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Terra Nova London

Terra Nova London is one of the local branches of the Terra Nova Foundation. Terra Nova London aims to develop the Foundation’s activities in the United Kingdom and in Europe : it is a platform for political thought aimed at producing and sharing progressive political solutions.

The Brussels Consensus for a Democratic World Order

By Alexis Lefranc

It was December 2011 and Catherine Ashton could be satisfied with her efforts of the last two years. At last the European External Action Service (EEAS) had managed to find the office space and staff structure it needed to enter its first operational phase. Without raising the EU budget, the Commission had begun implementing the Lisbon Treaty provision on a common EU Foreign Policy.

EU Foreign Policy

EU Foreign Policy (FP), however, remains in its infancy. Beyond a paltry white paper dating back nearly ten years and limited to a brief assessment of security Lire la Suite →

Olivier Ferrand, 1969-2012.

TRIBUTE
by Terra Nova London

Olivier Ferrand grew up in the Mediterranean sunshine.

The Marseilles constituency he won in the June 2012 parliamentary elections had seemed an impossible win, but he gave the campaign  all his strength – he wanted to represent the people he’d grown up with. From the South of France, Olivier had kept a ubiquitous smile and love of warm, lengthy talks. But his brilliance and competitive nature meant he had a disdain of time-wasting squabbles and the pretence of debate. Lire la Suite →

The Lorelei of Economic Power


by Alexis Lefranc

In the early 1820s, in Berlin or nearby, Heinrich Heine wrote what is probably the most famous German language poem. Perhaps autobiographical, it is not thought Heine’s lines had much to do with the politics of his time. Much of his later poetry however, was concerned with social and institutional evolutions of European society.

Reminiscent of this powerful tradition of engaged German poets and writers, a recent effort by Gunter Grass published by the Sueddeutsche Zeitung launched a scathing attack on Germany’s treatment of the Greek crisis. Lire la Suite →

To Grow or not to Grow

Is that the question?


By Alexis Lefranc

 

A Fountain of Wisdom

By the look of it, Ancient Greeks had pretty it good. Once they’d waged a few wars with their neighbours and settled petty disputes over olive trade and stolen wives, they’d just gather for Olympics and divination. Men would sit back in the Mediterranean sunshine. They’d drink red wine into the night to the sound of lyres and declaiming poets (women didn’t really have it that good, to be honest). When they got bored they’d have a bit of a debate about whether one should be democratic or aristocratic, what banqueting meant to your heart or the meaning of higher pleasures. Then they’d go back to making love and discovering flotation. Sounds great.

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European Democracy: 2012/2014 another Stepping Stone?

By Alexis Lefranc


It has become common talk across the European Union to blame the Commission for being undemocratic, and a better representative of financial elites than of the people’s interest. Populist parties wallow in corrosive attacks on “Brussels’ diktats”, while mainstream politicians do not dare risk a stand in favour of Commissioners widely seen as unelected technocrats out of touch with the grassroots.

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Combining Keynes and Schumpeter: a Way Out of the Crisis

Report written by Henri Rouilleault (for Terra Nova)

Austerity politics initiated by Nicolas Sarkozy and Angela Merkel focus on reducing public deficits. This is done without consideration for the damaging effects of a generalised fiscal tightening on the European economy.

 According to Henri Rouilleault, the way to go is to support investment and demand through Keynesian stimulus, while leading clear supply-side policies to foster innovation, growth and employment, as suggested by Schumpeter. Lire la Suite →

The Nuclear Security Summit in Seoul, 26-27th March 2012

By Alexis Lefranc

Held on Monday 26th and Tuesday 27th March, the 2nd Nuclear Security Summit aimed to “seek joint response measures and ways to cooperate to strengthen nuclear security, based on a shared recognition at the highest level of its importance”*. Heads of international organisations as well as 53 heads of State met over two days to consider coordinated action on nuclear security. As well as the protection of nuclear facilities, themes of prevention against nuclear terrorism and trafficking of nuclear material are on the agenda. Lire la Suite →

Macky Sall, new president of Senegal

Macky Sall (Photo: © AFP)

 

By Sandrine Lemare-Boly

Tuesday 27th of March: The city of Dakar is usually a lively place. Yesterday, the atmosphere in the streets of the Senegalese capital was one of calm and serenity. Most of the shops were closed, street vendors had disappeared, administrations given their employees a day off, schools were closed… The Senegalese were enjoying what they had celebrated the day before: a power change (l’alternance).
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