> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.opendemocracy.net/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Europe: there is life outside Brussels: October 8th - 14th on openDemocracy - URL: https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/europe-there-is-life-outside-brussels-october-8th-14th-on-opendemocracy/ - Published: 2012-10-14T11:10:18.000Z - Updated: 2026-04-23T01:15:52.000Z - Description: Is there another way forward for Europe? Mary Kaldor and Sabine Selchow introduce our theme of the week, looking at the continent’s Subterranean Politics. Its frustration and inventiveness are evoked by Geoffrey Pleyers; new ways of decision-making challenge German democracy and attract David Budd - Author: openDemocracy Supporters - Tags: The Week in 1 Minute, #Migrated, #en, #Import 2026-04-09 17:27, #appended-excerpt The debate is hosted in a special oD page, [Can Europe make it](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/2fd5950a24/7262321cfa/a25ddb40c4&ref=opendemocracy.net)? Its editor [David Krivanek explains](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/2fd5950a24/7262321cfa/ab41dddccb&ref=opendemocracy.net) this is a democratic question, others warn against [euroscepticism](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/2fd5950a24/7262321cfa/a1250e356f&ref=opendemocracy.net) and [corrosive lobbying](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/2fd5950a24/7262321cfa/137351bc49&ref=opendemocracy.net) dousing what [remains of Enlightenment](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/2fd5950a24/7262321cfa/5917b631bd&ref=opendemocracy.net) and [Ben Hayes](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/2fd5950a24/7262321cfa/a05e0b2fb8&ref=opendemocracy.net) warns against over-excitement. Meanwhile, [the Icelanders](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/2fd5950a24/7262321cfa/57e914965c&ref=opendemocracy.net) get on with**doing something about it** and write their own constitution. Elsewhere such a benign outcome is threatened by **far-right populism**. Outside their core militants, [Marley Morris](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/2fd5950a24/7262321cfa/738f80504c&ref=opendemocracy.net) reports they are drawing on “reluctant radicals” of all ages across Europe. Meanwhile, in the UK, Our Kingdom interviews [Daniel Trilling](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/2fd5950a24/7262321cfa/fea8c803f8&ref=opendemocracy.net) about his new book on the ugly, hard right while [Sunder Katwala](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/2fd5950a24/7262321cfa/2a57fc29ba&ref=opendemocracy.net) examines attitudes to the English Defence League and [Joe Mulhall](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/2fd5950a24/7262321cfa/a5be277a4a&ref=opendemocracy.net) asks where the introduction of elected police commissioners will fit in while [Tess Riley](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/2fd5950a24/7262321cfa/f7eb31ed2f&ref=opendemocracy.net) praises the rise of a sharing economy. Will the international community **defend democracy in the Maldives**? - asks [Stephen Zunes](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/2fd5950a24/7262321cfa/67c9b428a3&ref=opendemocracy.net), who begins our **war coverage**: it’s words in [Burma](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/2fd5950a24/7262321cfa/3d247f95db&ref=opendemocracy.net); motives in [Syria](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/2fd5950a24/7262321cfa/3b1c9eed3b&ref=opendemocracy.net); resurgent Naxalism in [India](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/2fd5950a24/7262321cfa/13a31fd636&ref=opendemocracy.net); and forgotten combatants in [Bangladesh](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/2fd5950a24/7262321cfa/56d198722b&ref=opendemocracy.net), and two reports on the crucial impact of sanctions in Iran from [Paul Ingram](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/2fd5950a24/7262321cfa/3a24542977&ref=opendemocracy.net) and [Saeed Rahnema](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/2fd5950a24/7262321cfa/607fdecb57&ref=opendemocracy.net), while [Paul Rogers](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/2fd5950a24/7262321cfa/64015b901d&ref=opendemocracy.net) provides the overview from Syria to Nigeria, unusually sober even for him. **In oD Russia**, [Euan Grant](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/2fd5950a24/7262321cfa/f267e28543&ref=opendemocracy.net) wants to tame organised crime, [Mikhail Loginov](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/2fd5950a24/7262321cfa/35c855c86b&ref=opendemocracy.net) highlights