Reconnecting Europe | Heinrich Böll Stiftung | Brussels office - European Union

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In this section, ‘Reconnecting Europe’ addresses important issues such as Brexit and its consequences for citizens on both sides of the channel; the worrying wave of populism; the backsliding of the rule of law and the decline of democracy in the EU; European refugee politics and migration; the ongoing difficulties in the eurozone; the EU’s troubled relations with its neighbours Russia and Turkey and the tensions in the EU’s neighbourhood as well as the difficult transatlantic relations encountered under the Trump presidency.

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Zora Siebert
Head of EU Policy Programme
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Meadows Farms Nurseries & Landscaping, Clarksburg, United States

What’s in for the Greens in the 2019 European elections?

It is less than 100 days until the European elections kicks off in the first EU member state: the Netherlands will be heading to the polls on Thursday, 23 May, with the remaining countries to follow until Sunday, 26 May. After this, we will know how the 450 million eligible EU voters have decided (not) to vote.

By Tobias Gerhard Schminke

Banksy does Brexit (detail)

Staring into the Brexit void

The question keeps returning: What's next with Brexit? If the UK would like to opt for an Art. 50 extension, it will first have to ask the European Council where all 27 Member States would have to agree unanimously. The British Government undertook and takes a long walk from fantasy to reality...

By Jean Lambert

Western Balkans and their significance for the European policy of Warsaw and Berlin

We invite you to read the new texts published as part of the German-Polish European Blog. In the In the current edition we present the Polish and German perspective on relations with Western Balkans.

By Małgorzata Kopka

Violent Riots in France 2018 Yellow Vests

How to Prevent the Chaos of Disintegration

What if... the Eurozone became a real transfer union to reduce economic inequality and increasing social unrest between and within Member States? Read our last post on the Reconnecting Europe blog and find more topics that shaped the EU in 2018.

By Ricardo Cabral and Viriato Soromenho-Marques

Women's Day March in Istanbul

Striving for Gender Equality

In the early days of his mandate Erdoğan presented himself as one of the main defenders of women’s rights. However, after 2010 the government focused predominantly on religious themes and defined gender roles more and more traditionally and restrictive. According to surveys, nearly 50% of all Turkish women have experienced domestic violence and the political climate is increasingly discriminating against women.

By Charlotte Joppien

People's Vote March For The Future

Borders Are back: Is this the End of the United Kingdom?

Every European country has its semi-fictional national story, typically manufactured sometime in the 19th Century by a group of romantic intellectuals keen to impress a sense of cultural pride on their compatriots. In the case of my own country, Britain, that story has been used to devastating effect in recent years to splinter us off from the rest of the EU.

By James Bartholomeusz

kiev / lavra

The Twilight of the Russian World

The Russian World assumes that there is a distinctive Russian civilisation with its own territory to be governed by a single political and religious authority. However a reunificaton of the 'divided world' between Russia, Belarus and Ukraine is more propaganda than reality.

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On this Year’s Hessian Peace Prize for Şebnem Korur Fincancı

Şebnem Fincancı was rewarded for her lifelong engagement for investigating on torture and inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment. The manual she published in 1999 has been accpeted as official document by the United Nations and serves as handbook and guideline for doctors, lawyers and judges. However torture remains a reality in Turkish prisons. And not only.

By Charlotte Joppien

Palazzo Montecitorio

Poor Leadership Makes for Somber Outlook

The tectonic plaques of the eurozone are again on the move. The rise of populism and the extreme-right is not the beginning but rather the result of a long process of political flaws and errors. The Italian national budget proposal oposes the Italian government and the European Commission. But it is not about pro or contra the EU but about delayed and short-term reforms in the fiscal governance.

By Viriato Soromenho-Marques and Ricardo Cabral

Замок игрушка

Crimea: the Bad Conscience of Russia

Violation of human rights, deportation and colonization of the Crimean population and territory by Russia has a long history. ‘The Soviet period was a real nightmare for the Crimea Tatars’, and still is today. Four years after the annexation of Crimea by Russia, European political leaders continue to sidestep the issue of Crimea.

