Photo: e-elgar.com
How do we ensure that Planet Earth is habitable, but also liveable, for our (grand)children's (grand)children? What factors are in play, and what should we consider? In this article, I attempt to get you, the reader, involved in (perfecting) a measurement system that could become a new standard to monitor sustainable development: the Sustainable Development Index.
Under the current president of the United States, that country is unlike anything its name suggests. The absolute separation of minds along party lines, the racial bubbles and prejudices, the perception of fact and fiction, and the hypocrisy surrounding religious experience makes it difficult to find anything in common that binds Americans together. How bad is it really, and what can we expect from the future?
The Associated Press
How cruel can history be? Having just secured a hard-fought victory over stubborn EU remainers, ‘Team Leave’ finally managed to escape from Brussels' straitjacket of rules and legal patronage on February 1, 2020. Within days after taking back control, however, it already had to surrender the regained sovereignty to an invisible, incalculable and deadly virus. Glory and adversity are inseparable comrades in politics. This edition of my Brexit monitor predicts that the 'walkover' Boris Johnson thought he had secured, will turn out to be an uphill battle instead.
Source: Aspen Review - issue 3/2013
Europe, at times, is its own worst enemy. Every crisis makes the EU paler, more powerless and more vulnerable. The disintegration of the EU is not an option; however; it is equivalent to political self-destruction. It is time for a new impulse. The corona crisis may turn out to be a useful catalyst. In this article, I will diagnose and prescribe for recovery.
Photo: Ben Stansall/AFP
The recent House of Commons’elections finally brought the endless Brexit soap to a sudden halt. With a majority of 43 seats and divided opposition, the Conservative party has all the cards in its hands to reshape the domestic political agenda for the next five years. It does not alter the fact, however, that there is still a long way to go internationally. 'Getting Brexit Done' is now officially a fact ... but will it work?
In the 2019 edition of my General Government Performance Index (GGPI), I focus on the influence that political systems such as the form of government and electoral system have on the quality of government administration. More specifically, I try to see if there is a relationship between these components and the level of government performance and income (in) equality relevant to citizens. In this article, I also present the results of the GGPI 2019.
Again, a Brexit deadline expires without result. Brexit will be decided in a general election (or not?). Boris Johnson plays the card of protecting 'the will of the people'' to force his luck at the ballot box. Nobody has a clue what that 'will’ might be. This article attempts to figure out what 'the people' precisely wanted when they voted for 'Leave'. It might be something quite different from what the hard Brexiteers are now aiming for.
Parliament Square, London - January 15, 2019 (Irish Times/picture by Kirsty O’Connor/PA)
The 15th of January 2019 should have gone into history as the day that the United Kingdom took back control from the European Union .... if not for the fact that everything in this file always unfolds in entirely other ways than expected, while actually nothing has changed that much. Theresa May is still there, the Brexit-deal is by no means dead, and the British remain hopelessly divided. In this interim Brexit-update, I try to explore the current situation, and make some predictions.
Has any progress been made in the Brexit negotiations during the past weeks? The signals are vague, and the details are thin. Is there any smoke, and if so where is the fire? The little that comes out of the ‘tunnel’ suggests that progress is underway on the Irish border issue and financial services, but we are as yet not allowed to know to what extent. Although I think Brexit still is a ridiculous idea, a deal is better than no deal. This article will explain why based on a comparison of performance between Ireland and the United Kingdom, since 1973. Also, the results of the 2nd quarter of 2018 of the Brexit monitor are now available as well.
The General Government Performance Index (GGPI) maps yields of government policy decisions benefitting citizens, against the burden to produce those. It provides a surprising insight into the results of policy choices made. In the 2018 edition of the GGPI, we also take a close look at how general government performance, translates into political support for the policies pursued.
