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Mon, 02 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Jeremy Shapiro and Nick Witney examine transatlantic relations in what they call a "post-American world" that is witnessing increasingly redistributed power. Shapiro and Witney argue that the real threat to the transatlantic relationship comes not from the remaking of America's global strategy, but from European governments' failure to come to terms with how the world is changing.
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Mon, 02 Nov 2009 13:30:00 GMT
Event Information:
- November 02, 2009, 1:30 PM to 5:45 PM
On November 2, the Center on United States and Europe and the Energy Security Initiative at Brookings co-hosted a conference on the European Union’s Eastern Partnership with the Embassy of Poland, the Delegation of the European Commission, the Embassy of Sweden and the Heinrich Boll Foundation. The Frontiers of Europe conference discussed the Eastern Partnership’s potential—and the challenges it will face—in achieving its stated goals of promoting democratic values and good governance; strengthening energy security; and fostering stability and economic development.
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Mon, 26 Oct 2009 17:00:00 GMT
Event Information:
- October 26, 2009, 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM
On October 26, the Center on the United States and Europe at Brookings hosted Jean Pisani-Ferry, a leading French economist, to deliver the Sixth Annual Raymond Aron Lecture. Mr. Pisani-Ferry assessed the impact of the global financial crisis on the closely intertwined economies of Europe and the United States, and their influence on the world economy.
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Fri, 23 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT
The Lisbon Treaty has raised many questions regarding governance of the European Union. Federiga Bindi explains why she believes European Council will use its October meeting to choose the new European Commission.
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Mon, 12 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT
The Lisbon Treaty finally secured Irish ratification on October 2, but there are still many obstacles to overcome before the EU can put Lisbon into action. The treaty is not yet fully ratified and many key details, including the selection of leaders to fill the High Representative and EU President posts, remain unresolved. Federiga Bindi explains why Lisbon is important, and describes the intricate negotiation process the EU will undergo in coming months.
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Mon, 05 Oct 2009 11:00:00 GMT
Event Information:
- October 05, 2009, 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM
The Irish recently ratified the Lisbon Treaty, a far-reaching reorganization of the European Union (EU). On October 5, the Center on the United States and Europe at Brookings and the Heinrich Böll Foundation hosted a panel of experts to discuss the expected changes in the European Union and the implications for the United States.
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Wed, 23 Sep 2009 16:00:00 GMT
Event Information:
- September 23, 2009, 4:00 PM to 5:30 PM
On September 23, the Center on the United States and Europe at Brookings (CUSE) hosted a member of the Independent Commission on Turkey, Nobel Peace Laureate and former President of Finland Martti Ahtisaari, for a discussion of the new report, “Turkey in Europe: Breaking the Vicious Circle.”
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Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Federiga Binda believes the recent G8 foreign ministers meeting in Trieste has set the stage for pragmatic and operative discussions at the upcoming G8 summit. Bindi examines key issues of the debate including Afghanistan, nuclear proliferation and the future role of the European Union in global governance.
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Thu, 11 Jun 2009 14:30:00 GMT
Event Information:
- June 11, 2009, 2:30 PM to 5:45 PM
In the largest transnational elections ever, millions of voters across the 27 nations of the European Union (EU) went to the polls from June 4-7 to elect the 736 members of the European parliament. On June 11, the Center on the United States and Europe at Brookings (CUSE) and the Heinrich Böll Foundation hosted a discussion of the political and economic challenges of the European Union.
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Wed, 10 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT
At a recent climate change gathering in Bonn, some Europeans criticized American positions as lacking sufficient ambition to address the climate crisis. Can the U.S. and Europe get past old disagreements and turn a new page? William Antholis—in Germany to address the conference of climate change experts—charted out a new course for transatlantic cooperation on climate issues.
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Wed, 20 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Justin Vaisse assesses the risks of seeing the European Union or the Eurozone break up because of the economic crisis. Far from this outcome, Vaisse surveys the reasons why Europe will resist and predicts that it will eventually bounce back to become a stronger union
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Fri, 15 May 2009 10:00:00 GMT
Event Information:
- May 15, 2009, 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM
While it is difficult to see beyond the current economic crisis, some reshuffling of global economic power is inevitable. On May 15, the Center on the United States and Europe (CUSE) at Brookings hosted Latvian President Valdis Zatlers for a discussion of the increased importance of the transatlantic partnership in the years ahead.
