By Jacob Levitan The issue of European strategic autonomy came up once again after the surprise announcement of the AUKUS Pact between Australia, the United States, and the United Kingdom. The Pact involved the (somewhat) surprise cancellation of Australia’s $66 billion deal for the supply of diesel-powered submarines with the French defense company Naval Group.... Continue Reading →

By Adam DuBard BOLOGNA, Italy – In early November 2019, Italy became the first country to implement mandatory climate change and sustainability lessons in their school curriculum.  Education Minister Lorenzo Fioramanti of the Five Star party, one of Italy’s major parties known for its anti-establishment rhetoric and populist policies, announced a new requirement that all... Continue Reading →

By Will Marshall December 1, 2019 BOLOGNA, Italy – The European Commission of President Ursula von der Leyen assumed office on December 1 after clearing a final hurdle in the European Parliament.  On November 27, Members of the European Parliament (MEP) approved the 27-member College of Commissioners in an uneventful 461 to 157 vote despite... Continue Reading →

By Laura Rong November 22, 2019 BOLOGNA, Italy -- On November 1, Spain agreed to host the 25th annual United Nations (UN) Climate Change conference (COP25) in December 2019, after Chilean President Sebastián Piñera cancelled plans to host citing domestic unrest.  COP25 is the main climate event of the year. Momentum for the conference built... Continue Reading →

By Laura Rong October 2019 BOLOGNA, Italy — The crucial question of whether the United Kingdom will leave the European Union  remains uncertain as the October 31 deadline for reaching a Brexit compromises rapidly approaches. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson suspended the British parliament for five weeks in a perceived attempt to prevent any further... Continue Reading →

By Christopher Hill May 2019 BOLOGNA, Italy — Only the most unreconstructed realist would deny that constitutional structures have a significant influence on the way in which a country conducts its foreign policy. The United States may be a superpower, but the implementation of its external relations is constantly affected by the separation of powers... Continue Reading →

By Charlie Lawrie October 14, 2019 BOLOGNA, Italy — At the beginning of the year, the announcement of a Green New Deal briefly dominated U.S. headlines. Led by recently-elected Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Boston stalwart Ed Markey, the Green New Deal was trumpeted as a legislative package aimed at decarbonising the US economy and... Continue Reading →