European Union: Caught in the Fertility Trap

The European Union has voiced concern about low fertility as a major demographic challenge. If it stays at these low levels, the population quickly moves from growth to decline, which is already happening in Germany, despite immigration

A Right and Proper Death of the Euro When the proposal was initially made for a common European currency, it seemed to be a good idea. Although inexpert in economics, it struck me as an effect of a false analogy with the United States that was common in Europe at that time

The Acute Jihadist Threat in Europe

While Europe as a whole is suffering from the economic crisis, the Muslim population has been hit particularly hard. This, in addition to the frequent discrimination against Muslims, leaves many Muslims feeling alienated, disenfranchised and resentful

Europe, Unemployment and Instability

The global financial crisis has slowly yielded to a global unemployment crisis. This unemployment crisis will give way to a political crisis. The crisis involves all three of the major pillars of the global system -- Europe, China and the United States

Delusions of the Anti-War Crowd

It would indeed be nice if there were no wars anywhere on Earth. It would also be great to own five BMWs and three private islands. Both are equally unlikely scenarios, yet only the first is accepted as plausible by the perpetually deluded

Military Interventions Rarely Fulfill Their Goals

Military interventions by powerful nations into lesser ones, such as now continues in Mali (and Afghanistan), and is being urged by many into the Syrian civil war, are inherently reckless since even the most powerful states can have the whole project blow up on them

Mali a Sign of France's Reset Africa Policy

After mounting a military operation to help Mali crush Islamist extremists, some observers say the Mali intervention symbolizes a changed French relationship with Africa -- and the presidency of French leader Francois Hollande

From Here to Timbuktu

One longs for the heyday of ancient Timbuktu. Unfortunately, the broad region of West Africa that includes present-day Mali has had its share of geopolitical turmoil since at least the eighth century

As Hollande Struggles, So Does the Opposition

France has a double crisis. Its ruling political party, Francois Hollande's Socialist, is in a state of catatonia, usually defined as a condition of incoherence with alternate periods of stupor and activity

Europe is Divided Again: This Time It's Creditors vs Debtors

The euro crisis is now threatening to turn the European Union into something fundamentally different. The member countries are divided into two classes -- creditors and debtors -- with the creditors in charge

Siena Conference Further Evidence of Stalemated Euro Zone

The European Union is at risk of being destroyed by the euro. The credit crisis has created divisions in Europe which are undermining what was supposed to be mutual confidence and solidarity

The Futility of European Elections

Elections in Greece and France may be further dividing the Continent

Nice: Capital City of the French Riviera

Nice is much more than the beach and the sea. With its fine palette of museums, good food, and ramble-worthy old town, Nice is the enjoyable big-city highlight of any French Riviera visit

Europe's Optional Catastrophe

If the eurozone splinters, it will have been an avoidable disaster. The choice lies with Germany, which can save the monetary union if it allows for policies aimed at debt relief and growth, not just slashing deficits

European Elites Can't Stop Themselves Crashing Their Own Project

Throughout the Euro crisis, the Euro elite has suffered from the same inability to imagine failure that led to August 1914. Even days before the outbreak of war, it was thought impossible because the consequences would end the system

England and France Move On to Euro 2012 Quarterfinals

Wayne Rooney played hero for England, scoring the game-winning goal to defeat co-host Ukraine, 1-0, in Group D. France lost to Sweden, 2-0, but still advanced to the final eight

England and France Battle to Draw at Euro 2012

England and France battled to a 1-1 tie to start their campaign in the European Championship 2012 Group D

France's Geopolitical Strategy

New political leaders do not invent new national strategies. Rather, they adapt enduring national strategies to the moment. And for France, the underlying issue remains constant: France's struggle for a dominant role in Europe at a time of German ascendance

What's New in France for 2013

Travelers to France find a rich and constantly changing palette of cultural and historic sights. Here's a review of what's new or different in la belle France for 2013

