Three massive elections in Europe this year. France, Germany, The Netherlands. The results could unravel OR cement the EU. And, have massive ramifications on global relations.
I thought this Dutch cartoon captures the current mood very well:
Was reading this yesterday. Almost impossible to cut & paste here, … I gave up,
There was an article (lengthy one) that talked about the working class in France being vulnerable just as it is in the US. Factories shuttered, politicians’ policies failing, lack of hope. So, in steps the National Front whose policies (if you remove the anti-migrant language) is identical to the socialists.
This could get ugly.
The thing with France is that unemployment is high, wages are low, and the government just keeps asking its workers to do more with less. Front National appeal to many as they put forward “La France pour les francais!”. I get that people can see this as a racist view, but honestly after living there and seeing how things are, I think it is only natural for people to look for a government that looks after its own.
It’s not just France obviously, I’ve heard similar stories from Aussies who have moved to England and Ireland, and we all know how great things are in places like Greece, Portugal and Spain.
Interesting times ahead!
The interesting thing is the differences in countries where people are gravitating to the far right vs the far left (per BSD’s post above). Spain = far left. Hungary = far right. Both based on notions of a “government that looks after its own”.
Which country was trying the universal wages thing?
Which country was trying the universal wages thing?I seem to recall Switzerland, right?
Which country was trying the universal wages thing?
Greece.
Everyone gets paid lots and gets to retire at 25 , dont they?
Which country was trying the universal wages thing?I seem to recall Switzerland, right?
Finland I thought.
Which country was trying the universal wages thing?I seem to recall Switzerland, right?Finland I thought.
Yep.
Netherlands are almost there also.
The Swiss held a referendum - a crappily worded one, iirc - it failed.
Which country was trying the universal wages thing?Greece.
Everyone gets paid lots and gets to retire at 25 , dont they?
Might have been the case once, but there are an awful lot of destitute Greeks now, compounded by the refugee crisis. Coming up to IMF crunch time. Who in Europe wants Greek Government to drift to the far right? Somehow it was avoided in Austria, but with fewer internal problems.
There was an article (lengthy one) that talked about the working class in France being vulnerable just as it is in the US. Factories shuttered, politicians' policies failing, lack of hope. So, in steps the National Front whose policies (if you remove the anti-migrant language) is identical to the socialists.This could get ugly.
I know lot of demoralised French socialists. It’s going to be a fight between the centre-right and the far-right.
Meanwhile fake news reaches the Czech Republic with the usual suspects (Russia) to blame:
Which country was trying the universal wages thing?I seem to recall Switzerland, right?Finland I thought.
Yep.
Netherlands are almost there also.
The Swiss held a referendum - a crappily worded one, iirc - it failed.
Can anyone even imagine someone trying to get universal wages as a concept floating over here? The IPA and their benefactors would be in full tanty mode. Party leaders would topple from great heights, full on media propaganda campaigns, until an election was lost over it in a landslide and everyone across the land was convinced that the idea is pure evil.
FT is reporting that major Indian Government policy paper canvasses universal wage. Seems it is on the radar in a few countries.
I don’t know whether any think tanks here are looking at it.
There was an article (lengthy one) that talked about the working class in France being vulnerable just as it is in the US. Factories shuttered, politicians' policies failing, lack of hope. So, in steps the National Front whose policies (if you remove the anti-migrant language) is identical to the socialists.This could get ugly.
I know lot of demoralised French socialists. It’s going to be a fight between the centre-right and the far-right.
Two of them might get taken out, with the raid on Fillon, his kids as well as his wife now dragged into it and European Parliament letting it be known of irregularities in Le Pen’s expenses claims, as was her father before her.
There was an article (lengthy one) that talked about the working class in France being vulnerable just as it is in the US. Factories shuttered, politicians' policies failing, lack of hope. So, in steps the National Front whose policies (if you remove the anti-migrant language) is identical to the socialists.This could get ugly.
I know lot of demoralised French socialists. It’s going to be a fight between the centre-right and the far-right.
Two of them might get taken out, with the raid on Fillon, his kids as well as his wife now dragged into it and European Parliament letting it be known of irregularities in Le Pen’s expenses claims, as was her father before her.
Looks like Fillon’s poll numbers are taking a fair hit. Juppé was their best candidate imo.
Still a while to go though.
FT is reporting that major Indian Government policy paper canvasses universal wage. Seems it is on the radar in a few countries. I don't know whether any think tanks here are looking at it.
IPA will no doubt be tunnelling under the foundations.
Don 't want to diss Merkel, but the response to the GFC pushing for budget restraint imposed on the poorer EU members has not helped stability. Some are saying that Greece can only get out of its mess by leaving the Euro, if allowed to by its paymasters.
We have had 3 friends in the last 2 months make the decision to leave the US with their families and move to Spain. I think it is prudent to see what occurs in 2017 in France and Germany first though, hopefully, Spain will just keep on being Spain.