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Europe

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Europe is described here in a geographical sense. It is not limited to the European Union, and includes, for example, the United Kingdom and the Balkans. It remains central to international relations.

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EU flag waving in front of European Parliament building. Brussels, Belgium
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Publications
Date de publication
September 2025

Trump II and the World / Politique étrangère, Vol. 90, No. 3, 2025

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Visuel PE3-2025 en anglais
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Does Trumpism exist? And if so, how can its ideology be characterized, given the myriad currents underpinning it—from populism and the Christian Right to paleolibertarianism and technolibertarianism? Does it embody a genuine worldview that informs its diplomatic actions?  An obsessive drive to overturn long-standing practices, alliances, and commitments deemed “detrimental” to American interests, coupled with a fixation on transactional, one-off deals, appears to serve as its de facto strategy—hence the widespread weakening of allied ties. Observers are equally at a loss to discern an economic strategy, and above all reluctant to anticipate the possible outcomes of its contradictory maneuvers.

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Russia’s New Challenges in the Baltic/Northern European Theater

Date de publication
14 November 2023
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The long war in Ukraine has brought a drastic geopolitical reconfiguration of the Baltic theater and a deep shift in the military balance between Russia and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

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France Links Conversation in Russian to Star of David Graffiti

08 November 2023
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After more than 200 blue stars were stenciled on buildings in and around Paris, prosecutors say they are investigating whether a foreign intermediary paid a couple to spray paint them.

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New Impulses for Stagnant Relationships - German-French Ministerial Council Meets in a New Format

Date de publication
18 October 2023
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As the doors of the illustrious Hôtel Beauharnais on Rue de Lille 78 swung open on the evening of 4 October, and the masses streamed into the German Embassy in Paris to celebrate German Unity Day, the reports of the currently strained state of Franco-German relations seemed almost surreal. 

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Labor Shortage in Germany? Between Demographic Reality and Labor Market Needs

Date de publication
16 October 2023
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The debate about labor shortages has been long dominating the German public debate. It has been pushed to the agenda again in the context of recent reforms in migration policy. Paradoxically, Germany boasts a robust population size, a significant labor force, and a notably larger proportion of working-age individuals compared to France. 

Anne SALLES
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Towards a New European Trade Strategy in Times of Geopolitical Upheaval: The German Perspective

Date de publication
06 October 2023
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As one of the most successful trading blocs, the EU sees itself confronted with the erosion of the global rules-based trading system and trade becoming increasingly weaponized.

Klemens KOBER

Zeitenwende: The Bundeswehr’s Paradigm Shift

Date de publication
29 September 2023
Accroche

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, marked a turning point in German defense policy. After thirty years of military downsizing, the Bundeswehr found itself at an extremely low capability level just as a high-intensity war involving a great power was breaking out on Europe’s doorstep for the first time since 1945. Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s response was to embrace this “turning point” (Zeitenwende) by launching a major program to reequip Germany’s armed forces.

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Can Politics and Business Align? Policy, Transparency and Logistics

25 September 2023
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Politics and business can be intertwined in many ways but also conflicting. This is especially the case regarding foreign investments and possible influence by third countries in Europe, for example.

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Europe: Turning to the Union to Respond to Citizens

Date de publication
12 September 2023
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To deal with the internal and external challenges of a new era, the European Union must reform its institutions: review Member States' right of veto, strengthen the Commission, and take action on foreign policy and security matters, energy, the single market and the economy, social policy, health and immigration—while at the same time considering expansion. This is the only way for the Union to preserve the values of freedom and democracy that underlie European integration.

Enrico LETTA
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DOSSIER - 60th anniversary of the Elysée Treaty (1963) and implementation of the Treaty of Aachen (2019): where do Franco-German relations stand?

Date de publication
29 June 2023
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On January 23, 2023, France and Germany celebrated the 60th anniversary of the Élysée Treaty. This is an opportunity for us to analyze the state of relations between the two countries, and the contribution made by the Treaty of Aachen, which was added in 2019.

Paul MAURICE Hans STARK Claire DEMESMAY, Visiting professor, Alfred Grosser Research Chair, Sciences Po Jérôme VAILLANT
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France’s Place Within NATO: Toward a Strategic Aggiornamento?

Date de publication
27 June 2023
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With a rapidly deteriorating security environment, a chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan, internal disputes exploding into public view, and questions being raised about the scope of its security responsibilities, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) seemed to be in dire straits at the time of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022.

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Luxembourg: Being Determines (European) Consciousness

Date de publication
01 March 2016
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A key element to understand the Luxembourgish perspective on the EU relates to its geography. Contacts with citizens from neighbouring countries are daily and affect the kind of society that Luxembourg has become, quite multinational. Similarly, the presence of many international companies leads Luxembourg to favour open markets for labour, services, goods and capital.

Guido LESSING
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Finland: In Search of an Effective and Equitable European Union

Date de publication
01 March 2016
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Finland joined the European Union with three main goals in mind: protection against military threats (Finland remains outside NATO), gaining influence within and through the EU, and economic opportunities via a full-fledged participation in the Single Market.

Tuomas ISO-MARKKU

The European Union in the Fog, Introduction.

