https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/ Our Charlemagne columnist and his colleagues consider the ideas and events that shape Europe, and the quirks of life in the Euro-bubble Fri, 30 Oct 2009 19:19:32 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2014/11/18/enfant-de-la-patrie A nice French kid from Normandy turns up in Syria, beheading people for the Islamic State /content/d3leriajj83ulkon6lk5beajcee9uug2 Tue, 18 Nov 2014 11:05:05 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2014/11/17/all-that-glitters Police raids suggest Portugal's scheme to sell residence permits for investments may be rotten /content/0vrhbmmc5p7h9vkoqoapbevb2f80ra6p Mon, 17 Nov 2014 16:12:43 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2014/11/10/yes-and-no /content/hh7t0n1h9oocihk5ajvso2a9grmfkupv Mon, 10 Nov 2014 17:32:36 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2014/11/07/how-real-is-osbornes-real-result The claim that Britain has halved its extra payment to the EU budget relies on dubious bookkeeping /content/kin5v2auprqu6qeoups94pms2tffvifv Fri, 07 Nov 2014 17:07:40 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2014/11/07/poison-pen The former ECB head's leaked missive bolsters the Irish sense that they baild out Europe, not the other way around /content/bhh6hosl57dhk8nbvfl8b3n563eqfgj7 Fri, 07 Nov 2014 08:00:39 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2014/10/29/of-riots-to-come The tricky German balance between shutting down violent extremists and preserving freedom of speech /content/4l6n5fgkoqojfjoipp1f653ks6vigeu9 Wed, 29 Oct 2014 13:14:15 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2014/10/27/pot-calling-kettle European Parliament members who grilled European Commission candidates have transparency issues of their own /content/0e4fofse9r71a3bdr0kl95088llk7blv Mon, 27 Oct 2014 12:25:30 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2014/10/26/no-more-mr-nice-guy Events leading up to last week’s European summit in Brussels marked a sea change in relations between Italy and the European Union /content/qr8hmuqtj97hb79r19tgbi1fq4kmev6v Sun, 26 Oct 2014 16:50:16 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2014/10/24/awkward-timing /content/g733gogs15ubch7i0pp06q17b5eeokj7 Fri, 24 Oct 2014 11:38:22 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2014/10/22/what-lies-beneath Sightings of a murky shape off the Stockholm archipelago bring back memories of the cold war /content/pfhtifl139cj6dgs9mt0p953349fj477 Wed, 22 Oct 2014 14:07:04 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2014/10/08/europes-first-ebola-victim A Spanish nurse is infected /content/6utvdnvfqlgubf2srelrcb0fintq9a4r Wed, 08 Oct 2014 17:56:20 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2014/09/29/tough-hearings-ahead /content/5tkcv3fn0gjg8ijjdj3qpg6pqakr3iid Mon, 29 Sep 2014 13:53:07 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2014/09/19/getting-to-si Catalonia takes one step closer to accomplishing what Scotland did not /content/t5b9b94qsk3o5nruvm1rrj9ibfioangf Fri, 19 Sep 2014 19:03:57 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2014/09/18/the-peace-and-safety-of-our-throne The Netherlands is ready to defend the international order. Unfortunately, it sold all its tanks /content/3oc6ml7tfsivl9olnuf0bmd165ppbpva Thu, 18 Sep 2014 11:09:31 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2014/09/16/valls-optimism France's prime minister will probably hold on, but anti-austerity Socialists are not giving up /content/g307qlniq2ccf87dr4n94lv6cre2el9n Tue, 16 Sep 2014 10:50:47 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2014/09/15/the-transformation-of-german-politics Two more elections, and two more triumphs for the anti-euro Alternative for Germany /content/nrptota5t3lqrve7e0iv7a86lbh3t9f7 Mon, 15 Sep 2014 14:04:13 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2014/09/15/left-turn