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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»

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145 results

04 September 2024

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

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

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!

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

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.”

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!

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

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…

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…

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

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.

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

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

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