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«A revolution will never be possible in Brussels, because we all know each other» «A revolution will never be possible in Brussels, because we all know each other» «A revolution will never be possible in Brussels, because we all know each other»
01 October 2024
Economics

What do we do with the Chinese, tax them on electric cars or not, who knows! Some yes, some no. As usual, there is a nice little theatre going on in the INTA committee of the European Parliament

Weekly most viewed

27 September 2024
Economics
Europe

While many sectors of German and Frugals’ politics are obsessed with green craziness (like stopping the production of endothermic engines from 2035) and insist on obstructing a common European debt, as opposed to what would be needed to revive a real European industrial policy and stimulate domestic demand, American politics is mapping out its own industrial future at the expense of Europe. Explain that to Lindner, Merz and Ferber that are causing an economic recession and in the end give votes to AfD. Teutonic flexibility is well known, as is the damage it has already repeatedly done to Europe and its unity. ….

24 September 2024
Italy
Politics

Better late than never – Weber, unlike the CDU hawks, really believes in a united Europe and from Naples he argues that the end of the Baltic shrunkenness era is here: it’s time to put the Mediterranean back at the centre. Immigration without integration has woken everyone up from hibernation

23 September 2024
Europe
Politics

Lady Ursula unchained – The new Commission, despite numerous appeals to give it a collegial character, will see a wild Lady Ursula, the real leader of the executive. During the last legislature the “German” traction ensured unity and coordination in action. This time, the impression is that the various commissioners are watertight comports whose only task is to follow the programme already drawn up by Mario Draghi…

19 September 2024
Economics

The EPP invites Draghi to present the report on competitiveness in Parliament, pretending to support it. However, they become divided over the issue of common debt, with the hawk Ferber making it clear that it’s not up for discussion. Meanwhile, the Greens also voice their concerns about the backtracking on decarbonization efforts

17 September 2024
Country
Europe
France
Senza categoria

It seems like our favorite French president’s inner circle is getting quite the shuffle. Breton is out, and Séjourné, the most Macroniste of them all, is in. Because nothing says transparency and political progress like a good old-fashioned game of musical chairs at the European Commission. It’s not like Europe has bigger issues to tackle, right? But hey, at least Paris got what it wanted.

16 September 2024
Country
Europe

Thierry Breton, the outgoing European Commissioner for the Internal Market and Services, has resigned. In the resignation letter he shared on X, Breton claimed that von der Leyen had recently pressured France to withdraw his candidacy as the country’s nominee for the European Commission, in exchange for a more influential role. Breton accused von der Leyen of acting “for personal reasons that you never directly discussed with me.” So far, neither the French government nor von der Leyen have commented

10 September 2024
Country
Germany

We are in the final comic moments: the CDU – after voting in the European Parliament for a ban on internal combustion engines from 2035, and after having forced even other EPP delegations that were against it at the time to do the same – changes its mind and shifts into reverse gear. Did they have to wait for the collapse of the car industry to realize this? What strategists! In the face of Draghi’s statements, Ehler and Schwab make statements cloaked in mock enthusiasm, emphasizing only the part that interests them and the frugals: innovation and the domestic market. No mention of the importance of a common debt. 

10 September 2024
Europe

In the end, round and round, the only way for the EU to survive is to be a STATE: and that means issuing common debt and having a single defense, possibly with a parliament that has the right of legislative initiative like all parliaments in the world, along with the possibility of challenging the Government, with a normal majority and that is the Commission. There was no need to bother poor Draghi with this, it was already known! The problem is that Germany and other EU northern countries do not get it. Who knows if they will get it now that they are starting to close factories and put people on the streets? History teaches that they are always too late. But this time there may be a small margin…

