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2016 was the year when the ‘establishment’ was shaken time and again.

The old order, political rules of engagement and the very idea of liberal democracy were hit by a ferocious wave of populism that washed over Britain, Europe and the United States. Can Europe turn the tide in 2017?

Intergovernmentalism is here to stay. The EU must use it to win back support

The European project has been in free-fall throughout this year, so the big question is whether 2017 will see an EU recovery of some sort, or an unending vista of political and economic disintegration, writes Giles Merritt.

Brussels has been watching helplessly from the sidelines, underlining the realities of intergovernmentalism. The erosion of the EU’s ‘Community method’, and notably the Commission’s role, has contributed to a sense of impotence among Eurocrats, MEPs and the business and civil society players who do so much to help shape policy.

Many Europeans welcome the rise of intergovernmental authority as opposed to power wielded by the EU institutions. They see the Council as preferable to having the EU run by faceless and unelected bureaucrats who seem indifferent to the needs of ordinary people and are immune to democratic controls.

But that’s an inaccurate and prejudiced view – even if EU officialdom has straitjacketed itself in unnecessarily rigid rules and procedures and has neglected to communicate the value of its work to the general public.

“A new solidarity on immigration and institutional reform would demonstrate that unity is European countries’ only viable option”

It’s also a view that has done much damage in recent years, with national politics turning desirable intergovernmental oversight and decision-making into a tangle of hopeless deadlocks.

Tentative reforms that moved away from unanimity in ministerial councils to more qualified majority voting have helped, but it’s clear that the Europe’s longer-term interests are being trumped (so to speak) by member governments’ short-term domestic political concerns.

So where does this leave the EU, and its uncertain future?

To begin with, it’s vital and urgent that the EU’s institutions square up to their perception problem and launch all-out information campaigns.

The European Union has remarkable achievements under its belt, and despite the present atmosphere of crisis and despair is still forging ahead in crucial areas. But the EU does next to nothing to convince public opinion that, from research and development to humanitarian aid, and from support for struggling regions and industries to global development, it performs roles that no single country can fulfil on its own.

The other development needed to keep the EU on the rails is for national leaders to capitalise on intergovernmentalism as a means of protecting themselves against populism. A new solidarity on challenges ranging from immigration to EU institutional reform in the wake of Brexit would demonstrate that unity is European countries’ only viable option.

Do this, and things can improve. Fail, and 2017 could turn out to be worse that 2016’s annus horribilis.

In 2017, let’s work to ensure hate doesn’t trump love

2016 has been a pretty terrible year for European politics. And 2017 has all the makings of being equally gruesome, writes Shada Islam.

Let’s take a deep breath and think of some of the good things still happening across Europe. And importantly, let’s try to make sure hate doesn’t trump love and tolerance in the coming year.

It will be difficult. But there is reason to hope.

True, the political fate of Italy remains uncertain and far-right populists are riding high in the opinion polls in the Netherlands, France and Germany ahead of elections in all three countries.

But there are bright spots. First, Austria. After Brexit and the election of Donald Trump as the next president of the United States, many assumed that Austria would also opt for a populist politician with a message against the European Union, Islam and globalisation.

The far-right candidate for the country’s presidency, Norbert Hofer, was buoyed by the success of Trump and of Nigel Farage of the UK Independence Party. But this time things turned out differently, with Austrians rejecting Hofer in favour of the left-leaning Alexander Van der Bellen.

“Recent developments should encourage Europe’s liberal democrats to stop being defeatist”

Second, after making people wait for much too long, Angela Merkel launched her bid for re-election as German Chancellor despite criticism from within her own Christian Democratic Union party and the rising popularity of the Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party.

Echoing many, Joseph Daul, President of the European People’s Party, to which the CDU is affiliated, underlined: “Angela, you are needed in Europe”.

Third, Britain’s Liberal Democrats notched up a stunning by-election victory in Richmond Park in west London that the new MP Sarah Olney said was a rejection of the “UKIP vision” of Britain and its politics of “anger and division”.

And finally, a court in Amsterdam found Geert Wilders guilty of public insult and incitement to discrimination over a speech in which he called for “fewer Moroccans” in the country. No punishment was decreed, however.