Swedish voters reject the centre-right but face having only a weak centre-left coalition government /content/7fjrqv3287e9o83hlr9duog09kdao088 Mon, 15 Sep 2014 12:32:56 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2014/09/03/valerie-thanks-francois A tell-all book by the president’s former girlfriend /content/25ui5ihmavjvlskmg77gcrh6ve89nsev Wed, 03 Sep 2014 21:03:17 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2014/09/01/another-little-piece-of-europe-shifts-right In Saxony, the biggest winners were an upstart Eurosceptic party /content/k7mrdkvv1onv7d3lco3g0dt6rc63b5ne Mon, 01 Sep 2014 08:32:52 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2014/08/31/back-to-work The EU appoints people to two top jobs, and agonises over Ukraine /content/8k7ko1lrfc0g1n1jdrned3qkprcirigd Sun, 31 Aug 2014 15:49:25 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2014/08/26/no-more-cuban-style-policies Emmanuel Macron joins the government /content/lvsl4mp785hdrb2uhm0hc3du13blvpha Tue, 26 Aug 2014 18:18:00 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2014/08/25/the-government-goes The French government resigned unexpectedly today after bitter disagreements over economic policy /content/tsbu5gd7qpqdkoh3svigu12ol2c460gb Mon, 25 Aug 2014 13:41:23 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2014/08/21/a-painful-decision Germany's cabinet has gingerly decided to help arm the Kurds against the Islamic State /content/ilq7iv1ahavhcpltu36p1q0rsr772uhm Thu, 21 Aug 2014 12:40:12 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2014/08/15/righteous-in-holland-and-gaza /content/0muhrcfokqlvrc7bhh32cc8eb679i9f1 Fri, 15 Aug 2014 14:59:00 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2014/08/11/erdogan-wins Recep Tayyip Erdogan becomes the country’s first popularly elected president /content/88edpkooj4chonmcl6qd28n14auk1ufd Mon, 11 Aug 2014 13:47:20 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2014/07/25/the-war-and-the-panic /content/e19q5apov7cicbpgpol1uhn85ma2vhtg Fri, 25 Jul 2014 14:39:58 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2014/07/22/dark-days France's leaders are increasingly worried about the apparent rise of anti-Semitism in their country /content/1la4hej0jqkhb4rdvsroqtb5g9hlasf5 Tue, 22 Jul 2014 09:27:15 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2014/07/21/national-heartbreak “Everyone knew of someone” was heard throughout the weekend as the Dutch gathered in schools, churches and sports clubs to come to terms with the shock /content/a66587ur4s7rsm6b4v2tkn90v5lqv915 Mon, 21 Jul 2014 16:52:20 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2014/07/17/a-job-for-the-girl EU leaders fail to fill top jobs, and fight over Italy's Federica Mogherini /content/ncmfr1hnoob3ncutj2bpg1rb55kmc0cu Thu, 17 Jul 2014 02:02:34 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2014/07/16/pedro-sanchez The Socialists picked a relative unknown as their new leader /content/gposle43qh56u1lbta3nq84gf0pdmucv Wed, 16 Jul 2014 11:57:49 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2014/07/14/the-unbearable-lightness-of-winning The German style of celebration /content/l0nq66hd3iblbmrb147ostto9jhcmq8v Mon, 14 Jul 2014 14:53:03 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2014/07/01/sinking-sarko France's former president is held by police for questioning /content/kn5hk59598kvnugvjusgvav4jov5vtkb Tue, 01 Jul 2014 15:11:29 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2014/06/26/a-new-headscarf-row A landmark ruling by France’s top appeal court says that a private day-care firm was within its rights when it fired a woman for wearing a Muslim headscarf /content/cruvh738rfb7hkkt5qtt9jeavefrglap Thu, 26 Jun 2014 17:38:43 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2014/06/16/trains-strikes-and-philosophy A rolling national strike by trade unionists at