disillusioned voters and [Ekaterina Loushnikova](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/2fd5950a24/7262321cfa/b6170c9a7e&ref=opendemocracy.net) tracks down the families of imprisoned protesters – especially moving. An angry Sergii Leschenko says [elections are rigged](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/2fd5950a24/7262321cfa/7445f8f25a&ref=opendemocracy.net) in the Ukraine. openSecurity however has some [good news from Georgian voters](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/2fd5950a24/7262321cfa/e0cf30f75a&ref=opendemocracy.net). **We ask some questions**: can women shape elections, the [US elections](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/2fd5950a24/7262321cfa/6a9a97c1a5&ref=opendemocracy.net) and [Tunisia](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/2fd5950a24/7262321cfa/4914d80319&ref=opendemocracy.net)? And is it really a good day for [peasants](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/2fd5950a24/7262321cfa/82ce22cda4&ref=opendemocracy.net) in the United Nations and for [domestic workers](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/2fd5950a24/7262321cfa/261e1fbb4c&ref=opendemocracy.net) in the Gulf? Will this alert from [Simon Maxwell and Sam Bickersteth](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/2fd5950a24/7262321cfa/59ea54430a&ref=opendemocracy.net) do the trick on climate change? And the sordid side of England emerges even in OurBeeb, as [the BBC slips again](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/2fd5950a24/7262321cfa/520dfc86cc&ref=opendemocracy.net); is it time for its Trust [to be elected?](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/2fd5950a24/7262321cfa/80a981ef83&ref=opendemocracy.net) Did you see last week’s impressive interview with David Potter, founder of Psion and ex- Bank of England? Take a read, the world financial crisis won’t be the same and [you’ll Welcome the Enmity of bankers!](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/2fd5950a24/7262321cfa/c4505afce8&ref=opendemocracy.net) **Also on the web, don’t miss:** - [How to manipulate particles and win a Nobel prize](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/2fd5950a24/7262321cfa/a152434dea&ref=opendemocracy.net) - [The Libor scandal – the greatest yet?](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/2fd5950a24/7262321cfa/3190d0525f&ref=opendemocracy.net) - [Governor Romney’s foreign policy](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/2fd5950a24/7262321cfa/b0eb52e31d&ref=opendemocracy.net) **openDemocracy’s week in 1 minute is emailed to Members, Friends and authors who help pay for and create our great content. Please forward this to any contact you think might be interested and** [**want to join**](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/2fd5950a24/7262321cfa/6ea823dacc/openDemocracy/bb28beb484/946f39415f/51634b1085/openDemocracy/d4022f1a75/TEST/e64101092e&ref=opendemocracy.net) **or email us (**[**supporters@opendemocracy.net**](mailto:supporters@opendemocracy.net)**).** Is there **another way forward for Europe**? Mary Kaldor and Sabine Selchow introduce our theme of the week, looking at the continent’s [Subterranean Politics](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/2fd5950a24/7262321cfa/2dd20ada20&ref=opendemocracy.net). Its frustration and inventiveness are evoked by [Geoffrey Pleyers](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/2fd5950a24/7262321cfa/02c52f92dc&ref=opendemocracy.net); new ways of decision-making challenge German democracy and attract [David Budde](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/2fd5950a24/7262321cfa/bc6bf9570e&ref=opendemocracy.net); the indignados inspire trade unions in [Italy](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/2fd5950a24/7262321cfa/d626532fcc&ref=opendemocracy.net) and in [Spain](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/2fd5950a24/7262321cfa/bde12cad11&ref=opendemocracy.net); [Hungarians](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/2fd5950a24/7262321cfa/770940370a&ref=opendemocracy.net) are not alone in asking on whose side is the EU; and [Londoners](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/2fd5950a24/7262321cfa/73340629b3&ref=opendemocracy.net) put the European back into their global city. The team mull over what they have found in ‘[Re-imagining Europe](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/2fd5950a24/7262321cfa/aa28ecc5b6&ref=opendemocracy.net)’, while [Sean Deel updates us](http://cts.vresp.com/c/?openDemocracy/2fd5950a24/7262321cfa/7de018df6e&ref=opendemocracy.net) on the first transnational direct democratic tool ever.