Jeremy Cliffe
@jeremycliffe.bsky.social
Editorial Director and Senior Policy Fellow, European Council on Foreign Relations (@ecfr.eu)
https://ecfr.eu/profile/jeremy-cliffe/
https://ecfr.eu/profile/jeremy-cliffe/
While much of Europe's strategic community is focused on the continent's eastern borders, its Mediterranean margins remain as - and in the long-term, perhaps even more - important to its interests.
October 31, 2025 at 6:56 PM
While much of Europe's strategic community is focused on the continent's eastern borders, its Mediterranean margins remain as - and in the long-term, perhaps even more - important to its interests.
It’s a significant distinction, as the distance between D66 and the VVD (the centre-right liberal party formerly led by Mark Rutte) on this 🇳🇱 political compass shows. h/t @mathieugallard.bsky.social
October 29, 2025 at 8:55 PM
It’s a significant distinction, as the distance between D66 and the VVD (the centre-right liberal party formerly led by Mark Rutte) on this 🇳🇱 political compass shows. h/t @mathieugallard.bsky.social
A rainy night at the Centro Studi Americani in Rome
October 23, 2025 at 3:33 PM
A rainy night at the Centro Studi Americani in Rome
There are obvious differences between France and Spain, but none quite obviates the comparison. One leader tried to bridge the political centre and the neoliberal-authoritarian right; another has (however imperfectly) bridged the political centre and the emancipatory left.
October 6, 2025 at 5:30 PM
There are obvious differences between France and Spain, but none quite obviates the comparison. One leader tried to bridge the political centre and the neoliberal-authoritarian right; another has (however imperfectly) bridged the political centre and the emancipatory left.
September 21, 2025 at 10:44 AM
Projected overall results here ⬇️
And in-depth coverage on regional broadcaster WDR's liveblog:
www1.wdr.de/nachrichten/...
And in-depth coverage on regional broadcaster WDR's liveblog:
www1.wdr.de/nachrichten/...
September 14, 2025 at 8:57 PM
Projected overall results here ⬇️
And in-depth coverage on regional broadcaster WDR's liveblog:
www1.wdr.de/nachrichten/...
And in-depth coverage on regional broadcaster WDR's liveblog:
www1.wdr.de/nachrichten/...
North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany's most populous state, held local elections today. Support for AfD up but at 15% well below party's national polling. And lower among the young: 5th place on 11% among under-25s, who also delivered a smaller swing towards the party than did older generations.
September 14, 2025 at 8:51 PM
North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany's most populous state, held local elections today. Support for AfD up but at 15% well below party's national polling. And lower among the young: 5th place on 11% among under-25s, who also delivered a smaller swing towards the party than did older generations.
As far as the Anglo consensus is concerned, Spain's assertive centre-left government has done everything wrong: Keynesian, redistributive, socially open, net-zero-friendly, multilateralist, Trump-sceptical.
Yet the governing PSOE just hit 33% in latest CIS poll, above even its 2023 election win.
Yet the governing PSOE just hit 33% in latest CIS poll, above even its 2023 election win.
September 11, 2025 at 5:29 PM
As far as the Anglo consensus is concerned, Spain's assertive centre-left government has done everything wrong: Keynesian, redistributive, socially open, net-zero-friendly, multilateralist, Trump-sceptical.
Yet the governing PSOE just hit 33% in latest CIS poll, above even its 2023 election win.
Yet the governing PSOE just hit 33% in latest CIS poll, above even its 2023 election win.
And more generally, unhappiness at Europe's approach to Trump administration (in western states at least):
- majorities feel "humiliation" at EU/US deal
- strong majorities somewhat or entirely unsatisfied by EU's current position
legrandcontinent.eu/fr/2025/09/0...
- majorities feel "humiliation" at EU/US deal
- strong majorities somewhat or entirely unsatisfied by EU's current position
legrandcontinent.eu/fr/2025/09/0...
September 9, 2025 at 8:52 AM
And more generally, unhappiness at Europe's approach to Trump administration (in western states at least):
- majorities feel "humiliation" at EU/US deal
- strong majorities somewhat or entirely unsatisfied by EU's current position
legrandcontinent.eu/fr/2025/09/0...
- majorities feel "humiliation" at EU/US deal
- strong majorities somewhat or entirely unsatisfied by EU's current position
legrandcontinent.eu/fr/2025/09/0...
Strikingly defiant European mood in this new @grandcontinent.bsky.social poll on 🇪🇺🇺🇸 deal:
- overwhelming majorities oppose commitments to invest in US & buy US energy
- overwhelming majorities see increased arms purchases from US negatively
- (🇵🇱 as outlier)
legrandcontinent.eu/fr/2025/09/0...
- overwhelming majorities oppose commitments to invest in US & buy US energy
- overwhelming majorities see increased arms purchases from US negatively
- (🇵🇱 as outlier)
legrandcontinent.eu/fr/2025/09/0...
September 9, 2025 at 8:47 AM
Strikingly defiant European mood in this new @grandcontinent.bsky.social poll on 🇪🇺🇺🇸 deal:
- overwhelming majorities oppose commitments to invest in US & buy US energy
- overwhelming majorities see increased arms purchases from US negatively
- (🇵🇱 as outlier)
legrandcontinent.eu/fr/2025/09/0...
- overwhelming majorities oppose commitments to invest in US & buy US energy
- overwhelming majorities see increased arms purchases from US negatively
- (🇵🇱 as outlier)
legrandcontinent.eu/fr/2025/09/0...
Danish summer solstice
June 22, 2025 at 4:49 PM
Danish summer solstice
June 18, 2025 at 8:29 AM
You can find deep-dives on each party's foreign policies and ideas, and the patterns we observed across the sample, in the report.