the the national railways entered its sixth day, disrupting the start of the countrywide philosophy paper at the baccalauréat exams /content/mmiv6bnss0cvld8i28nm1icf90k16fu5 Mon, 16 Jun 2014 12:44:41 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2014/06/12/a-new-team-at-the-helm Antonis Samaras reshuffles his government /content/v2jnfp71b18qam8kdh6bu58mcatrlsh1 Thu, 12 Jun 2014 13:53:48 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2014/06/06/d-day-remembered President François Hollande will greet Barack Obama, the American president, and other international leaders for a lunch and commemoration on Sword Beach /content/o2uk6bcitt4jea6ffa56m68mdi7op0qm Fri, 06 Jun 2014 07:53:39 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2014/06/03/has-merkel-lost-her-touch Angela Merkel and David Cameron are heading for a clash neither wants /content/umpj8j6a2vl7m7agbdnub023civdgdnm Tue, 03 Jun 2014 20:46:22 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2014/06/02/the-end-of-juancarlismo King Juan Carlos announced his abdication today after 39 years on the throne. /content/lhucpc2hv63pd72etl25s6bsk29k7cu1 Mon, 02 Jun 2014 16:35:47 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2014/05/26/germany-gets-a-real-alternative For the first time, Germans send a party to parliament that is almost Eurosceptic /content/q0tqe7crfs78pbua1arjfkaniob2fteq Mon, 26 May 2014 10:53:38 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2014/05/26/non-vinciamo-noi Beppe Grillo's movement trailed the ruling PD party by a wide margin /content/nms5ir6sf2in1kbju2d8nk5n0p9b5bom Mon, 26 May 2014 09:19:59 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2014/05/26/france-in-shock A far-right victory in European elections crushes President François Hollande’s governing Socialists /content/k550slnqgjtiq4gof7qpi66p8bs34p45 Mon, 26 May 2014 00:33:20 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2014/05/26/the-eurosceptic-union Eurosceptics gain strength in Brussels and at home /content/h9u7a82ffc7khe28fo4ij3ej7ema8l3h Mon, 26 May 2014 00:20:27 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2014/05/23/the-boothies-craze “Stemfies” or “boothies” (voting-booth selfies) became a craze in the Netherlands /content/3ib8nosjq81usn8c7t2l94cbfrugpb1o Fri, 23 May 2014 11:50:49 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2014/05/15/mudslinging The war of words between [inline|iid=62479]Nigel Farage and Marine Le Pen /content/l20n92efss1h4q2f06a9cbfopjo6jl8b Thu, 15 May 2014 16:28:47 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2014/05/14/blood-on-the-cutting-room-floor Natalie Nougayrède announced her resignation as editor of Le Monde /content/b738cmk7f92ft8n0jh2ld97sl25ltlrj Wed, 14 May 2014 16:25:58 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2014/05/14/grim-news-underground /content/gqoiqsepds2qng1868o64msfp7e6qfh4 Wed, 14 May 2014 16:01:19 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2014/05/06/did-the-time-fit-the-crime /content/6t6vspsuojdgv8n4npme9s13819nuakk Tue, 06 May 2014 20:08:03 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2014/05/03/another-summer-of-unrest-for-turkey May Day celebrations will not take place in Istanbul’s Taksim Square /content/p7l3fi13i0rj38f5h5n64qn8oq89ji5a Sat, 03 May 2014 10:18:43 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2014/04/28/le-french-touch /content/d2q3komuj346kjjln38kb8bvhv4g6f1n Mon, 28 Apr 2014 14:44:33 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2014/04/24/whos-the-boss The ‘Ndrangheta of Calabria is perhaps the most powerful mafia in Italy, but nobody knows who controls it. Our correspondent reports on a court case that seeks to find out /content/5empovae07s9irgif8oqraupd8h1pdvk Thu, 24 Apr 2014 20:14:45 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2014/04/24/lazy-voters-look-no-further A new online tool makes the choice of who to