US Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney's trail of blunders across Europe was all calculated to appeal to Jewish and conservative voters, according Eric T. Hansen, a US satirist who lives in Germany, in the liberal weekly Die Zeit: "When Barack Obama was cheered like a rock star four years ago in Berlin his enemies back home accused him of sucking up to the Europeans. But then Obama's base voters are left-leaning educated people who look to Europe as a cultural role model. Meanwhile Romney's voters see Europe as decadent and reactionary. Which is why the Republican presented himself as someone who doesn't understand Europe and who can be utterly indifferent to it. Even his offensive remark that the Palestinians don't have the culture for economic success is part of his election ploy, designed to appeal to Jewish voters in the US. Aside from that he is a Mormon, and Mormons have always been strongly pro-Israel, because they still believe the Jews are God's chosen people." (01/08/2012)

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More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » Elections, » Europe, » U.S.
All available articles from » Eric T. Hansen

The European tour of US Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney was a total flop, the state-owned liberal Wiener Zeitung writes, but adds that this won't affect his chances in the election campaign back home: "Whereas Obama was greeted like a saviour in Europe, the bland Republican candidate Mitt Romney has failed to win the hearts of the Europeans during his overseas tour. Even worse, the British were definitely 'not amused' by the manager of the Salt Lake City Olympics' criticism of the Olympic preparations in London. In Israel he alienated the Palestinians and in Poland his press spokesperson flipped out and swore at a journalist. So Romney's overseas trip, with its string of gaffes, wasn't exactly a success. … But luckily for Romney the dictum coined by Bill Clinton's election campaign strategist James Carville still holds: 'It's the economy, stupid!'. As long as unemployment [in the US] remains above eight percent, Romney's chances of winning remain unscathed." (01/08/2012)

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More from the press review on the subject » Elections, » Europe, » U.S.
All available articles from » Thomas Seifert

The stops on US presidential candidate Mitt Romney's trip to the UK, Poland and Israel were carefully selected, the liberal daily the Financial Times explains: "Mr Obama has a famously frosty relationship with Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister. As for the Poles, they were upset by America's shift of position on missile defence and reacted fiercely when Mr Obama recently referred to 'Polish death camps' in the second world war. ... Romney's people also argue that the gains from Mr Obama's courting of former foes have been feeble. The Russian reset is in danger, now that an angry Vladimir Putin has returned to the Kremlin. America's popularity ratings in the Muslim world are still dismal. Early Obama ambitions to work closely with China have not worked out. So Mr Romney has the beginnings of a case to make. The trouble is that the implication of his argument is a promise to return to the Manichean world view of George W. Bush - in which nations are divided firmly into friends and enemies of the US and policy is set accordingly." (31/07/2012)

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More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » Elections, » Europe, » U.S.
All available articles from » Gideon Rachman

During US presidential candidate Mitt Romney's visit to Poland the US media saw the country in a truly favourable light for the first time, Gazeta Wyborcza notes enthusiastically: "Many positive things were written and said about Poland - it was described as one of the key US allies alongside Britain and Israel, as a country that deserves gratitude (something President Obama has sometimes forgotten). Romney could have said a bit more about Poland's dynamic development, about how it has got through the crisis relatively well and how in the last 20 years it has transformed itself into a modern country. ... But we're not complaining. There we were in the focus of the US public and we cut an excellent figure. That's great for Poland - regardless of the results of the US elections in November. Thank you, Mitt!" (01/08/2012)

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More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » Poland, » U.S.
All available articles from » Mariusz Zawadzki

Leading Eurozone countries like France and Italy want the ESM bailout fund to be endowed with a banking licence so that it can take out unlimited loans with the European Central Bank and use them to purchase even more government bonds, according to a report in the Süddeutsche Zeitung. In an opinion piece the left-liberal daily tries to assuage Germany's fears: "The fund is intended to provide security. The aim is to put an end the fierce discussion rounds about whether there is enough money to bailout this or that country. If the fund is granted unlimited credit it will end all the speculation about whether 300, 500 or 700 billion euros in guarantees is enough to finance euro countries over a limited period. The time limit remains an incentive for crisis-stricken states to sort out their labour markets, pension systems and budgets. … In this respect it is even a step forwards if the ECB is allowed to intervene in the markets in the name of the ESM fund. Because so far the Central Bank has purchased [government bonds] on its own account - which meant no conditions were imposed on the countries in question. In the future governments will have to deliver reform and austerity measures in exchange for assistance." (01/08/2012)

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More from the press review on the subject » EU Policy, » Fiscal Policy, » Germany, » Europe
All available articles from » Cerstin Gammelin
Who's saying what » The row over debt mutualisation