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Thu, 07 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT
While the election of Barack Obama facilitates the transatlantic dialogue, profound structural differences remain between Europe and America—including geography, distinct roles in the international system and contrasted relationship to military force. Justin Vaisse believes this is why Europe and America should not count on "shared values" but on serious diplomatic bargaining to resolve their differences. (in French)
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Mon, 04 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Federiga Bindi argues that the recent NATO summit provided Europe with an opportunity to fulfill promises and contribute to a successful outcome in Afghanistan. Since the solution in Afghanistan will need more than military success, Bindi outlines ways in which Europe can contribute to building governance and rule-of-law structures.
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Fri, 01 May 2009 12:00:00 GMT
In Europe 2030 a group of distinguished authors look ahead and deliver their predictions on what Europe will look like twenty years from now. With great insight and drawing on deep reservoirs of experience, they illuminate the European Union's current strengths and weaknesses by imagining its future development.
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Thu, 23 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT
To explore the strategies by which Europe can increase its commitment in Iraq and make a constructive difference, the Center on the U.S. and Europe and the Heinrich Böll Foundation convened a workshop in April 2009. In this paper, Justin Vaisse and Sebastian Gräfe summarize the consolidated advice advocated by the workshop participants.
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Tue, 14 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Since the economic crisis started, predictions of a break-up of the European Union or the “Eurozone” have multiplied. Justin Vaisse instead contends it is more likely that the crisis will force greater unity and solidarity on Europe, and that the EU will emerge stronger from the downturn.
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Mon, 13 Apr 2009 14:00:00 GMT
Event Information:
- April 13, 2009, 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM
A positive, constructive relationship with Turkey has never been more important to Europe and the United States. The Center on the United States and Europe at Brookings hosted a panel discussion on the future of U.S.-Turkish relations, with Ömer Taşpınar, director of Brookings’s Turkey Project, and Soli Ozel of Istanbul’s Bilgi University, who presented the findings of a new report published by the Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association.
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Wed, 08 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Justin Vaisse assesses President Obama's trip to Europe and analyzes the new branding of America's image abroad. (French)
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Wed, 01 Apr 2009 09:00:00 GMT
Event Information:
- April 01, 2009, 9:00 AM to 12:30 PM
On April 1, the Center on the U.S. and Europe and the Heinrich Böll Foundation convened a workshop to explore the strategies by which Europe can increase its commitment in Iraq and make a constructive difference.
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Thu, 19 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Under the pressure of the current crisis, the international community is carving out a new role for the IMF. Among Domenico Lombardi's recommendations is making the decision-making system more transparent and inclusive.
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Thu, 12 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT
In the United Kingdom, backlash against workers from other countries in the European Union is growing. Jeremy Shapiro discusses how measures to limit foreign labor may threaten the future of the European common market.
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Mon, 02 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Jeremy Shapiro analyzes Pawel Sieboda's appeal for a new European Security Strategy.
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Sun, 01 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Ukraine and Ukrainians will be tested over the course of 2009. Anders Åslund, Jonathan Elkind and Steven Pifer discuss U.S. interests in a successful Ukraine and describe four key challenges currently facing Kyiv. They also offer recommendations for strengthening U.S.-Ukrainian relations and for helping Ukraine to meet these challenges and continue its transformation into a modern, successful European democracy.
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Sat, 28 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT
In a new opinion article, Erik Berglöf makes recommendations to EU leaders on how to stave off a further deepening of the financial crisis in the emerging economies of Eastern Europe, addressing capital demands and the role of banks.
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Thu, 19 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT
The past eight years witnessed a sharp evolution of the Turkey-US relationship, but a change in rhetoric substance was ushered in with the second Bush administration that eventually came to the rescue. Sinan Ülgen argues the election of Barack Obama provides an opportunity for Ankara and Washington to put behind their differences decisively and to concentrate on advancing a more ambitious transatlantic agenda.
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Mon, 09 Feb 2009 16:00:00 GMT
Event Information:
- February 09, 2009, 4:00 PM to 5:30 PM
On February 9, the Center on the U.S. and Europe (CUSE) at Brookings and the Heinrich Böll Foundation hosted Czech Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg for a public address on the transatlantic relationship.
