The current crisis in the eurozone has roots going back four decades to the negotiations that eventually led to the introduction of the Euro. In A Europe Made of Money, Emmanuel Mourlon-Druol examines those negotiations and the politics and motivations of those that participated. Aidan Regan finds that the book illustrates the important role played by political elites and EUContinue reading “A Europe Made of Money: Book Review”
Category Archives: Uncategorized
New post on our sister blog from Prof. David Farrell on different Electoral systems in use for the European elections
Prof. David Farrell of SPIRe and the Dublin European Institute discusses the large and important variation in the electoral systems that will be in use for the European Parliament elections this May. Check it out on our sister blog here
Europe’s ‘structural reform’ agenda is little more than a fairytale
Dr. Aidan Regan blogs about structural reforms as a response to the Eurozone crisis: There are four actors who have dominated the political and policy response to the Eurozone crisis: the executive of the German Federal Republic, now a super majority between the Christian and Social Democrats, Finance Ministers who make up the Economic and Financial Affairs Council (ECOFIN) ofContinue reading “Europe’s ‘structural reform’ agenda is little more than a fairytale”
Structural imbalances in the Eurozone
A joint article – entitled ‘Austerity could only ever bring Europe so far’ – has been published in the Guardian newspaper (and elsewhere). It is signed by the Hungarian EU Commissioner for Employment, a French MEP, an Irish government minister (Joan Burton), a former Belgian politician (and current OECD official) and the French president ofContinue reading “Structural imbalances in the Eurozone”
Armaments, corruption and debt
A recent report found that “the governments of countries of lending countries – like Germany and France – are emphatic on the priority of [Greece] settling outstanding bills with arms suppliers…, while at the same time insisting on swingeing cuts in public spending and other austerity measures”, despite the fact that there is evidence of corruptionContinue reading “Armaments, corruption and debt”
Does the European Union need to become a community?
Analysts of European integration often contend that the European Union must build not only institutions but also an identity. Assuming that the Union cannot get by on (at any rate uncertain) popular perceptions that it is economically beneficial, they argue that only a shared sense of belonging to an overarching European communal unit could helpContinue reading “Does the European Union need to become a community?”
Austerity in the Eurozone periphery
The latest issue of the online journal Intereconomics features articles about Greece, Ireland, Italy, Spain, and Portugal. Aidan Regan and I wrote the article on Ireland. As we know well here in Ireland, they’re an oddly-sorted bunch, because each faces a rather different set of domestic policy challenges. Each also has problems that need to be addressed inContinue reading “Austerity in the Eurozone periphery”
Home truths about the Euro crisis
Jean-Claude Juncker said some remarkably candid things to the European parliament yesterday. His role as the chair of the Eurozone group of countries has given him limited scope to speak freely to date. Indeed he’s someone who is quoted as saying ‘I’m for secret, dark debates‘. Now that he’s about to step down, he’s madeContinue reading “Home truths about the Euro crisis”
Brigid Laffan honoured for accomplishments on Europe
Professor Brigid Laffan, a DEI fellow and member of the UCD School of Politics and International Relations, has received the 2012 THESEUS Award for her research on European integration and her contributions to the promotion of European studies. Bravo!
And you thought QMV was complicated…
Voting systems in the European Union often attract criticism and/or debate. Complex voting systems are not the sole prerogative of the EU however. The US system for electing its President also has its complications, as both the campaign and past election results have shown. Nobody will count electoral chickens before they hatch in the presentContinue reading “And you thought QMV was complicated…”
The Brussels Insider 