06 September 2024
Country
Europe

“IF THESE REFORMS ARE NOT CARRIED OUT, EUROPE IS FINISHED” – MARIO DRAGHI PRESENTS HIS REPORT ON COMPETITIVENESS TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND SOUNDS THE ALARM TO THE GROUP LEADERS: “GREAT CO-RESPONSIBILITY AND GREAT COOPERATION ARE NEEDED” – THE MEPS APPLAUDED IN THE FACE OF THE HORROR SCENARIO OUTLINED BY “MARIOPIO”, WHO MAKES NO CONCESSIONS TO THE SOVEREIGNISTS SUCH AS MELONI, SALVINI AND COMPANY- THE REPORT WAS DRAFTED ON BEHALF OF THE EU COMMISSION, AND WILL SERVE AS AN ‘AGENDA’ FOR URSULA BIS

05 September 2024
Europe

The holidays are over and the appointment circus in Brussels has begun again. Despite the advance of the ultra-right in Germany, the method of solving problems remains the same and does not focus on the causes, but rather on the usual bubble problems: gender balance in the formation of the College of Commissioners. So much so that Romania had to change gears and appoint Roxana Mînzatu instead of Victor Negrescu.

04 September 2024
Country
Germany
Society

The ultra-right’s boom in Germany shakes the heart of Europe. In last sunday’s vote AfD was the first party in Thuringia, and second in Saxony, marking the first victory of a far-right party in a German state since World War II. Today no one wants to deal with them, a party that still has neo-Nazi overtones, so it will stay out of the decision room. But for how long? Lorenzo Castellani, historian and political scientist at Luiss-Guido Carli University in Rome, analyzes its success and what it will bring in the near future

30 July 2024
Germany
Politics

Big troubles in Germany – From being an undisputed power in the European economic system, Berlin is finding itself fragile and vulnerable to the billows of global instability. In the mid-1990s, as the European Union went from one crisis to another, there was one constant: Germany, and in particular Angela Merkel, its chancellor, the star around which the rest of Europe orbited. But now the Deutschland Model devoured itself, appearing increasingly bewildered and unable to define itself amid the East-West rift but especially in the competition between the United States and the China-Russia bloc

29 July 2024
Europe
Society

Being anti-Ursula does not automatically mean being anti-EU. There are currently five governments in the Council that are directly or indirectly linked to the ECR. The “cordon sanitaire” criteria cannot be maintained in the Council. In the new geopolitical context, territorial control is an indispensable condition for the existence of the Union, especially on some key issues, like migration and defence. And if Trump wins again, even more so… it will mean: common debt!

25 July 2024
France
Politics

All against the center – It seems that everything is backfiring on Macron: in France, the far right and the far left (i.e., Le Pen and Melenchon) are reportedly ready to cooperate for the sole purpose of abolishing the hated pension reform law. A handshake that no one expects: another consequence of the dastardly moves of the Petit Napoleon, now increasingly backed into a corner

22 July 2024
Politics

Is Europe changing strategy in Syria? There is also Italy as well as Slovenia, Slovakia, Croatia, Greece, the Czech Republic, Cyprus and Austria, among the signatories of the letter sent to Joseph Borrell for a new strategic approach in the Syrian area. The document proposes to review and evaluate the results obtained so far, “the effectiveness of our actions and tools the options to adjust our approach.”

18 July 2024
Europe
Politics

BUBBLEFLASH – Lady Ursula made it (again) – With 401 votes in favour Von der leyen was reappointed as president of the European Commission. That is 40 votes more than the 361 needed. In her speech she went through the shopping list, trying to please everyone, from social housing to common defence and green industry (which is still a difficult concept to grasp). But she left out one small detail: with what money? It would be a sign that we are dreaming if we ever heard Lady Ursula talking about a common debt. Instead more of the same German Europeanism is coming!

17 July 2024
Europe
Policy

BUBBLEFLASH – Very unfortunate timing – Lady Ursula loses the vaccine case: the court says she did not give sufficient access to contracts with pharmaceutical companies. Criticised, in this case, was the decision to only publish redacted versions of them. A ruling that casts a bad light just 24 hours before the crucial vote in parliament

16 July 2024
Politics

Metsola, here we go again – The woman from Malta has been re-elected president of the European Parliament with an absolute majority of 532 votes. An overwhelming one, yet somehow expected. But the most important vote is still ahead: next Thursday it will be Lady Ursula’s time. Today she has spoken with ECR representatives in order to secure their support. But betrayal is still behind the corner, especially from within her ranks. Next 48 hours will be crucial…

