Political expert Marc Lazar sees today's crisis meeting between Hollande and Monti in Rome as a chance to strengthen the Rome-Paris axis. But both have their own domestic problems to wrestle with, Lazar writes in the left-liberal daily La Repubblica: "It has been obvious for months that both countries are pursuing the goal of changing Germany's mind, but on other points their views differ. … Mario Monti favours European federalism despite a growing EU scepticism [in Italy] which borders on xenophobia. For his part François Hollande has to contend with the [leftist alliance] Front de gauche, the Greens and even a faction of his own [socialist] party that opposes the adoption of the EU fiscal compact. The result is that despite its economic weakness and uncertain political future, Monti's Italy is making itself heard in Europe again while Hollande's France, which is based on solid institutions and is doing better than Italy economically, must first resolve internal problems before it can take on the role its rightful role within the EU." (04/09/2012)

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Más de la revista de prensa sobre el tema » Relaciones internacionales, » Política de la UE, » Francia, » Italia
Todos los textos disponible de » Marc Lazar
Cobertura de debates » Salidas a la crisis de endeudamiento

France is torn between the northern and southern European identities, and President Hollande is on the verge of opting for the wrong side, the conservative daily Le Figaro criticises: "For weeks and months, François Hollande has promised the French that they would maintain the advantages from which they benefit now, that they would not have to bend over backwards in service of some ineluctable globalisation and that they could continue producing French goods even with the 35-hour work week and record labour costs. The countries of Southern Europe put the same discourse into practice ten years ago, only to find themselves on the brink of bankruptcy. France, however, now needs to restore its work ethic, balance its budget and increase competitivity, as Gerhard Schröder and then Angela Merkel did in Germany. Rather than following Kierkegaard's advice: 'I conceived it as my task to create difficulties everywhere," François Hollande preferred to take the easy route, only to smash into reality head-on." (04/09/2012)

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Más de la revista de prensa sobre el tema » Vecindad de la UE, » Alemania, » Francia, » Europa
Todos los textos disponible de » Yves de Kerdrel
Cobertura de debates » Salidas a la crisis de endeudamiento

In the vote on the European fiscal compact slated for the beginning of October in the French parliament, President Hollande faces the problem that not all the left-wing parliamentarians back him, notes the conservative Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, saying there is little chance of a united Left front emerging in France: "The pressure to cut spending is regarded [by a number of left-wingers] as a dictate imposed by the Germans, as interference in French politics. For this reason party discipline has been imposed on the socialist MPs. The Greens and the Communists, who belong to the extended 'presidential majority', are acting coy. But this is just a foretaste of what will happen if the government doesn't manage to stop rising unemployment and prevent the social plans already announced by many companies. Now Hollande must fight against the very expectations he himself created during the election campaign." (04/09/2012)

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Más de la revista de prensa sobre el tema » Política de la UE, » Política financiera, » Francia, » Europa
Todos los textos disponible de » Günther Nonnenmacher
Cobertura de debates » Salidas a la crisis de endeudamiento

A second night of clashes between Catholic republicans and pro-British Protestants in Northern Ireland has again resulted in several police officers being injured. The liberal daily Público laments that the decades-old conflict has reignited: "This is a relapse into old hostilities. And this at a time when the uncertainties of peace and the crisis come together without any sign of hope. The precarious economic situation and the resulting unemployment that affects young people in particular (20 percent) are a perfect breeding ground for terrorist youths who could potentially revive the unrest and destroy everything that has been achieved in the recent years of peaceful coexistence and democracy. And even if such groups don't enjoy the public support the IRA had, this is still a major step backwards." (04/09/2012)

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Más de la revista de prensa sobre el tema » Religión, » Disturbios, » Sociedad, » Gran Bretaña

The anti-European True Finns party can reckon with record results in the local elections at the end of October after a strongest ever performance in the 2011 parliamentary elections. In one of the surveys published by radio broadcaster Yle on Sunday the party obtained just under 16 percent of the vote, ten percent more than in the local elections four years ago. An amazing result, the liberal daily Karjalainen notes: "The True Finns appear to be achieving what had been considered impossible: they are turning the local elections into a referendum on Finland's EU policy. This was deemed to be difficult because the euro crisis and the efforts to overcome it are so remote from the everyday life of local councillors. But the euro crisis has come to dominate political debate to such an extent that it seems it will play as decisive a role in the upcoming local elections as it did in last year's parliamentary elections. And the other parties have also sometimes played right into the True Finns' hands on this issue." (04/09/2012)

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Más de la revista de prensa sobre el tema » Política de la UE, » Política interior, » Elecciones, » Finlandia, » Europa

