Cross-cutting Issues Archives -

Latin America as a bridge between the United States and the European Union?

The geopolitical debate about the transatlantic relationship is increasingly shaped by narratives of decline. Shifting priorities in Washington, demographic aging in Europe, and a growing regional focus on both sides of the Atlantic fuel the assumption of a gradual decoupling. Yet this perspective falls short. It overlooks a region that could, in the medium term, help bring Brussels and Washington closer together again: Latin America. Historically, this Region has never been a geopolitical vacuum. Nevertheless, within transatlantic thinking it long

Tolerance Is Not Indifference – A Strategic Misinterpretation of the West

Tolerance is one of the central elements of the West’s self-understanding. It stands for openness, freedom, and the ability to deal with differences. Historically, however, tolerance was never intended as permissiveness. It did not mean abandoning one’s own positions, but rather enduring difference within clear rules, shared values, and recognizable boundaries. Early liberal thinkers such as John Locke and Alexis de Tocqueville already understood tolerance as a balance between individual freedom and social order. Modern democracies are likewise built on

Europe Between Defensive Reflex and Dependence

Anti-Americanism, Security Reality, and the Strategic Void in European Defense Policy For some time now, the European Union’s reactions toward the United States have appeared contradictory – at times even paradoxical. On the one hand, there is a growing political and rhetorical desire to distance Europe from Washington. On the other hand, even the announcement of possible troop reductions or structural reforms to the American military presence in Europe triggers visible unease. These two impulses sit uneasily together and point

On the Debate Over Europe’s Security Core

Europe finds itself at a geopolitical crossroads. While other power centers modernize their armed forces and regional conflicts once again gain strategic importance, the continent struggles to maintain security-policy effectiveness. The European Union possesses significant economic resources, yet remains strikingly restrained in military matters. NATO, for its part, has considerable operational strength but is politically and militarily dependent on Washington’s priorities. And those priorities have been shifting toward Asia since the Obama administration. The subsequent U.S. governments under Trump and

The Influence of Aging Societies on NATO

Shifts in the global balance of power today are shaped not only by geopolitical decisions, technological progress, and economic competitiveness, but increasingly by demographic developments. While many regions of the world continue to experience rapid population growth, most states within the Western alliance are moving in the opposite direction. Europe and North America face an aging dynamic that has been building for decades and is now becoming visible in the form of structural challenges. Demographic change can first be observed

The New Appetite for Nuclear Energy

Who Stands to Benefit from the Renaissance For many years, nuclear power was regarded in much of the Western world as a fading technology. After Fukushima, the political trend seemed unmistakable. Decommissioning reactors, expanding renewables, and moving toward an energy future without nuclear power. Yet this phase of withdrawal now appears to be over – for the moment. Global uncertainty in energy markets, the geopolitical pressure of climate change, the need for reliable baseload power, and the desire to reduce

The Geopolitics of Motorsport

How motorsport became a mirror of global power shifts Motorsport – most prominently Formula 1- is commonly viewed as a sporting discipline focused on technical innovation, speed, and driving precision. Yet beneath the surface lies a complex web of political, economic, and technological interests that extends far beyond the sporting arena. Over the past decades, motorsport has developed into a global stage for geopolitical dynamics. The relocation of racetracks, the involvement of state actors, the influence of technological standards, and

When Terrorists and Cartels Walk the Same Paths

In public debates, “terrorist groups” and “drug cartels” are often portrayed as two separate categories of threat: the former ideologically motivated, the latter profit-oriented. Various studies, however, indicate that today’s reality is significantly more complex. In several regions, from West Africa and the Sahel to Europe and Latin America, security analyses show that terrorist organizations and actors within organized crime are intertwined in key areas. Overlaps can be observed in routes, service networks, financial channels, and occasionally even tactical methods.

Luxury as Soft Power and Why High-End Brands Endure Crises

When the economy slows, interest rates rise, and consumers tighten their wallets, most industries feel the pain equally. Yet the luxury sector defies this logic with remarkable resilience. While tech firms downsize and automakers struggle to protect their margins, brands like Hermès, Chanel, and Louis Vuitton continue to thrive as if operating within an economy of their own. What appears at first glance to be a paradox is, on closer inspection, perhaps the most efficiently organized power machine of the