Joint carrier or a smoke screen?

A joint aircraft carrier, as proposed yesterday by the new CDU party leader, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer (Germany)? To be funded by the European Commission or by a joint pot made up of contributions coming from 27 countries? And what for, that carrier? What are the vision and the strategy, when it comes to the matter of Europe’s Defence Strategy?

Brexit: the crazy week ahead

For many of us, Brexit is a baffling oddity. It is like leaving a huge compound to go and live next door in a minuscule studio flat. A flat that basically depends on the energy supplied by the big neighbour.

It is a mad project that could only be fuelled by self-centred, delusional politicos.

It was, since day one, such a bizarre idea that most British intellectuals couldn´t take it seriously. For that reason, they didn´t bother to campaign against it. They were so much convinced that people would vote the eccentricity down. They did not take into account the obsessed militancy of the Brexit nuts and other xenophobes.

Are you a right-winger?

Strange times in Europe. For instance, no politician wants to be seen as a right-winger. Today, that was the case of the very retrograde Jacob Rees-Mogg, one of the leaders of the anti-EU sentiments at Westminster. The honourable gentleman said that “the Conservative government is not right-wing”. He even considered such appellation as abusive. An epithet that hurts, it seems.

He might be joking.

So, who accepts these days the right-wing label? Only, the Polish Law and Justice Party? Or, just Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz? Or Matteo Salvini and his crowd?

I am no longer sure they do.

Interesting, isn’t it?

Women's Rights

The International Women’s Day is above all about the rights of women and girls, their full recognition and the equality of opportunities and rewards between both genders. It can be said with flowers, and nice words, but the important point is very clear: this is a struggle that is far from being won. It must be fought every day, as well as on this special calendar date. It is, in many ways and for extremely important reasons, the most important task of our times.

Macron and the European liberalism

In today’s Europe, people do not understand what politicians mean when they say liberalism or a liberal order. The concept has lost its meaning, in the minds of the citizens. It is in many ways associated with elitism and all the bad things that come from globalisation. It cannot mobilise people. It is a mistake to insist on it when speaking about change and a better future for Europe.

And, unfortunately, that is the label that President Macron risks to see attached to his proposals.

Kicking Orbán out

The European People’s Party (EPP, centre-right grouping of EU political parties) would make a serious mistake if its leaders decide against the expulsion from the group of Viktor Orbán’s party, Fidesz.

Recently, Fidesz and above all, its leader, the Prime Minister of Hungary, have launched a vicious campaign against Jean-Claude Juncker, who is a prominent member of the EPP family. That’s not only incomprehensible but is also totally unacceptable, as the campaign is tainted by lies and inspired by anti-Semitic sentiments. Basically, Orbán tries to draw dividends from his fabrications against George Soros. He wants to extend the negative image he has managed to build of Soros to the President of the European Commission. Orbán’s tactics consist in inventing an enemy and then concentrate the voters’ attention on destroying such person.

It is politics without any type of scruples. The man is very dangerous.

That comes in addition to Orbán’s domestic crusades against the freedom of the press, the autonomy of the academic institutions and his repeated attacks against the independence of the NGOs.

He does not belong to the centre-right politics. He is an extremist. Therefore, he should join the extreme right circles. The sooner that message is sent to him, and all, the better.

Macron and his European vision

This evening, the French President addressed a message to all Europeans about the future of the European Union. It's a very clear agenda for action. And a strong signal that the EU calls for leadership and renewal. A warning, in many ways, but with militancy and optimism.

The message can be read in English in the following site:


https://www.elysee.fr/emmanuel-macron/2019/03/04/for-european-renewal.en

Adversaries and enemies

Always blame your adversary but concentrate your fighting power on your enemy. 

No problem, as long as we are true to ourselves

In matters of politics, it’s OK to fail, if we have genuinely tried.

It's all Theresa May's fault!

In the UK, key Conservative opinion makers are now in a campaign to place all the blame on Prime Minister Theresa May.

Uncertainty, even confusion, and growing resentment define the current British political climate. Like the proverbial meteorology of those Isles, the climate around Brexit is foggy and unpleasant.

And they are openly saying, it is May’s fault! They add then: it comes from her lack of true enthusiasm for the exit ideals. Those Conservatives – and they are quite influential in the mainstream right-wing media, not just in the tabloid sheets – want to divert people’s attention from the inescapable issue, meaning, that the UK needs to agree on an exit deal with the EU. And that inevitable deal is the one that has been on the table since November 2018.

They also want to present some crazies – Jacob Rees-Mogg, Boris Johnson, David Davis, Dominic Raab, Ian Duncan Smith, among others – as true patriots, people that can take over from Theresa May and move the UK to the centre of the world.

Really? Well, with their Victorian way of looking at Britain and Europe, they might be able to bring the country back to the XIX Century. And make it imperial again!