Brazilian politics

Dilma Rousseff´s impeachment might be seen from different partisan perspectives. Fine. But my point is a different one. It´s about constitutional processes. And her trial by the Senate followed the procedures established in the Brazilian Constitution. The debate was not always serene and had a number of much undignified moments. Yet, in the end, it was democracy in action through institutional mechanisms.

On a different point, let me refer that some of the Senators and other top political actors might not be an example of probity. There is plenty of corruption within the party machineries. That should be the next political challenge for the people of Brazil. If that is tackled with steadiness the poor citizens, that have been the main support of Dilma and her movement, might become more inclined to accept the impeachment decision of today. It is therefore time to speak about launching a laundry political process.  

TTIP premature death announcement

Sigmar Gabriel is the number two person in the German government. But he is not a member of Chancellor Merkel´s party. He is the leader of the Social Democrats and his party is in a grand coalition with Merkel´s own grouping. As we come closer to the next round of general elections in 2017, the Social Democrats seem to be now more concerned about pleasing the voters than on a serious approach to public affairs. Their eyes are popularity.

That might be the reason why Gabriel yesterday declared the TTIP – the transatlantic trade agreement between the EU and the US – as dead in the water. And in his words the fault should be laid on the American side. Their demands could not be accepted by the health-and-environment conscious Europeans, he implied.

Gabriel knows that the trade agreement with the US, which has been under negotiation for about four years, is not popular among many in Europe. And he was trying to play to their feelings. The wrong approach, I add. As a leader, he should be at the forefront of those explaining on is at stake and how important it is to be patient but firm and get it done.

Today his government and Brussels came out to say that the news of such a death are exaggerated. The negotiations go on and many chapters have already been agreed upon, notwithstanding Gabriel´s words to the contrary.

TTIP should be completed as soon as possible. It is in our own interest to have a closer commercial relation with the US. And it gives us also some additional strength in our economic discussions with the Russians and others.

Actually, as about 90% of the articles are ready for mutual endorsement, it would be possible to sign up for those and let time and further discussions take care of the remainder points. That has been my position. We do not need to have everything ready. We approve what is ready, as stage one, and move on to stage two, to complete the negotiations on what is still pending. It is a pragmatic way of proceeding. And it sends some strategic messages around us.

The danger of paralysis

Paralysis is the key hazard the EU faces as we start the political rentrée. The leaders must respond to this threat by showing a renewed commitment to the common European ambition. They should stop putting all the blame on the EU institutions. And they should explain to their respective citizens that the EU matters and should be strengthened.

Angela Merkel is somehow doing it on her own initiative. But she cannot be alone in such an endeavour. 

Africa meets Japan

Just to note that today the Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told African leaders that his country will commit $30 billion over the next three years in public and private support for infrastructure development, including power generation, education and healthcare expansion in the continent. The Japan-Africa Summit took place in Nairobi. More than 30 heads of state and government from across Africa attended the meeting.

There are a number of reasons for the Japanese renewed interest in Africa, well beyond the nice and diplomatic words that were said at the Summit.

In addition, the current African Union Chairman Idriss Deby, who is the President of Chad, urged Japan to contribute to the recent established African Fund Against Terrorism. This fund was set up by the Kigali AU Summit last month. It shows that security is a major priority concern for the African leaders. 

What is behind the burkini

In past couple of days I wrote a number of lines about the burkini hullabaloo in France. They were addressed to the Portuguese readers as the controversy has gone beyond the French borders and attracted very serious attention in several European countries. It´s a good summer story at a time of the year most newspapers are looking for light pieces to entertain the vacationers.

But this is no light subject. The burkini hides a number of political issues. It is not just a matter of freedom. It is the tip of a political iceberg.

One should note that even now that France´s Conseil d´Etat – the Supreme Court for these matters – has decided that the ban on wearing a burkini is illegal, the vast majority of the French people are for its prohibition. This reveals a new state of mind in the country. Public opinion has been deeply traumatised by the acts of terror that occurred during the last two years. They want to feel safe and at home in their own country. And they see the beach swimwear as an expression of radical Islam. Moreover, they see it as a banner that says no to the French way of life. It´s an expression of a culture that is foreign to many mainstream people. And that is less and less tolerated.

