Think-Tank-EN

related content

Comment

Thanks to economic growth, Poland’s ruling PiS party has introduced social programs that have further bolstered its popularity. Unlike in recent European elections, the opposition is not running as a unified bloc in parliamentary elections on October 13, 2019. If PiS again wins a majority, it will take steps to cement its system of illiberal democracy. As long as he maintains good relations with Donald Trump, PiS’s leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski does not seem wary of reactions from Brussels and Berlin.

EU Foreign Policy

Unleashing the Potential of the Common Foreign and Security Policy

Taking practical steps toward a more effective Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) must become a top concern for the EU in its next political-institutional cycle. The fresh start in Brussels in terms of personnel and setup offers a window of opportunity to revise CFSP’s priorities, as well as its conceptual and institutional framework. This presupposes that member states are actually willing to subordinate their own national objectives to a common European goal and make the necessary compromises.

Viewpoint

Europe’s economic policy is currently being held hostage by incoherent decisions, which are not only crippling the euro area’s economy but also threatening global recovery. The ECB needs to admit that it cannot meet its mandate without fiscal support. In return, Germany needs to accept that true reform of Europe’s fiscal framework cannot take place without a real conversation about its debt brake policy, the schuldenbremse, and its balanced budget policy, the schwarze null.

Analysis

Overcoming Europe’s Incoherence in National Approaches to Civilian CSDP

Despite 15 years of mission practice, EU member states are often reluctant to commit considerable resources to civilian CSDP. One reason for this is the fact that EU member states diverge considerably on the role and strategic relevance they attribute to civilian crisis management in general, and civilian CSDP specifically. This divergence hampers a common understanding on the future direction of civilian CSDP, which is direly needed to strengthen it through the Civilian CSDP Compact.

Analysis

Germany, the EU, and NATO Need New Political Initiatives and Military Defense Systems

The range of air-based threats is expanding with considerable speed and intensity. The main reason is the proliferation of technologies and weapons systems. Germany could play a leading role in the necessary adaptation of arms control regimes and in the development of new air defense capabilities. To this end, Germany should initiate a PESCO project on short-range air defense and an air defense capability cluster within NATO.