Slippery slope is far from the usual run of uncritical eu related stud for many years among the foremost commentators on the politics and economics shaping europe he was named by the financial times as one of 30 eurostars who are the most influential voices in brussels. Slippery slope is far from the usual run of uncritical eu related studies its aim is to set alarm bells ringing across europe with its revealing insights into our increasingly troubled future giles merritt argues that the steepness and suddenness of europes decline in the asian century will depend on the actions we europeans undertake. Slippery slope is far from the usual run of uncritical eu related studies its aim is to set alarm bells ringing across europe with its revealing insights into our increasingly troubled future giles merritt argues that the steepness and suddenness of europes decline in the asian century will depend on the actions we europeans undertake. Slippery slope is far from the usual run of uncritical eu related studies its aim is to set alarm bells ringing across europe with its revealing insights into our increasingly troubled future its aim is to set alarm bells ringing across europe with its revealing insights into our increasingly troubled future. Shortlisted for the 2016 european book prize in slippery slope europes troubled future journalist and analyst giles merritt reflects on the threats challenges and unexpected opportunities that europeans are likely to face as they move deeper into the twenty first century