12 July 2024
Europe
Policy

The insanity of electric cars is revealed – nobody buys them in Europe, while in China (which dominates the supply chain) they are mere leverage to make the Central Asian nations dependent. European suicide is thus served. Here, by the way, they tend to cost at least 50 per cent more than in Beijing (where, for example, a Dacia spring costs 9,000 euros compared to 17,000 in Germany). It would serve to call into question the policies of the first Von der Leyen mandate, but this will probably remain just an illusion. Meanwhile, industrial desertification advances…

12 July 2024
Europe
Politics

One week until the moment of truth – Von der Leyen is playing for all she has in the next seven days. She will be able to count on the support of the Greens (projected towards the majority, but without a role in it), while the ECR will leave freedom of vote to its MEPs (although the delegations of Romania, Poland and France have already announced that they will not vote for her). Roberta Metsola is expected to be reconfirmed on Tuesday, while Raffaele Fitto is the favourite for vice-president of the Commission. ENVI will go to the Socialists, something the Spanish Populars do not like and therefore could decide to play a nasty trick on her. In short, the game is still up for grabs

11 July 2024
Europe
Politics

The Renew Europe liberal group is urging Ursula von der Leyen to forgo any agreements with the far-right, including ECR. For this reason, Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission seeking to secure a majority for a second term, assured the Renew Europe liberal group that she would refrain from forming a “structured cooperation” with Giorgia Meloni’s party.

09 July 2024
Europe
Policy

BUBBLEFLASH – Rumour has it that the chairmanships of the parliamentary committees could be divided up like this (see text). After the reform of the Rules of Procedure, BUDG will have a key political role and could go to the ECR, thus making it absolutely crucial in the game that will follow until 2029

08 July 2024
Europe

And who would have imagined… – Orban’s hit is served: his group became the third parliamentary force. The ‘Patriots for Europe’, launched just a few days ago, is the new point of reference for the European right. On the morning of the 8th of July, Marine Le Pen’s Rassemblement National and Matteo Salvini’s League also joined. While Jordan Bardella became its President. 84 MEPs is not that bad for a group that openly looks towards the East

05 July 2024
Economics
Europe

Tariffs to discourage imports of electric cars from China go into effect today, albeit provisionally. Scholz’s government opposes them in order not to damage the exports of Volkswagen and BMW. It is a game that will make it more difficult for Ursula von der Leyen to become President. The Chinese strategy is to invade the Old Continent through dumping and significantly lower prices. The Germans are producing in China, so Berlin’s cars are likely to suffer the same fate. What the White House does not accept is the maximum transfer of know-how between France, Germany and the Dragon

03 July 2024
Europe
Politics

Meloni’s charm wins over Orban – In the end, the PiS will join the European conservatives, despite the Hungarian temptations of the new ‘Patriots for Europe’ group. Nicola Procaccini and Joachim Brudzinski will be the co-presidents, elected at the end of the group’s constituent meeting

02 July 2024
Europe
Politics

BUBBLEFLASH – Identity and Democracy marching towards the end? – According to our sources, the leaders of ‘Patriots for Europe’, the new European group founded by Viktor Orban, will meet tonight to discuss the organisation of key internal positions. The official announcement will be made on Monday. Marine Le Pen is also expected to have a role within the new group, which would mean the end of ID’s existence

01 July 2024
Europe
Politics

BUBBLEFLASH – Lady Ursula looks to the left – The plan remains the same: ignore the emergence of the conservative right and strengthen the majority by looking the other way. Von der Leyen met with the Greens today (1st of July), but the road to their votes is always uphill. It is no longer the time for the Green Deal, priorities are other, and defence is always in the headlines. That is why an agreement is difficult, but not impossible

30 June 2024
Europe
Politics

As Bubble Report predicted last week, Orbán announced today in Vienna the formation of a pro-Russian right-wing alliance to form a group in the European Parliament. In addition to the Hungarian leader, the founders of the Patriots of Europe include Austria’s Herbert Kickl and the Czech Andrej Babiš