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New Atlanticist

Nov 17, 2017

Long History and Long Border with Russia Make Finland the Perfect ‘Hybrid’ Hub

By Teri Schultz

The new European Center of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats (CoE) in Helsinki is, according to US Secretary of Defense James Mattis, an “institution fit for our times.” With membership from eleven European Union (EU) nations and the United States, the CoE is one of the most tangible examples of the pledge by NATO and […]

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Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at meeting of NATO defense ministers, Nov. 7, 2017

NATOSource

Nov 8, 2017

NATO Announces Major Changes to Its Military Command Structure

By Jens Stoltenberg, NATO

We have just had a very good meeting with the Defence Ministers of the NATO Allied countries.

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New Atlanticist

Oct 27, 2017

Spain’s Crisis Sharpens

By Ashish Kumar Sen

The crisis in Spain dramatically escalated on October 27 with Catalonia’s regional parliament declaring independence and the Spanish Senate responding with the approval of unprecedented powers for Madrid to seize control of the autonomous region. Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy called an emergency cabinet meeting and could fire Catalan President Carles Puigdemont and his ministers—he […]

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New Atlanticist

Oct 25, 2017

European Union Must Defuse Standoff Between Madrid and Catalonia

By George Tsereteli

The time has come for the European Union (EU) to push for a peaceful resolution to the standoff between Madrid and the Catalan separatists. It is highly unlikely that that the separatists will passively acquiesce to the central government’s move to curb Catalan autonomy under Article 155—triggered by Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy’s cabinet on […]

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New Atlanticist

Oct 18, 2017

Austrian Elections Demonstrate Success of Aestheticized Populism

By Adham Sahloul

The victory of Sebastian Kurz’s conservative Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP) in parliamentary elections on October 15 is the latest manifestation of the rightward shift in European politics and the consequence of adjustments conservative politicians are making to attract a wider base.  The ÖVP came in at first place with more than 30 percent of the […]

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Event Recap

Oct 13, 2017

Is the European Banking Sector out of the Woods? A Private Conversation with Elke König, Chair of the Single Resolution Board

By Global Business & Economics Program

On October 13, 2017, the Atlantic Council’s Eurogrowth Initiative hosted a private roundtable discussion with Dr. Elke König, Chair of the Single Resolution Board (SRB).

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New Atlanticist

Oct 11, 2017

In Catalonia, a ‘Coup d’État Masquerading as a Referendum’

By Ashish Kumar Sen

Catalonia’s illegal independence referendum has thrown Spain into turmoil. In light of the escalating tensions, Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy is now toying with the idea of invoking the never-before-used Article 155 of the Spanish constitution that would suspend Catalonia’s regional autonomy. With a view to taking such action, Rajoy on October 11 asked the […]

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New Atlanticist

Oct 10, 2017

What are the Implications of Decertification of the Iran Nuclear Deal?

By Ashish Kumar Sen

The expectation that US President Donald J. Trump will decertify the nuclear deal with Iran this week raises the question: what would be the implications of decertification? Trump faces an October 15 deadline to certify to the US Congress that Iran is complying with the terms of the nuclear agreement that the Islamic Republic struck […]

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New Atlanticist

Oct 3, 2017

Malta Does Not Share Macron’s Vision for the EU

By Matthew Lowell

French President Emmanuel Macron’s audacious plan for “profound” changes to the European Union’s (EU) structure will leave Malta uneasy over the prospect of Europe meddling in its policies on taxation and defense. An ardent supporter of the EU, Malta has a tax regime that has always made the country leery of the EU’s desire to […]

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New Atlanticist

Oct 2, 2017

EU Membership on the Line: Independence Would Prove Costly for Catalonia

By Ashish Kumar Sen

Catalonia would lose membership of the European Union (EU) if it were to declare independence from Spain—a development that would have serious economic consequences for this affluent region, according to the Atlantic Council’s Fran Burwell. “That means barriers will go up immediately; no free movement for people who have Catalan passports; no free movement of […]

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