Housing has become one of the most politically charged economic issues in Spain. Rising rents, the difficulty of finding available apartments, and the increasingly delayed transition of many young people into independent living generate understandable frustration. When access to an essential good becomes difficult, the temptation quickly arises to identify a visible culprit: landlords, property platforms, investment funds, speculators, or simply “the market.”
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Reflections from the 10th Austrian Economics Meeting Europe in Angers
From May 28 to May 30, I had the privilege of participating in the 10th Austrian Economics Meeting Europe, held in the historic city of Angers, France. Events like this remind me why academic exchange remains one of the most important elements of intellectual development.
Continue readingIncentives, Burden-Sharing, and the Reconfiguration of the International Security Order
In the current international security landscape, one can observe a phenomenon that deserves careful and dispassionate analysis. The pressure exerted by Donald Trump on NATO allies—particularly regarding defense spending and strategic responsibility—has, in the short term, led several member states to reassess their own security obligations. One visible consequence has been a renewed European attention to strategic chokepoints such as the Strait of Hormuz, a vital artery for global energy flows.
This development has attracted criticism. Some argue that such pressure undermines the so-called “postwar international order.” Yet this criticism often rests on an insufficiently examined premise: that the existing order is both neutral and self-sustaining. A closer look at the historical evolution of that order suggests otherwise.
Continue readingWhy Western Europe Is Falling Behind: Welfare States, Interventionism, and the Loss of Economic Vitality
To say that Western Europe is “poor” would be inaccurate and intellectually dishonest. Compared with developing countries, Western Europe remains wealthy. But that is not the correct benchmark. The real question is whether Western Europe has reached the level of dynamism, innovation, and economic vitality that its history, institutions, and human capital should allow. On this standard, the answer is increasingly no.
Continue readingBurden Sharing, Welfare States, and the Structural Tensions Within the Transatlantic Alliance
From time to time, strong emotional reactions emerge in transatlantic political discourse. These reactions are often framed in terms of “betrayal,” “pressure,” or “coercion.” While such language may resonate rhetorically, it obscures a more fundamental issue: the long-standing imbalance in security provision within the NATO alliance.
To understand why these tensions recur, one must move beyond rhetoric and examine incentives, fiscal realities, and institutional structures.
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