Editorial from Jean-Luc Soulier, Managing Partner

The latest summit of the World Law Group, of which our firm is a member, was held in Riga at the invitation of the outstanding law firm Sorainen, which operates in Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia.

The economic success of these three Baltic States is remarkable. Their unwavering commitment to democratic values largely explains this outstanding achievement.

The threats posed by Russia and the erosion of democratic values across much of the world prompted concerned discussions among delegates from every corner of the globe.

I grew up in a world where the fight against corruption was seen as an absolute necessity, where freedom of opinion was regarded as sacred, and where the free movement of people and goods was guaranteed by major international institutions. The OECD, the Council of Europe, the European Union, the World Trade Organization, and the International Monetary Fund were the guarantors of nearly a century of prosperity.

The temptation to turn inward, selfishness, and abdications are gaining ground everywhere. “Nationalism means war! War is not only our past; it may be our future” declared President François Mitterrand in a speech before the European Parliament in 1995. We may well be very close to that future.

Let us take inspiration from the Baltic States!

Jean-Luc Soulier

Member of the Paris Bar

All publications by Jean-Luc Soulier

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