David Beckham Signs Five-Month Deal with Paris St-Germain

Soccer superstar David Beckham inked a five-month deal with Paris St-Germain with his compensation going to charity. Beckham was most recently a member of the MLS champion Los Angeles Galaxy

Europe: The Politics of Fear

Like ghosts from the past, we see political violence, xenophobia, migrants being scapegoated and extreme nationalism creeping into our public debates -- even into our parliaments. This is a Europe diverging from its founding principles

The French View of The Petraeus Sex Scandal

French public reaction to American CIA Director Gen. David Petraeus' suicide-bombing of his own career demonstrates a lack of understanding of the perceived offense in favor of a blind defense of libertinism

Alsace: Europe's Cultural Hybrid

Alsace is France with a German accent. Its unique mix of cultures offers enchanting cobbled villages, scenic vineyards, gourmet cuisine and art that is as vibrant as the medieval day it was painted

France Trips Canada - Books Trip to Women's Basketball Quarterfinals

France booked a place in the quarterfinal round of Olympic women's basketball after beating Canada, 64-60, for its third win in as many games

European Union Better Off as Concentric Powers, Not US Imitation

Nearly every step towards total union has revealed still more of the inherent factors of disunity in Europe and has dramatized how distant 'Europe' has become from the simple and lucid ambitions of its origins

Why France Elected a Socialist President

The best France can hope for now is that the newly elected Francois Hollande takes a plunge into a pothole of pragmatism and douses any budding socialist ideas

French Elections Lesson

The defeat of French President Nicolas Sarkozy in the French elections provides a clear lesson

Elections Could Shift European Union Away from Austerity, But Should They?

The elections in France and Greece seem widely to have been taken, at least on the European and American left, as a solution to the great European economic crisis

Let Sleeping Germans Lie

All over Europe, the gospel is that tight-fisted Germans are at the root of the European Union meltdown: They worked too hard, saved too much, bought too little and borrowed not at all

Culture Still Matters

You can learn a lot about Europe's current economic crises by just ignoring the sophisticated barrage of news analysis and instead watching, listening, and talking to people

Arms Dealer Claims Gaddafi Donated $65 Million to Sarkozy

A French-Lebanese businessman claims that former French president Nicolas Sarkozy received more than $65 million in campaign donations from former Libyan leader Moammar Gaddafi in 2006

French Satirical Newspaper to Publish Prophet Mohammed Biography

French satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo, which has long faced Muslim ire over publishing holy Prophet Mohammed's cartoons in the past, disclosed its plans to release an educational comic book biography

French Favor Obama -- Which Shows They Have Much to Learn

The people of France have spoken on the subject of the U.S. presidential election. Naturally, you couldn't care less about what anyone else (let alone the French) thinks about you or your electoral choices, right?

Languedoc: France's Hidden Corner

Sunny, out-of-the-way Languedoc is an intoxicating part of the world. Stretching from the Mediterranean to the Pyrenees in southwest France, it shares a balmy climate, winter wind, grapevines, and the sea with Provence

Giroud Goal Helps France Tie Spain in World Cup Qualifying

Substitute forward Olivier Giroud buried a goal in extra time to carry France to a 1-1 draw over defending champion Spain in a qualifying match for the 2014 World Cup

Congratulations, Europe, on Winning the Nobel Peace Price

The Nobel Committee recently awarded its prestigious top prize to 500 million people who have, for the last 65 years, made a conscious decision to live together in peace and harmony: the European Union

Would a Stronger European Federation Even Help?

Seventeen economically disparate nations bound their fortunes together in creating the euro zone, and it is exactly this that has thrown the European project into crisis

Waiting for a European Santa Claus

Voters in France and Greece proved that they're willing to cycle through governments over and over until someone fixes their predicament. They want Santa Claus, as if they were 5 years old again

Austerity Strategy is Fatally Flawed

Economists continue inveighing against austerity strategies. But none of them seem capable of explaining in plain, simple language why imposing austerity now is utterly foolhardy -- in fact, just plain stupid

