Europe cannot condemn colonialism à la carte

Al JazeeraEN 4 min read 100% complete by Belén FernándezJanuary 22, 2026 at 09:14 AM

AI Summary

long article 4 min

In January 2026, at the World Economic Forum in Davos, European leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, condemned what they see as new imperial ambitions of U.S. President Donald Trump, specifically his interest in acquiring Greenland. The European Parliament also criticized Trump's statements as a challenge to international law and the sovereignty of a NATO ally. However, the article argues that Europe's condemnation of colonialism is hypocritical, given that countries like France still control numerous overseas territories. The article suggests that Europe's history of colonialism and continued control of territories undermines its ability to credibly criticize Trump's actions.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

UN 40% NATO 40% European Parliament 50% Davos, Switzerland ×350% Greenland ×460% World Economic Forum (WEF) ×260% Europe ×270% France ×270% Emmanuel Macron ×370% Donald Trump ×690%

Keywords

colonialism 100% imperialism 90% donald trump 80% europe 70% overseas territories 60% international law 50% emmanuel macron 50% greenland 40% sovereignty 40%