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Sat, 31 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Steven Pifer comprehensively analyzes Ukraine's difficulties, related to both domestic conditions and foreign policy, and recommends ways for the United States to encourage Ukraine on a path of stability and integration with the West.
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Fri, 23 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT
President Obama may enjoy a transatlantic honeymoon, but U.S.-European differences over Middle East policy—stemming mainly from the war in Iraq—leave deep scars in the relationship that he must now overcome. In a new Saban Center Analysis Paper, Tamara Cofman Wittes and Richard Youngs look beyond this highly charged deterioration in the transatlantic relationship in order to assess the real prospects for cooperation in promoting democracy in the Middle East.
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Wed, 21 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT
After two years of “Europe for Obama”, it’s time to focus on the points of common interest between the new U.S. president and the European Union. Will there be stronger cooperation between the two sides of the Atlantic? What kind of Europe will welcome President Obama next spring? Federiga Bindi offers insights into the future of the U.S.-European relationship under Obama’s leadership.
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Wed, 14 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Federiga Bindi, Charles Kupchan and Justin Vaisse argue that French President Nicolas Sarkozy occasionally overplayed his hand while France held the EU's rotating presidency from July to December 2008. But on balance, they say, his EU leadership provided exactly the kind of international activism that Europeans want and America needs.
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Wed, 07 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT
Following a dispute between Russia and Ukraine, Gazprom halted natural gas shipments through Ukraine, prompting shortages across Europe and growing calls of alarm. In an interview on the Diane Rehm Show, Clifford Gaddy discusses the essence of this dispute and the risks for Russia’s reputation.
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Wed, 12 Nov 2008 10:30:00 GMT
Event Information:
- November 12, 2008, 10:30 AM to 11:45 AM
The Center on the United States and Europe at Brookings hosted French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner for an address on renewing transatlantic cooperation with the incoming Obama administration. With France currently holding the rotating presidency of the 27-member European Council, Kouchner focused his remarks on new priorities and approaches for U.S.–European relations.
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Fri, 17 Oct 2008 10:00:00 GMT
Event Information:
- October 17, 2008, 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM
The Center on the United States and Europe at Brookings hosted Giuliano Amato, the former Italian prime minister and vice president of the European Constitutional Convention, to deliver the First Annual Altiero Spinelli Lecture. Amato explored the future of the European Union, looking at its internal evolution after the rejection of the Lisbon Treaty, and at its international role in light of the forthcoming American elections and the turbulence on Europe’s eastern borders.
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Fri, 26 Sep 2008 12:00:00 GMT
Event Information:
- September 26, 2008, 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM
- September 27, 2008, 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM
On September 26-27, 2008 in New York City, the Managing Global Insecurity (MGI) Project, the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) and the Brookings Institution Center on United States and Europe (CUSE) gathered representatives and experts from the United States and across Europe to discuss U.S. and European priorities for reform of the international security system.
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Mon, 15 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Paul Hare discusses what the European Union policy toward Cuba has achieved, lessons from this relationship, and what role foreign policy plays in a peaceful transition in Cuba.
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Thu, 11 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Steven Pifer spoke before the George Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M to outline Russia's ambitions in the world, and what the U.S. can do to respond. Pifer believes that U.S. policy must be firm and principled, but it must also treat Russia as more of a partner than a problem going forward.
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Wed, 10 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Mark Parris spoke before the Rochester Committee on Foreign Relations to discuss why Turkey is important to the U.S., how relations between the U.S. and Turkey have gone so wrong in recent years, and what can be done about it.
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Thu, 28 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Federiga Bindi writes about Italy in regards to European policies and integration.
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Mon, 18 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT
The military conflict between Russia and Georgia over two breakaway regions has subsided, but continues on in strained relations between Russia and western powers, including the United States. Carlos Pascual and Steven Pifer propose a 10-point plan to monitor events on the ground in Georgia, mobilize NATO and the UN, and enforce international law.
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Thu, 14 Aug 2008 10:30:00 GMT
Event Information:
- August 14, 2008, 10:30 AM to 12:30 PM
The military clash between Russia and Georgia is one of the most serious crises of the post-Soviet and Cold War era. Daniel Benjamin, director of the Center on the United States and Europe, hosted a panel of foreign policy experts, including Brookings President Strobe Talbott, in a discussion of the implications and possible solutions to the Ossetia conflict.