Date de publication
01 March 2016
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The Building Bridges project looks at the national perspectives on the European Union. This publication gathers contributions from across the EU. It sheds light on Member States’ motivations to participate in the EU and views on its future. Accessible and analytical, this volume is an ideal reference guide for practitioners, experts, students and European citizens.

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The Challenges of Maintaining Nuclear Cultures : US and UK perspectives

Date de publication
26 January 2016
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After the world entered the nuclear age, civilian and military organizations have witnessed the slow emergence of nuclear cultures, defined as the set of values and knowledge, shared among the national security community, about the relative importance of nuclear weapons in the country’s defense posture, the distinctive features of nuclear weapons in terms of security, safety and operational requirements, and the workings of deterrence. 

Linton BROOKS Tom McKANE
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Visions of EU Reform - Written evidence to the House of Lords

Date de publication
18 December 2015
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Vivien Pertusot provided written evidence to the inquiry of the EU Select Committee of the UK's House of Lords on "Visions of EU Reform". This inquiry is organised in the context of the UK Government's renegotiation and future referendum on the EU.

 

China vs. USA: After South China Sea, the Arctic as a Second Act

Date de publication
11 December 2015
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The focus on the power confrontation between China and the U.S. has for a while been directed towards the South China Sea, but a focus should be given to the Arctic region, where the second act is already ongoing.

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Mapping Europe-China Relations: A Bottom-Up Approach. A Report of the European Think-tank Network on China ETNC, October 2015

Date de publication
12 November 2015
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As China’s rise continues to shape and shake the course of international affairs, and Europe enters a new chapter in its collective history, Europe-China relations are becoming more relevant, but also much more complex.

Mikko HUOTARI Miguel OTERO-IGLESIAS John SEAMAN Alice EKMAN
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EU Reform: Mapping out a state of flux

Date de publication
30 September 2015
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“EU Reform” is widely discussed across Europe but rarely defined. This report analyses how the 28 member states of the European Union understand “EU reform” and provides an insight into how their views might play out in debates on the future of the EU as well as on day-to-day politics.

European Defence: Minilateralism is not the enemy

Date de publication
30 May 2015
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To access the whole publication, please click on this link.

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Related centers and programs
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The Pariser Platz (Paris Square) on the east side of the Brandenburg Gate at Berlin, Germany
The Study Committee on Franco-German Relations (Cerfa)
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The Study Committee on Franco-German Relations (Cerfa) was created in 1954 by an inter-governmental agreement between the Federal Republic of Germany and France, in order to raise awareness of Germany in France and analyze Franco-German relations, including in their European and international dimensions. In its conferences and seminars, which bring together experts, political leaders, senior decision-makers and representatives of civil society from both countries, Cerfa develops the Franco-German debate and stimulates political proposals. It regularly publishes studies through two collections: Cerfa notes and studies as well as Franco-German visions.

 

Cerfa maintains close relations with the network of German foundations and think tanks. In addition to its research and debate activities, Cerfa promotes the emergence of a new Franco-German generation through original cooperation programs. This is how in 2021-2022, Cerfa led a program on multilateralism with the Konrad Adenauer Foundation in Paris. This program is aimed at young professionals from both countries interested in the issues of multilateralism in the context of their activities. It covered a wide range of themes relating to multilateralism, such as international trade, health, human rights and migration, non-proliferation and disarmament. Previously, Cerfa had participated in the Franco-German future dialogue, co-led with the DGAP from 2007 to 2020, and supported by the Robert Bosch Foundation and the Daniel Vernet group (formerly the Franco-German Reflection Group) which was founded in 2014 upon the initiative of the Genshagen Foundation.

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France, Austria Flags, European Union
Austro-French Centre for Rapprochement in Europe (ÖFZ)
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The Austro-French Centre for Rapprochement in Europe (ÖFZ/CFA) is a Franco-Austrian intergovernmental organization, initiated in 1976 by Prime Minister Jacques Chirac and Federal Chancellor Bruno Kreisky, in order to develop economic relations between Western and Eastern Europe, contributing to the creation of a Europe of peace.


After the fall of the Berlin Wall, the ÖFZ/CFA refocused its action on the problems following the enlargement of the European Union, and integrated the following countries in its field of activities : Hungary, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, the Baltic countries, Romania and Bulgaria. ÖFZ/CFA's vocation, as a space for reflection and exchange, is in fact reinforced by the need to support the new member countries of the Union in their integration process. Since 2004, the ÖFZ/CFA has also turned towards the Union's new neighbors, in particular towards the countries of the Western Balkans, which perceive their future from a European perspective.


The ÖFZ/CFA strives to place all of its exchanges in a global perspective concerning the future of our continent. Today it centers its activities around three directions: the Franco-Austrian bilateral dialogue, the future of the European Union, the future recomposition of the continent.

Reports of all events organized by the ÖFZ/CFA are available on its website (http://oefz.at). The ÖFZ/CFA's budget is provided by the French and Austrian foreign ministries. Depending on the themes addressed, the ÖFZ/CFA calls on European public and private institutions to help finance its meetings. The CFA's orientations benefit from the recommendations of an Orientation Council, approved by a Board of Directors, which elects from among its members a president and a secretary general.

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EU flag waving in front of European Parliament building. Brussels, Belgium
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