Free Market Foundation

Trump has shocked Europe with his bold and unrelenting desire to seize Greenland as a US territory. Still, it should come as an even greater shock how little Europe had paid attention to this crucial landmass in the stage of newly emerging global conflicts. The Arctic has not weighed heavily in international relationships. However, with the ice melting, new trade routes are opening, and rich resources are becoming more easily accessible.

If people are inclined to believe in things not supported by evidence, they are more likely to be susceptible to the lies of politicians. Disinformation, such as the spread of conspiracy theories to spread distrust among citizens, is a tool widely and effectively used by Russia and China. It is not just conspiracy theories, however, which are plaguing humankind, but a return of an unscientific way of thinking which enlightenment hoped to eradicate.

The gap between real life and the world of film is narrowing. The James Bond franchise guided viewers through the Cold War with its over-the-top villains, and through the relatively peaceful time thereafter with more lukewarm enemies. Now, when a new soft reboot is in order, it is time to bring back tried and tested baddies: the Russians.

The election of Donald Trump as US president should not come as a surprise. As Republicans transformed themselves in the image of the once and future president, so should the Democrats have rebranded to fit the unique times and challenges of 2024, but they missed the opportunity. European politicians should pay heed.

Populist parties raise important questions but offer terrible answers, a weakness others should exploit. Populism is by no means a new phenomenon, but recent years have seen a clear rise in parties turning to a more authoritarian, populist strategy of winning over voters. Now, the populist movement has managed to establish a strong position in Europe, and although its popularity is not currently rising, it is not diminishing either.

When it comes to healthcare and access to medication, regulators need to get out of the way. There is an ongoing debate about cannabis liberalization, but there is another drug which needs to be made more readily available: epinephrine, an essential medicine against severe allergic reactions. Epinephrine, a life-saving medicine, is not an over-the-counter drug. It requires a prescription, given to those who have known allergies. This needs to change.

Magic had influenced humankind since time immemorial until the age of reason started to disenchant the world. Unfortunately, magical practices still affect our lives. Thanks to the warped politics in some corners of the modern world, such as some far-right movements and the Kremlin under Vladimir Putin, magic is still leaving a sorry and unwelcome footprint on politics today.

Can financial markets put pressure on a powerful country like France, the world\'s eighth-largest economy? It is better not to test it. The UK has found that out several times. An analysis by Institut Montaigne found that promises made before the election by the leftist New Popular Front would increase France\'s annual budget spending by €95 billion and the state finance deficit by 3.6 percent of GDP.

Regulations are suffocating our freedoms, interfering with our lives, livelihoods, and comforts. Freedoms should be the priority of decision makers, but even the most basic freedoms such as those of trade and movement, vitally important principles in the EU, were set aside on the pretext of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Farming is becoming a hot topic in the most powerful rooms in Brussels. But unlike those working in agriculture, EU politicians are oblivious to temperature change. The complexities of agriculture merit more attention from European politicians than what it currently gets.