Separately and even together, these developments do not signal a major setback for the populist lurch in European politics. But they do stand in contrast to the unrelenting waves of bad news – including Brexit – that has dominated Europe’s political agenda for the last twelve months.

Most importantly, they should encourage Europe’s liberal democrats to stop being defeatist and try harder – much harder – to win the upcoming elections.

Europe does not yet have a national politician like Canada’s Justin Trudeau who is unapologetic about celebrating diversity. But who knows what can happen next year?

In this unpredictable world, perhaps there is a charismatic European politician out there who is ready to discard hate and venom and come out strongly and convincingly for a diverse, tolerant and open Europe in 2017.

Related content

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IMAGE CREDIT: CC / FLICKR – European Council

The post Europe’s leaders need to steel themselves for a tough 2017 appeared first on Europe’s World.

Depuis le début de la crise politique qui secoue le Burundi depuis 2015, la Tanzanie voisine a accueilli plus de 110 000 réfugiés burundais. Mais les camps sont au bord de la saturation et les aides internationales font défaut. Reportage à Nduta.

L'ancien Premier ministre a promis une "concertation" pour préciser son projet, vivement critiqué par la gauche ainsi que par une partie de la droite.

Nouvel exercice d'explication pour François Fillon. Après sa tribune publiée dans le Figaro lundi soir dans laquelle il assure que l'assurance maladie «continuera à couvrir les soins comme aujourd'hui»,...

Vivant entre le Nigeria et les États-Unis, la romancière Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie a livré dans une conférence, en 2012, son regard sur les inégalités de sexe dans les deux pays.

Une de mes amies américaines a un poste très bien payé dans la publicité. C'est une des deux femmes de son équipe. Lors d'une réunion, son patron n'avait pas tenu compte de ses observations puis avait complimenté un homme qui avait dit plus ou moins la même chose. Elle avait eu envie de hausser le ton pour demander à son patron de s'expliquer, mais elle ne l'avait pas fait. Au lieu de quoi, dès la fin de la réunion, elle s'était précipitée dans les toilettes, où elle avait pleuré avant de m'appeler pour s'épancher. Elle avait gardé le silence parce qu'elle ne voulait pas avoir l'air agressive. Et elle avait rongé son frein.

Ce qui m'a frappée, tant chez elle que chez nombre d'amies américaines, c'est leur souci d'être « aimées ». On les a élevées en leur donnant à croire que plaire est primordial, qu'il s'agit d'une caractéristique spécifique. Et que cela exclut l'expression de la colère, de l'agressivité ou d'un désaccord formulé avec trop de force.

Nous passons un temps fou à apprendre à nos filles à se préoccuper de l'opinion que les garçons ont d'elles. Mais le contraire n'est pas vrai. Nous n'apprenons pas à nos fils à se soucier d'être aimables. Nous passons un temps fou à répéter à nos filles qu'elles ne peuvent être en colère, ni agressives ni dures, ce qui est déjà assez grave en soi, sauf que nous prenons le contre-pied et félicitons ou excusons les garçons qui, eux, ne s'en privent pas. Dans le monde entier, il y a un nombre incroyable d'articles de magazines et de livres qui abreuvent les femmes de conseils sur ce qu'il faut faire, sur la façon d'être ou de ne pas être pour attirer les hommes ou leur plaire. On ne trouve pas, loin s'en faut, autant de guides de ce genre destinés aux hommes.

Une jeune fille qui participe à l'atelier d'écriture que j'anime à Lagos m'a confié qu'une de ses amies lui avait recommandé de ne pas écouter mon « discours féministe », sinon elle assimilerait des idées qui saperaient son mariage. Dans notre pays, on menace bien davantage une femme qu'un homme de cela —la ruine d'un mariage, l'éventualité de ne jamais se marier. (...)

Une de mes relations nigérianes m'a demandé un jour si je ne craignais pas d'intimider les hommes. Je ne le craignais absolument pas —ça ne m'était jamais passé par la tête, étant donné qu'un homme que j'intimiderais serait précisément le genre d'homme qui ne m'intéresserait pas.

Cela ne m'en avait pas moins frappée. Comme je suis une fille, on s'attend à ce que j'aspire à me marier. On s'attend à ce que je fasse des choix en gardant toujours à l'esprit que le mariage est ce qu'il y a de plus important. Le mariage peut être une bonne chose, une source de bonheur, d'amour, d'entraide. Mais pourquoi apprenons-nous aux filles à y aspirer et non aux garçons ? (...)

