Western Europe

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Center of the French Speaking World Shifts to Africa

New Atlanticist
Oct 2, 2024

A man in a hurry: Keir Starmer’s early approach is making waves at home and abroad

By
Ed Owen

The new UK prime minister’s much-anticipated speech at the Labour Party’s recent gathering in Liverpool is a window into where the country may be headed.

Economy & Business
Elections

New Atlanticist
Oct 2, 2024

Three state elections have backed Germany into a corner

By
Jurek Wille and Friedrich Conradi

The recent successes of populist parties in Germany’s state elections could signal an imminent shift in Berlin’s policies on climate, immigration, and aid for Ukraine.

Elections
Germany

New Atlanticist
Sep 26, 2024

France’s new government aims to calm the political storm. What will it mean for foreign policy?

By
Léonie Allard, Jean-Loup Samaan

Prime Minister Michel Barnier is likely to follow the path of President Emmanuel Macron, but the big question is whether the delicate political context in Paris will allow ministers to focus on crises in Ukraine and Lebanon.

Europe & Eurasia
France

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New Atlanticist

Jun 29, 2009

Center of the French Speaking World Shifts to Africa

By Douglas Muir

If you’re a human being who speaks French, you’re more likely to be African than European. La Francophonie’s demographic center of gravity is now somewhere around Bamako, Mali. If you’re a human being who is literate in French — say, at a high school graduate level — you’re probably European. But not for much longer.

France Sahel

NATOSource

Jun 26, 2009

Cyber armies are gearing up in the cold war of the web

By the Guardian

From the Guardian: Last week the Nato-backed Co-operative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence, based in the Estonian capital of Tallinn, held its inaugural annual conference, and the need and wisdom of creating an offensive strategy was centre stage. Nato’s hawks argue that unless you develop an active deterrence strategy and threaten your opponents with cybergeddon, […]

Cybersecurity Security & Defense

New Atlanticist

Jun 26, 2009

German-American Partnership in Peril?

By James Joyner

In today’s Spiegel, Gregor Peter Schmitz asks, “Does the US Still Care about Germany?” His starting point is Chancellor Angela Merkel’s wistful praise of a certain Atlantic Council chairman – and the fact that so few American politicians were there to hear her speech.

Germany United States and Canada

NATOSource

Jun 25, 2009

NATOSource: UK begins command of NATO group in Mediterranean

By defpro.com

From defpro.com: (6/24/09) The UK has taken command of Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 (SNMG2), a force of five ships from Greece, Italy, Turkey, the UK and the United States, traditionally based in the Mediterranean in order to promote security and stability across the region . . . This change in command will see the […]

United Kingdom United States and Canada

NATOSource

Jun 23, 2009

Senatorial Backing for U.S.-U.K. Defense Trade Cooperation Treaty

By Heritage

From Heritage: Speaking at the same event, Dr. Liam Fox, the British Shadow Secretary of State for Defense, explained why the Treaties are in the interest of both nations. For the U.K., the treaties offer economies of procurement scale, i.e. the ability to buy in the larger U.S. market. For the U.S., the treaties offer […]

European Union International Organizations

New Atlanticist

Jun 23, 2009

The King Returns to Versailles

By Jeffrey Lightfoot

Yesterday, the King of France returned to Versailles. No, readers of the New Atlanticist did not miss out on the news of a second Bourbon restoration, but President Nicolas Sarkozy’s historic address to French legislators at the former seat of royal power sent a not-so-subtle message about who is in charge in Paris.

France

NATOSource

Jun 19, 2009

Notes from NATO’s cyberwarfare conference in Tallinn

By Evgeny Morozov in Net Effect

From Evgeny Morozov in Net Effect: Jose Nazario of Arbor Networks mentioned the growing impact that DDoS-attacks – used predominantly as means of intimidation – are having on elections worldwide. To illustrate his point, he spoke of attacks on Kasparov.ru in Russia as well as the recent DDoS attacks on the web-sites of several parties […]

United Kingdom

New Atlanticist

Jun 17, 2009

Whither the Social Democrats?

By Nicholas Siegel

As Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Germany’s current Foreign Minister and Hail Mary Social Democratic candidate for Chancellor in the September elections, began to speak at his inaugural campaign rally this Sunday in Berlin, Europe’s socialists held their collective breath.

Germany

NATOSource

Jun 16, 2009

US missile shield hurts NATO interests: UK MPs

By PressTV Iran

From PressTV Iran: “British parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, with lawmakers from the country’s main political parties, also expressed reserve over the plans in a report on weapons proliferation, Reuters reported Saturday. ‘We are not convinced that, as they are currently envisaged and under current circumstances, the United States’ planned ballistic missile defense (BMD) deployments in […]

United Kingdom United States and Canada

NATOSource

Jun 5, 2009

European Security and Defence Forum Launched

By Chatham House

From Chatham House: “A new European Security and Defence Forum based at Chatham House, in partnership with Finmeccanica and with the support of the Italian Istituto Affari Internazionali, has been launched to analyze political and strategic developments in Europe.The Forum will examine what the implications might be for the European Union’s Common Foreign and Security […]

European Union International Organizations