Denis MacShane

2 months ago | socialeurope.eu | Denis MacShane

European leaders speak out as Istanbul’s popular mayor is imprisoned — but Labour remains curiously quiet. One of my earliest acts of international solidarity came 45 years ago, when I joined a high-level European trade union delegation to Turkey, shortly after the military coup of 1980. We were a diverse group — British and European trade unionists — trying to make sense of a complex and tense political situation.

Feb 26, 2025 | theglobalist.com | Denis MacShane |Markus Heinrich

The German election outcome is being reported by the BBC, FT and other establishment media as a “lurch to the right.” It has never been clear what a “lurch” actually means in the lexicon of political clichés. However, those in Britain or J.D. Vance and Elon Musk in the United States who went out of their way to endorse the AfD surely are disappointed. Germans say “Nein Danke” More than 4 out of 5 German said “Nein Danke” to the AfD offer.

Nov 19, 2024 | theglobalist.com | Denis MacShane |Markus Heinrich

The just concluded U.S. presidential election was at least the most important election for Europe and the world this century. It is indisputable that Donald Trump incarnates the U.S. turn to populist, nationalist and divisive politics. Trump and Europe’s spreading anti-immigrant mood Trump has plenty of allies in Europe with the rise of Marine Le Pen, Giorgia Meloni, Geert Wilders, Nigel Farage, Robert Fico, Viktor Orban, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, the AfD in Germany or FPÖ in Austria and VOX in Spain.

Oct 22, 2024 | theglobalist.com | Denis MacShane |Markus Heinrich

Greece likes to proclaim itself as the cradle of democracy. It is a fair claim, since many of the ground rules of democracy – secret ballots, open debates, enforceable laws and treatises on political philosophy – were set out in Athens 2,500 years ago. And Greece has bucked the trend of 21st century politics.

Sep 20, 2024 | theglobalist.com | Denis MacShane |Markus Heinrich

Paris. I have been patrolling the corridors of Paris politics – ministers, politicians, influencers – ever since I wrote the first biography in English of François Mitterrand 40 years ago. Unless reason prevails…In all those years, I have never come across such disarray, uncertainty and fear. Unless reason prevails, France may be on the brink of a breakdown of democratic, give-and-take politics.