In Hamlet, Marcellus, an officer of the palace guard, seeing the ghost of the dead king, walking over the palace walls, observes, ‘Something is rotten in the state of Denmark’. Shakespeare would be spoiled for choice for a location for those words today – whether in Brussels, Washington, Westminster. Or indeed, at Stormont,…
When we think of Africa on our part of the Mediterranean, it is impossible to build a precise image of this continent, so large and heterogeneous, for the most unknown and for everyone fascinating and mysterious. Although unknowingly, it is, however, likely that if and when we try, our first, confused thought is directed directly…
The Brexit Saga No one could have foreseen the future the way it actually unfolded. When David Cameron proposed the referendum which would determine the future of the UK in the European Union, it was seen as a tactical move for the prime minister to insure his reelection. However, the unexpected became reality, and on…
The EU view – England’s difficulty and Ireland’s opportunity? Just after the start of the First World War in 1914, a group of Irish separatists took the decision to launch a rebellion before the war ended. Their key belief was the credo that ‘England’s difficulty is Ireland’s opportunity’. In other words, the British state would…
In the aftermath of the latest attack in London, the Italian capital city is commemorating the 60th anniversary of the Treaties of Rome, which gave birth to the European Union. On this occasion it is perhaps timely to explain to Europeans the benefits and future of the EU. The 27 European leaders have signed a…
I have decided to write an open letter. I am speaking to the people of Europe, to the people of the European Union and, in particular, to the Eurosceptics. It will impress you, perhaps, but I feel the need to talk to those who dispute the way in which the European Union is being held together…
In the past months, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the “Caliph” of the Islamic State, has constantly urged to commit attacks in Europe, by any means, also explicitly mentioning the use of cars or trucks into the crowd. In the heart of Berlin, just as had happened in Nice on July 14, a truck has invested the…