Rule of law in Hungary: Parliament calls on the EU to act

The Vote on the Sargentini Report: Good News for Europe, Bad News for Orbán, no News for Hungary

The Sargentini report showed divisions between Eastern and Western European countries as well as between left and right wing tendencies. It also evidenced that illiberal policies have to face political consequences at European level. Other governments such as Slovakia, Bulgaria and Romania, though, make less a public display of their illiberal steps.

By Péter Krekó

Arbat_EU-0995

When Will the Time Be Ripe for a European Legal Migration Policy?

The migration question has only been addressed with short-term answers in response to a situation perceived as urgency and ‘problem’. But could a legal migration not rather be part of the solution and contribute to develop a real vision of a diverse society?

By Annalisa Buscaini

Here Comes Corbyn!

The Time Is Now: Labour Must Stop Brexit

Theresa May lacks support, the Conservative UK government is divided such as the British Left and positions are most ambiguous! Difficult premises to negotiate a country's future: ‘If Corbyn and his allies are serious about social and economic justice then the first thing they can do is to prevent Brexit.’

By James Bartholomeusz

Slight Uncertainty

Crisis? What crisis?

After 21 consecutive quarters of positive evolution of the eurozone, one might think that the euro crisis is permanently over. But the eurozone has been playing with fire for too long. It has imposed policies with large economic and social costs, while ignoring fundamental and long lasting weaknesses in the design of the euro architecture.

By Ricardo Cabral and Viriato Soromenho-Marques

Viktor Orbán

How to Encourage Illiberals: the Orbán-Merkel Meeting

Orbán openly threatens the EPP and uses the topic of migration as a pretext to gain credit and form new alliances in the EU. He also continues buidling an illiberal state passing a legal and constitutional package which is deadly for democratic institutions. However ignoring Orban only creates a huge wave of democratic backsliding in the EU.

By Péter Krekó

Meneer Rutte , meneer Rutte wat vindt u van Hofstijl???

The High Price of Our ‘Low-Cost’ Monetary Union

The present critical policy issues, namely the management of migration and common borders, the cooperation with neighbouring countries, the reform of defence structures and doctrine as well as the ongoing endemic flaws of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) could be addressed using resources drawn from a common budget.

By Viriato Soromenho-Marques and Ricardo Cabral

Brexit - shaken not stirred

How Do We Choose between the Market and the Nation?

A mortal division breaks through Brexit but is also an inherent problem of the European project. The duopoly between the market and the nation and which one to value most calls for a model for an alternative and different Europe. Europeans need rather more then less Europe.

By James Bartholomeusz

2016_03_11_Manu_01-3

Vive La Fraternité: Why EU Civil Society Must Learn from the French

Civil society and citizens take over the duties in welcoming refugees where Member States and the EU fail. Parts of civil society have awoken across borders to contest policies and laws that they believe to be contrary to the ‘core principles’ of both Member States and the EU, as well as contrary to broader humanitarian, religious or political principles.

By Jennifer Allsopp

Mustafa Kemal Atatürk

Hello Mr President - Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Becomes Turkey’s New ‘Uberpresident’

The result of the election in Turkey confirms Erdoğan's leading position but also means the dismanteling of democratic structures and civil liberties as well as the continuous war on Kurds. With a consolidated AKP, the future looks hard for opposition parties.

By Charlotte Joppien

Stalin

Long Live Stalin! Putin’s Politics of Memory

Putin’s politics of memory constitutes a key pillar of the social legitimisation of his authoritarian regime.The rehabilitation of Stalin is strongly correlated with the growth of the neo-imperialistic worldview in Russian society.

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Trump vs. EU: The Dead End of the Normative Approach

The disappointment of Europeans grows with the tone and manner of Trump’s behaviour, his disregard for European arguments against trade restrictions as well as the fact that he broke an international agreement and threatens European businesses with secondary sanctions. But how can a divided Europe keep up with the US?

By Vessela Tcherneva

Brexit protest 2_

A Glimmer of Hope among the UK's Startling Leadership Vacuum?

The UK is witnessing a drastic leadership vacuum - just when the opposite is needed most. Tory and Labour party are divided but there is hope given the multiple new civil organisations pop up on the Remain side.

