Sarkozy wanted to give Europe more political clout, writes the NRC Handelsblad daily, but adds that his strong leadership style also aroused distrust: "Sarkozy managed to make headway with his agenda as European president. The political clout of the euro group was strengthened without it coming to a struggle with the European Central Bank. ... Sarkozy's relations with the German Chancellor Angela Merkel may not be particularly warm, but he's on better terms than ever with [British] Prime Minister [Gordon] Brown. This is a step towards a Madrid, London, Paris and Berlin axis which Sarkozy believes holds greater potential than a Franco-German axis. ... But there are strict limits to Europe's power: As of January 1 Sarkozy will no longer be 'our' president. ... And we must wait and see whether support for his ideas for a protectionist Europe remains high in other European capitals. For the time being, in his own country Sarkozy's European presidency has made more of a statesman of him." (17/12/2008)

» Dalsze informacje (Link zewnętrzny, niderlandzki)
Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Polityka UE, » Francja, » Europa
Wszystkie dostępne teksty » Rene Moerland

The liberal daily La Stampa praises Sarkozy's vision for the EU: "Ultimately the dynamism of the French EU presidency has underscored how much Europe needs a stable leadership. ... Sarkozy's vision is that of a political union piloted by the bigger states, which would have the same rights but more obligations than the others and in which the Commission plays the role of a government administration. This approach is a far cry from that of the founding fathers of the EU. But the experiences of the last few months in which capital cities, in particular Paris, decided which course was to be taken and Brussels followed their lead have proven this to be a sound strategy. The applause from both sides of the parliament is encouraging. It tells us that this is the right way to continue growing and master the increasingly challenging tasks." (17/12/2008)

» Artykuł (Link zewnętrzny, włoski)
Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Polityka UE, » Francja, » Europa
Wszystkie dostępne teksty » Marco Zatterin

The Gazeta Wyborcza has glowing words for Sarkozy's EU Council presidency: "In the half year of his term Sarkozy showed how much the community lacks strong leadership, and how much can be accomplished with it. ... When he said farewell to the European Parliament on Tuesday there was no shortage of criticism. Nevertheless the word 'success' was on everyone's lips - on the Right and on the Left. The French president's greatest success was the compromise over the climate package at a time when most leading politicians were thinking about saving their own economies and not the planet as a whole. ... Sarkozy also chalked up points in Warsaw. He is open to the concerns of the new EU member states, a remarkable thing in itself. He is the first governing French politician since the enlargement to have understood that the 'new' states are an important part of the community, and are not just children who should be seen but not heard." (17/12/2008)

» Artykuł (Link zewnętrzny, polski)
Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Stosunki międzynarodowe, » Polityka UE, » Środowisko, » Polska, » Europa
Wszystkie dostępne teksty » Dominika Pszczółkowska

Nicolas Sarkozy has not failed to win over the European Parliament at his last appearance as EU Council president, writes the Süddeutsche Zeitung. "The six months of his Council presidency changed him and his relations with Europe, Sarkozy said. During that time he came to understand that the European spirit is shown primarily in the ability of twenty-seven states to reach compromise. ... We will see today, Wednesday, whether the parliamentarians agree with him or not when they vote on the climate package, the prestigious project of the French Council presidency. In the last week the EU heads of government took great pains to reach an agreement on the law package, which should make Europe a model in climate protection. That rules out any changes by parliament, which angers many representatives. In buttering them up, Nicolas Sarkozy hopes they will nonetheless agree to the package." (17/12/2008)

» Artykuł (Link zewnętrzny, niemiecki)
Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Polityka UE, » Środowisko, » Francja, » Europa

Spain and Marocco have signed an agreement which among other things foresees the construction of a railway tunnel between the two countries. The Spanish daily La Vanguardia comments: "An old plan that has been revived by the agreement between the two countries, which have undertaken to examine the technical and economic conditions within the next year. It is a necessary step towards creating the basis for the world's first inter-continental connection and will enable the Spanish government to make headway with this infrastructure during its EU presidency in the first half of 2010." (17/12/2008)

» Dalsze informacje (Link zewnętrzny, hiszpański)
Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Rozszerzenie UE, » Infrastruktura / Komunikacja, » Hiszpania, » Afryka Północna