But here's a rough overview:
ecfr.eu/publication/...
But here's a rough overview:
ecfr.eu/publication/...
June 16, 2025 at 10:04 AM
You can find deep-dives on each party's foreign policies and ideas, and the patterns we observed across the sample, in the report.
But here's a rough overview:
ecfr.eu/publication/...
But here's a rough overview:
ecfr.eu/publication/...
We focused primarily on a diverse & broadly representative group of 16 EU-based "challenger" parties and - drawing on hundreds of policy statements, speeches and voting records - dissected their positions on 43 foreign policy questions on 8 broad themes.
ecfr.eu/publication/...
ecfr.eu/publication/...
June 16, 2025 at 10:01 AM
We focused primarily on a diverse & broadly representative group of 16 EU-based "challenger" parties and - drawing on hundreds of policy statements, speeches and voting records - dissected their positions on 43 foreign policy questions on 8 broad themes.
ecfr.eu/publication/...
ecfr.eu/publication/...
Why now?
- parties outside Europe's foreign policy mainstream have topped recent polls in its 4 largest democracies,
- lead governments in 3 EU states & hold cabinet seats in 3 more,
- are near power in 9 others,
- and make up the 3rd & 4th largest EP groups.
ecfr.eu/publication/...
- parties outside Europe's foreign policy mainstream have topped recent polls in its 4 largest democracies,
- lead governments in 3 EU states & hold cabinet seats in 3 more,
- are near power in 9 others,
- and make up the 3rd & 4th largest EP groups.
ecfr.eu/publication/...
June 16, 2025 at 9:57 AM
Why now?
- parties outside Europe's foreign policy mainstream have topped recent polls in its 4 largest democracies,
- lead governments in 3 EU states & hold cabinet seats in 3 more,
- are near power in 9 others,
- and make up the 3rd & 4th largest EP groups.
ecfr.eu/publication/...
- parties outside Europe's foreign policy mainstream have topped recent polls in its 4 largest democracies,
- lead governments in 3 EU states & hold cabinet seats in 3 more,
- are near power in 9 others,
- and make up the 3rd & 4th largest EP groups.
ecfr.eu/publication/...
Particular kudos to Mikhail for the coolest acknowledgements sentence I have ever read:
ecfr.eu/publication/...
ecfr.eu/publication/...
May 27, 2025 at 4:31 PM
Particular kudos to Mikhail for the coolest acknowledgements sentence I have ever read:
ecfr.eu/publication/...
ecfr.eu/publication/...
Congrats to editor @lukasscholle.bsky.social, publishers
@adamtooze.bsky.social @isabellamweber.bsky.social @mauricehoefgen.bsky.social on the new German economics magazine Surplus.
Read the stimulating & heterodox 2nd issue ("The era of the chainsaw") here:
www.surplusmagazin.de/surplus-2-di...
@adamtooze.bsky.social @isabellamweber.bsky.social @mauricehoefgen.bsky.social on the new German economics magazine Surplus.
Read the stimulating & heterodox 2nd issue ("The era of the chainsaw") here:
www.surplusmagazin.de/surplus-2-di...
May 25, 2025 at 7:09 PM
Congrats to editor @lukasscholle.bsky.social, publishers
@adamtooze.bsky.social @isabellamweber.bsky.social @mauricehoefgen.bsky.social on the new German economics magazine Surplus.
Read the stimulating & heterodox 2nd issue ("The era of the chainsaw") here:
www.surplusmagazin.de/surplus-2-di...
@adamtooze.bsky.social @isabellamweber.bsky.social @mauricehoefgen.bsky.social on the new German economics magazine Surplus.
Read the stimulating & heterodox 2nd issue ("The era of the chainsaw") here:
www.surplusmagazin.de/surplus-2-di...
Four months on from Trump's inauguration, it's easy to worry about Europe:
- Are we really rising to the moment?
- Are we thinking hard about our global situation?
- Are we gripping events, or just being buffeted by them?
@ecfr.eu's publications are a case for optimism ⬇️
- Are we really rising to the moment?
- Are we thinking hard about our global situation?
- Are we gripping events, or just being buffeted by them?
@ecfr.eu's publications are a case for optimism ⬇️
May 22, 2025 at 3:33 PM
Four months on from Trump's inauguration, it's easy to worry about Europe:
- Are we really rising to the moment?
- Are we thinking hard about our global situation?
- Are we gripping events, or just being buffeted by them?
@ecfr.eu's publications are a case for optimism ⬇️
- Are we really rising to the moment?
- Are we thinking hard about our global situation?
- Are we gripping events, or just being buffeted by them?
@ecfr.eu's publications are a case for optimism ⬇️
Anxious expressions from Friedrich Merz and his prospective vice-chancellor Lars Klingbeil with 2nd Bundestag vote about to start
May 6, 2025 at 1:16 PM
Anxious expressions from Friedrich Merz and his prospective vice-chancellor Lars Klingbeil with 2nd Bundestag vote about to start
CDU announces its ministers in Merz's incoming government. Two key appointments for European observers: close Merz ally Thorsten Frei will head the chancellery and Johann Wadephul (@ecfr.eu council member) will be foreign minister. Points to a more consistent -and centralised- German foreign policy.
April 28, 2025 at 7:52 AM
CDU announces its ministers in Merz's incoming government. Two key appointments for European observers: close Merz ally Thorsten Frei will head the chancellery and Johann Wadephul (@ecfr.eu council member) will be foreign minister. Points to a more consistent -and centralised- German foreign policy.
Indeed. Though generally Spain spends its defence budgets well:
April 23, 2025 at 12:30 PM
Indeed. Though generally Spain spends its defence budgets well: