Europe News
The Daily Signal covers European news with reporting, analysis, and commentary on foreign policy, international security, and economic issues.
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- News
Even After World War II, Europe in Denial About Evil
“There are none so blind as those who will not see.” One might think that after denying the evidence of Adolf Hitler’s rise and objectives that resulted in World War II, Europeans might be more attuned to modern threats. Last week on a visit to Munich (oh, the irony), Vice President Mike Pence criticized Europe’s…Cal Thomas -
- Opinion
Pompeo’s Tough Diplomacy on Display in Europe
Europeans routinely complain about being neglected by U.S. administrations. As much as Europeans doted on then-President Barack Obama, he indeed treated them with benign indifference, taking their support for granted. But now, with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo having made his way through their capitals last week, Europeans have gotten a taste of a new…Helle Dale -
- Opinion
Europe May Be at a Tipping Point. Here’s What the US Can Do.
This year is shaping up as an inflection point for Europe. Key national elections and European Union parliamentary elections could recast the Continent’s political discourse for years to come. Britain is set to leave the European Union at the end of March, and NATO will mark its 70th anniversary as it, fittingly, continues to return to its…Daniel Kochis -
- Opinion
Attack at French Christmas Market Reminder of Looming Threat Islamist Terrorists Pose in Europe
The deadly attack by a gunman Tuesday at a Christmas market in France was an unwelcome reminder of the threat Islamist terrorists pose in Europe and around the world. While police shot and killed the gunman Thursday night when he opened fire on them, the sad truth is that we can expect more attacks by terrorists like…Robin Simcox -
- Opinion
Trump Moves in the Right Direction on Trade With Europe
This week, the White House is singing a new tune on trade and it sounds promising. President Donald Trump, in a joint press conference with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, said they were “[launching] a new phase … of strong trade relations in which both of us will win.” This is a major shift in…Tori K. Smith -
- News
Asylum Numbers Significantly Drop in European Union
Asylum numbers for people seeking entry into the European Union dropped significantly between 2016 to 2017, according to the European Union asylum office. The number of asylum-seekers seeking entry into the EU lowered by 43 percent from 2017 to 2016, The Guardian reported Monday. The EU’s asylum office received 728,470 applications in 2017 compared to 1.3 million applications in 2016….Gabrielle Okun -
- Opinion
Hungary’s Experiment Could Rebuild a Sense of Nation in Europe
Hungary’s maverick prime minister, Viktor Orban, is once again stirring the pot of goulash. Four years ago, Orban gave his critics ammunition when he said he was constructing an “illiberal democracy.” This month he doubled down, declaring liberal democracy dead and urging other European leaders to stop trying to revive the corpse. Instead, Orban exhorted…Mike Gonzalez -
- Opinion
Diesel Car Drivers Pay the Price for Europe’s Strict Pollution Standards
The Federal Administrative Court of Leipzig’s recent ruling on diesel engines could spell economic pain for millions of drivers. The court’s decision, which allows the German cities of Stuttgart and Dusseldorf to ban older diesel-engine cars from sections of the cities, could likely set a precedent for much of the European Union. Other European cities…Nicolas Loris -
- Opinion
Europe Comes Up With Perfectly Orwellian Responses to ‘Fake News’
In their zeal to stamp out “fake news,” European governments are turning toward Orwellian solutions that are worse than the disease. The European Commission recently created a 39-member panel to explore avenues to eliminate fake news. On Twitter, it announced that it seeks to find a “balanced approach” to protecting free speech and making sure…Jarrett Stepman -
- Opinion
Tillerson Speech Hits Right Notes on Europe, but Weak on Support for Brexit
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson’s speech on Tuesday at the Wilson Center on strengthening Western alliances rightly placed U.S. alliances in Europe front and center for U.S. national interests. The secretary reaffirmed America’s commitment to NATO, robustly defended the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, and pushed back against Russia’s aggressive behavior in the region….Nile Gardiner -
- News
US Air Force Dusts Off Old Skills to Fight a New Kind of War in Eastern Europe
ÄMARI AIR BASE, Estonia—A memorial site for Soviet air force pilots is hidden in the woods just outside the gates of this NATO air base. Some of the monuments are of stone, overgrown and weathered, engraved with a Communist red star and a fallen pilot’s name. Other memorials are made from a fighter jet’s vertical…Nolan Peterson -
- Opinion
What Europe Should Be Doing to Prevent Another Terrorist Attack Like Barcelona
Not so long ago, scenes of death and carnage on the streets of major European cities were a rarity. Not so any more. In this year alone, there have been major Islamist attacks in London (twice), Manchester, and Stockholm. We can now add Barcelona to that list. Smaller-scale acts of violence in France (on multiple…Robin Simcox -
- News
Not Too Late to Prevent ‘Death of Europe,’ British Author Says
Europe’s migration crisis is a lesson in historical and philosophical degeneration, a best-selling British author argues. “Almost everything in this book is also a warning, in my view, to America,” said Douglas Murray, author of “The Strange Death of Europe: Immigration, Identity, Islam,” in remarks earlier this summer at The Heritage Foundation. “All the things…Katrina Willis -
- Opinion
European Union Must Not Threaten Poland’s Sovereignty
The European Union, which has long interfered in the affairs of sovereign European nations, looks to be meddling in the political affairs of Poland. On Tuesday, July 25, the president of Poland, Andrzej Duda, signed one of three controversial bills that would reform the judiciary to combat corruption, according to the ruling party. To the opposition,…Mike Muller -
- Opinion
Why This European Leader Is Embracing the Trump Presidency
Hungary’s foreign minister came to Washington seeking something from the Trump administration that his government is being denied by the European Union—sympathy for its sovereign right to make its own internal decisions and laws. He deserves a hearing. Such a return to basic relations among nation-states—let alone treaty allies and friends—is also a radical departure…Maiya Clark -
- Opinion
France Is Once Again a Battleground for the Soul of Europe
President Donald Trump followed up a successful week in Europe with a visit to France for Bastille Day and the 100-year commemoration of America’s entrance into World War I. He also held a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron to talk about the Syrian civil war, the Middle East, terrorism, and other topics…Jarrett Stepman -
- Opinion
Why President Trump’s Europe Trip Was a Success
President Donald Trump returned from Europe on Saturday, and can look back on a robust trip across the Atlantic. His speech in Warsaw’s Krasinski Square on Thursday was by far the best he has given so far on the international stage. Trump’s Warsaw address, which was a powerful defense of Western civilization and the values…Nile Gardiner -
- Opinion
Trump’s Foreign Trip Tells a Tale of 2 Europes
The reception for President Donald Trump received in two European countries during his second foreign trip couldn’t be more different. In Poland, Trump was greeted by cheering crowds as he stood in the sunshine in Krasinski Square. This is where Pope John Paul II made an earthshaking address in 1979 as the Cold War entered…Helle Dale -
- News
4 Goals for Trump’s European Trip Next Week
At the top of President Donald Trump’s agenda in Europe next week will be confronting Russia, delivering a major address on America’s vision for the continent going forward, and what constitutes “fair trade,” top White House officials said Thursday. “He’ll do what is necessary to confront Russia’s destabilizing behavior,” H.R. McMaster says. Trump will first…Fred Lucas -
- Opinion
Paris to Build a ‘Wall’ Around Eiffel Tower as Terrorism Becomes Mundane in Europe
Americans are still waiting for a border wall, but France is set to get a wall of their own by the end of the year. Unlike the American iteration, this barrier won’t be erected on the French border. It’s set to surround the Eiffel Tower to shield it from terrorist attacks. Last month, the Paris…Jarrett Stepman