Koert Debeuf
EUobserver
Belgium
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Past articles by Koert:
Is the overwhelming critique of Qatar hypocritical?
Let us be clear, Qatar is not a democracy, it is a conservative Muslim country that does not give foreign workers the rights and protection these workers deserve. → Read More
Belgium goes into three-week 'lockdown light'
Belgium is taking new emergency Covid measures, curbing concerts and private parties. Bars and restaurants now need to close their doors at 11PM. → Read More
[Analysis] Why Western military interventions remain necessary
To reject any humanitarian, military intervention is not only problematic from an ethical point of view. It also shows a lack of long-term thinking about European self-interest. → Read More
Belgium outlines summer Covid relaxation plans
Belgian prime minister Alexander De Croo announced that from 9 June restaurants, cinemas, theatres and fitness centres will be able to open their doors again. Indoor and outdoor events will steadily be able to host more people. → Read More
Belgium to reopen borders, terraces and hairdressers
The Belgian government plans the phased reopening of borders, terraces, hairdressers and other shops. More is possible if the number of vaccinated people increases and infections drop. → Read More
[Analysis] Why Iran desperately wants a new nuclear deal
This week negotiations on a renewed nuclear deal with Tehran started in Vienna. Iran is desperate to have a deal quickly. Elections are coming up in June, and the economy is in terrible shape. → Read More
Belgium goes into four-week Easter lockdown
Belgium's prime minister Alexander De Croo announced on Wednesday that the country will go into four weeks of Easter lockdown, starting from Saturday (27 March). → Read More
[EUobserved] The trap of spreading ideas while attacking them
Ideas that are attacked are actually being promulgated. That has been the case for centuries, at least as far back as Thomas Aquinas. And that is certainly the case today with Facebook and Twitter. → Read More
[Interview] 2011: The 'Arab Spring' was a great dream
"I was a very regular girl, working in sales and marketing. No one in my family was politically active. There was no justice anywhere, but we all kept silent. For some reason, I started to feel angry about it." → Read More
20 years of
Our special anniversary magazine gives an overview of the major events of these past 20 years - and, for every event, we talked to one of the key players. It makes this magazine a historic document of recent EU history. → Read More
[EUobserved] Von der Leyen's State of Union through a speechwriter's eyes
How convincing was Ursula von der Leyen's State of the Union of Europe address? A speechwriter's analysis on the length - and the messages - of the speech. → Read More
[Analysis] How Europe is getting tangled in the big Middle East conflict
Mediterranean tensions are about much more than the Greek-Turkish oil dispute. And if Europe doesn't pay attention, it could be entangled in the nets of a regional conflict. → Read More
EU leaders urge Putin to push for Belarus dialogue
European Council president Charles Michel, French president Emmanuel Macron and German chancellor Angela Merkel had each one of them a call with Russian president Vladimir Putin on Tuesday (18 August) on the situation in Belarus, calling for dialogue. → Read More
[Feature] The Hagia Sophia and the global battle of symbols
The Turkish president's decision to restart Islamic worship services in Istanbul's Hagia Sophia last Friday is not innocent. So how should we react? By doing the opposite - and make Cordoba's famous Mosque/Cathedral in Cordoba a museum. → Read More
[Analysis] Waking up after corona. How will the world look?
Many people hoped that after corona we would wake up in a friendlier world. Unfortunately, the opposite seems to be the case. A cocktail of several fears is fuelling the already existing trend of polarisation, worldwide. → Read More
Top editors alarmed by media cuts in EU and beyond
The pandemic is strangling quality journalism around the world, but that suits some governments, leading European and international editors have said. → Read More
Already doubts over Belgium's new 'anti-corona government'
Belgium's King Philip has given interim prime minister Sophie Wilmès the task of forming a government, after seven opposition parties agreed to support it. The agreement came after a political drama - and there are doubts if it will hold. → Read More
In Saudi Arabia, contacting the EU is a crime
Women's rights activist Loujain al-Hathloul is facing trial. One of the allegations is contacting the EU delegation. Despite pressure from Brussels, Saudi Arabia remains unimpressed. → Read More
[Interview] China celebrates Women's day, despite corona epidemic
Interview with Mrs. Cai Xiaoli, spouse of the Chinese Ambassador to the EU on the effect of the coronavirus outbreak in China and the celebration of Women's day in China and Europe. → Read More
[Analysis] Putin and Erdogan agree Idlib ceasefire, but will it hold?
Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian president Vladimir Putin agreed to restart a ceasefire in Idlib, the last rebel-held province in Syria, at their meeting in Moscow on Thursday. → Read More