Western Europe

FEATURED COMMENTARY & ANALYSIS

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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What to expect from Germany’s next government

Elections
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Content

New Atlanticist

Jan 15, 2009

Time to Lose War on Terror?

By James Joyner

In a Guardian op-ed and a speech in Mumbai, both today, British foreign secretary David Milibrand says that the “war on terror” was a bad idea.

United Kingdom

New Atlanticist

Jan 13, 2009

U.S. Overtaking Italy as Top Wine Consumers

By James Joyner

The wine world is turning upside down, with upstarts drinking more wine than traditional powers France and Italy, Jenny Barchfield reports for AP. Global wine consumption, on the rise in past years, is forecast to continue to grow in the coming ones, with the United States overtaking Italy as the world’s biggest consumer by 2012, […]

United Kingdom

New Atlanticist

Jan 13, 2009

UK: Pakistan Government Not Behind Mumbai Attacks

By James Joyner

David Miliband has absolved the Pakistani government of direct responsibility for the Mumbai terrorist attacks, while at the same time saying they need to do more to crack down on those responsible.

India United Kingdom

New Atlanticist

Jan 6, 2009

Back on the “Special Relationship” Merry-go-round

By Alex Massie

Sure as eggs is eggs, the arrival of a new American president heralds fresh fretting in the British press over the precise state of the so-called “Special Relationship”. Today’s text comes courtesy of Rachel Sylvester, writing in the Times. It’s worth considering in some detail:

United Kingdom

New Atlanticist

Jan 6, 2009

Germany’s Ever-Changing Stimulus Package

By Peter Cassata

First it was €40 billion. Then it was €25 billion. Now it may be as high as €50 ($68.1) billion. The plan, which will reportedly focus on schools and public works, remains stalled by conflicting domestic political debates over tax cuts within Merkel’s governing coalition.

European Union Germany

New Atlanticist

Dec 19, 2008

Merkel Shifts, Approves German Stimulus Package

By Peter Cassata

Following weeks of disagreement with Brussels, and France and the UK in particular, the German government has agreed to a second stimulus package of nearly €40 ($55.5) billion. Merkel faced a strong backlash throughout Europe in recent weeks from critics who felt the government was not responding adequately to Germany’s economic downturn. Her refusal to […]

European Union Germany

New Atlanticist

Dec 17, 2008

Sarkozy Announces French Diversity Policy

By James Joyner

The president of France today announced a plan to get more ethnic minorities into more prominent positions. President Nicolas Sarkozy, impatient with what he said was the slow pace of promoting diversity in France, announced measures Wednesday to put more ethnic minorities on TV screens, in political parties and in elite schools.

France

New Atlanticist

Dec 17, 2008

Financial Crisis Pushes Labour Left

By James Joyner

NPR’s Rob Gifford asks, “Is Britain’s Labour Party Back To Pre-Blair Ways?” After Tony Blair was elected British Prime Minister in 1997, he blurred the line between the Labour Party and the usual opponent, the Conservative Party. But the global financial crisis has forced Prime Minister Gordon Brown to take the Labour Party back to […]

United Kingdom

New Atlanticist

Dec 11, 2008

Britain’s Shameful Iraq Withdrawal?

By Neil Leslie

Britain announced that it could withdraw its 4,100 remaining troops from Iraq by June 2009 if Iraqi elections in January go off peacefully. The withdrawal will mark the end of a six-year campaign, and the conclusion of an unpopular war both at home and abroad. Yet British troops can leave with their heads held high, […]

Iraq United Kingdom

New Atlanticist

Dec 10, 2008

Brits Not Joining Euro Despite Falling Pound

By James Joyner

Martin Walker argues that the precipitous fall of the British pound, which has lost a quarter of its value since the summer and is now at historic lows against the dollar, will not, as European Commission President Jose Barroso and others have speculated, nudge the UK into the Eurozone.

European Union International Organizations