Web Special

by Susi Dennison & Ivan Krastev & Mark Leonard - 16th April, 2019

New ECFR/YouGov research reveals huge fluidity in current voting intentions: 70 percent of Europeans certain to vote are yet to make their choice. Nearly 100m swing voters are up for grabs.

Flash Scorecard

by Pawel Zerka & Susi Dennison - 11th February, 2019

Flash Scorecard

by Manuel Lafont Rapnouil & Tara Varma & Nick Witney - 19th December, 2018

Europeans remain unwilling to renew their thinking on nuclear deterrence, despite growing strategic instability. Their stated goal of “strategic autonomy” will remain an empty phrase until they engage seriously on this matter.

This intellectual under-investment looks set to continue despite: a revived debate “German bomb” debate; a new Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons; and the collapse of the INF treaty.

Attitudes to nuclear deterrence differ radically from country to country – something which any new engagement on the nuclear dimension will have to contend with. And, while many governments and their voting publics are aligned in attitudes, in some crucial players like Germany the government and public are at loggerheads.

No European initiative to declare strategic nuclear autonomy is yet practicable but a strategy to hedge for future uncertainties is available.

As a first step, the UK and France should convert the idea of a European deterrent from mere notion into credible offer, by thickening their bilateral nuclear cooperation and sending growing signals that indicate their readiness to protect others.

Olivier de France - 19 June 2019

As the Conservative Party works to find a new leader, Brexit has never been further out of the UK's grasp. Has Brexit made any real progress?

Josef Janning - 11 June 2019

With the US opting out of its traditional European role, the "German question" has returned. And European leaders will need to make sacrifices if they are to address it.

Oľga Gyárfášová - 29 May 2019

Where structural cohesion increases but individual cohesion declines, Euroscepticism can still thrive. The Visegrad countries need to invest in people's European experiences.

Susi Dennison - 29 May 2019

With two thirds of Europeans voting for a pro-European party, the big challenge now is for the political groups to move beyond their status quo ways of working

Zsuzsanna Szelényi - 23 May 2019

European politicians need to pick voters’ legitimate worries out amid the noise of populist fear-mongering. And then they need to provide leadership to address these worries. 

Teresa Coratella - 23 May 2019

Russia and migration remain issues that divide the Polish and Italian governments from each other. And such disharmony could yet stymie cooperation between right-wing populists after the European Parliament poll. 

Expecting the Unexpected?: the UK & the 2019 European elections

At our recent event in London, ECFR's Director Mark Leonard and MEP candidates Laura Parker, Jan Vincent-Rostowski, Irina von Wiese and Shahrar Ali, moderated by Mary Kaldor, discussed what to expect from this week’s European elections in the United Kingdom.

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United States of Europe? Panel with German EU election candidates

At the Humbold Symposium 2019 in Berlin, ECFR's director Mark Leonard moderated a panel discussion with Katarina Barley; German Federal Minister of Justice and Consumer Protection; Damian Boeselager, Vice-President of Volt Europa; Nicola Beer, General Secretary of the Free Democratic Party; Sven Giegold, Member of the European Parliament; Daniel Caspary, Chairman of the German CDU/CSU-delegation in the European Parliament. Among others, the panel discussed the Spitzenkandidaten process, new models of digital taxation, and what to do with Viktor Orban.

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L'avenir de la démocratie en Europe

Podcast de notre conférence du 24 avril « L'avenir de la démocratie en Europe » en partenariat avec la Revue Esprit, en présence d’Ivan Krastev, président du Centre for Liberal Strategies et co-fondateur de l’ECFR, Vincent Martigny, chercheur associé au Centre de recherches politiques de Science Po, Susi Dennison, directrice du programme Europe Puissance de l’ECFR et de Tara Varma, directrice adjointe du bureau de Paris de l'ECFR.

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L’état des opinions européennes à l’aube des élections de mai 2019

Podcast de notre BCM du 10 avril « L’état des opinions européennes à l’aube des élections de mai 2019 » en présence de Natalie Nougayrède, chroniqueuse pour The Guardian, Guillaume Liegey, PDG et fondateur de Liegey Muller Pons et modéré par Susi Dennison, directrice du programme Europe Puissance de l’ECFR.

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Gilets Jaunes: A French crisis?

Mark Leonard speaks with Simon Kuper, Tara Varma and Manuel Lafont Rapnouil about the Yellow Vest Movement, and whetherit’s only a French phenomenon. The podcast was recorded on 21 March 2019.

Bookshelf:

Sur le fil de l'asile by Pasquale Brice 

Harcelées by Astrid de Villaines 

Heroic Failure: Brexit and the Politics of Pain by Fintan O’Toole 

Twilight of the Elites: Prosperity, the Periphery, and the Future of France by Christophe Guilluy & Malcolm DeBevoise 

The 2019 European Election: How anti-Europeans plan to wreck European and what can be done to stop it by Susi Dennison and Pawel Zerka 

Why Viktor Orbán and his allies won’t win the EU elections by Ivan Krastev 

Will the yellow vests movement spread across Europe? by Tara Varma 

Unlock Europe’s majority 

Secrets of the populist playbook: How a new breed of political strategist paved the way for Trump and Orbán by Simon Kuper 

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Défense européenne : le couple franco-allemand au pied du mur

Podcast de notre discussion du 5 mars « Défense européenne : le couple franco-allemand au pied du mur » en présence d'Ulrike Esther Franke, chercheuse au programme Europe Puissance de l’ECFR, Olivier de France, directeur de recherche à l’IRIS et modéré par Manuel Lafont Rapnouil, directeur du bureau de Paris de l’ECFR.

