Spain, Turkey Give Minorities No Alternative to Secession
By refusing to give Catalans and Kurds autonomy, Spain and Turkey leave them with little choice.
Europe
Banks Caution Catalonia Against Independence
Banks warn that an independent Catalonia would be cut off from the ECB and the euro.
Merkel’s Bavarian Allies Split on Immigration
The German chancellor’s Bavarian sister party praises the Hungarian policies she despises.
France to Sell Helicopter Carriers to Egypt
The deal cements France’s growing role as the arms supplier of Western-allied Arab states.
Tit for Tat: Russia Threatens Nukes in Kaliningrad
Russia threatens to deploy nuclear-capable missiles to its Baltic exclave. Again.
Portuguese Could Give Neither Left Nor Right Majority
Polls predict that neither the ruling coalition nor the opposition Socialists will win a majority next month.
Merkel’s Generous Migration Policy Splits Europe
Few countries are willing to help Germany cope with asylum seekers.
Netherlands’ Wilders Rises as Immigration Concerns Mount
The Freedom Party leader capitalizes on fears that immigration is changing Dutch society.
Election Seen Returning Greece’s Tsipras to Power
The far-left leader is likely to return to power at the head of a coalition government.
Belarus-Russia Relations Aren’t As Close As They Seem
While hosting a Russian air base, Belarus is also taking steps to distance itself from Vladimir Putin.
Michael Pye’s History of the North Sea Disappoints
The author fails to come up with a theory for everything that happened around the North Sea.
Russia’s Goal in Syria May Be to Worsen Refugee Crisis
By drawing out the war in Syria, Russia may be trying to exacerbate a crisis that is dividing Europe.
Election Polls Show Greek Parties Neck and Neck
Neither Alexis Tsipras’ Syriza nor the conservative New Democracy would win a majority on its own.
Germany’s Schengen Threat to Central Europe Backfires
Central European nations won’t be cowed into signing up to a quota system for asylum seekers.
The Inescapable Cold War: Deutschland 83
The German television series is a reminder of the impact the Cold War had on ordinary people’s lives.