  

All this calls for a moment of introspection about the future. But it has to be carried out with greater serenity than what we have seen so far.

Cooperating with Central Asia

As I prepare my forthcoming trip to Central Asia, I realise the region is facing a complex set of challenges that remain largely ignored in the European circles of power. We still look at the region as an extension of the Russian sphere of influence. And we keep away. We are convinced there is very little chance of a triangular cooperation that would bring together the five countries of the region – Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan – plus the EU and Russia.

That might be the case for now. But it is the only path towards addressing the issues and preventing them from getting worse. This includes issues related to the expansion of faith-based extremism.

Cooperation in the region is also critical for the future of Afghanistan. This country is deeply linked to Central Asia and the strengthening of its economic and security ties with the region would bring additional opportunities for stability and growth in that part of the world.

Thank you, Brazil!

In the end, Brazil should be commended. The support provided to the Olympic Games has been quite valuable. The country might be facing a lot of political and economic problems but still it was able to deliver the environment the Games needed. It is fair to recognise it. 

On the US elections

When someone like Donald Trump is competing for the top spot, politics end up by focusing on temperament and the candidate´s suitability for the job. The debate is no longer about ideas and programmes. That´s what we are currently seeing. And that´s where the focus of Hillary Clinton´s campaign should be. But she should keep away from being directly involved in those attacks. People around her can do that business. She should continue to speak about the way she sees her presidency, her policies and priorities. As she does it, she should emphasise that on the other side of the spectrum there is only vacuity and incongruence. And keep repeating it as the aides keep underlining the opponent´s erratic personality.

On the burkini

Supporting the ban of the “burkini” in some French beaches sends a very strong political message, right from the top, as the Prime Minister himself has come out in favour of the prohibition: the French Muslims are expected to do much more in terms of integration in the host culture. There is the sentiment, in many quarters of the population, that the immigrants are not willing to accept the French way of life and more, that they are now engaged in a campaign to change the national culture and the behavioural norms.

This is also a very complex message. Behind it, I see a growing exasperation towards the Muslim population. Such trend can lead to serious conflicts. France seems to be in a path leading towards confrontation and greater social instability. If that comes to happen then we can say that the terrorists have managed to achieve two major goals: social destabilisation and diversion of public attention to matters that should not occupy the centre of the political attention. 

Humanitarian note

I would not feel good if I did not mention that today is the World Humanitarian Day.

It´s a little window of opportunity to remind ourselves that millions of human beings are currently in desperate need of a bit of assistance. For them, it´s a matter of survival. It is not about poverty and lack of development, it is about dire political and security circumstances that are putting their lives at great risk. They are the best testimony to a world that combines extreme violence in their lands with profound indifference in ours.

The day also gives us a tiny space to remember the enormous sacrifices and tremendous services that thousands of humanitarian field workers provide on a daily basis. Many perform in extreme stressful environments and face multiple security threats. They are part of a multitude of unsung heroes. We are not told about their little personal victories.

But I should also say something more political. Just in passing, as the day is about humanitarian dimensions, not about power struggles and games of influence. On the international political arena, the humanitarian work does not get the same type of attention than the matters of war and peace or the issues of global economics do get. The humanitarian field is seen as a secondary domain, an outer circle of status, not as prestigious as the others. That´s the reality I have seen so many times. And that´s a matter that needs to be reflected upon.

End of break

Time to resume the daily routines, after a period of rest in Southern Spain. And the first thing I notice is that the key people in the European institutions are still too much focused on security issues. It´s not a good idea. The security mechanisms are in place and they can do the job at hand. The politicians do not need to meddle too much with the security domain. They just need to provide the necessary legal and financial support. And then concentrate their minds on the economic and social challenges that are at the centre of the citizen´s preoccupations as well as on the relations between Europe and some key outside nations. That should be the agenda for the rentrée.