Europe's Dilemma: Immigration and the Arab Spring

It's time Europe stopped viewing immigrants as a threat to society

Hollande Beats Sarkozy, Claims French Presidency

Socialist Francois Hollande edged ahead of incumbent Nicolas Sarkozy in a runoff election Sunday to claim the French presidency

Sarkozy's Gaddafi Connection Helps Make His Defeat a Fait Accompli

French President Nicholas Sarkozy is alleged to have maintained backdoor ties to the Libyan government from 2005 to 2011

French Election's First Round Narrows the Field

The French elections have settled one question, that of the two finalists for the presidency

Tactical Realities of the Toulouse Shootings

Government bureaucracies do not deal well with ambiguity, and terrorists tend to be very ambiguous

Europe After the Crisis: How to Sustain a Common Currency

Over the past two years, the eurozone members have done a remarkable job managing the short-term symptoms of the crisis, although the costs have been great. Yet the long-term challenge remains

How France's Quiet Man is Upsetting the European Applecart

Thirty-one years ago Francis Mitterrand became the only left-wing president of France's Fifth Republic, and set off on the path of Socialism in one country, with dramatic consequences. The parallels are evident

Surviving a Lost Decade

Even before the financial sector and sovereign debt crisis began to destabilise Europe's banking system, European leaders were voicing fears that the Old World might be slipping towards global irrelevance

Greek Unrest the Result of Suppressed Democracy

In Greece, opinion is that once again, as in 1917, 1940 and 1947, when, as they are convinced, they were ill-used by the great Western powers, they once again are victims of Western Europe, and especially of Germany

The Failure of the Euro

The euro should now be recognized as an experiment that failed. The political goal of creating a harmonious Europe has also failed

Moody's Downgrades Top Three French Banks

Moody's is downgrading the credit rating of all three of France's top banks because of the difficulty they have borrowing money

Stage Set For 2012 Euro Cup Finals

The stage is set for the 2012 Euro Cup following Friday's draw that saw host Poland and Ukraine getting the top draws while Spain placed in a tougher group. Poland was drawn in Group A along with Greece, Russia, and Czech Republic

Europe's Crisis: Beyond Finance

Everyone is wondering about the next disaster to befall Europe. Italy is one focus; Spain is also a possibility. But these crises are already under way. Instead, the next crisis will be political, not in the sense of what conventional politician is going to become prime minister, but in the deeper sense of whether Europe's political elite can retain power

Why Care About the French Presidential Race

For most people, the knee-jerk reaction to an event on the other side of the world is, 'Why should I give a toss what happens in France?' While such foreign-policy prowess might be a hit at the local pub, would it really be smart to ignore an election that will impact everything in your life for which you pay or require borrowed money? Bear with me as I explain

Euro Zone Rescue: Deja Vu All Over Again

The crisis won't be over until the underlying flaw of the euro is fixed -- namely the separation of monetary and fiscal policy. German public opinion has to realise that the euro was built on imperfect foundations and that these imperfections must be corrected. Meanwhile, the Italian president of the ECB will need all his technical and political expertise to keep the Eurozone together

Eurozone Rescue or Recession? Fallout of the October Package

It was short-term good news in that it defused 'the bomb' -- the possible catastrophe vortex of failing banks and defaulting sovereigns. The bad news is that it will induce a recession. Banks will create a credit crunch in trying to meet capital adequacy ratios, and the new austerity will create a fiscal contraction

European Union Leaders Reach Deal on Greece, but Worries Remain

European Union leaders have brokered a deal to reduce Greece's debt and hopefully stem the continent's lingering debt crisis. The deal is a major move forward, but it is still only one step in restoring stability on a continent beset by economic woes

Terrorist Hijacks French Elections

In France, an Islamic terrorist has likely hijacked the agenda for the remainder of the French presidential race

Toulouse Killings Send Tremors Through French Presidential Election

What had seemed a long, tranquil current of political success that was conveying Francois Hollande to the French presidency has run into turbulence

France: Sarkozy's Cry for Help

French President Nicolas Sarkozy was elected by promising to modernize France's societal infrastructure and bring it more into line with America's. But then something got in the way: France

