We may not have monoculture in music, fashion or movies anymore - but we certainly do have it in weird online radicalisation patterns.

Yet again, an important listen and something that isn't getting anywhere near enough focus.

Also true - and that combined with the above is going to create incentives to (rightfully) not give in on any of those requests on the European side. Tiresome groundhog-day years ahead.

(And idem for the “hold my nose to vote for whatever opposition” voters)

One tricky aspect of the rekindled rejoin debate is its timing. France and others are about to have their most consequential elections for Europe in decades. If the impression is created that leaving the EU can be “easily” reversed - that weakens one big hurdle for many hesitant far right voters.

(This not in the defence of this specific Commission solution - and I would also rather we find our sovereign solutions in existing providers, rather than each institution trying to build their own in-house alternative)

Exactly this!

Exhibit A:

The growing entanglement between Washington, the Pentagon and the tech giants is a topic I cover at some length in Deep Connections. We are witnessing in real time an unprecedented level of power concentration, fuelling and fueled by similarly unprecedented geopolitical and technological change.

Just noticed that Brits will refer to their prime ministers by their first names (Andy, Keir, Boris). Americans do the same, but with their tech billionaires (Dario, Elon, Sam) instead. Quite fitting.

Europe could stop the influx tomorrow, the problem is the reciprocity.

Kind of funny that he is calling out the reversible bit (cheap Chinese EVs entering the European market), while himself doubling down on the much more difficult to reverse/pernicious bit (joint ventures and growing dependency on Chinese tech and production capacity).