vote for in Europe’s election more digestible. /content/up2kncr7kim8q5qajdjcifafa9amadhu Thu, 24 Apr 2014 17:45:22 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2014/04/23/squaring-the-circle To some surprise, France has promised to stick to its deficit cutting target /content/cj4kk19ndcaer4ovepvu5hpnk40jh2d4 Wed, 23 Apr 2014 18:58:35 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2014/04/17/bring-on-the-sanctions If Russia cuts gas supplies to Europe, the Netherlands' Gate terminal stands to profit. /content/83na9ealsjhog3d9gcpb0c577m4rs4s3 Thu, 17 Apr 2014 12:59:19 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2014/04/14/not-what-it-seemed Ignore the media storm—the French are not banning work e-mails after 6pm /content/gujl6femff4m3e1nlrngns2kuh1sacb2 Mon, 14 Apr 2014 16:32:15 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2014/04/08/the-search-for-heirs-is-on Agreeing to return art once looted by the Nazis to its rightful owners will prove easier than finding the right heirs /content/um742qogq28ppc2o3v8me0h410rf6rm6 Tue, 08 Apr 2014 09:52:06 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2014/04/02/the-new-government The team unveiled today by Manuel Valls is odd /content/5g4js6u1a45n7oh2p5uia4qvlcv7lv8o Wed, 02 Apr 2014 11:29:37 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2014/03/31/a-bold-move After a stinging defeat, President François Hollande invests waning hope in a new prime minister, Manuel Valls /content/9nvu85ccunj6ghn01l5quijsmifa08hv Mon, 31 Mar 2014 20:32:33 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2014/03/31/a-referendum-on-erdogans-rule The ruling Justice and Development party triumphs at local elections /content/q1jd26kqilb429ved60dosuhuhr01dii Mon, 31 Mar 2014 13:02:55 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2014/03/31/devastating-losses-for-the-socialists The president's Socialist Party loses over 150 towns, most of them to the opposition centre-right /content/lf6bbu80hba3hgpch679ggj0mo3jm5fr Mon, 31 Mar 2014 08:32:23 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2014/03/30/how-to-read-todays-local-election-results /content/u9ijkj0tmjsbfj8fcf1e5psgeh3297rl Sun, 30 Mar 2014 06:57:56 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2014/03/24/marine-le-pens-triumph The Eurosceptic, nationalist, anti-immigration National Front fielded more candidates than it has ever done at local elections /content/udao6935fcmi2rknfip3t4qnjj9b35c5 Mon, 24 Mar 2014 10:27:35 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2014/03/21/limp-wrist-diplomacy European leaders shy away from imposing economic sanctions on Russia /content/5a5oq57uv1g7dj1obpjb7ddekjdqot62 Fri, 21 Mar 2014 15:41:51 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2014/03/20/a-step-too-far Geert Wilders shocks even some of his supporters with a new low in anti-immigrant bile /content/btenv9ickfksb0rm6an5rpn2eptvn0u9 Thu, 20 Mar 2014 18:07:04 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2014/03/17/putin-untouched The EU imposes sanctions on Russia over Crimea's referendum, but is more cautious than America /content/fgum4mut7t80vntrgnae0mv003nah79t Mon, 17 Mar 2014 19:02:55 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2014/03/17/paris-in-the-smog As a choking smog descends, the government bans cars with even-numbered plates from entering the city /content/b1ttn6b3ss97l47rrsat71msv1h4rmj7 Mon, 17 Mar 2014 12:33:06 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2014/03/13/uli-goes-to-jail A football icon and former role model, Uli Hoeness is pronounced guilty of evading tens of millions of euros in tax /content/5u0hotsm5jcnboueh1llivm7miphkmpe Thu, 13 Mar 2014 14:18:34 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2014/03/10/from-sarkoleaks-to-sarkogate The latest affair is unprecedented for a former president of the Fifth Republic /content/5artnqqd3fnjrnv1gqon44md3j0vdogr