Tipping point in Syria? Houla massacre raises the stakes

After the expulsion of more than a dozen Syrian ambassadors around the world, how far will the backlash go over the massacre of 108 citizens, more than a third of them children? François Picard’s panel argues over the ability to pressure Russia to drop its support for the regime of Bashar al-Assad.

DEBATE

Vincent FLORIANI, Deputy Spokesperson for the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs;
Monzer MAKHOUS, Syrian National Council Member and Coordinator for the European Union;
Marietje SCHAAKE, MEP, Alliance for Liberals and Democrats in Europe; Spokesperson for Syria;
Anton KOZLOV, Associate Professor at the American Graduate School of Paris.
Watch the second part

Program prepared and produced by Christopher Davies, Sara Bertilsson and Mary Colombel

Presenter

François Picard

15/12/2010 - THE DEBATE

Crunch Time in Ivory Coast

It’s crunch time in Ivory Coast. The opposition has planned a march on state television for Thursday. From his U.N.-guarded hotel that serves as headquarters, Alassane Ouattara may have the backing of the international community but Laurent Gbagbo remains in control of the loyalist army as well as cocoa, oil and other main sources of revenue. Who will blink first, and can a bloodbath be avoided?

14/12/2010 - THE DEBATE

Islamophobia and extremism (part 2)

A far-right political leader compares Muslims praying in the streets to the occupation of France by Nazi Germany. A woman sacked for wearing the Muslim veil at a pre-school loses her appeal and a British-based Islamist blows himself up on a busy street in Stockholm. Europe's Muslim minority is in the spotlight once again and uncomfortable questions are being asked: integration, extremism and islamophobia are terms which elicit strong reactions from all sides of the political divide.

14/12/2010 - THE DEBATE

Islamophobia and extremism

10/12/2010 - THE DEBATE

Europe's debt crisis: Portugal under pressure (part 2)

Will Portugal be next? As the finger-pointing continues, the country is scrambling to avoid its fate as prescribed by the markets. Investors are almost certain Lisbon will follow Athens and Dublin and be next in line for an EU/IMF bailout. So is Europe on the right road to ending the crisis? Or are we facing bailout after bailout? Is the euro, and the European Union itself, under threat?

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