The political landscape of Europe began to shift in 2016, and this year will likely bring even more changes. Last year, the unexpected result of the referendum in the United Kingdom, shook the establishment out of its complacency. The first salvo of the rising European populist movement in 2017, will be the national elections in the Netherlands. In voting for what is now considered the Brexit, the electorate was putting the political elites on notice. The increasing loss of national identity and […]
European Union
The Fracturing European Union: Returning Schism Between Eastern and Western Europe
At the beginning of the 21st century, the European Union (EU) was expanding to encompass a much larger share of the continent than had previously been envisioned. The borders of the EU were moved eastward from central Europe to the borders of the former Soviet Union. In fact, three former Soviet Republics, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, collectively known as the Baltic Republics, would become part of the EU as well. The push to the east, began with the reunification of Germany in […]
Europe Lost In A Refugee Crisis
The continent of Europe has not seen this kind of movement of people, since the end of the Second World War in the 1940’s. Millions of displaced migrants have arrived onto European shores in a mass exodus, coming from the war torn and economically devastated regions of North Africa and the Middle East. It is totally overwhelming many social services in the receiving countries and creating strife in normally culturally cohesive nations. The last time there was a huge unplanned for influx […]
Rise Of Nationalist Populist Political Parties Will Bring An End To European Union
The recent conservative party defeat in a state election, indicates that even in stable and prosperous Germany, there is rising discontent among voters towards the status quo. Chancellor Angela Merkel decided in 2014 for her nation and the European Union (EU) at large, that refugees from the Middle East would be permitted to migrate to Europe. For the first time in postwar history, the conservative Christian Democrats received fewer votes in a state election than a populist movement on the right. Their […]
European Union Now In The Hands Of German Voters
As the United Kingdom moves to withdraw from the European Union (EU) in what has become known as the Brexit, leaders across the Continent are increasingly looking to see what will Germany do under the new set of circumstances. There is no doubt that as the second largest economy in Europe makes preparations to follow an independent path, the role that Germany will play will be crucial within the EU. There is already strong movements in a number of other countries, that […]
Collapse Of The European Union: Fractures Widening
The European Union was founded with great fanfare back in 1993, with the signing of the Maastricht Treaty. There have been dramatic changes on the continent since this momentous event. Both economic and political forces have descended on Europe, that are now threatening to undo the unity that was achieved over two decades ago. With the accession of Croatia in 2013, the number of nations within the bloc swelled has to 28. Investors have grown increasingly anxious about the direction that the European Union has […]