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Tue, 17 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Federiga Bindi discusses Italy’s inclusion in the 5+1 Group and negotiations with Iran. (Italian with translation available)
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Mon, 16 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Following the rejection of the Lisbon Treaty by Irish voters, Federiga Bindi believes the process should continue on as planned rather than sacking or changing the treaty. Bindi remarks that membership in the European Union is not obligatory and notes Ireland can still co-exist happily without destroying hopes for further integration across the continent.
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Mon, 09 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Just over a year into the presidential term of France's Nicolas Sarkozy, Philip Gordon and Justin Vaisse note that the first year has been a bitter disappointment. Instead of giving up on Sarkozy as a lost cause, they believe there is hope for a recovery if he continues reforms promised during his candidacy. They also argue that the rotating presidency of the European Union, coming to France in July, may foster a new era in transatlantic relations.
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Sun, 01 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Justin Vaisse outlines what to expect from Nicholas Sarkozy as the European Union’s rotating presidency comes to France this summer. Vaisse notes that Sarkozy faces such challenges as ratifying the Lisbon Treaty, the Turkish candidacy to the EU issue, participation or non-participation in the opening ceremonies of the Beijing Olympic Games, and putting his own agenda on hold among other items.
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Sun, 01 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Justin Vaisse examines Nicolas Sarkozy's foreign policy compared to Gaullist and Atlanticist leaders of the past in France.
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Fri, 09 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Ivo Daalder joins The Economist to speak about the evolving nature of NATO. The diffusion of American power and how the organization needs to handle the Kremlin are among several topics discussed.
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Wed, 07 May 2008 16:00:00 GMT
Event Information:
- May 07, 2008, 4:00 PM to 5:30 PM
On May 7, the Center on the United States and Europe at Brookings (CUSE) hosted Nino Burjanadze, speaker of the Parliament of Georgia, to discuss issues likely to arise in the next six months, including Georgia’s bid to enter NATO and other Euro-Atlantic institutions, its democratic transformation, the upcoming parliamentary elections and escalating tensions with Russia over the separatist regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
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Tue, 29 Apr 2008 15:00:00 GMT
Event Information:
- April 29, 2008, 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM
According to Sergio Fabbrini, professor of political science at Italy’s Trento University, the differences between U.S. and European democracies are diminishing—the result of regional integration in Europe over the last 60 years. The political systems of the European Union and U.S. now represent two species of the same political genus: the compound democracy. On April 29, the Center on the United States and Europe hosted Professor Fabbrini for a discussion of compound democracies and the growing similarities between the U.S. and Europe.
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Wed, 23 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Federiga Bindi analyzes Silvio Berlusconi's recent return to power following elections where he won with an overwhelming majority. Bindi argues that the elections will have a lasting impact on Italy's future.
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Wed, 16 Apr 2008 15:30:00 GMT
Event Information:
- April 16, 2008, 3:30 PM to 5:00 PM
The Center on the United States and Europe hosted Simon Hix to discuss his new book What's Wrong with the European Union and How to Fix It. Visiting Fellow Federiga Bindi moderated the event.
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Fri, 11 Apr 2008 15:00:00 GMT
Event Information:
- April 11, 2008, 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM
On April 11, the Center on the United States and Europe (CUSE) at Brookings welcomed Turkish Minister of State Mehmet Simsek for an address on the Turkish economy.
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Thu, 10 Apr 2008 15:30:00 GMT
Event Information:
- April 10, 2008, 3:30 PM to 5:00 PM
Prior to the re-election of Silvio Berlusconi, Daniel Benjamin, Director of the Brookings Center on the United States and Europe, moderated a discussion with two Italian political experts: Maurizio Molinari, U.S. correspondent of La Stampa and Federiga Bindi, Visiting Fellow at the Brookings Institution to preview the election and discuss the recent evolution of Italian politics and foreign policy.
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Mon, 07 Apr 2008 12:00:00 GMT
Event Information:
- April 07, 2008, 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM
The Center on the United States and Europe and the Georgian Foundation for Strategic and International Studies organized and hosted this event on April 6 - 7 in Tbilisi, Georgia.
