Spring in the East?

Spring in the East?

by | May 23, 2018

The Western media greeted the unexpected defeat of Malaysia’s governing coalition in the general election held last week with a mixture of surprise and delight. The opposition multi-party ‘alliance of hope’ (Pakatan Harapan) had democratically triumphed over seemingly...
The Good Friday Agreement is in relatively good health

The Good Friday Agreement is in relatively good health

by | Apr 10, 2018

20 years on, the Good Friday Agreement is in relatively good health. That may sound surprising to some given the coverage – including the recent intervention of Hilary Clinton – and occasional noises emanating from Dublin, Brussels and ultra-remain supporters in...
Democracy and Brexit

Democracy and Brexit

by | Feb 20, 2018

Last week the Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson gave a major speech at Policy Exchange – the first in a series by Cabinet Ministers setting out the UK Government’s approach to Brexit. Through the device of a conversation with a constituent, Johnson sought to explain why...
What might we expect from the German federal election?

What might we expect from the German federal election?

by | Sep 17, 2017

Traffic light, pizza connection, tiger-duck, Jamaica coalition. Anyone unexcited about next Sunday’s German federal election should find intrigue in the memorable colour-combination terms for the country’s potential governing alliances. Those combinations represent...
An Irish perspective on the Brexit Talks so far

An Irish perspective on the Brexit Talks so far

by | Jul 30, 2017

As the summer break approaches, and with the first two rounds of Brexit negotiations completed, some early assessments can be made about the state of play. The general feeling on both sides of the Channel seems to be one of frustration. The EU Chief Negotiator, Michel...