2015 – Page 2 – Dr Oliver Hartwich

A fatal threat to the European project

The Paris terror attacks are not just a terrible tragedy for those killed or injured and their families. Last weekend’s events have severe political, strategic and economic implications, which could haunt France and the entire EU for years to come. [...]

Lichtgestalt aus Mittelerde

In Mittelerde gibt es nicht nur Hobbits, Hügel und Vulkane, sondern auch den wohl erfolgreichsten Regierungschef der westlichen Welt. [...]

Sweet as

Fortunately, of the 147 complaints about TV advertising it received this year, the Advertising Standards Authority only upheld 14. The remainder, however, shows how much desire there is to ban things. [...]

Why policymakers should watch the Swiss

If our politicians were looking for a radically different way of delivering good government, they could do much worse than watch the Swiss. [...]

First principles on planning

The Productivity Commission should welcome Minister English’s invitation to look at the first principles of planning. It should ask the most basic question: What, if any, planning system does a country like New Zealand really need? [...]

It’s the end of the EU as we knew it

It is indeed the end of the EU as we knew it. Britain out, Turkey in and Greece debt free: who would have thought what seismic shifts the refugee crisis could trigger in the EU’s power play? [...]

Time for an Anzac travel area

If Australia and New Zealand agreed on a Common Travel Area, it would cut travel times significantly: Later check-ins, no more transfers between international and domestic terminals for connections, less hassle. [...]

The benefits of going local

It is high time we brought policy-making closer to local communities. Let's follow the British example and end the love affair with centralised control. Let's allow local councils to take charge of their own matters. [...]

Germany’s existential refugee crisis

As if Europe did not have enough problems to deal with before the refugee crisis, it is now faced with an even greater challenge: To deal with millions of underqualified migrants. [...]

The growing cost of Europe’s welfare trap

The challenge for Europe’s societies is to ensure that those migrants coming in will not remain welfare-dependent forever but find a way into productive society quickly. On that front, unfortunately, there is just not much reason for optimism. [...]