Deutsch
English
FrançaisSub menu: Home
Home / Index of Authors
Adolf, Steven
Journalist, ehemaliger Spanienkorrespondent von NRC Handelsblad und nrc.next
2 articles of this author have been cited in the European Press Review so far.
Europe's pressure to economise worsens crisis
The fiscal pact agreed at the most recent EU summit forces Eurozone countries to reduce their budget deficits, writes the left-liberal daily De Volkskrant, and fears that Europe's pressure on states to cut spending will only escalate the crisis: "Europe continues on the path towards an unprecedented crisis. The decision to bow to German demands paves the way for economic stagnation and social chaos. ... The goal should be to end the imbalances among the different economies and improve our competitiveness. But instead the economy is being put under more pressure. ... First Greece and now Portugal are on the brink of bankruptcy. Portugal has followed the German recipe and cut spending to the point of destroying its economy so that it will never be able to repay its debts. ... And Spain is not much better off than Portugal. There is no reason for Europe to heave a sigh of relief. To use Prime Minister Rajoy's words: the worst is still to come."
» more information (external link, Dutch)
More from the press review on the subject » Fiscal Policy, » Spain, » Europe
Nationalism is a dangerous argument
The bullfighting ban in Catalonia is no triumph for animal rights as the main issue here is regional nationalism, writes the daily nrc.next: "The barbaric bullfights, so the argument goes, were imposed on us by Spain and in particular Madrid at some point. They're a 'custom alien to our people', one could say, but it doesn't sound as good. … At any rate it's a useful warning for the rest of Europe: As soon as 'national identity' turns up as a political argument mistrust is called for. We who live in a democratic society based on the rights of individuals can get along very well without it. But one encounters this argument more and more often, whether it's about Kosovo's independence or the discussions about identity and immigration. Regional nationalism, with the special tradition it has in places like Catalonia and the Basque country, reminds us why nationalism doesn't work as a political ideology."
» more information (external link, Dutch)
More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Spain
© 2005-2012