{"id":27,"date":"2026-06-02T19:17:52","date_gmt":"2026-06-02T19:17:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/onyxsilk.vagabond.andreidraganescu.info\/?page_id=27"},"modified":"2026-06-02T19:17:52","modified_gmt":"2026-06-02T19:17:52","slug":"opinion","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/onyxsilk.vagabond.andreidraganescu.info\/?page_id=27","title":{"rendered":"Opinion"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull has-white-color has-crimson-background-color has-text-color has-background is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\" style=\"margin-top:0;padding-top:0;padding-right:0;padding-bottom:0;padding-left:0\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-cover is-dark has-scanlines\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--80);padding-right:clamp(1.5rem, 5vw, 4rem);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--70);padding-left:clamp(1.5rem, 5vw, 4rem);min-height:40vh;aspect-ratio:unset;\"><span aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-cover__background has-background-dim-0 has-background-dim\"><\/span><div class=\"wp-block-cover__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-cover-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-2b49682c wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p class=\"dateline has-white-color has-text-color has-monospace-font-family wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-size:0.65rem;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0.4em;text-transform:uppercase\">Commentary &amp; Debate<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading hero-tilt has-white-color has-text-color has-slab-serif-font-family\" style=\"font-size:clamp(3rem, 8vw, 6rem);letter-spacing:-0.03em;line-height:0.9\">Opinion<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-white-color has-text-color has-slab-serif-font-family wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"margin-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);font-size:clamp(1.1rem, 2.5vw, 1.75rem);font-weight:900;letter-spacing:0.08em;line-height:1.2;text-transform:uppercase\">Voices on European Politics<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-white-color has-text-color has-serif-font-family has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"margin-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40);line-height:1.6\">Contrarian takes, sharp provocations, and fearless analysis from contributors across the continent. These columns represent the views of their authors \u2014 not the NewEU editorial board.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull has-white-color has-ink-background-color has-text-color has-background is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\" style=\"border-bottom-color:var(--wp--preset--color--crimson);border-bottom-width:6px;margin-top:0;padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--70);padding-right:clamp(1.5rem, 5vw, 4rem);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--70);padding-left:clamp(1.5rem, 5vw, 4rem)\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-f86056ca wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p class=\"has-crimson-color has-text-color has-slab-serif-font-family has-x-small-font-size wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-weight:900;letter-spacing:0.25em;text-transform:uppercase\">Latest Columns<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-text-color has-crimson-color has-alpha-channel-opacity has-crimson-background-color has-background\" style=\"margin-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);margin-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--50)\"\/>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-query alignwide is-layout-flow wp-block-query-is-layout-flow\"><ul class=\"columns-2 wp-block-post-template is-layout-grid wp-container-core-post-template-is-layout-b6a1323f wp-block-post-template-is-layout-grid\"><li class=\"wp-block-post post-44 neweu_opinion type-neweu_opinion status-publish hentry\">\n\n<article class=\"wp-block-group has-white-color has-ink-background-color has-text-color has-background has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-9e6e2e25 wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"border-left-color:var(--wp--preset--color--crimson);border-left-width:5px;padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40);padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40)\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-content-justification-left is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-08ce8cc6 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<p class=\"has-crimson-color has-text-color has-slab-serif-font-family has-x-small-font-size wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-weight:900;letter-spacing:0.15em;text-transform:uppercase\">Marc-Antoine Delacroix<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-muted-color has-text-color has-monospace-font-family has-x-small-font-size wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0.15em;text-transform:uppercase\">\/<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-muted-color has-text-color has-monospace-font-family has-x-small-font-size wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0.15em;text-transform:uppercase\">France \/ Western Europe<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div style=\"font-weight:700;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:0.3em\" class=\"wp-block-post-date has-text-color has-muted-color has-x-small-font-size has-monospace-font-family\"><time datetime=\"2026-06-02T19:17:53+00:00\">June 2, 2026<\/time><\/div>\n\n<h2 style=\"line-height:1.1\" class=\"wp-block-post-title has-x-large-font-size\"><a href=\"https:\/\/onyxsilk.vagabond.andreidraganescu.info\/?neweu_opinion=marine-le-pen-normalization\" target=\"_self\" >How the Centre Normalised the Far Right<\/a><\/h2>\n\n<div style=\"margin-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20)\" class=\"wp-block-post-excerpt has-text-color has-white-color has-small-font-size\"><p class=\"wp-block-post-excerpt__excerpt\">The far right did not storm the gates of European respectability on its own. It was escorted in, one rhetorical concession at a time,&hellip; <\/p><\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-muted-color has-text-color has-monospace-font-family has-x-small-font-size wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"margin-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);font-style:italic;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0.12em;text-transform:uppercase\">Contributing Editor, Paris<\/p>\n<\/article>\n\n<\/li><li class=\"wp-block-post post-43 neweu_opinion type-neweu_opinion status-publish hentry\">\n\n<article class=\"wp-block-group has-white-color has-ink-background-color has-text-color has-background has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-9e6e2e25 wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"border-left-color:var(--wp--preset--color--crimson);border-left-width:5px;padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40);padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40)\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-content-justification-left is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-08ce8cc6 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<p class=\"has-crimson-color has-text-color has-slab-serif-font-family has-x-small-font-size wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-weight:900;letter-spacing:0.15em;text-transform:uppercase\">Dimitra Papadimitriou<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-muted-color has-text-color has-monospace-font-family has-x-small-font-size wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0.15em;text-transform:uppercase\">\/<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-muted-color has-text-color has-monospace-font-family has-x-small-font-size wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0.15em;text-transform:uppercase\">Southern Europe \/ Eurozone<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div style=\"font-weight:700;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:0.3em\" class=\"wp-block-post-date has-text-color has-muted-color has-x-small-font-size has-monospace-font-family\"><time datetime=\"2026-06-02T19:17:53+00:00\">June 2, 2026<\/time><\/div>\n\n<h2 style=\"line-height:1.1\" class=\"wp-block-post-title has-x-large-font-size\"><a href=\"https:\/\/onyxsilk.vagabond.andreidraganescu.info\/?neweu_opinion=euro-and-austerity-legacy\" target=\"_self\" >The Euro&#8217;s Unfinished Austerity Reckoning<\/a><\/h2>\n\n<div style=\"margin-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20)\" class=\"wp-block-post-excerpt has-text-color has-white-color has-small-font-size\"><p class=\"wp-block-post-excerpt__excerpt\">Fifteen years after the sovereign debt crisis, Southern Europe&#8217;s economies are presented as recovery stories. But beneath the GDP headline numbers, the structural damage&hellip; <\/p><\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-muted-color has-text-color has-monospace-font-family has-x-small-font-size wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"margin-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);font-style:italic;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0.12em;text-transform:uppercase\">Economist and Contributor, Athens<\/p>\n<\/article>\n\n<\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull has-white-color has-crimson-background-color has-text-color has-background is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\" style=\"margin-top:0;padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--70);padding-right:clamp(1.5rem, 5vw, 4rem);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--70);padding-left:clamp(1.5rem, 5vw, 4rem)\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-2b49682c wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center has-white-color has-text-color has-slab-serif-font-family has-xx-large-font-size\" style=\"letter-spacing:-0.02em;line-height:1.1\">Have a Contrarian Take on EU Policy?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-white-color has-text-color has-serif-font-family has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"margin-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);line-height:1.6\">NewEU publishes opinion pieces from politicians, academics, journalists, and citizens across Europe. If you have something worth saying about the state of the Union, we want to hear it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-460aba69 wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\" style=\"margin-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--50)\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-white-color has-ink-background-color has-text-color has-background has-border-color has-white-border-color wp-element-button\" href=\"\/submit\/\" style=\"border-width:3px;border-radius:0px;padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--60);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--60)\">Submit Your Piece<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-white-color has-text-color has-monospace-font-family wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"margin-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);font-size:0.65rem;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0.2em;text-transform:uppercase\">We review every submission within 72 hours<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull has-white-color has-ink-background-color has-text-color has-background is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\" style=\"margin-top:0;padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--70);padding-right:clamp(1.5rem, 5vw, 4rem);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--70);padding-left:clamp(1.5rem, 5vw, 4rem)\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-f86056ca wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p class=\"has-crimson-color has-text-color has-slab-serif-font-family has-x-small-font-size wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-weight:900;letter-spacing:0.25em;text-transform:uppercase\">The Archive<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-text-color has-crimson-color has-alpha-channel-opacity has-crimson-background-color has-background\" style=\"margin-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);margin-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--50)\"\/>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-query alignwide is-style-loop-list is-layout-flow wp-block-query-is-layout-flow\"><ul class=\"wp-block-post-template is-layout-flow wp-block-post-template-is-layout-flow\"><li class=\"wp-block-post post-42 neweu_opinion type-neweu_opinion status-publish hentry\">\n\n<article class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-flow wp-container-core-group-is-layout-7f7dead1 wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40)\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns are-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-3cd392e0 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:70%\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-content-justification-left is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-08ce8cc6 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<p class=\"has-crimson-color has-text-color has-slab-serif-font-family has-x-small-font-size wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-weight:900;letter-spacing:0.15em;text-transform:uppercase\">Arben Qorraj<\/p>\n\n\n<div style=\"font-weight:700;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:0.3em\" class=\"wp-block-post-date has-text-color has-muted-color has-x-small-font-size has-monospace-font-family\"><time datetime=\"2026-06-02T19:17:52+00:00\">June 2, 2026<\/time><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<h3 style=\"line-height:1.1;margin-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--10)\" class=\"wp-block-post-title