2016: A Year of Shifts and Shocks [What Think Tanks are thinking]

2016 may rank as an 'annus horibilis' for the European Union – a year when it confronted several simultaneous crises, or a 'polycrisis' as the President of the European Commission characterised the situation, including the United Kingdom's decision to leave the EU, deadly terrorist attacks, migration pressures, growing Russian assertiveness, eurozone uncertainty and the shock-effect of Donald Trump's election as U.S. President.

This note offers links to selected recent commentaries and reports from major international think tanks on those biggest challenges Europe has faced in 2016.

Author: Marcin Grajewski

• Primary Source

Carnegie Europe: Strategic Europe, 21.12.16: Europe in 2016 and Beyond http://carnegieeurope.eu/strategiceurope/66521

Euro|Topics: Debates, December 2016: 2016: Dominated by demagogues http://www.eurotopics.net/en/171849/2016-dominated-by-demagogues

ESO: Background information: Liberalism in Retreat (Chatham House, 2016) http://www.europeansources.info/record/liberalism-in-retreat/

EUObserver, 30.12.16: [Opinion]: EU legitimacy in question https://euobserver.com/europe-in-review/136041

EUObserver, 23.12.16: Europe in Review 2016 https://euobserver.com/europe-in-review/136125

ECFR: Commentary, 28.12.16: The lesson of 2016: How to reverse the EU’s decline http://www.ecfr.eu/article/commentary_the_lesson_of_2016_how_to_reverse_the_eus_decline_7210

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