Rich and poor in Europe

Brusssels is number three in the EU in terms of income per capita. The data show that its residents’ income is twice the European average. Inner London and the Luxembourg Duchy are number one and two. The former –Inner London – is a pretty rich corner of Europe. The average Londoner has an income that is more than three times the European average. In Luxembourg, the equivalent figure is about 2.5 times.

Bulgaria and Romania, on the other hand, remain at the bottom of the list. They are indeed very poor countries by European standards. The gap between them and the top three is abysmal. And it keeps growing for now.

Illegal crossings and poor politics

The illegal crossing of the Mediterranean Sea by hundreds of African migrants is a daily occurrence. They sail off the Libyan coast and try to reach the Italian territory. But they have disappeared from the news. If one tries to read about these dramatic movements in any of the major European papers one just gets nowhere. The matter is being ignored anywhere outside Italy. And it has also disappeared from the discussions in the the EU fora. The issue, which is of course a common concern, is seen as an Italian matter. And then the Italians just let the migrants loose, in the hope they will move North and out of the country. Many of them will find indeed their way into the Calais area, in Northern France, just waiting for a chance to cross into the UK. Others will move into other EU countries. The issue is plainly out of control, all over the place, from the islands in Southern Italy to Brussels, London, Paris and elsewhere. Nobody cares. It is not in the news therefore does not exist...politically.  

Cameron, the Pyrrhic Obstructor

The British Prime Minister looked very tense in today's interview to the BBC. The image he projects is that of someone who is losing control of his life. As a politician, he needs to find a scapegoat and focus the voters' attention on an illusion, on a red cape, not on the real problems his government is facing. Cameron is convinced that the EU is the easiest red herring he can find at this stage. He spent quite a bit of his TV time explaining he will not accept any further strengthening of the Euro zone unless Brussels agrees to repatriate "powers" they have taken away from Britain.

Cameron forgets a couple of things. For Germany and other countries the survival of the Euro is the top priority and they will take the measures they deem appropriate, with or without Britain. Secondly, the PM's position encourages those within his party that would like to see the UK out of Europe. They might gain so much momentum that Cameron will not be able to stop them and might even be forced to resign. Thirdly, any reference to a loser link between the UK and the EU sends a very strong signal to investors: UK is not the right place to operate from, if one is interested in expanding one's presence in Europe.

It is not easy to combine immaturity with leadership of a great country such as the UK.