FRENCH:
Le Monde: Britain more isolated than ever
Libération: A European agreement (without Britain)
Le Figaro: Only Britain sulks over european agreement
Le Figaro: London pushes itself away from the European Union

SPANISH:

El País: Europe advances leaving UK isolated
El País: UK stands outside the agreement to strengthen Europe
Público: The EU gets rid of the UK in new austerity treaty
ABC: UK leaves the inner circle
ABC: UK heads out
El Mundo: UK- isolated in the EU
El Mundo: UK stands alone in the EU after Hungary’s ratification
La Vanguardia: EU agrees more fiscal integration and London pulls away
La Vanguardia: Euro summit ends with more fiscal integration and UK self-exclusion

How can Social Democracy counter nationalism and Euroscepticism while strengthening the EU?

The term ‘Eurosceptic’ is typically given to people of any political background who possess and advocate a highly negative attitude towards the European Union. Euroscepticism is, consequently, a set of political convictions that defines itself as ‘against’ the EU.

The central theme of my idea is that Euroscepticism only gains purchase on people’s thinking in contexts where public understanding of the EU itself is either partial or inadequate. Certainly, without access to the relevant facts – historical, institutional and ideological – the public is likely to be easily persuaded by a Eurosceptical stance.

Accordingly, what Social Democrats must do to counter Euroscepticism is to fill in the blanks and define clearly what Europe is for – not just through explanations of how the Commission, Parliament and Council operate, but through, more importantly, the articulation of a vision for Europe. Eurosceptics will be unable to capitalise on generalisations if Social Democrats provide specifics.

Key questions that arise in this situation are: What is Europe for? Why does it exist today? After decades of peace, what is its relevance? Given its geopolitical situation after 1989, what should we expect from a united Europe? What is the difference between a Europe of the Left and a Europe of the Right? To counter Euroscepticism, Social Democrats must provide compelling answers to such questions, so as to project an idea of Europe that is more than just a common economic market and, least of all, a bureaucratic mystery.

My year abroad is officially over, as I returned to the UK on Friday.

It’s been a year of great change for me, both professionally and personally, in a time of great change in politics and society.

This explains my recent redesign.

I go back to Nice tomorrow morning to reprise my role in the Parti Socialiste, before my final year in Bath in October.

The redesign is mainly layout and branding, but it should reflect a change of focus.

So many blogs today are too cynical and miserable. Attack attack attack or, worse fact fact fact.

I think my blog has always had a european focus. That is to say, Europe, not the European Union. When I write, I try to write my “insider” perspective, having lived and worked in politics across the continent.

I’ve thus tried to use my experience to explain and inform others about the world elsewhere.

So I hope you will enjoy the new refocused blog of mine as it enters its third year of life.

Welcome “Behind Closed Doors”.