Paul McCarthy is a Senior Research Fellow for European Affairs in The Heritage Foundation’s Maragaret Thatcher Center for Freedom. He was previously the Europe Regional Director at the International Republican Institute.  

McCarthy is a leader in strengthening transatlantic cooperation and bolstering common resolve among conservative decision makers to confront threats to free societies. His three decades of experience includes: building the policy development capacities of conservative political parties; strengthening transatlantic networks advocating for freedom and conservative values; combating Islamist extremism and anti-Semitism; and countering Chinese Communist Party influence in Europe. McCarthy also worked for a decade in the Middle East where he helped reformers working in autocratic political environments. He began his career overseeing assistance programs to political parties and think tanks in countries transitioning from Soviet domination.

McCarthy is a contributing author to Heritage’s Index of U.S. Military Strength and has published articles in The Washington Times, The American Interest, World Affairs, and Democracy Speaks. He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania and his master’s degree from The London School of Economics and Political Science.