Hollande & GermanyPolitical Union EU & corruption
  • Hollande, the Germans and 'political union'
    Insight by Charles Grant, 25 September 2012
    François Hollande
  • Alice in euroland: What political union for the single currency?
    Insight by Philip Whyte, 09 October 2012
    Alice in euroland: What political union for the single currency?
  • The EU must fight corruption and defend the rule of law
    Insight by Hugo Brady, 14 June 2012
    EU & corruption
  • President Lamy?
    Insight by Hugo Brady, 20 October 2009

    EU leaders are racking their brains to come up with candidates for the future presidency of the European Council. The job, to be created by the nearly-ratified Lisbon treaty, will replace a system whereby the EU is 'led' by a different national leader every six months.
  • Blair would be a good choice for Europe
    Opinion piece by Charles Grant
    Financial Times, 07 October 2009

    If the Lisbon treaty enters into force, which seems likely, the European Union will appoint a president to chair the European Council, which brings together the heads of government.
  • The Czechs will probably ratify the Lisbon treaty this year
    Insight by Charles Grant, 02 October 2009

    Any prediction about the timing of the Czech Republic’s ratification of the Lisbon treaty must be heavily qualified; politics in Prague are so complex and opaque that many Czechs find it hard to understand what is going on. 
  • Europe leaves behind the era of treaty change
    Bulletin article by Charles Grant, 01 October 2009

    Ireland’s decisive yes to the Lisbon treaty is likely to spur Poland and – after some delay – the Czech Republic to ratify. The Lisbon treaty will probably enter into force early next year, and that is good news for the EU, in three ways.
  • Last chance for Lisbon: Ireland's EU referendum
    Briefing note by Hugo Brady, 22 September 2009

    Ireland will hold a second referendum on the Treaty of Lisbon on October 2nd 2009. Most opinion polls in the run-up to the vote show that a majority of Irish voters now back the EU treaty they rejected in June 2008.

  • Why Barroso deserves another go
    Opinion piece by Charles Grant
    The Guardian, 09 September 2009

    Next week the European parliament votes on whether to give José Manuel Barroso a second term as president of the European commission.
  • The Swedish EU presidency
    Briefing note by Charles Grant, Clara Marina O'Donnell, Hugo Brady, Katinka Barysch, Philip Whyte, Simon Tilford, 01 July 2009

    A painful recession in Europe, uncertain prospects for the Lisbon treaty, a looming gas crisis in Ukraine and a lame-duck Commission are some of the challenges that the Swedish EU presidency will have to deal with in the second half of 2009.

  • The Dis-Uniting Kingdom?
    Opinion piece by Hugo Brady
    The Wall Street Journal, 30 June 2009

    Britain's European debate has gone septic. More than half of British votes cast in recent European elections went to euro-skeptic parties ranging from the mad, bad political fringes such as the British National Party to a Conservative Party promising to claw back powers from Brussels.