After French President Nicolas Sarkozy's proposal for recognising 'diversity' in the French constitution was rejected by the former president of the European Parliament Simone Veil, Les Echos newspaper discusses the French model for immigration in its leading article. "France was delighted with the election of a black president in the United States. But France wants nothing to do with a system of official recognition for 'visible minorities'. This country flatly rejects quotas; it wants no policy of positive discrimination based on the American model. The high number of unemployed from immigrant backgrounds in France and the low number of those in leadership positions in business and also ... in politics constitute a danger to our society. ... It is to be hoped that Nicolas Sarkozy will find a formulation for French-style diversity that will meet with a consensus." (17/12/2008)

» Artykuł (Link zewnętrzny, francuski)
Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Migracja, » Integracja, » Francja

The daily Rzeczpospolita looks at the dramatic economic climate in Ukraine, where the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) sank by 14.4 percent in November: "Ukrainian politics has become increasingly alarming in recent months. The political in-fighting has only grown worse, as has the conflict between the prime minister and parliament. Ukraine is now in the throes of all this. The countries of Eastern Europe must reform to further their development. Meanwhile politicians in Kiev are only caught up with themselves. Instead of discussing the economy, they divide up the posts among themselves. ... The weaker Ukraine is, the more it will be dependent on Russia - its powerful neighbour. To remind readers: the existence of an independent Ukraine is extremely important for Poland. Poland should help Ukraine where it can. We should bring the country's plea for help to Brussels." (17/12/2008)

» Artykuł (Link zewnętrzny, polski)
Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Stosunki międzynarodowe, » Polska, » Ukraina
Wszystkie dostępne teksty » Piotr Kościński

When times were good all of Western Europe sought to attract cheap labour. But these migrant workers are now the first victims in times of crisis, writes politicial scientist Katarína Mallok in the liberal newspaper Sme. "The immigrants offered many advantages as labourers. They not only worked for much lower wages than locals, they also accepted poor conditions without a whimper. ... Now the financial crisis has pulled the rug out from under the European labour market. For example, the Spanish themselves are now willing to do the kind of work that used to be done by Africans in Spain. The government is offering bonuses to Africans willing to return home, but they don't want to go back to Africa. Germany can expect to encounter similar problems, while in Austria, the Netherlands and France no one knows what to do with this group of unemployed. The migrants, for their part, feel they are being treated unfairly, and have been left with the impression that when things were good they were no better than 'dirty robots'. Europe is sitting on a powder keg which it itself filled. It now sees that Max Frisch was right when he quipped: 'We called for labour, and what came was people'." (17/12/2008)

» Artykuł (Link zewnętrzny, słowacki)
Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Migracja, » Integracja, » Afryka, » Europa
Wszystkie dostępne teksty » Katarína Mallok

"How resistant is a democracy to a crisis? Can it hold out for one, two or ten years?", asks political scientist Cristian Pirvulescu in Cotidianul newspaper. "When in apparently calm Latvia the economic crisis leads to the arrest of an economics professor and a singer simply because they openly spoke about the fragility of the national currency, clearly the key values of democracy are being undermined. ... The childish justification for the arrests - that the two had deliberately spread baseless rumours about the strength of the Latvian state - completes the picture of a world in which freedoms, above all the freedom of expression, are being curbed. Almost everywhere the press has become the victim of anti-democratic offensives; even in the most democratic of democracies, like France or Italy, it is being pushed aside. ... Or are we already dealing with a post-democracy, the result of restricted freedom of expression and worn-out parliaments? The latter have become nothing more than unrepresentative organs that adopt laws imposed on them by the economic power. ... And if, against the backdrop of a crisis like the present one, a system prevails that resembles an authoritarian regime rather than a democracy, would that shock you?" (17/12/2008)

» Artykuł (Link zewnętrzny, rumuński)
Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Polityka bezpieczeństwa / Kryzys / Wojna, » Polityka UE, » Polityka wewnętrzna, » Francja, » Włochy, » Łotwa, » Rumunia
Wszystkie dostępne teksty » Cristian Pîrvulescu

The daily El País comments on the US Federal Reserve's drastic interest rate cut down to zero percent: "The question now is whether [Federal Reserve Chairman Ben] Bernanke will also increase the amount of money in circulation, and thus inflation, by printing more money. The answer is that it looks like the Fed chairman will stop at nothing to dispel the phantom of a depression. Yesterday's decision is convincing proof of this." (17/12/2008)

