As Europe struggles with the second wave of the virus and faces a new round of lockdowns, governments and businesses must ask themselves whether people will cope with more restrictions as well as they have striven to do so far. For many white-collar workers, the pandemic has already made remote…

After a summer of hope, Europe looks set for a tragic winter. The dream of keeping the pandemic in check with limited sacrifices is gone. Governments are readying themselves for a new round of tough containment measures. Ireland paved the way a week and a half ago, imposing a national lockdown…

What to do about schools is perhaps the biggest dilemma facing policy makers right now. Closing them could lead to a “lost generation” of learners and make it harder for parents to get back to work. Keeping them open could further propagate the virus. Should governments choose the latter, they will…

Amid the gloom of the pandemic’s second wave, some European enthusiasts are wondering whether this crisis might finally usher in a “fiscal union” of states — something akin to the US. The roaring success this week of the European Union’s first social bond, issued to help fight off the pandemic…

Last spring, as the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic swept through Europe, Sweden became the continent’s controversial exception on how to tackle the virus. As other countries — from Italy to the UK — enforced draconian lockdowns, the Swedes went for a light touch. That sparked outrage among…

The pandemic has prompted governments to take a more active role in managing their economies. Politicians are giving out generous loan guarantees and subsidizing wages to reduce the risk of a wave of bankruptcies and mass unemployment. The next step is taking over companies directly. After a spree…

Since the resurgence of the pandemic, Europe has tried to avoid imposing new national lockdowns. Countries have preferred localized restrictions as a less costly alternative. While such “smart” lockdowns seem like a good idea in theory, they’re bound to stir resentment among the regions, cities and…

The end of the summer holidays and the reopening of schools have sparked a lively debate over the future of remote working. From the US to the UK, politicians and employers are nudging workers to return to the office even though the pandemic is not over. But these requests put employees in a very…