Showing results for "Shoura Council"

UK foreign policy needs a strategy, not slogans

  • Former Conservative Foreign Secretary Douglas Hurd asserted in the 1990s that the UK had been able to “punch above its weight” in the post-war era, despite it no longer being a great power. That statement may have been true during much of the decades since, too, but is under increasing scrutiny...
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Case against Scottish independence needs to be made again

  • Scottish National Party leader Nicola Sturgeon is gearing up for a big conference in March to prepare for the next steps on her mission to deliver her nation’s secession from the UK, despite the political and economic black hole this would likely lead it into. In recent months, Sturgeon has be...
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2023 is set to shape global politics for the next decade

  • Last year was a big one in terms of global politics, not least because of the US midterm congressional elections in November. But 2023 will be a huge year for elections as well, and the international markets are already looking ahead to a wide range of eye-catching polls in so-called “middle po...
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We have reached a historic tipping point in EU-China relations

  • As French President Emmanuel Macron prepares for his big trip to China in the New Year, a huge debate is brewing in Europe about the bloc’s policy on Beijing, which might well have reached a historic tipping point. Macron will be just the latest senior European figure to visit China in recent...
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EU may be forced to act to prevent industry exodus

  • Trans-Atlantic ties were forecast to improve significantly and sustainably during Joe Biden’s presidency, yet we are two years into his term of office and relations are deteriorating as a result of the Inflation Reduction Act. This landmark legislation was initially welcomed by key EU stakeho...
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Europe ponders the future of its policy on Ukraine

  • This year has been an unexpectedly consequential one for the EU as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, but next year could prove to be an even bigger, tougher test for the bloc. The 27-member club surprised many in recent months with the unity it showed as it worked closely with other We...
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EU puts China ties under the microscope

  • Discussions over a potential big new gas price measure against Russia is top of the political agenda in Brussels. However, the European Council summit of 27 presidents and prime ministers this Thursday and Friday may well also be remembered for a potentially significant hardening of the EU’s fo...
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Why Italy’s election could undermine the war in Ukraine

  • The general election in Italy on Sunday is primarily being viewed through the lens of domestic politics and economics but it could have a profound effect on Europe’s stance on the war in Ukraine. It is not widely appreciated that Italy, a member of the G7 and G20, is a key outlier, in terms of...
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Europe emerges as an anchor for a potential nuclear deal with Iran

  • The two key parties in any new nuclear deal with Iran would be Washington and Tehran. Yet to the surprise of some, it is Europe that has emerged as the lynchpin of any agreement that might be concluded. Josep Borrell, the EU’s foreign affairs chief, announced the “final” text of a deal this mo...
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Six months into Ukraine war, how much longer can European unity hold?

  • Since Russia invaded Ukraine, one of the genuine geopolitical surprises to many has been the stronger than expected unity the West has shown against Moscow. Seven economics sanctions packages have been announced by the EU alone. Yet, as Wednesday marked the six-month anniversary of the start ...
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