9 November is a European date

Besides the German leaders, the Presidents of Slovakia, Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary participated in the ceremony in Berlin, marking the 30^th anniversary of the fall of the Wall. I am very pleased they did. The date is an important one for freedom and democracy in their part of Europe. But it is also a key one for the rest of us, in the EU. It is about freedom, the end of a totalitarian approach to governance, the realisation that the communist utopia, as promoted by the Soviets and their allies, was nothing else but a tragic instrument to keep power in the hands of minority political extremists. It is above all a key date for Europe and its modern history. As such, it is most surprising not to see at today’s ceremony some politicians such as Emmanuel Macron, Charles Michel, the incoming EU Council President, and many others from the Western side of Europe. I think they made a mistake.

EU: the Slovakian presidency

As of today and for the next six months, Slovakia will take the lead within the EU. It is the first time they are in charge.

I have read the plan they put together for their turn and found it well thought through. It gives quite a bit of attention to economic growth, the digital economy, energy policy, and innovation as well as to the trade agreements that are under negotiation.

It also mentions migrations and asylum but these are the two areas that come out as weak. Slovakia appears, like many other countries in that part of Europe, unable to put forward an approach that would balance their fears with the EU´s commitments and duties in these matters.

Migrations and asylum policies will remain notwithstanding top priorities for the EU during their presidency. And they will call for better defined and more convincing lines of intervention by the whole of the EU.

The demise of traditional parties is now a serious prospect

The French have decided to vote against the government candidates on today´s local elections. But above all, they have decided to abstain from voting. Over 16 million said no by keeping themselves far away from the polling stations. Basically, this shows that the traditional parties can no longer be seen as the political vehicles people´s aspirations. The citizens, all over the place, in France and elsewhere in Europe, are deeply dissatisfied with the way professional politicians behave.

That´s probably the reason why they have elected, in Slovakia, an outsider to be the country´s next president. The prime-minister, a long standing figure in national politics, was just defeat by a businessman.

On this same day, the British media has printed the results of the latest opinion survey. The Labour Party is just one percentage point ahead the governing Conservatives. This happens notwithstanding the very erratic policies the Conservative government – the Tories – have tried to implement, with less than convincing results, during the last three years. People in Britain are also running away from the old parties. Unfortunately they are moving their support to UKIP, the Independence Party of Nigel Farage, a good speaker who manages to hide some of his racist ideas behind some demagogic policies. UKIP is rapidly becoming the third force in British politics. This is a major feat because the system there is constructed in such a way that it gives very little chances to any alternative to Labour and Tory parties. If the British voter is going UKIP that shows how discontent she or he is with the current system.

And more examples could be found throughout the EU. 

European dreams

The leaders of the Visegrad Group – Slovakia, Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland – met yesterday in Warsaw with President Hollande and Chancellor Merkel to discuss defence matters. The four countries want to have a joint battle group of 3,000 soldiers in about three years’ time. This is a good move, particularly if one takes into account that the military cooperation between Slovakia and Hungary requires a confidence boost. It has indeed known better days.

The leaders also talked about today’s Europe. And, to the surprise of some of us, they came to the conclusion that the three instruments that will “construct” the EU are: 1) the economic and monetary union; 2) the competitiveness of the European economies; and 3) the reinforcement of Europe’s defence capabilities.

Well…First, the economic and monetary union seems to be a project for only part of the current members. I do not see the British, the Danes or the Swedes to be willing, one day, to join the Euro. The competitiveness issue is a dream that is killed every day, when one compares the economies of Northern Europe with Spain, Italy or Portugal – forget about Greece! And the European defence capabilities have a very troubled future in front of them. To insist in European common defence when military budgets are on the decline slope is misleading. The European defence will continue to be based on NATO’s role and on the commitment of the US towards Europe. The little resources still available within the European countries’ defence institutions should be used to strengthen the European contribution to NATO’s mandate.