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Sun, 06 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Justin Vaisse and Pierre Haski debate what type of leader French president Nicolas Sarkozy is in historical context. (French)
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Thu, 03 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Justin Vaisse and Pierre Haski debate what type of leader French president Nicolas Sarkozy is in historical context. (French)
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Fri, 28 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Christopher S. Chivvis and Etienne de Durand discuss the upcoming April 2008 French White Paper on Defense and how it will set a new direction of French security policy for the next decade.
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Wed, 19 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT
Justin Vaisse discusses the upcoming French presidency of the European Union. (French)
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Fri, 08 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT
At the request of the European Central Bank, Martin N. Baily presented his work at a conference in Frankfurt, in January 2008. His work examined productivity and potential growth in the United States and the European Union for the whole economy and by industry. This is a PDF of Martin Bailey's PowerPoint presentation.
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Mon, 28 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT
The election of Nicolas Sarkozy brought with it new challenges for French-Turkish relations. Justin Vaisse explores these challenges and offers ideas for both sides to resolve their issues with one another.
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Mon, 26 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT
David Shambaugh examines current and future relationship between the European Union and China. He asserts the EU's negative perspective of China can be attributed to China's outsourcing practices, discriminatory trade politices, and human rights perspective.
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Sat, 17 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT
Climate change policies require thoughtful decision making to avert catastrophic damage to the Earth. Nigel Purvis argues that "despite the obvious need for urgent action, patient and adaptive European diplomacy will best serve the world."
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Thu, 08 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT
Robert Crandall discusses telecommunications regulatory policies in the European Union and critiques a proposal to enforce functional separation on the broadband market.
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Thu, 01 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT
Phil Gordon discusses the importance of the European agenda for the United States. He argues that although the Europe has not received as much attention as other regions of the world, the U.S. must confront several European issues (Kosovo, Turkey, NATO, and Russia) to bridge the 'transatlantic rift.'
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Thu, 01 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT
Steven Pifer retraces the events of November-December 2004, analyzes the role of the European mediators, and offers steps the European Union can take to ensure that it can rener equally effective assistance in future political crises.
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Thu, 01 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT
The French are supposed to be resistant to change, but it would be wrong to assume that Nicolas Sarkozy – their new, reform-minded president – will fail. Elected on a pledge to make a “clean break” with the past, he might not get everything he wants but he is already transforming his country. And don’t expect him to back down easily.
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Tue, 23 Oct 2007 00:00:00 GMT
The Bush Administration has issued sweeping new sanctions against Iran and its Revolutionary Guard. Philip Gordon told a congressional committee that there are no guarantees that the Iranian regime will stop its nuclear enrichment, but America must increase economic and diplomatic pressure while holding out the possibility of a better future for the Iranian people if Iran is willing to compromise.
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Sun, 30 Sep 2007 00:00:00 GMT
Nicolas Sarkozy’s presidency marks a mini-revolution in French foreign policy. His avowedly pro-American administration is getting tough on Iran, considering reintegration with NATO, and asking how it can help in Iraq. The Sarkozy era is an opportunity to remake relations between France and the United States.
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Thu, 27 Sep 2007 00:00:00 GMT
Brookings Senior Fellow Philip Gordon and Edward Joseph, visiting scholar at SAIS, note that attention is once again on the U.S. as presidential elections near. They argue that "when Europeans show themselves to be responsible, capable partners, they bolster multilateralists in America."
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Fri, 21 Sep 2007 11:00:00 GMT
Event Information:
- September 21, 2007, 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM
As global economic, trade, and social policies face new challenges, Western Europe considers reforms to keep it competitive. Some economists believe changes must be made or else Europe’s political power will diminish. A September event discussed a new book on this complex and timely topic.
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Thu, 10 May 2007 10:30:00 GMT
Event Information:
- May 10, 2007, 10:30 AM to 12:15 PM
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Sat, 03 Mar 2007 00:00:00 GMT
Opinion by Mark R. Parris, The Wall Street Journal (3/3/07)
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Thu, 01 Mar 2007 00:00:00 GMT
Article by Ettore Greco, Europe's World (Spring 2007)
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Thu, 02 Nov 2006 13:30:00 GMT
Event Information:
- November 02, 2006, 1:30 PM to 3:00 PM
For years, Americans and Europeans have expressed displeasure with each other’s leadership. New leaders already have taken office in Germany, France, and Britain, and a new leader will be elected in the US next year. This Brookings event analyzed the likely affect of these and future changes.