» Artykuł (Link zewnętrzny, hiszpański)
Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Polityka finansowa, » Polityka gospodarcza, » USA

The Financial Times approves of efforts to introduce taxes on fattening foods: "Sixty-seven per cent of men and 56 per cent of women in England are overweight or obese. According to the Department of Health, obesity could cost the National Health Service in England 6.3 billion pounds by 2015 unless there is drastic action. ... With the country preoccupied by more immediate concerns, now may not seem the obvious time for raising the idea of a 'fat tax'. Yet there should be some serious debate about how society should be meeting the costs and burdens of a heavier population. To be sure, those suffering from obesity as a group impose real and serious pressure on public services." (17/12/2008)

» Artykuł (Link zewnętrzny, angielski)
Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Polityka wewnętrzna, » Zdrowie, » Podatki, » Wielka Brytania

The news portal Hírszerző comments on the southern Hungarian city of Pécs' preparations for the year 2010, when it will be European Capital of Culture. "Contrary to the widespread belief in Hungary according to which there will be oxen and suckling pig-roasting and carousels on Pécs' main square, the European Capital of Culture is about something else entirely: about presenting ourselves, by which I mean the entire country, as a culture to Europe. But if we take a look at Pécs there's good reason to panic. ... One thing we already know for sure is that Pécs won't be offering a host of new buildings to delight in, but with a bit of luck there may be a few excavation pits. An enriching addition to the cultural programme could be a tour of the pits promoted under the slogan 'This is how the Hungarians build'. ... Pécs city fathers have already changed their tactics: It won't be its buildings that mark Pécs as the Capital of Culture but its cultural programmes." (17/12/2008)

» Artykuł (Link zewnętrzny, węgierski)
Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Polityka kulturalna, » Węgry, » Europa
Wszystkie dostępne teksty » Miklós Stemler

Le Monde newspaper discusses how French and Geman are being neglected as foreign languages in the neighbouring countries. "The bad news is that cooperation is going through hard times. There are problems with French teaching in Germany and with German teaching in France, both of which are on the decline despite repeated promises at summit meetings. ... Even the laudable efforts in the border areas often fail because parents tend to prefer English as their children's first foreign language. ... The cultural institutes could make up for the weaknesses of the education systems, but on both sides of the Rhine these have fallen victim to budget cuts by small-minded financial accountants at the foreign ministries. The network of French cultural institutes in Germany has melted like snow in the sun, while the Goethe Institutes in France have been subject to similar cutbacks." (16/12/2008)

» Artykuł (Link zewnętrzny, francuski)
Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Niemcy, » Francja
Wszystkie dostępne teksty » Daniel Vernet

Trouw newspaper is annoyed at the many year-end retrospectives currently being shown on television. "You can put your television in the closet for eleven months and get it out in mid-December. And at a glance you will see the whole year. ... It's perfectly understandable that people automatically reach for the zapper after a long day on the job. But it's regrettable that television programmers spend their time putting together collections of retrospectives instead of thinking up something new. ... Is this once more tied up with the search for identity? Or with our need to create an overview of our life in the truest sense of the word? By looking back at the past we can disregard the precarious world we find ourselves in today. That may be. But when you see everything all over again it only becomes all the more real." (17/12/2008)

» Artykuł (Link zewnętrzny, niderlandzki)
Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Styl życia, » Media audiowizualne, » Holandia
Wszystkie dostępne teksty » Joost van Velzen

In Belgium for the first time ever four former cycling professionals have been given suspended sentences for doping offences. The daily De Standaard welcomes the decision: "The court ruling certainly sets a wonderful example and can serve to deter athletes who are considering using banned substances. This sentence makes it painfully clear for the first time that athletes who are caught using banned substances - and these four weren't even caught through tests - no longer get away with merely a fine. No matter what anyone says, the threat of a prison sentence and a criminal record has more of a psychological impact than a two-year sports suspension. The high number of athletes who are still being caught doping is testimony to the limited effectiveness of these suspensions." (17/12/2008)

» Artykuł (Link zewnętrzny, niderlandzki)
Więcej z przeglądu prasy na temat » Sport, » Belgia
Wszystkie dostępne teksty » Dominique Minten