I was interviewed about the recent European GDP figures by CCTV America recently. This is what I had to say.
A Social Dimension For A Changing European Union
15/05/2013 by 3 Comments
„It is exactly nine years since our country became a full member of the EU“. The Czech Republic set out to join the EU in a period dominated by the challenging process of transformation to adapt the economy to market conditions and in a situation in which its economy was remarkably open to the dramatic [...]
Why The EU Must Be Tough On Social Imbalances
15/05/2013 by 3 Comments
Excessive social imbalances in the EU are a matter of common concern and imply reciprocity in reform. The EU decided to apply a strict surveillance mechanism to fight excessive macroeconomic imbalances. However, Europe is also characterized by excessive social imbalances: social problems that affect Member States very differently and create a pattern of divergence. These [...]
Europe Is Trapped Between Power and Politics
14/05/2013 by 10 Comments
That the disease which brought the European Union into the intensive-care ward and has kept it there since, for quite a few years, is best diagnosed as a ‘democratic deficit’ is fast turning into a commonplace. Indeed, it is taken increasingly for granted and is hardly ever seriously questioned. Some observers and analysts ascribe the [...]
Discussing European Politics on CNBC
13/05/2013 by 1 Comment
This morning I was again on CNBC Squawk Box Europe discussing current European politics, especially the latest banking union proposals. Strangely, on a procedural point, I found myself in agreement with Wolfgang Schäuble even though I normally disagree with him. But there you go…
The Social And Political Scope Of EU Reform Policy
13/05/2013 by 3 Comments
At the end of next June the European Council summit will debate a proposal to reform the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) based on the roadmap approved last December. The debate and decisions adopted will discuss the worst crisis faced by the EU since its birth in 1957. The nature of this crisis is, at [...]
Democracy, Solidarity And The European Crisis: By Jürgen Habermas
07/05/2013 by 13 Comments
The European Union owes its existence to the efforts of political elites who could count on the passive consent of their more or less indifferent populations as long as the peoples could regard the Union as also being in their economic interests, all things considered. The Union has legitimized itself in the eyes of the [...]
The Erosion Of Europe
03/05/2013 by 8 Comments
Just weeks ago, the worst of the financial crisis in Europe seemed to be over. Stability seemed to be returning. But appearances proved to be deceptive. A minor problem (at least in scale) like Cyprus, when combined with an almost unbelievable degree of incompetence among the “troika” (the European Commission, the European Central Bank, and [...]
Europe And The Good Society: Where Are We Now?
03/05/2013 by 1 Comment
Every time we analyse European social democracy the challenge is both more daunting and more exciting. From the publication of Building the Good Society by Andrea Nahles and Jon Cruddas to Europe & the Good Society: After the Crash by Thorben Albrecht and myself everything has changed. But things have now changed again. Events in Cyprus and the struggles [...]
Democracy, Solidarity And The European Crisis
01/05/2013 by 10 Comments
The renowned German philosopher and sociologist Jürgen Habermas came to the University Leuven and shared his perspective on the future of a democratic Europe on April 26 2013 in the Pieter De Somer Auditorium. The lecture was introduced by the President of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy.
Czech Social Democracy And The Good Society Debate
30/04/2013 by 5 Comments
The Good Society Debate – the most influential intellectual stream in today’s Social Democracy, has gone unnoticed by the Czech Social Democrats and the Czech Republic itself. According to the media database, between January 2012 and March 2013, Czech newspapers used the expression ‘good society’ just once in the context of the social democratic debate. [...]
Austerity Versus Growth (I): Why We Can’t Go On Like This
29/04/2013 by 18 Comments
Austerity is the curse of our time. Governments cut spending, raise taxes, reduce employment and lower wages in the hope of better times. The consequences are dire. 26 million people are unemployed in the European Union. Youth unemployment is 6 million, in Spain and Greece more than 50 percent. [1] A whole generation is desperately [...]
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