Je connais une célibataire nigériane qui, lorsqu'elle se rend à une conférence, porte une alliance parce qu'elle souhaite —selon ses propres termes— « inspirer du respect » à ses collègues.

Le plus triste, c'est qu'une alliance lui vaudra automatiquement le respect alors qu'elle n'aura droit qu'à du dédain si elle n'en porte pas —et il s'agit d'un lieu de travail moderne.

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Nous sommes tous des féministes, Gallimard, coll. « Folio 2 euros », Paris, 2015.

Plenary sessions : Political group leaders discussed how to relieve the humanitarian tragedy in Aleppo, sanctions against Russia and ways to boost European defence capacities ahead of the European Summit.

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

Plenary sessions : Political group leaders discussed how to relieve the humanitarian tragedy in Aleppo, sanctions against Russia and ways to boost European defence capacities ahead of the European Summit.

Source : © European Union, 2016 - EP

The third in a series of five meetings of the Consultation Forum for Sustainable Energy in the Defence and Security Sector (CF SEDSS) was held in Rome on 22 – 24 November 2016.

The conference was opened by Major General Francesco Maurizio Noto Director, Energy Task Force, Italian MoD, from the Italian Ministry of Defence, Mrs Claudia Canaveri Deputy Head of Energy Efficiency at DG Energy, and Mr Denis Roger, Director European Synergies and Innovation at the European Defence Agency. It was closed by Mr Rini Goos, Deputy Chief Executive European Defence Agency.

“We need to maintain the momentum of the Consultation Forum events and gain an increased pace on delivering sustainable energy to the Defence sector,” EDA Director European Synergies and Innovation Denis Roger said during his opening address. “We need to develop a framework for increasing resilience to the impacts of energy insecurity on Defence capability, whilst enabling MODs to meet international and national commitments. Energy must increasingly be an integral element to the planning and delivery of military capability.”

Building on the success of the first and second events held in Brussels and Dublin earlier this year, this third conference was attended by around 100 experts from government administrations representing the majority of EDA Member States, as well as industry, academia, NATO representatives and the European Commission.

In closing the conference, EDA Deputy Chief Executive Rini Goos set out, “The sustainable energy challenge that all of us in the European Defence community need to address is how we are going to confront our own entrenched thinking and approaches, embracing innovative new concepts to ensure that we can continue to deliver world class military capability”. Mr Goos concluded, “Through an approach of cooperation, collaboration, and complementarity, you have the combined and continued support of the European Defence Agency and the Commission in this endeavor.”

 

Background

The Consultation Forum for Sustainable Energy in the Defence and Security Sector is a European Commission initiative managed by the European Defence Agency. It brings together experts from the defence and energy sectors to share information and best practice on improving energy management, energy efficiency, and the use of renewable energy.
The Consultation Forum takes place in a series of five plenary meetings over 24 months, concluding in October 2017. The work is carried out in three parallel working groups each with a particular focus: (1) Energy Management, (2) Energy Efficiency & 3) Renewable Energy.

 

More information:

• 1st CF SEDSS meeting report (Brussels, January 2016)
• 2nd CF SEDSS meeting report (Dublin, June 2016)
• CF SEDSS factsheet
• European Defence Energy Network (EDEN)
  
  

After the advance of Assad's troops and their allies into eastern Aleppo, the rebels have given up the fight for the city. Moscow has agreed to a ceasefire but the evacuation of the civilian population is not yet underway. The international community has failed the city's residents, commentators criticise, and see a new world order emerging.

US president elect Trump has nominated Rex Tillerson, CEO of oil giant Exxon Mobil, for the post of secretary of state. The businessman has excellent contacts with Russian President Putin and opposes sanctions against Moscow. Commentators disagree as to whether his appointment is good news or bad.

Russia deliberately attempted to influence the US elections in Donald Trump's favour, according to a CIA report. Russian hackers accessed email accounts of the Democratic Party leadership and passed on the documents to Wikileaks, the report alleges. Trump has described the allegations as "ridiculous". Some commentators demand a thorough investigation. Others suspect foul play on the part of the CIA.