The end of the affair?
Four years after Barack Obama's landmark speech in front of a crowd of 200,000 in Berlin, the transatlantic alliance is fading fast. What went wrong?
Mark Leonard
Merkel is our only hope
The British debate on Germany and the euro should focus on understanding Merkel's technocratic ideas without invoking Hitler and the Second World War. The best way to get Germany to abandon its counterproductive economic reforms is to talk about a compelling European future, rather than dwelling on the past.
Terminating the European status quo
It is becoming clear that the roots of the euro crisis are political rather than economic. The 2008 financial meltdown may well give birth to one of the great moments of political realignment where mainstream parties are being pushed to the sidelines and parties that used to skulk on the fringes are dominating the agenda.
Europe will leave G20 with a unilateral future
Europeans are strongly in favor of global governance when it is a process they inflict on others, but they are not so keen when others comment on Europe’s affairs. So, is Europe losing its religion on multilateralism?
The dark flip-side of European technocracy
The elitist and technocractic nature of German politics means that the case for European integration is not being made to the German people. Worryingly this is also giving an opportunity for anti-EU populists to gain influence.
The Central Challenge to the Western Liberal Order
One of the big stories of the last 60 years has been the creation of a European-inspired legal order in the shell of an American security order. This is often called the Western liberal order – and I think that the biggest global risk is the threat to that order.
What the rise and fall of Bo Xilai tells us about China’s future
Bo Xilai, a colourful politician who brought prosperity to a Chinese backwater, was too ambitious for the Politburo's grey men.
Will the Europeans ever get their act together on security?
Unlike saving the euro, saving CSDP and building Europe's shared defence and security capacity need not cost a cent. It would also be invaluable in helping the EU develop as a serious foreign policy actor.
A marginalised Britain makes EU break-up more likely
The actions of Britain's coalition government are making it more likely that we will see the EU disintegrate, leaving behind a saved Eurozone that marginalises all those outside it – including Britain itself.
Why enlargement-lite will not save the Arab Spring
The European Union has a vital role to play in helping consolidate the transitions of the Arab Spring. But first they need to rethink their approach and develop a new foreign policy for the Southern neighbourhood: Enlargement lite will not work.