Enforcing Budgetary Discipline in the Eurozone

Europe's new fiscal compact treaty attempts to force regional reform without challenging sovereignty

A Royal Treat: Chateaux-Hopping Near Paris

Vaux-le-Vicomte is one of several sumptuous palaces studding the region around Paris. The most famous of these is Versailles. But several other chateaux also make for worthy day trips

Germany's Role in Europe and the European Debt Crisis

Increasingly, the European debt crisis is ceasing to be a Greek or Italian crisis. It is a crisis in the future role Germany will play in Europe

What Happens if Italy's Economy Collapses?

While Europe panicked about Greece, Italy drew closer to the brink of economic ruin. No one was paying attention while Rome was burning. Until recently

Uncertainty Rises as Eurozone Crisis Deepens

With no end in sight for the two-year-old euro crisis, the question now is can the EU survive it while remaining united?

Is Europe Over?

What made Europe a compelling political, economic, and social alternative wedged between Anglo-American free marketeers and Soviet nomenklatura is rapidly becoming a thing of the past

France Planning Eurozone Breakaway

The current European Union is under threat no longer just from the debt contagion caused by weaker members, but also by plans of more prosperous members to form a breakaway group

EU Leaders Announce New Eurozone Rescue Deal

EU leaders announced a new plan to contain the debt crisis in the euro area, after private banks and investors agreed to write off 50% of Greek debt from their books

Can Europe's Divided House Stand?

Conventional wisdom has it that the eurozone cannot have a monetary union without also having a fiscal union. Euro-enthusiasts see the single currency as the first steppingstone toward a broader economic union, which is their dream. Euroskeptics do, too, but they see that endgame as hell -- and would prefer the single currency to be dismantled

Bailout Fund Support May Cause France to Lose Top Credit Rating

Moody's Investors Service warned France that it may lose its top AAA credit rating because of French support for the bailout fund and the country's weakened finances

Hollande to Challenge Sarkozy in 2012 French Presidential Election

The French Socialist Party nominated Francois Hollande as their candidate for the 2012 presidential election. He is expected to battle incumbent President Nicolas Sarkozy

Dexia Bank's Collapse and the European Financial Crisis

Peter Zeihan discusses the collapse of the Franco-Belgian bank Dexia and examines its effects on the European debt crisis

European Crisis: Precise Solutions in an Imprecise Reality

The plans all are financial solutions to a particular set of financial problems. But regardless of whether they are realistic in addressing the financial problem, the question of whether the financial issue really addresses the fundamental dilemma of Europe -- which is political and geopolitical -- remains

France's Burgundy: Wine, Barging, and Beyond

My favorite corner of France is Burgundy, a region overflowing with edible, drinkable, scenic, and floatable delights

French Presidential Election Reveals Plenty of Jaded Voters

In France's presidential election the incumbent is running far behind his challenger in a contest that has more to do with personal character than issue

Will Any Part of Europe Save Itself?

Socialism and its accompanying economic devastation thrive on complexity and red tape. If something is so simple that anyone can figure it out, then a socialist is being deprived of a livelihood. That's the dragon Europe is now stuck having to slay

France: Socialism Bombs Out Again

Once again, socialism has put a silver fork in itself. Standard & Poor's downgraded France's credit rating, giving the country the side-eye on its claims to have its debt under control

What's New in France

While their economies may be undergoing turbulence in 2012, positive changes in France and Spain are also in the air -- making this year a good time to touch down in these essential European destinations

Will the Euro Survive 2012?

2012 could be the make-or-break moment for the embattled eurozone. Europe could either continue on the path of ever-greater integration - or return to being a regional group of rival states.

