Europeans should learn from Canadian courage
“Do not retaliate and you will be rewarded,” the White House told Europe in April 2025. Our leaders believed the lie. But Mark Carney has understood that appeasement only invites more attacks.
Gulf Stream Blues
A substack on European life and politics from a unique perspective, written by Brussels-based American-European journalist Dave Keating.
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The EU is a democracy, and it has a government
My response to Daniel Hannan telling Icelanders that being a non-voting part of the EU is better than being a member state.
New Eurovision rule would block Israel from hosting after a win
Fearing further withdrawals, the EBU has ruled countries at war or in a "sensitive geopolitical situation" cannot host. They may also ban swarm-voting. The next day, they lost their Israeli sponsor.
Unprecedented euro sell-off signals new front in US threats to EU
The White House blindsided the European Central Bank by dumping billions of euros in order to protect US treasuries, then lashed out at the ECB for confirming this had happened.
Schengen is unravelling. Where is von der Leyen?
The Commission has for years been letting national capitals play political games with Schengen "temporary" exemptions. Now Sanchez says: 'You want to play games? Let's play games.'
Live from Spain and Brussels: Dave and Julien discuss why EU leaders don't want to know what's behind the Ceuta crisis
Despite evidence pointing toward Moroccan instigation, EU home affairs ministers would not even discuss the idea yesterday - reportedly at Spanish insistence.
Ceuta exposes Europe's chronic lack of unity
An EU member state was attacked, with migrants used as weapons in a seemingly orchestrated manoeuvre. Giorgia Meloni and other leaders across Europe chose to blame the country being attacked.
Burnham is right: less people should go to university
The American obsession with sending everyone toward liberal arts drove up the costs of degrees while degrading their value. Britain has been unwisely following the same road.
The five name changes that would make the EU more honest
Sylvain Kahn's book "Europe: A State Unaware of Itself" describes all the ways European leaders have used confusing language to hide the fact that the EU is a federal state.
American democracy may die in four months
With a series of speeches, the Trump administration has laid the groundwork for refusing to accept the results of the midterms in November - and refusing to seat the winners.
EU issues rash of competition fines against US tech giants
The Google, Meta and Apple fines are not, as claimed by US politicians, about censorship. But despite the small size of the punishments, Brussels is now bracing for US government retaliation tomorrow.
Can Burnham avoid the Trump trap that ensnared his predecessor?
Starmer's grovelling to the US president did not spare Britain from Trump's attacks. But as the new UK prime minister takes office today, he's hamstrung by the same "special relationship" albatross.