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Mon, 30 Oct 2006 00:00:00 GMT
Opinion by Philip H. Gordon and Omer Taspinar, The New Republic Online (10/30/06)
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Fri, 25 Aug 2006 00:00:00 GMT
Interview with Philip H. Gordon, PBS (8/25/06)
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Thu, 01 Jun 2006 00:00:00 GMT
Article by Nicolas de Boisgrolllier with others, The Fletcher Forum of World Affairs (Summer 2006)
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Thu, 01 Jun 2006 00:00:00 GMT
Article by Philip H. Gordon and Omer Taspinar, The Washington Quarterly (Summer 2006)
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Mon, 01 May 2006 00:00:00 GMT
Event Information:
Third Annual Conference
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Wed, 12 Apr 2006 00:00:00 GMT
Opinion by Philip H. Gordon, Corriere della Sera (4/12/06)
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Sat, 01 Apr 2006 00:00:00 GMT
In its not-so-long history, the European Union (EU) has known many anni horribiles marked by major events that brought about more or less prolonged crises. But the year 2005 will no doubt be recalled as one of the worst. The rejection of the constitutional treaty, which was signed in fall 2004, in referendums in France and in the Netherlands not only derailed a reform process that the European leaders had presented as crucial for the future of the EU, but also gave rise to a wider identity crisis over the meaning and purpose of the European Union.
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Sat, 01 Apr 2006 00:00:00 GMT
It is a truism that if you try to please everyone, you end up pleasing no-one. Europe's controversial Services Directive has arguably fallen into this trap. When it was passed on February 16, 2006 by the European Parliament, angry trade unionists gathered at the doors of the Parliament, protesting that the parliament had gone too far. Frustrated supporters of liberalization, for their part, dismissed it as a watered-down version of the original proposal that would do little to advance the goal of a single market for services in Europe.
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Tue, 07 Mar 2006 00:00:00 GMT
Event Information:
- March 07, 2006 at 12:00 AM
On March 7, 2006, the Brookings Institution's Center on the United States and Europe, in cooperation with the National Intelligence Council, convened a day-long roundtable on the subject of France in Washington, DC. The roundtable brought together academic experts from France and the United States with members of the U.S. intelligence community to discuss long-term trends in France and their implications for France, for Europe, and for transatlantic relations.
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Wed, 01 Mar 2006 00:00:00 GMT
On April 9-10 Italian voters will go to the polls to elect their national parliament. It will be a critical election for two reasons. First, if Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and his coalition Casa delle Liberta' get a second mandate, they will attempt to complete their very controversial blueprint for reforming the judiciary, revising the Constitution and implementing major changes in the tax system. Second, the victory of Berlusconi and his coalition will also mean that they will have enough votes to elect the new President of the Republic. The 1999 election of the outgoing President, eighty-six year-old Carlo Azeglio Ciampi was supported by Berlusconi, but since then Ciampi has often clashed with the Centre-Right government. Several important bills approved by the Casa delle Liberta' have been returned by the President to Parliament as unconstitutional. The President has also tried—to no avail—to influence the drafting of important laws concerning the conflicts of interests between Berlusconi's business empire and his political role and regulation of the mass media system. While Berlusconi claims to be in accord with the President, the Prime Minister has regularly persisted in the promoting the laws in question with only minor cosmetic adjustments. No doubt, however, that he has resented the not-so-veiled criticisms coming from the Presidency. Hence, the election of the next President will also be a significant event in the Italian electoral season.
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Wed, 15 Feb 2006 00:00:00 GMT
Event Information:
- February 15, 2006 at 12:00 AM
The violence that followed the publication of cartoons depicting the prophet Mohammed in several European newspapers has raised questions about European models of social integration and underscored that their debates at home can have dramatic implications abroad. The story has also raised questions about freedom of the press and self-censorship in the media. In a world threatened by a clash of civilizations, does freedom of the press include the right to offend the most sacred beliefs of others? In a time of fundamentalist terrorism, can we allow violence and the threat of violence to determine the content of our speech?
