoğan does, in fact, let her down, or if he continues to raise the price tag, strengthening the voice of her critics at home and in Europe as a whole
Is Austria turning blue?
The unexpected win for the FPÖ in Austria had eurosceptics across the continent proclaiming the righteousness of their cause, but the result betrays a deeper political malaise in Austrian society
Merkel and Obama: fault lines behind a friendly face
If Obama’s visit to the United Kingdom and Germany confirmed anything, it was the extent to which America’s political elites worry about the strength and unity of Europe.
Germany’s defence doublespeak
While Germany's role in security is of increasing importance, German politicians must downplay it for a domestic audience