European Parliament

May 30, 2019

Alejandro Chafuen in Forbes: European elections

Alejandro Chafuen, Acton’s Managing Director, International, comments in Forbes today on the results of the European Parliament elections that concluded this past Sunday. Many European countries showed gains for nationalist, Euroskeptic and environmentalist parties at the expense of more traditional centrist groups and of socialist parties. Continue Reading...

May 28, 2019

Can intellectuals actually win elections?

In my previous Letter from Rome, I asked whether populists have the capacity to govern, given the failings of the Italian coalition made up of left-wing and right-wing populists and their apparent disdain for ideology. Continue Reading...

March 05, 2015

‘It’s Not Fair!’ No, It Isn’t

Any parent or teacher has heard the cry: “It’s not fair!” It can be a battle over who gets to ride in the front seat, who gets to stay up late, or who gets anything perceived as a special privilege. Continue Reading...

December 01, 2014

Pope Francis On Human Dignity

Pope Francis spoke to members of the European Parliament on November 25. The focus of his speech was “dignity:” specifically the transcendent dignity of the human person. He reminded his audience that the protection of dignity was key to rebuilding Europe following World War II, but now, the pope says, ” there are still too many situations in which human beings are treated as objects whose conception, configuration and utility can be programmed, and who can then be discarded when no longer useful, due to weakness, illness or old age.” Continue Reading...

March 11, 2014

When It Comes To Government, Small Is Beautiful

Daniel Hannan, Member of the European Parliament and writer, says he believes the European Union is “making its peoples poorer, less democratic and less free.” In the short video below, he explains why, when it comes to government, smaller is better. Continue Reading...

June 01, 2011

The Return of Christian Europe?

Doubtful, at least on these terms. Does the institutional church have to officially advise the government in order to have influence? — European institutions “more open than ever” to church co-operation By Jonathan Luxmoore Warsaw, Poland (ENInews)–A senior ecumenist has welcomed growing co-operation between leaders of European institutions and churches, and predicted a growing advisory role for religious communities. Continue Reading...