French Push Hard to Clinch Jet Deal with UAE

Fresh from battle experience over Libya, a French Rafale jet is heading to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to strut its stuff amid a heavy pitch to finally clinch a deal for the first foreign sale of the fighter aircraft

France Teetering on Edge of Financial Precipice

France, like all of Europe, is caught in an economic tsunami, and France is teetering at the edge of the precipice. Every week, it seems, presidents and prime ministers hold urgent meetings searching for a solution, culminating with the G-20 convocation recently. Still, the problem grows only worse

The Perverse Side Effect of the Euro

We may be looking at the possibility of a worldwide financial meltdown

Why Does America Defend the Weak and Small?

Only the United States seems to have an affinity for protecting tiny, vulnerable countries. Israelis, anti-communist Chinese, Kurds, Greeks and Armenians have a few things in common. They have relatively small populations, aggressive neighbors, few strong allies, many expatriates and refugees in the United States, and a tragic history of persecution and genocide

Behind Europe's Debt Crisis Lurks Another Wall Street Bailout

If you want the real reason for concern in the United States about what's happening in Europe, follow the money. A Greek (or Irish or Spanish or Italian or Portuguese) default would have roughly the same effect on our financial system as the implosion of Lehman Brothers in 2008. That is, financial chaos

Better Ways Forward for the European Union

The European Union is presently a source of great instability that leaders have yet to tackle. This column argues the current policy response is misguided. The adjustment programmes are bound to fail to achieve sustainable budget deficits, and may result in an unprecedented destruction of economic activity

Solving A Deadly Eurozone Sovereign Debt Crisis

Time is running out for EU leaders to put an end to the Eurozone crisis. This column explains how leaders could find a definitive solution to Greece insolvency, isolate solvent countries from possible Greek contagion, improve EU governance by creating a true European parliament, and refocus on a pro-growth policy mix

Exporters Armed Arab Spring Crackdown

Repressive regimes of the Middle East and North Africa had all the equipment they needed to quash Arab Spring protests, thanks to arms exporters

Assessing the Damage of the European Banking Crisis

Europe faces a banking crisis it has not wanted to admit even exists

The Crisis of Europe and European Nationalism

Europe was seen as a work in progress moving inevitably toward unification -- a group of nations committed to a common fate. What was a core vision in 2008 is now gone. What was inconceivable -- the primacy of the traditional nation-state -- is now commonly discussed, and steps to devolve Europe in part or in whole are being contemplated. This is not a trivial event

France Hikes Taxes to Reduce Deficit

French Prime Minister Francois Fillion announced tax hikes to reduce the country's budget deficit by $.17.3 billion (EUR 12 billion) over the next two years

European Union Spending Cuts and Tax Hikes Hurt GDP Growth

A new round of second-quarter GDP figures shows slowing growth in the EU, which makes for a complicated economic situation, as reduced government spending can further stifle growth. Some economists say that, in tackling this dilemma, European governments are focusing too closely on their balance sheets and neglecting to propose real growth policies

Eurozone Manufacturing Slowing

Manufacturing in the 17-nation eurozone slowed down in August, marking the first time since September 2009 that the manufacturing sector contracted, according to a survey by Markit.

Doing Multiculturalism Right

Among their other headaches, some of Europe's biggest leaders are troubled by the lukewarm state of their countries' melting pots. A combination of economic recession, terrorism fears and electoral politics has made scapegoats out of immigrants and government multiculturalism policies

France: Lessons From a Parisian Wine-Tasting

France is peppered with wineries and wine-tasting opportunities. For some people, it can be overwhelming to try to make sense of the vast range of French wines, particularly when faced with a no-nonsense winemaker or sommelier. I'm no wine expert and would never claim to be, but I've learned a lot

Franco-German Call for Change in the EU Meets with Much Opposition

The European Union's leaders, Germany and France, decided to try to change the EU's Lisbon Treaty. This is a highly charged and divisive move. While the Germans and French want important changes, a large number of the other 25 members do not

Verdun, France: A Lesson About War

World War I, the 'war to end all wars,' ended on Nov. 11, 1918. The battlefields of Verdun in France provide a poignant tribute to the 800,000 casualties suffered here during the horrific war, which raged from 1914 to 1918. Verdun is in northeastern France, not far from the Champagne region, in a strategic location between Paris and the German border