ECB chief Mario Draghi will announce details of the assistance to be given to crisis-stricken euro states this Thursday. The daily Delo stresses the need for such measures but remains dubious in view of the imminent ruling of Germany's Constitutional Court on the ESM and the fiscal compact: "Europeans can only hope that the current heated debates produce solution that will prevent the current bank crises from turning into state crises. … Boosting economic growth is part of the solution, however this time on a solid foundation. … Yet Europe is also afraid of the possibility that the German Constitution Court won't approve the European stability mechanism in a week's time. This would torpedo Draghi's plans to use the bailout fund and the ECB's backing to reduce the yields on government bonds." (04/09/2012)

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Más de la revista de prensa sobre el tema » Política de la UE, » Política financiera, » Alemania, » Europa
Todos los textos disponible de » Barbara Kramzar
Cobertura de debates » Crisis countries pin their hopes on ECB

The leadership of the largest Czech ruling party, the conservative ODS, has called on party chairman and Prime Minister Petr Nečas to oppose further European integration. In his blog with the news agency Aktuálně.cz, the journalist Jiří Pehe explains why: "One look at the annual report of the domestic intelligence agency explains the motive [of the ODS leadership]. The report speaks of obscure, in part criminal structures [in the party], that take advantage of politicians, courts and public servants to steal from taxpayers. ... The ODS is ruled by mafia-type structures, and when its leadership speaks out against European integration, it's to protect the interests of influential 'entrepreneurs'. These people's prime goal is to preserve the widespread system of corruption. ... And so, the leadership maintains, the EU should refrain from ferreting out corrupt practices, as it did in the past when it had harsh words for the Czech Republic's management of EU funds." (04/09/2012)

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Más de la revista de prensa sobre el tema » Política de la UE, » Política interior, » Delincuencia, » La República Checa, » Europa
Todos los textos disponible de » Jiří Pehe

During a visit to Sofia on Friday EU Commission President José Manuel Barroso praised Bulgaria's dynamic development and the work of Prime Minister Boyko Borisov. Shortly afterwards, however, in an interview with French newspaper Les Echos he criticised Bulgaria's pension system, the low living standards and the lack of economic growth. The daily Duma says Barroso is a hypocrite: "Leaving out important points of criticism only to express them afterwards in foreign media is to put it mildly a sign of double standards. Such behaviour sends dangerous signals that lead to confusion, false expectations and speculation. Even greater is the contradiction between Barroso's statement that Bulgaria is ready to join the Schengen zone and the EU monitoring report from Brussels presented six weeks ago which was unusually harsh. If we really were ready for Schengen, as Barroso claims, if the EU Commission really wanted us to join, it wouldn't have pointed an accusing finger at us for failing to get corruption and organised crime under control." (04/09/2012)

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Más de la revista de prensa sobre el tema » Relaciones internacionales, » Política de la UE, » Europa, » Bulgaria
Todos los textos disponible de » Valentin Georgiev

François Hollande wants to invest 2.3 billion euros in fighting youth unemployment. The rapper Mokless, the journalist Mouloud Achour and the entrepreneur Félix Marquardt think this won't solve the problem and call on French youths to emigrate instead in the left-liberal daily Libération: "Young people of France, this is not a call to evade taxes, but simply to leave. As we say in Northern Africa and in the poorest neighbourhoods of France, your elders treat you like asses without ears, 'khmar bla ouinedine'. Their pretty words increasingly conceal a far more embarrassing truth: you live in a hyper-centralist, ossified gerontocracy which crumbles a little more each day. ... Or, to put it more prosaically, get the hell out of here if you want to get more out of life. Because even if you don't make more money right away by (re)launching your career abroad, the probability that your lifestyle will improve after a couple of years is far greater than if you remain stuck in the mud here in France. ... Young people of France, not just your homeland is yours for the taking, but the entire world. So go out and take it, even if it hurts." (04/09/2012)

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Más de la revista de prensa sobre el tema » Desarrollo demográfico, » Igualdad de derechos, » Sociedad, » Francia
Todos los textos disponible de » Mouloud Achour, » Félix Marquardt, » [Rapper] Mokless

It is in Germany's own interests to seek a swift solution to the euro crisis, economist Manuel Sanchis i Marco points out in the left-liberal daily El País: "Unless there is a change in the current approach, the countries that are fulfilling institutional dictates in unfavourable circumstances are heading straight for an exit from the euro. The Eurozone would shrink into a Deutschmark zone. … In such a situation the consequences for the German economy and its historical and political responsibility would be enormous. It would be a sad thing for Europe to find that only the prospect of the Chinese real estate bubble bursting, with the ensuing decline in German exports and German recession, can prompt Chancellor Merkel to adopt a pro-European approach. … Germany must find a European path out of the euro crisis - one which preserves German interests as well as those of the euro. … After all, you can't have your cake and eat it." (04/09/2012)