has-large-font-size\"><a href=\"https:\/\/onyxsilk.vagabond.andreidraganescu.info\/?neweu_opinion=eu-enlargement-western-balkans\" target=\"_self\" >Enlargement Fatigue and the Western Balkans Trap<\/a><\/h3>\n\n<div style=\"margin-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--10)\" class=\"wp-block-post-excerpt has-text-color has-white-color has-small-font-size\"><p class=\"wp-block-post-excerpt__excerpt\">The European Union has spent two decades promising the Western Balkans a future inside the bloc. The promises have become a trap \u2014 binding enough to shape domestic&hellip; <\/p><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:30%\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-vertical is-content-justification-right is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-bf761328 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<p class=\"has-muted-color has-text-color has-monospace-font-family has-x-small-font-size wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0.2em;text-transform:uppercase\">Western Balkans \/ EU Enlargement<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-muted-color has-text-color has-monospace-font-family has-x-small-font-size wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-style:italic;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0.12em;text-transform:uppercase\">Foreign Policy Writer, Pristina<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n\n<\/li><li class=\"wp-block-post post-41 neweu_opinion type-neweu_opinion status-publish hentry\">\n\n<article class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-flow wp-container-core-group-is-layout-7f7dead1 wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40)\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns are-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-3cd392e0 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:70%\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-content-justification-left is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-08ce8cc6 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<p class=\"has-crimson-color has-text-color has-slab-serif-font-family has-x-small-font-size wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-weight:900;letter-spacing:0.15em;text-transform:uppercase\">Katrien Vandenberghe<\/p>\n\n\n<div style=\"font-weight:700;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:0.3em\" class=\"wp-block-post-date has-text-color has-muted-color has-x-small-font-size has-monospace-font-family\"><time datetime=\"2026-06-02T19:17:52+00:00\">June 2, 2026<\/time><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<h3 style=\"line-height:1.1;margin-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--10)\" class=\"wp-block-post-title has-large-font-size\"><a href=\"https:\/\/onyxsilk.vagabond.andreidraganescu.info\/?neweu_opinion=brussels-democratic-deficit\" target=\"_self\" >The Democratic Deficit Brussels Will Not Name<\/a><\/h3>\n\n<div style=\"margin-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--10)\" class=\"wp-block-post-excerpt has-text-color has-white-color has-small-font-size\"><p class=\"wp-block-post-excerpt__excerpt\">The European Union&#8217;s institutions operate under a democratic logic that most European citizens have never been invited to understand \u2014 and that opacity is not accidental but structural,&hellip; <\/p><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:30%\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-vertical is-content-justification-right is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-bf761328 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<p class=\"has-muted-color has-text-color has-monospace-font-family has-x-small-font-size wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0.2em;text-transform:uppercase\">EU Institutions<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-muted-color has-text-color has-monospace-font-family has-x-small-font-size wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-style:italic;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0.12em;text-transform:uppercase\">Political Analyst, Brussels<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n\n<\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull has-white-color has-ink-background-color has-text-color has-background is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\" style=\"border-top-color:var(--wp--preset--color--crimson);border-top-width:6px;margin-top:0;padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--60);padding-right:clamp(1.5rem, 5vw, 4rem);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--60);padding-left:clamp(1.5rem, 5vw, 4rem)\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-2098a6fa wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-content-justification-space-between is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-a176bc45 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<p class=\"has-muted-color has-text-color has-monospace-font-family has-x-small-font-size wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"font-weight:900;letter-spacing:0.15em;text-transform:uppercase\">All opinion pieces represent the views of their authors<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-right is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-01123e74 wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-white-color has-crimson-background-color has-text-color has-background has-custom-font-size wp-element-button\" href=\"\/subscribe\/\" style=\"font-size:0.7rem\">Subscribe to the Newsletter<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Latest Columns Have a Contrarian Take on EU Policy? NewEU publishes opinion pieces from politicians, academics, journalists, and citizens across Europe. If you have something worth saying about the state of the Union, we want to hear it. We review every submission within 72 hours The Archive All opinion pieces represent the views of their [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":10,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-27","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/onyxsilk.vagabond.andreidraganescu.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/27","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/onyxsilk.vagabond.andreidraganescu.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/onyxsilk.vagabond.andreidraganescu.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/onyxsilk.vagabond.andreidraganescu.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/onyxsilk.vagabond.andreidraganescu.info\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=27"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/onyxsilk.vagabond.andreidraganescu.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/27\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/onyxsilk.vagabond.andreidraganescu.info\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=27"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}