Gavinsblog.com

Category: European Politics

  • EU's problem with 'no'

    William Pfaff writes about the EU, saying ironically that what the EU really wants is a new electorate. Europe’s leaders have reacted to the European Union’s current crisis in a wonderfully Brechtian manner. As the German Communist poet sardonically put it, after the East German workers’ revolt against the Communist authorities in June 1953, the…

  • The End of Europe

    Robert J. Samuelson in the Washington Post argues that: Unless Europe reverses two trends — low birthrates and meager economic growth — it faces a bleak future of rising domestic discontent and falling global power. Actually, that future has already arrived. A weak European economy is one reason that the world economy is shaky and…

  • Barroso versus Paxman

    Yet another showdown. The Commission President sounds like Roman Prodi just after the Irish rejection of the Nice Treaty. Nice platitudes about how he ‘respects’ the decision of the people – but the intention seems clear now. The Treaty will not be binned. The plan is to get it passed by at least 20 countries…

  • EU just won't take 'no' for an answer

    Mark Steyn, I am somehow inclined to agree, at least in part, with him on this occasion. Following Sunday’s vote in France, on Wednesday Dutch voters get to express their opinion on the proposed ”European Constitution.” Heartening to see democracy in action, notwithstanding the European elite’s hysterical warnings that, without the constitution, the continent will…

  • What now for the Constitution?

    The IAI website appears to be down, but there was a very interesting document located there, that I have managed to find elsewhere (PDF) . It all boils down to Declaration no. 30 in the annexes which states: Declaration no. 30 annexed to the CT reads: “The Conference notes that if, two years after the…

  • The case for Europe

    Javier Solana, the EU High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, wrote a piece in the IHT the other day. He gives two reasons why we should accept the Constitution. First, the constitution offers a massive improvement in our ability to tackle old and new security threats. Think of the solidarity clause which…

  • French voters reject EU charter

    So the French have said Non. It reminds of the day the news came out that Ireland voted No – I remember at the time some French commentators slating us for our ‘anti-European’ stance. Looks like we weren’t the only ones to have reservations about the deepending of powers in the EU. Chirac’s comments are…

  • If EU constitution fails, U.S. won't be gloating

    John Vinocur had an interesting article in the IHT yesterday. Basically, what I’d say, based on conversations last week, is that America doesn’t see the probability of a shift in European strategic attitudes as a result of the referendums. Indeed, like the Europeans, the day after a negative vote the Bush administration would be faced…

  • Europe Will Survive a French Non

    Mark Leonard, author of Why Europe Will Run the 21st Century, argues that the EU will survive in the event of the French voting no. He notes in Foreign Policy that: It is possible that a French no vote could result in the EU’s sticking solely with its current treaties, or that the other 24…

  • Don't lift the arms embargo on China

    So argues David Shambaugh, and I believe rightly so. He takes us through 5 arguments the Europeans are using to justify lifting the embargo, and basically destroys each one. I’ll quote the whole thing: In his meetings with European leaders this week, President George W. Bush will try to persuade the Europeans not to lift…