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WEEKLY UPDATE: Can economic freedom survive populism?

  The future prosperity of the world hangs in the balance   The wave of populism that has swept the world in recent years had its origins in a number of converging trends, including large-scale migration, globalization, and the financial crisis of 2008, all of which fueled a sense that legacy elites are self-interested and […]

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There are actually two possible “no deals”

  “What would a ‘No Deal’ after the transition period look like?” By Dominic Walsh, courtesy of Open Europe   How ‘No Deal’ could happen after the transition period   The revised Withdrawal Agreement agreed by Boris Johnson’s Government replaced the UK-wide ‘backstop’ with a new Protocol that applies only to Northern Ireland. Unlike the previous deal, […]

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We Need to Defend Innovation in Latin America

By Federico Fernández, founder, Somos Innovación   We live in an era where great things have happened thanks to innovation. Everybody loves innovation and recognizes that is a force for progress. With the exception of maybe North Korea, no government in the world has an official policy to prohibit innovation or harass innovative people.   […]

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Advancing Free Markets in Populist Times

    By Iain Murray and Johan Norberg   “National conservatism” is the flavor of the month, it seems. Recent European elections have seen parties that espouse big government and nationalism gain ground in both Poland and Germany – and the Polish government has duly announced a bigger role for the state in the economy. In the […]

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Canada passed a free trade deal with itself – and it’s still not enough

  “Interprovincial trade: Alberta in first place, Quebec in last” Courtesy of MEI   While Canada continues to negotiate free trade agreements with numerous countries, the provinces maintain obstacles to trade within our own borders. The MEI and the Canadian Constitution Foundation (CCF) have listed them from best to worst in a ranking of Canadian […]

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Brexit uncertainty cost UK new Tesla gigafactory

  “Brexit uncertainty means Tesla choses Germany for European for new factory” By Professor David Bailey, courtesy of UK In a Changing Europe   Last week Tesla CEO Elon Musk said that Brexit uncertainty was a factor in the firm’s decision to build its first major European factory near Berlin in Germany rather than the […]

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Pro- and anti-Brexit electoral alliances start to take shape

“Pro- and anti-Brexit electoral alliances start to take shape” By Stephen Booth and Anthony Egan, courtesy of Open Europe   The UK’s general election campaign is yet to get into full swing. A few more details have emerged regarding the Brexit policies of the major parties but the most significant developments are how the parties […]

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Don’t let regulations cancel advantages of bank integration

  “Crisis management for euro-area banks in central Europe” By Alexander Lehmann, courtesy of Bruegel Institute   The deep involvement of a number of euro-area banking groups in central and southeastern Europe has benefited the host countries and has strengthened the resilience of those banking groups. But this integration has become less close because of […]

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Government Tries to Regulate Drug Prices by Violating the First Amendment

  By Ilya Shapiro and Dennis Garcia, courtesy of the Cato Institute   Pharmaceutical companies rely on direct-to-consumer advertisements to reach potential customers and extol the benefits of their medications. This type of “commercial speech” enjoys protection under the First Amendment, though not to the same degree as other forms of expression. Merck v. HHS tests the limits […]

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Chile’s constitutional reform is on the right track (so far)

  “Agreement for New Constitution” Courtesy of Libertad y Progreso   After a long day of negotiations, an agreement has been reached regarding the mechanism for drafting a new Constitution [in Chile], among a broad spectrum of political parties from both the ruling coalition and the opposition.   The basic elements are as follows:   […]