By Jean Lambert

President Tusk meets Viktor Orban, Hungarian Prime Minister

Hungary: a Foreign Policy Stress-Test Case for NATO and the European Union?

The foreign policy of the new Orbán government is rather 'obstructionist' than constructive. Orbán aims to create a sphere of influence on the Western Balkans and together with Poland form an Eastern block against the central European power. He is also inclined to make frequent use of it's veto right towards the EU.

By Péter Krekó

Pitfalls of Eurasian Multiculturalism

Pitfalls of Eurasian Multiculturalism

Putin’s regime promotes a vision of Russia as a state of Eurasian civilisation. According to him multiculturalism is an integral part of the Russian identity. But the large Muslim population is considered as second-class Russian.

Europe and the Ukrainian Civic National Identity

The Revolution of Dignity in February 2014 strengthened the shift of Ukrainian society towards the EU, which was presented as a geopolitical and civilisational choice.

The Weiwei boat, Praha, 20170917

Is ‘Saving Lives at Sea’ still a Priority for the EU?

Saving the lives of refugees and other migrants has been reiterated as a number one priority within the European Agenda on Migration. This document puts ‘saving lives at sea’ above fighting migrant smuggling, relocation and resettlement, stating that ‘Europe cannot stand by whilst lives are being lost.’

By Lina Vosyliūtė

Source: Single Supervisory Mechanism (SSM) of the ECB

Eurozone Reform Proposals: Not Quite the Way Forward!

Since the financial crisis erupted in 2008 the need for a Eurozone reform became obvious. The article discusses the creation of a European Monetary Fund (EMF) or the deepening of the Banking Union as possible solutions.

By Ricardo Cabral and Viriato Soromenho-Marques

Matteo Renzi presents Italian Presidency's priorities to MEPs

The Migration Factor and the Italian Election – Why Catching up with Populist Stances on Migration Does not Pay Off

Centre-left parties speak the same language as right-wing parties when it comes to migration. The only solution they propose is to close borders and reduce arrivals. In contrast, a positive narrative would be to count the number of migrants who manage to start a new life.

By Annalisa Buscaini

West

The End of the Concept of ‘the West’?

The West is more and more divided and global strategic interests are diverging. The impact of the US President on views and transatlantic trust is significant. Protectionism and populism undermine Western relations.

By Vessela Tcherneva

Euromaidan

The EU, Ukrainian Cossacks and the Rule of Law

The Ukraine is weakened, corruption is flourishing, weapons are massively circulating since the Donbas conflict and migrants are pushing to pass the borders. But the civil society is strong, an opportunity for EU to support civil action.

Little England

The Ideological Zealots of Brexit

British Euroscepticism is not necessarily xenophobic or isolationist but grounds on a feeling of loss of political, economic and legislative sovereignty and the perception of EU supremacy.

By James Bartholomeusz

Istanbul Constantinople Turkey Men smoking water pipe Turkey - Baazar - published in 1898. Ottoman Empire

How Painful is an Ottoman Slap? Some Thoughts on Turkish Political Culture

Turkey's political history is marked by powerful and authoritarian regimes. What are the underlying principles of Turkish governing culture nowadays?

By Charlotte Joppien

European Council meeting, 22-23 June 2017

Eurozone Reform: Between Hope and ‘Mission Impossible'

What would be a successful turning point in the Eurozone’s institutional structure? Shifts in high official positions in the Eurozone administration will introduce new priorities when it comes to safeguard and promote democratic values, overcome economic divergences and (re)build social trust.

By Viriato Soromenho-Marques and Ricardo Cabral

A flying Brexit ;)

Citizens' rights post-Brexit – the State of Play

Negotiations around Brexit are ongoing and many topics remain foggy. Three key issues still have to be solved such as ‘the divorce bill’ – the financial settling of accounts on the part of the British Government, the question regarding the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, as well as the rights of EU citizens post-Brexit.

By Jean Lambert

For the UK, Brexit is an Unfolding Horror Story

About one year into the Brexit negotiations, the procedure for leaving the European Union assumes slowly but steadily the characteristics of a horror story.

By James Bartholomeusz

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