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Más de la revista de prensa sobre el tema » Política de la UE, » Política financiera, » Economía política, » Alemania, » Europa
Todos los textos disponible de » Manuel Sanchis i Marco
Cobertura de debates » Salidas a la crisis de endeudamiento

Bulgaria's Finance Minister Simeon Djankov announced on Monday that the country doesn't see any advantage at present to joining the Eurozone. The mood is changing both among the people and within the government, he said. Europe should heed this as a warning, the online daily To Vima writes: "Three countries outside the Eurozone [Bulgaria, Lithuania and Latvia] have now made it public that they want to put their accession on hold. Within ten years the euro has morhped from an instrument of hope into something undesireable for those countries that until recently wanted nothing more than to join. ... No reasonable person in Europe or elsewhere still believes the story that Greece alone is leading the Eurozone into disaster. Now everyone has understood what's going on and what's at stake." (04/09/2012)

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Más de la revista de prensa sobre el tema » Política de la UE, » Política financiera, » Europa, » Bulgaria
Todos los textos disponible de » Giorgos Malouchos

The Belgian Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo has announced a bank reform in his country that would effect a separation of commercial banks and investment banks. This is a pointless measure if it is taken by Belgium alone, the business paper De Tijd writes: "The national bank has presented a comprehensive report on whether this separation would be desirable and practicable. Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo and his ministers should read it in detail before they prescribe a separation for mainly ideological reasons. … It makes no sense at all for Belgium, with its strongly internationalised banking sector, to launch an independent initiative here. If there is one thing that the banking crisis has clearly demonstrated it's that rules for banks need to be stipulated at an international level. The European Union is working intensely on proposals for a European banking union. … If Elio Di Rupo is serious about the banking reform he should make sure our country participates in these proposals." (04/09/2012)

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Más de la revista de prensa sobre el tema » Política financiera, » Bancos, » Bélgica, » Europa
Todos los textos disponible de » Stefaan Michielsen

The British government's praise for the fighting spirit of the Paralympic athletes is hypocritical in view of its plans for draconian cuts in benefits for the disabled, writes comedian Francesca Martinez, who is also motorically disabled, in the left-liberal daily The Independent: "The Paralympics provide the perfect opportunity for the government to praise the human qualities of the Paralympians. But it is undeniable that government targeting of disabled people in the cuts, together with much of the right-wing press's customary (but not at the moment, you understand) portrayal of disabled people as benefit cheats and drains on society, are proving a deadly cocktail. Disability hate crime is at record levels, with up to 100,000 estimated incidents per year. ... Disabled and sick people are being forced to endure lengthy appeals to claw back benefits that go towards essential costs. Suicides and deaths are increasing because crucial help is being withdrawn." (03/09/2012)

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Más de la revista de prensa sobre el tema » Minorías, » Igualdad de derechos, » Olimpiadas, » Gran Bretaña
Todos los textos disponible de » Francesca Martinez

In the so-called Facebook murder case a court in the Dutch city of Arnheim has handed down the maximum penalty for minors. The 15-year-old killer was sentenced on Monday to one year in juvenile detention and three years of mandatory therapy. He killed a 15-year-old girl after she spread rumors on Facebook. The punishment is too light, the right-wing tabloid De Telegraaf complains: "The court rightly ordered a public session, although minors normally answer for their deeds behind closed doors. The short duration of the sentence and therapy, however, is extremely bitter. The court confirmed that the murder not only has inflicted great suffering on the victim's next of kin, but also deeply shocked society at large. The juvenile code specifies reduced accountability. Resocialisation is the top priority. Nevertheless we must ask if this is sufficient when a minor carries out such a cold-blooded, calculating crime as the Facebook murder. In certain exceptional cases we must consider tougher punishments." (04/09/2012)

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Más de la revista de prensa sobre el tema » Delincuencia, » Justicia, » Holanda

The Brazilian Alan Cardoso Oliveira scored a surprise victory against world record holder Oscar Pistorius in the Paralympics 200-meter sprint final on Sunday in London. The South African attributed his loss to the longer length of his rival's prosthetic legs. Pistorius's reaction is certainly not very sportsmanlike, the liberal daily Corriere del Ticino comments: "We had expected someone who fought so long for his right to compete against normal athletes and had the honour of participating in the 'other games' to accept his defeat as fair play. Unfortunately we were mistaken. … He later admitted that he had adopted the wrong tone, but still stuck by his accusation. Pistorius is lost in a contradiction because he is using exactly the same accusations that the world of the non-disabled used against him. This could set a sad precedent for future legal disputes over the use of prosthetics in competitive sport." (04/09/2012)

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Más de la revista de prensa sobre el tema » Olimpiadas, » Mundiales, » Global
Todos los textos disponible de » Tarcisio Bullo