'Save' Money by Staying Out of Town

My take is that the decision to stay outside of a city center rests on how you might answer several main questions

Defending Democracy in Cote d'Ivoire

In early April French and UN helicopters bombarded the presidential residence in Abidjan. This military operation sealed the fate of incumbent Laurent Gbagbo, paving the way for Alassane Ouattara to claim office. But the French and UN action had another effect: it triggered outrage about international interference -- in particular on the part of France -- in African affairs

The Divided States of Europe

It is important to understand that the crisis is not fundamentally about Greece. After all, Greece represents only 2.5 percent of the eurozone's GDP, and the bloc's fiscal numbers are not that bad when looked at in the aggregate. The real crisis is the more fundamental question of how the European continent is to be ruled in the 21st century

France's D-Day Beaches: A Powerful Memorial

This June marks the 67th anniversary of D-Day, the Allied invasion of Normandy, and the beginning of the end of World War II. The Normandy sites are spread along 75 miles of coastline

French Demonstrations Tell a Familiar Tale

The plethora of unwanted strikes and student and youth unrest in Western Europe is a morbid condition. It is not pension claims that are driving the current political uproar. It is popular fury at the people who created the present economic crisis and have been rewarded, with everyone else left to face the consequences

Can NATO Nudge Russia Westward?

The trilateral summit between French President Nicolas Sarkozy, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev made some gains in drawing Russia closer to NATO. However, many Russians, including Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, are skeptical of the West's intentions and many new NATO members from the former Soviet bloc are uncomfortable about closer ties with Russia

Nuclear Armament Still Our Central Issue

Of all of the sources of strategic delusion and political illusion today, nuclear weapons undoubtedly make the most prodigious contribution to hypocrisy and useless expense

A French Leftist Ritual Takes on Sarkozy

This week has seen the annual ritual by which the Left in France marks summer's end and the resumption of politics as usual. This ritual is a general strike called by the Left, whenever a rightist government is in power.

Multicultural Europe?

Muliculturalism has failed. So said Chancellor Angela Merkel in a speech in Potsdam last October. David Cameron and Nicolas Sarkozy both echoed her opinion early this year. But it is not easy to know just what they meant. The term is open to so many interpretations and used in so many different ways. Is it an ideology, a set of policies, or a social reality?

Dominique Strauss-Kahn Scandal an Embarrassment for France

What can only seem the irresistible self-destruction of Dominique Strauss-Kahn has already produced fundamental and irreversible consequences in French party-political affairs, in the presidential campaign that next spring will give France a new president or confirm the succession of the present one

How to Save the Euro and the European Union

The European Union is in danger of compounding its ongoing economic crisis with a political crisis of its own making. Over the last year, crises of confidence have hit the 17 EU members that in the years since 1998 have given up their own currencies to adopt the euro. Markets behaved as though the debt of peripheral EU countries was as safe as that of core EU countries

Unexpected Revelations in Libyan Intervention

Events surrounding the military intervention in Libya these last two weeks, and what already has happened in Tunisia, Egypt and Bahrain, and what continues elsewhere in the region, have produced two unplanned but important results.

France Offers Lesson in How Not to Integrate Immigrants

My transoceanic lyricism goes flat when I hear about things like France's preposterous plan to fine Muslim women for wearing a full-face veil in public. In our globalized age, there is no shortage of hostility on the part of native populations for the immigrants among them. What explains this law is a familiar pattern of cultural politics akin to what psychologists call displacement

European Union Funding Proposal Is Only the Beginning

The dramatic European Union funding proposal is an important first step. Next comes enforcement of tough fiscal reform guidelines, which introduces a series of new political challenges and risks.

Why Sometimes Pays to Be Like Gordon Brown

Nicolas Sarkozy of France is not a man noted for charm but for his unchecked energies and the restless activity. Italy's Silvio Berlusconi is another matter entirely. He is a success in politics apparently because the majority of Italians like him. Indeed, sometimes pays to be a nondescript politician like Gordon Brown of Britain.