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Tue, 07 Feb 2006 00:00:00 GMT
Opinion by Sara Bjerg Moller, Los Angeles Times (2/7/06)
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Tue, 07 Feb 2006 00:00:00 GMT
Article by by Henri J. Barkey and Omer Taspinar, Great Decisions (2006)
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Fri, 03 Feb 2006 14:00:00 GMT
Event Information:
- February 03, 2006, 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM
Chris Patten, one of Europe's most distinguished statesmen and current Chancellor of Oxford University in England, analyzes the tensions that have arisen within the West since the end of the Cold War in his new book, Cousins and Strangers: America, Britain and Europe in a New Century (Times Books, 2006). Drawing on his decades of experience in elected government and international diplomacy, Patten's book is a frank and personal assessment of the United States, Great Britain, and Europe, and the stakes for all three if the West breaks apart.
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Wed, 01 Feb 2006 00:00:00 GMT
Foreign commentators and the international press have been skeptical about Germany's new "grand coalition" government, seeing the September election result as a "vote against reforms" and the expression of an apparently innate German desire to stick to the status quo. According to The Economist, "this hung vote looks like being a setback for the reform process in Germany."1 Le Figaro fears that "after the vote, Germany may become ungovernable."2 On the other side of the Atlantic, the Los Angeles Times opined that the "[r]esults boost alternative factions and weaken the push for reform."3 While it is true that the elections did not bring about a clear winner and made forming a traditional coalition government difficult, the new government will by no means be a weak one. Indeed, for the time being at least, the reforms in Germany are likely to benefit from the current power configuration in the Bundestag
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Wed, 01 Feb 2006 00:00:00 GMT
Shortly after the July 7, 2005 bombings in London, Italian interior minister Giuseppe Pisanu warned his compatriots that "terrorism is knocking at Italy's door." Pisanu's remark seemed prescient when one of the failed copycat bombers fled London two weeks later and sought refuge with a brother-in-law in Rome. (It did not comfort the authorities that the terrorist had attended grade school in Italy and spoke passable Italian.) In fall 2005, Italian news media reported that the Jordanian insurgent leader in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, had sent "an agent" to Italy to prepare attacks, at the same time reporting that hundreds of undocumented immigrants continued to arrive on the shores of Southern Italy. Combined with the riots in neighboring France, these developments have led the Italian government to move forward on an ambitious program creating new structures to include "moderate Muslims" in the apparatus of Italian state-society relations.
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Wed, 01 Feb 2006 00:00:00 GMT
The current deadlock in the European Union's constitutional process has provoked yet another period of deep euro-pessimism. It is worth noting that the concept of Europe has lived through similar periods in the past and survived them all, often growing stronger in the process. We need only re-read Raymond Aron's Plaidoyer pour l'Europe décadente (In Defense of Decadent Europe) published in 1976 to recall the dismal intellectual and strategic atmosphere of that moment: the stagflation, the appeal of Eurocommunism, and the apparent strategic ascendancy of the Soviet Union.
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Wed, 01 Feb 2006 00:00:00 GMT
The conventional wisdom holds that Europe today is economically or socially dysfunctional. In this view, Europe, with its long vacations and generous pensions, is in many ways a better place to live than the United States, but that can not last. Even if the European social model is desirable, it is unrealistic and sooner or later, doomed. This assertion of Europe's doom derives from the association of technological change and globalization with inevitability or necessity. The protected economies of Europe that we have grown so used to will no longer be possible—like it or not this change is going to be upon us. We can see the future because we can see the shape of the economic present.
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Thu, 12 Jan 2006 00:00:00 GMT
Presentation to Congressional Staff by Justin Vaisse (1/12/06)
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Tue, 15 Nov 2005 00:00:00 GMT
Opinion by Omer Taspinar, Handelsblatt (11/15/05)
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Tue, 15 Nov 2005 00:00:00 GMT
Opinion by Philip H. Gordon and Nicolas de Boisgrollier, YaleGlobal (11/15/05)
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Tue, 01 Nov 2005 00:00:00 GMT
Pierre Hassner, U.S. Europe Analysis Series (November 2005)
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Tue, 01 Nov 2005 00:00:00 GMT
Nicolas de Boisgrollier, U.S.-Europe Analysis Series (November 2005)
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Tue, 11 Oct 2005 00:00:00 GMT
Opinion by Philip H. Gordon, Le Figaro (10/11/05)
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Thu, 01 Sep 2005 00:00:00 GMT
Article by Nicolas de Boisgrollier, Survival (Autumn 2005)
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Thu, 18 Aug 2005 00:00:00 GMT
Opinion by Philip H. Gordon, International Herald Tribune (8/18/05)