Beyond the EU: a European Commonwealth and a new world order
Speaking about Europe, John Palmer, member of the governing board of the European Policy Centre in Brussels and one of the most influential experts on the EU, makes no secret of his personal relationship with the European project. Perhaps because of his Irish and, in his young days, Trotskyist background, Palmer's initial reason for supporting the European integration was a "united socialist states of Europe" that would challenge the dominance of the nation states. While the socialist hope later gave way to the realization that there is no coherent alternative to a mainly market economy with a strong social and environmental dimension, Palmer remains a committed pro-integrationist with a vision that goes well beyond the limits of today's EU. Full interview is here.