EU IDEA Horizon 2020 - Final Conference

I was in Brussels this week, on April 21, 2022, to speak at the final conference of the EU IDEA Horizon 2020 project. I was on the final panel opposite Herman van Rompuy, President Emeritus of the European Council (2009-2014), in which we both addressed the topic: “A differentiated Union in a complex world.”  While the former President of the European Council discussed global issues and the clash of values in the world today, and how they affect the European Union, I discussed the clash of “big ideas,” including neo-liberalism, populism, and progressivism. I focused on the critical elections in France on Sunday, April 24, and their potential impact on Europe.  I offered a pessimistic view of what would happen were Marine Le Pen to win and implement her pledge to turn the European Union into a “Europe of Nations,” down-grading human rights, an optimistic view were Macron to win and to implement all of his visionary promises, and a realistic view, in which the EU continues to muddle through, doing a bit better in all areas.

See the program here.