The finance ministers of several Spanish regions spoke out against Madrid's stringent austerity programme at a meeting with the Spanish central government on Tuesday. But the pressure of the financial markets will only ease once transparency and order has been restored to the finances of the banks and regions: "The prolonged desert crossing to which the markets have subjected Spanish finances, both public and private, won't end until there is complete transparency in the balance sheets of the banks and autonomous regions and sufficient confidence that they will be able to meet their financial obligations punctually. … But the autonomous regions continue to feed the doubts of the financial markets, and even those of their European partners. It is the responsibility of central government to meet the deficit target agreed with Brussels, but it won't be able to do so without the cooperation of the autonomous regions, which it has put under strict surveillance to ensure the deviations of 2011 are not repeated." (01/08/2012)

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More from the press review on the subject » Fiscal Policy, » Federalism, » Spain
Who's saying what » Spain in the banking crisis

The referendum on the impeachment proceedings against President Traian Băsescu will now be examined by the country's constitutional court. The referendum failed because less than half of those on the electoral roll cast their vote. Prior to the referendum the talk was of 18 million people who were entitled to vote, but that figure has since been lowered to 16.5 million. Interim President Crin Antonescu hopes that the court will declare the referendum valid after all. The daily România Liberă analyses the potential consequences of the referendum: "If Ponta stops insisting on Traian Băsescu being replaced, he can only win now. He has [unlike Antonescu] his post, he has the support (if only apparent) of 7.5 million Romanians [who voted against Băsescu] and he has a tarnished image owing to the plagiarism affair, so he will make sure to avoid any further setbacks. … On the other hand Crin Antonescu [leader of the national-liberal PNL] seems to have reached the end of his political career. In the near future the liberals will exact revenge for Sunday's failed referendum, because very few PNL supporters would have wanted the referendum in the first place." (01/08/2012)

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More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Elections, » Justice, » Romania
All available articles from » Gabriel Bejan
Who's saying what » Power struggle in Romania

The energy company Vattenfall wants to build new nuclear reactors in Sweden to replace the old ones. The majority of Sweden's population supports the use of nuclear energy. The conservative daily Svenska Dagbladet urges all political parties to reach a consensus on expanding nuclear power in the country: "Half of Sweden's energy requirements are currently covered by nuclear power. … The greenhouse effect, the oil prices, the current state of technology and improved safety are all arguments in favour of more nuclear power in Sweden. But as usual the political risks are an argument against it. [The Left party and the Greens] won't participate in a government that builds new reactors. And nobody really knows what the social democrats want. According to the final statement at their party conference, they want a nuclear phase-out, but as union president [the new] party leader Stefan Löfven spoke out in favour of nuclear energy. … The Vattenfall initiative is commendable. But as long as the subject keeps coming up for debate every four years no one will want to invest in new technology."  (01/08/2012)

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More from the press review on the subject » Environmental Policy, » Energy, » Economic Policy, » Sweden
All available articles from » Johan Eriksson
Who's saying what » Nuclear energy on trial

The European Central Bank is expected to take an important step in saving the euro on Thursday. Economic Nobel Prize laureate Paul Krugman voices his support in the left-liberal daily La Repubblica for ECB President Mario Draghi and his proposal to purchase government bonds: "[P]olicymakers would have to (a) do something to bring southern Europe's borrowing costs down and (b) give Europe's debtors the same kind of opportunity to export their way out of trouble that Germany received during the good years. ... Draghi - who I suspect understands all of this - basically floated the idea of having the central bank buy lots of southern European bonds to bring those borrowing costs down. But over the next two days German officials appeared to throw cold water on that idea. ... The euro can't be saved unless Germany is also willing to accept substantially higher inflation over the next few years - and so far I have seen no sign that German officials are even willing to discuss this issue, let alone accept what's necessary. Instead, they're still insisting, despite failure after failure - remember when Ireland was supposedly on the road to rapid recovery? - that everything will be fine if debtors just stick to their austerity programs. ... For failure of the euro wouldn't just cause economic disruption; it would be a giant blow to the wider European project, which has brought peace and democracy to a continent with a tragic history." (01/08/2012)

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More from the press review on the subject » EU Policy, » Fiscal Policy, » Economic Policy, » Germany, » Europe
All available articles from » Paul Krugman
Who's saying what » Spain in the banking crisis, » The row over debt mutualisation

