Terra Nova (think tank)

Terra Nova (think tank)

Terra Nova is a Paris-based progressive political party-affiliated public policy think tank founded in 2008 by Olivier Ferrand. It operates within the network of European and international policy organisations, engaging with actors such as Socialist International, Party of European Socialists, European Commission, European Parliament, and national institutions including the French National Assembly and the Senate of France. Terra Nova has produced research cited by figures from François Hollande to Emmanuel Macron and by parties including the Socialist Party (France), while interacting with international think tanks such as Brookings Institution, Chatham House, Bruegel, and Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

History and founding

Terra Nova was established in 2008 during a period of discussion among progressive actors including members of Parti Socialiste (France), activists from Sciences Po, academics from École Normale Supérieure, and advisors connected to Élysée Palace networks. Its founder, Olivier Ferrand, previously engaged with groups linked to French Socialist Party reform currents and had ties to figures such as Martine Aubry, Ségolène Royal, Lionel Jospin, and policy intellectuals from Institut d'études politiques de Paris. Early work coincided with debates sparked by the 2008 financial crisis, comparative reviews of the New Labour legacy associated with Tony Blair, and discussions on continental models like Swedish Social Democratic Party reform and the German Social Democratic Party's transformations under leaders including Gerhard Schröder. Terra Nova's initial reports addressed taxation, welfare reform, and digital policy amid dialogues that involved commentators from Le Monde, Libération, Le Figaro, and broadcasters such as France Télévisions.

Organisation and governance

Terra Nova is governed by a board and a directorate which have included policy advisors, academics from institutions such as Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, École Polytechnique, and Université Paris Nanterre, and alumni of ENA and INSEAD. Its structure features research fellows, policy analysts, and a network of visiting scholars from international bodies like the OECD, International Monetary Fund, and World Bank. Governance has seen interactions with trade union figures from Confédération Générale du Travail, leaders from Confédération Française Démocratique du Travail, and members of municipal administrations such as Hôtel de Ville de Paris. Terra Nova collaborates with European platforms including Progressive Alliance and research centres like Institut Montaigne and Fondation Jean-Jaurès, while maintaining partnerships with universities including Université Paris-Saclay and Université Catholique de Louvain.

Policy positions and publications

Terra Nova has published reports on taxation, labour market reform, social protection, digital transformation, and European integration, engaging with policy debates tied to Treaty of Lisbon, Stability and Growth Pact, and Schengen Agreement. Notable publications examined proposals on universal basic income in dialogue with experiments in Finland, progressive tax reforms akin to measures in Sweden, and labour regulations referencing models from Germany and Denmark. Its work on digital policy addressed data governance and platform regulation, engaging with stakeholders connected to European Commission Directorate-General for Competition, Agence Nationale de la Sécurité des Systèmes d'Information, and think tanks such as Center for European Policy Studies. Terra Nova produced manifestos and memos cited in campaign platforms of politicians like Manuel Valls, Benoît Hamon, and advisers to Emmanuel Macron; publications often intersected with commentary in outlets including The Economist, Financial Times, and Politico Europe.

Influence and political engagement

Terra Nova has influenced debates within the Socialist Party (France), contributed to policy cycles in administrations led by François Hollande, and engaged with European policy arenas including sessions at the European Parliament and workshops with the European Council on Foreign Relations. Its recommendations have been discussed in parliamentary hearings at the Assemblée nationale (France) and in municipal policymaking in Lyon, Marseille, and Paris. Terra Nova staff have taken part in networks such as World Economic Forum meetings, collaborated with international researchers from Harvard University, University of Oxford, and London School of Economics, and sent delegates to conferences hosted by Council of Europe and United Nations Development Programme.

Funding and controversies

Terra Nova's funding model combines private donations, grants from foundations, and project-based support from European programmes such as Horizon 2020. Donors and partnerships have included foundations and philanthropic actors comparable to Open Society Foundations and collaborations with corporate stakeholders and unions, prompting scrutiny from media outlets including Le Monde, Libération, and Le Figaro. Controversies have arisen over perceived proximity to the Socialist Party (France), debates about independence reminiscent of critiques directed at other Parisian think tanks like Institut Montaigne, and questions raised in parliamentary oversight contexts about transparency similar to wider European discussions involving Transparency International and regulatory scrutiny related to lobbying rules in France and at the European Union level. Internal reviews and public responses sought to address concerns about governance, funding disclosure, and policy neutrality while retaining active engagement with political actors including Ségolène Royal and Arnaud Montebourg.

Category:Think tanks based in France