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Irish Green Party leader Eamon Ryan argues that a breakup of the Eurozone would offer no benefits to Ireland, and that the solution instead is to champion a strong, Green economy that ties Ireland ever closer to Europe.

The Greens have to use alternative green economic concepts and share them far beyond the academic sphere, with all who are now starting to realise that our economy is completely unsustainable. And above all they have to assert their specific approach to social justice.

With a rerun of Greek elections taking place this weekend, what are the prospects that the political upheaval in the country will present an opening for the Greens?

The Greens must remain faithful to their European commitment by continuing to promote a European alternative to the austerity policy of the ‘Merkozy’ duo. But passing on an unsustainable debt to the future generation is just as ecologically unsound as leaving a planet in ruins. Whatever their differences, the Greens must present their alternative to the neoliberal’s prioritising of market forces and the “statism” of the old left. This alternative must begin with a recovery package funded by a tax on financial transactions.

The success of the far-right candidate Marine Le Pen in the first round of the French Presidential election, and the success of similar nationalistic parties in other European countries, has left many wondering how the greens and progressive forces should respond to this perceived threat to European values. Edouard Gaudot suggests that the answer lies in offering hope to those who feel rejected by the political and economic system.

In October 2011, the Heinrich Boell foundation presented the results of a long collaborative project on the future of Europe. This project was an invitation to debate the project that we wish to see implemented for Europe in the 21st century. This reaction calls for a debate to be developed on two levels: firstly, to debate the causes and solutions to bring to the crisis and, secondly, the transitional dialogue to undertake in order to widen the social base of a renewed concept of European solidarity.

As with every presidential election, France is addressing national issues and shrugging off those promoted by the Greens.

As the economic crisis continues, many forces are beginning to question whether capitalism can survive in its current form. In this piece, Finnish Green activist Anne Bland asks whether there is a means of changing how capitalism works, in order to make it more inclusive and supportive of green thinking.

Austerity in Britain has a face. That face is female. That face is a mother of a dependent child. A mother with a job – although a job she may well lose in the next couple of years through no fault of her own. A very poor paying, part-time job, renting at high cost in the private sector, in a home that’s poorly insulated and expensive to heat.

With one of the highest growth rates in the European Union, the Polish economy seems to escape the crisis. But there is another side of the coin. The Polish are working more and more but earning less. This is the result of a practical obligation to systematically work overtime during weekends and the impossibility of taking annual leave. But what is the social impact of this inequality?