Switzerland celebrates Swiss National Day on August 1. The daily La Liberté takes the opportunity to analyse the country's economic situation and comes to the conclusion that even this former island of prosperity is beginning to feel the pinch of the crisis: "Low unemployment figures, high purchasing power, a resilient economy, a healthy national budget (for now) and a positive demographic trend: the sun is still shining over our mountains while all around us Europe is suffering a hangover. But Switzerland, too, is feeling the consequences of the endless Eurozone crisis. Its national bank, the SNB, is battling the overvaluation of the Swiss franc with multi-billion cash injections. But  exports are still crippled. ... And there are fewer tourists because of the crisis. ... The crisis countries are putting pressure on Switzerland and weakening its financial system. Switzerland is paying for the financial crisis and the force of the euro crisis with money and independence. The best thing we can wish it on its birthday is that its neighbours recover." (31/07/2012)

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More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Economy, » Switzerland
All available articles from » Louis Ruffieux

In the run-up to the meeting of the governing council of the European Central Bank this Thursday, the crisis states are expecting not just further cuts in interest rates but also a signal that in future the ECB will purchase the bonds of struggling states. Italy is also putting its hopes in this form of support - which in the liberal-conservative daily Corriere della Sera, economists Alberto Arlesina and Francesco Giavazzi describe as entirely inappropriate: "Central banks can lower interest rates in an effort to ease the credit crunch. But then their task is done. It would be a mistake for them to take the place of governments and buy government bonds for budgetary reasons. Budgetary policies and monetary policy must remain separate. ... Moreover the Central Bank should not forget the lessons of last summer when it began to buy up Italian bonds: the yields on the bonds went down but unfortunately this also destroyed the good reform intentions of the government at the time. ... Our only alternative is to get ourselves out of the mess. We can do it, but it will require resolve on the part of government and parliament." (01/08/2012)

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More from the press review on the subject » EU Policy, » Fiscal Policy, » Italy, » Europe
All available articles from » Alberto Alesina
Who's saying what » The row over debt mutualisation

The victims of the terrorist bomb attack in the Black Sea resort of Burgas on 18 July included five Israeli holiday-makers and one Bulgarian citizen of Muslim faith: Mustafa Kyosev was the driver of the bus which was blown up by a suicide bomber. While Israel gave a state burial to its dead at home, the Bulgarian government saw no reason to attend the funeral of its own victim, writes Ivan Bedrov bitterly in his blog: "Mustafa is twice victim. Firstly of unknown terrorists and then of the flagrant disdain for a minority. Had his name been Michail and not Mustafa the reaction would have been very different, I believe. Let's be honest here. Plenty of people were no doubt thinking: 'If his name is Mustafa then perhaps he was ...' Which is why Mustafa's fate is so tragic. Not just for his family, but for all Bulgarian Muslims who have had it rubbed in their faces for the umpteenth time that their state doesn't regard them as its own." (31/07/2012)

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More from the press review on the subject » Crises / War, » Integration, » Minorities, » Ethics, » Bulgaria, » Israel
All available articles from » Ivan Bedrov

Michelle Martin, the ex-wife of the child murderer Marc Dutroux, will be released early from prison, a court decided on Tuesday. She has served only half of her 30-year sentence as an accessory to murder. The liberal daily De Standaard can understand the public outrage, but warns against excessive demands: "The judges acted lawfully and gave due consideration to their decision. Martin has shown remorse and will remain in a protected environment and be kept under surveillance, and as long as she continues to work on her rehabilitation she will be allowed to do this outside prison. ... It's true that there is something wrong with the sentences in our society. But it is irrational to demand heavy punishment in every case. Some people have to be locked up for life because they remain a threat. But most prisoners return to society at some stage. Locking everyone up for longer is no solution." (01/08/2012)

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More from the press review on the subject » Crime, » Justice, » Belgium
All available articles from » Guy Tegenbos

The Saudi Arabian judo fighter Wojdan Ali Seraj Abdulrahim Shaherkani is being allowed to compete in the Olympic Games wearing the hijab. The left-liberal daily De Volkskrant approves of the IOC decision: "The debut for women from Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Brunei in London is a victory for women's rights and the Olympic idea. The Olympic Charter decrees after all that everyone has the right to practise sport free from 'discrimination of any kind', for instance due to race, religion or gender. ... It is good that the IOC has found a solution for the participation of the judoka in the hijab. She will be a role model in her own country and put paid to entrenched ideas about sport and femininity. Saudi women are starting to rattle the bars of their protected existence. They are increasingly gaining an education and entering the job market. Some of them are bold enough to get into cars and step on the gas. Every successful throw counts." (01/08/2012)

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More from the press review on the subject » Gender equality, » Olympics, » Middle East
All available articles from » Rob Vreeken