Mon, 10 Mar 2014 16:31:52 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2014/03/06/embracing-yats Russia's military action pushes EU to legitimise Ukraine's new government /content/6jm3l0gj5fikl35vjeomg3dos01p40as Thu, 06 Mar 2014 22:20:57 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2014/03/06/sarkoleaks Transcripts of private conversations between Nicolas Sarkozy and some of his advisers were leaked to the French press /content/uanjief1ba072a6d9gc3qers9dqtpbl2 Thu, 06 Mar 2014 17:01:02 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2014/03/03/speak-loudly-carry-small-stick Europeans are long on condemnation of Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, but short on concrete action /content/hijhh0o79e22bl0qgrfpemseptqlvaet Mon, 03 Mar 2014 20:47:55 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2014/02/24/a-farewell-to-arms The Basque terrorist group says it is ready to hand over its weapons /content/ugernjjav7035lo813gboa0sbqlc7idq Mon, 24 Feb 2014 17:39:35 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2014/02/20/political-minefield A police investigation finds evidence that public money was misused /content/iftmcc6gch9hesmucre0g12kl66gcl9h Thu, 20 Feb 2014 16:37:15 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2014/02/18/a-sarkozy-comeback The former president seems to be positioning himself to run again in 2017 /content/ecbvo4ltmv9vuaepj23kvk2mbqcub7hd Tue, 18 Feb 2014 10:55:02 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2014/02/13/snatching-the-baton Enrico Letta agrees to step down as prime minister, handing over to the ravenously ambitious Matteo Renzi /content/1vna8884g6ljiddrhe685h1h3q4uv6el Thu, 13 Feb 2014 18:20:49 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2014/02/12/whos-watching The Dutch value privacy as well as openness. Are the two compatible? /content/i1g88p79tdalqid1uln5cof7482para4 Wed, 12 Feb 2014 15:12:12 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2014/02/12/raising-the-drawbridge New curbs will stop immigrants getting in. Will they stop exports getting out? /content/7npvad37cstbtfu7hb5rbl7nfnheltbn Wed, 12 Feb 2014 11:07:39 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2014/02/09/princess-cristina-holds-court The Infanta Cristina makes the first ever court appearance by a member of the royal family /content/893gbnp5lsfv78ghlc2hglve02figblt Sun, 09 Feb 2014 21:39:34 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2014/01/30/dong-and-the-vampire-squid A partial sale of Denmark's biggest utility to Goldman Sachs causes a political furore /content/m4e1hfn9no8kp9g46uvotvasa1iau7ai Thu, 30 Jan 2014 18:13:10 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2014/01/29/privacy-rights-v-rights-to-access-information A new website lets Swedes check their neighbours’ criminal records /content/8sovn4ficaju13c8gpqh3umbrssl18tj Wed, 29 Jan 2014 18:23:51 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2014/01/27/another-minister-quits Nunzia De Girolamo resigns /content/2vc8epqdmjf3o92qrj24mqql6hs6okug Mon, 27 Jan 2014 16:50:21 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2014/01/27/lessons-from-the-hollande-soap-opera Conclusions of the saga of the French president's love life /content/ddtqjhrve1pdkllj0l7v617avbm4s1q4 Mon, 27 Jan 2014 12:51:15 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2014/01/22/a-convicted-terrorist-on-the-loose Christodoulos Xiros, a member of Greece’s 17 November, a terrorist group, turned up in a video posting that quickly went viral /content/kqs72a1b8bub7r14pojt2m5heoi39f4p Wed, 22 Jan 2014 13:13:59 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2014/01/13/a-german-footballers-coming-out Thomas Hitzlsperger says he is gay /content/imn61ud76ac5oop6l54lm23npv4o47b4 Mon, 13 Jan 2014 16:56:27 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2014/01/13/a-very-public-private-affair The