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European leaders should recognize their own mistakes

Positive momentum for a stronger and better Europe is a process that could start in Britain. Remarks to European Parliament, expanded version, June 30, 2016

openDemocracy.net - free thinking for the world

European leaders should recognize their own mistakes

Positive momentum for a stronger and better Europe is a process that could start in Britain. Remarks to European Parliament, expanded version, June 30, 2016

openDemocracy.net - free thinking for the world

Paris after Orlando: gay prisoners of racial prejudice

This erasure by journalists and politicians has highlighted the lasting homophobia of French society. It served also as a reminder of how fragile the tenuous progress made for gay rights is.

In Serbia, anniversaries to lament

Seventeen years ago, the Bytyqi brothers from New York were murdered and dumped in a mass grave by Serbian special forces. Today, Serbia's leaders continue to deny closure and justice to the victims and their families.

My 350 on BREXIT: Almost none of the Bremainers were even slightly critical about the EU as a reactionary institution

"From Greece to the UK, the working-class (employed or unemployed) has been bitterly betrayed by the Left."

A European foundational assembly

In an important ongoing discussion on Can Europe make it? on what it would take to democratise Europe, one radical suggestion for a way to establish the necessary community.

Press freedom in 'post-democracy': Greece

No one would disagree on the importance of press freedom and freedom of expression. But it is utterly naïve to disconnect press freedom from the notion of media power.

Scotland and Brexit – what should Scotland do next?

Scottish First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, has barely put a foot wrong in the days since the UK voted for Brexit. What should she do next?

Why the EU Roma policy needs reform

Despite concerted efforts by the European Commission, Roma inclusion is still far from being a reality. A new strategy is needed.

Death, Rocard and the demise of European social democracy

The Big Tent model has given way to a fight to the finish between ideologues and pragmatists, both further and further away from the “People” they are supposed to represent. 

The dilemma of the European Left

We must, without ceding to the old myths of totalitarianism, restore meaning to the ideal of sovereignty.

Giving up control: where are we and what next?

The public as a whole – not just those who voted for Leave – have every right to have a say on what they would like to come next.

To confront polarisation one must look into the abyss

What Brexit has shown us is that people are still easy to manipulate and that tribal divisions are still pretty much a feature of our political system.

Blimey, it could be the unconstraining voice

Anthony Barnett’s book on BREXIT prompts the hope that Britain will continue to inspire both the US and Europe to ‘transcend ourselves by finding ourselves.’

A painful lesson from Brexit: Why DiEM25 needs a simpler message

The facts are simple: for the past three decades, 80% of the people are taken to the cleaners 95% of the time by the top 20% of society.

Labour must fight for our European rights (neither Corbyn nor his opponents have got the response to the crisis right)

This is probably the first opportunity since Blair’s disastrous Iraq venture fractured Labour’s support for Labour to reconstruct the alliance of left and centre which Blairites reminisce about.

Brexit lessons: we need European media for a European public sphere

A neglected reason for the multiple crises of the EU is the absence of a European public sphere, where Europeans would be able to negotiate controversial issues with each other.

Brexit might provide an opportunity for genuine change in Europe

At a time when the EU and its members are struggling with crises and therefore have more than enough on their plates, British voters decided to hand it yet another major crisis.

Carnage in Istanbul and the point of no return

Once the external anchor of Turkey’s democracy, the EU‘s normative influence has sunk as low as its reputation among its many erstwhile supporters, who now feel betrayed and abandoned.

DiEM25: a new anti-fascist alliance for Europe?

A crucial stage in the rise of far right movements is the breakdown of the barrier between their own agenda and the policies of traditional conservative parties.

Post-exit Britain: democracy or autocracy?

The people have voted on what they don’t want. Nobody has voted on what we do next. A general election must be called before Article 50 is triggered.

Time to reimagine Europe

Over 17 million Britons voted to leave. The EU must hear this cry to deepen democracy, before it further awakens Europe's far right.

Slavoj Žižek on Brexit, the crisis of the Left, and the future of Europe

The Slovenian philosopher tells Benjamin Ramm that the survival of the European project is too important to be left to a referendum. Español

The constitutional crisis continues and Jeremy Corbyn has now made his great gamble

The UK shadow chancellor has asserted that attempts by MPs to remove Jeremy Corbyn are undemocratic. But this requires a very specific understanding of democracy.

Brexit aftershocks hit Spain

Did Brexit have anything to do with the disappoiting results for Podemos in Sunday's Spanish elections? Español

Great Britain rides stunning decision to leave the EU: what you said about Brexit

Was this vote an unprecedented act of self-sabotage? And is this the end of a centuries-old union? Here’s what our readers are saying about the UK’s EU referendum.

European leaders should recognize their own mistakes

Positive momentum for a stronger and better Europe is a process that could start in Britain. Remarks to European Parliament, expanded version, June 30, 2016

What sort of crisis is this?

Britain is in a deep crisis, but not a 2008-style emergency. And it reveals much about the underlying forces in our politics.

Post-Brexit: we need a new vision for Europe

The director of Friends of the Earth Europe responds to the UK Brexit vote.

Roma evictions: Europe's silent scandal

Despite ECHR rulings in their favour, Roma families are still being evicted en masse from their homes, often without any compensation.

Take back control

The only way we make change is through dialogue with each other and understanding.

BREXIT and disintegrating civilisations

It is a mistake to assume that the Brexit decision results from a democratic process. The only way to overcome the polarisation and division is through a genuinely democratic process.