“Market against politics or politics through markets? Liberalization of the gas market in the European Union and security of supply” – Master’s thesis presented at the College of Europe in May 2012.

Article written for the Firefly project on the topic “Is monetary policy alone enough to stimulate economic recovery?”

Essay written in response to the call for submissions launched by the International Policy and Leadership Institute (IPLI) in relation with the European Public Policy Conference 2012 about the origins of economic crises.

While most European states, under pressure of their backers and rating agencies, resigned themselves to adopt austerity budgets, the imminence of a sink into another recession raises now fears of a lost decade, such as the one which hit Japan in the 1990s and from which the country has never really recovered.

“Useless”, mute, invisible… the general press has been very harsh lately in describing the role — or non role — played by the European Commission in the attempt to solve the sovereign debt crisis. Brussels-based journalists, who are often more favourable to integration than their colleagues remained in national newsrooms, can hardly refrain from drawing the comparison with the Delors Commission and recalling the “good old days” under the leadership of the “Tsar of Europe”, twice president of the Commission (1985-1995) Jacques Delors.

The election of Barack Obama at the head of the most powerful country in the world has raised immense waves of hope not only in voters’ hearts but also in foreigners’, especially in Europe. If the personal qualities of the Democratic candidate and the effectiveness of his campaign should not be neglected, his task has nevertheless been made easier by the disastrous presidencies of his predecessor, George W. Bush (in case you’ve already forgotten him), who seriously impeded John McCain’s chances to get elected.