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Highlights of the Munich Security Conference 2019

Direct from the Hotel Bayerischer Hof, Mark Leonard, Ulrike Franke and Jonathan Hackenbroich share their post-conference insights. They discuss speeches by German chancellor Angela Merkel, US vice-president Mike Pence, and Britain’s defence secretary Gavin Williamson, and talk about their favourite side-events. 

Bookshelf:

Munich Security Report 2019 "The Great Puzzle: Who Will Pick Up the Pieces?"

La ruée vers l'Europe : La jeune Afrique en route pour le Vieux Continent by Stephen Smith

The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers

The Light that Failed: How the West Won the Cold War But Lost the Peace by Ivan Krastev & Stephen Holmes (forthcoming September 2019)

The podcast was recorded on 17 February 2017.

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ECFR - 22 May 2019

An exclusive ECFR Madrid interview with Josep Borrell, Spanish Foreign Minister and lead PSOE candidate for the European Parliament elections, on the European Union and his vision for it

Ivan Krastev - 09 May 2019

Ivan Krastev talks from Warsaw on how voters in many EU countries are more worried about nationals leaving the country than about foreigners coming in, as a recent ECFR survey shows.

Mark Leonard - 26 April 2019

Mark Leonard participates in a debate organised by The Institute of Art and Ideas (IAI) in London.

José Ignacio Torreblanca - 08 April 2019

ECFR Madrid sits down with former Spanish Prime Minister Felipe González to discuss topics such as the state of the European Union ahead of May's European Parliament elections, the rise of Eurosceptic parties, Brexit, and relations with the US and Russia.

- 21 March 2019

- 21 March 2019

José Ignacio Torreblanca - 07 February 2019

ECFR Madrid in collaboration with Fundación Felipe González recorded a conversation between former Spanish Prime Minister Felipe González and Head of the ECFR Madrid Office José Ignacio Torreblanca on the situation in Venezuela and the legitimacy of Juan Guaidó’s claim to the presidency.

Susi Dennison is quoted by Le Journal du Dimanche about key European Union positons that Emmanuel could get.

Josef Janning, head of Berlin's office and senior analyst, is quoted in the Spanish newspaper EL MUNDO in an article about the role that Spain will play in Europe and its relationship with France and Germany.

The German strategic debate is lacking foresight and courage, Josef Janning told NZZ.

Ulrike Franke was on Brian Klaas' podcast "Power Corrupts" where they discussed drones and assasinations. 

José Ignacio Torreblanca, head of ECFR's Madrid office, was quoted about the political situation in Spain. 

Almut Möller guested the podcast 'Stammtisch' and spoke about the resignation of the SPD leader and what this means for Chancellor Merkel's Grand Coaliton. 

Ivan Krastev is quoted by Courrier International regarding European elections results.

José Ignacio Torreblanca is quoted by Financial Times about the charges of violence against Catalan separatists following the failed independence bid in 2017. 

Interview with José Ignacio Torreblanca in El Economista, about the future of the European conservatives.

Berlin - 20 Jun 19

Dicussion on Moldova's ongoing political crisis, the reasons behind the different actors involvement and the challenges the new government now faces.

- 15 Jun 19

Panel discussion at the Folkemødet with Susanne Baumann, Lykke Friis, Stina Soewarta and Catharina Sørensen

Berlin - 13 Jun 19

Discussion of the US 'peace' plan for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and EU's position and role in the peace process.

Warsaw - 11 Jun 19

Zapraszamy na debatę o konsekwencjach wyborów do PE dla przyszłego kształtu Unii Europejskiej

Madrid - 06 Jun 19

La oficina de Madrid del Consejo Europeo de Relaciones Exteriores (ECFR) organiza el evento, "¿Qué Europa quieres? Una conversación con Josep Borrell".

Paris - Élections europeénnes 2019 - 28 May 19

Nous avons le plaisir de vous inviter à un Black Coffee Morning avec Susi Dennison, Pierre Vimont, Pawel Zerka et modéré par Laure Mandeville, sur le thème : « Ce que veulent les citoyens européens : un bilan des élections européennes ».

- 21 May 19

Panel discussion: "What Europeans Really Want: Fears and Hopes before the European Elections", with Ingrid Steiner-Gashi, Piotr Buras, Ivan Krastev, Ulrike Lunacek and Ivan Vejvoda

London - 21 May 19

With the UK now participating in the European Parliament elections, commentators have touted them as second referendum on Brexit. But what will mobilise voters to turn out, and what should we expect from the outcome? Will an anti-EU block emerge as the new political force, or will younger, pro-Europeans mobilise around an optimistic and progressive vision for Europe? and what does the result mean for the of Europe?