June 1, 2020
“Fascism combats the whole complex system of democratic ideology, and repudiates it, whether in its theoretical premises or in its practical application. Fascism denies that the majority, by the simple fact that it is a majority, can direct human society” (Benito Mussolini speech in 1932, “What is Fascism ?”) Mike Pompeo’s latest declaration… » read more
Posted by Spotlight on Geopolitics
May 20, 2020
This week’s World Health Assembly videoconference did nothing but provide an opportunity for China to take center stage in the debate about the handling of the coronavirus pandemic and for the United States to be paraded as the villain of the piece. As matters now stand, I wouldn’t be surprised to see the proposed “review”… » read more
Posted by Spotlight on Geopolitics
May 9, 2020
European diplomatic traditions, which are some of the most illustrious in the world, have not prevented the External Action Service from writing one of the most inept letters I have ever read. After months of China’s diplomatic bullying, aimed at changing the pandemic narrative in its favour, is this ill-conceived message addressed to the Chinese… » read more
Posted by Spotlight on Geopolitics
March 31, 2020
One of the most sickening aspects of the current pandemic is the way Chinese diplomats are trying to bully everyone into not calling the Covid-19 the “Wuhan virus”. From a scientific point of view, asigning to Covid-19 a geographical location for its place of origin makes a lot of sense. The Ebola virus, for instance,… » read more
Posted by Spotlight on Geopolitics
February 23, 2020
A few years ago Xi, China’s communist dictator, has toured Belgian universities. On that occasion, he tried to persuade Belgium’s would-be experts and intellectuals that in China no other political system has ever worked except the one he was embodying, at home and abroad. By using such blatant lies, Xi’s aim is to shore up… » read more
Posted by Spotlight on Geopolitics
January 25, 2020
The sudden outbreak of the coronavirus is only the latest misfortune to affect the current Chinese leadership. The other two – continuous unrest in Hong Kong and the electoral victory of the anti-Beijing presidential candidate in Taiwan – have been substantial upsets for Beijing. Truth be told, the outside world had invested in China’s emerging… » read more
Posted by Spotlight on Geopolitics
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, China |
May 16, 2019
In a recent interview, German Chancellor Angela Merkel calls for the unity of EU members to better face the Union’s major rivals China, Russia and the United States. As matters now stand, according to her, the EU cannot yet convert its economic clout into equivalent political power. In reality however, the EU , through its… » read more
Posted by Spotlight on Geopolitics
May 10, 2019
The latest EU summit – which took place yesterday in the medieval town of Sibiu, formerly the seat of power of the German community from Transylvania – was arguably one of the weirdest on record. The official agenda of the EU leaders was to discuss the future of the European Union. This was a strange… » read more
Posted by Spotlight on Geopolitics
March 1, 2019
“The surprise is not that few democracies are liberal, but that liberal democracies exist at all.” (Dani Rodrik) Making sense of the direction of the evolution of societies has always been a challenge among philosophers and social scientists alike. Before tackling the subject of liberal democracy, viewed here as a dictatorship of minorities, it is… » read more
Posted by Spotlight on Geopolitics
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, democracy, E.U., neoliberalism, USA |
January 17, 2019
The British parliament’s historical anti-Brexit deal vote is the latest act in a series of events affecting the performance of Western democracies worldwide. From the US, France and England in the West to Italy and Greece in the South of the European continent, passing by Hungary, Poland or Romania, Western-style democracies and parliamentary systems are… » read more
Posted by Spotlight on Geopolitics
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, UK |