French do not consider any more that the public interest stops at the bedroom door /content/kgotphts3l9s6mo4ucec4mnpr2eic2dh Mon, 13 Jan 2014 12:41:54 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2014/01/08/a-royal-mess Princess Cristina is a suspect in a case of alleged tax fraud and embezzlement involving her husband /content/1aal1bih855bcefh7brm1fctohjemard Wed, 08 Jan 2014 16:50:31 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2014/01/07/dangerous-even-at-low-speed The German chancellor laid low /content/itec0drebh6h9ibmqkpubeemfudngjjd Tue, 07 Jan 2014 13:12:49 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2013/12/20/angela-all-alone Germany is isolated in push for structural reforms in the euro zone /content/81g4phjopebr6io98u0okcuen7nq9njf Fri, 20 Dec 2013 18:14:07 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2013/12/20/a-former-transport-minister-in-trouble Michalis Liapis drove his SUV with fake number-plates and no insurance /content/v5i58he3gqnmh40gdppc082p64loo3oh Fri, 20 Dec 2013 16:15:50 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2013/12/20/poor-standards S&P's downgrades the EU /content/jicoj49bmjjoak8edknsdavcbo1veqan Fri, 20 Dec 2013 10:08:25 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2013/12/17/a-challenge-to-erdogans-rule Police detained the sons of three of his cabinet ministers, a construction tycoon, and a mayor from his party in dawn raids /content/ojcu9htim93hdjn3du5titvpmu98e9d7 Tue, 17 Dec 2013 17:14:19 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2013/12/16/is-spain-on-the-verge-of-a-public-health-care-crisis The government will not provide any of the estimated 873,000 non-registered immigrants with non-emergency health care /content/kh7o0gfideq8pdf67u6p5ghuij46ffkh Mon, 16 Dec 2013 17:49:43 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2013/12/14/the-groko-is-here The effort to form a new German government clears its last remaining hurdle /content/5g5rbth77osbdg0qoadjn6t0i5en80kr Sat, 14 Dec 2013 15:44:27 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2013/12/13/a-referendum-on-independence The Catalan president plans to hold an independence referendum on November 9th next year. /content/b9n9dot3ffnabrgcjh41b0m1robn514c Fri, 13 Dec 2013 15:25:43 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2013/12/03/turning-out-the-red-lights The National Assembly will for the first time vote on whether to make it a crime to pay for sex /content/nr37ejifmk6b7gal3jrq0prd0dfjf1sr Tue, 03 Dec 2013 16:11:35 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2013/12/02/seven-deaths-foretold Sweatshops in Italy run by the Chinese show blatant contempt for Italy's health and safety laws /content/q3ntum915ie5r5v2e74cerma0i7jl69l Mon, 02 Dec 2013 16:24:01 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2013/11/29/another-chapter-in-the-fall-from-grace Standard & Poor's downgrades the Netherlands /content/0a7degk1n5isrqfpk77cfd4mod8nuc34 Fri, 29 Nov 2013 16:04:02 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2013/11/28/frances-new-african-war The French are putting things into place in order to launch an operation in the Central African Republic /content/87es17qbeo6oirodlbkoulrrv5bkmp4k Thu, 28 Nov 2013 11:30:35 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2013/11/27/expelled The former prime minister is cast out of the Senate following his conviction for tax fraud /content/smqquqcpml0gq5lcpg62jsbrhgf91pgj Wed, 27 Nov 2013 19:02:54 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2013/11/27/humour-in-teutonic-politics Let nobody say that German leaders don't have a lighter side /content/f2nft7ivamfigr9k58vrf2e34morisbt Wed, 27 Nov 2013 13:39:17 +0000 https://www.economist.com/charlemagne/2013/11/18/journalists-under-fire An unidentified gunman goes on a rampage in Paris /content/p27dbb1jm923pus1pqa2th1iameo13jp Mon, 18 Nov 2013 15:51:42 +0000