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A thread to talk about news and politics affecting Europe as a whole, rather than just politics within specific European countries.

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    Original first post 
Spinned off from the British Politics Thread. Basically a thread where we talk about news and politics that affect Europe as a whole rather than certain countries in it.

Anyway BBC News section for Europe Based news.

Edited by Mrph1 on Jan 9th 2024 at 3:24:05 PM

FergardStratoavis Stop Killing My Titles from And Locations (Not-So-Newbie) Relationship Status: And here's to you, Mrs. Robinson
Stop Killing My Titles
#6701: Dec 20th 2017 at 9:35:37 AM

It's always been there. Between the outright fetishization of martyrdom (Partitions of Poland and then WW 2), our status as "defenders of Christianity" (first The Battle of Vienna, then Battle of Warsaw 1920) and just in general being stuck between Russia and "Europe" has done no favors to us.

Now in the era of the migrant crisis, islam-affiliated terrorists, "Jewish conspiracies" (Soros has been unironically cited as behind some shindig the other day by Public TV) and the like, in this 97% Polish population, largely Catholic, it's easy to manipulate it into a nationalistic fervor. After PO has failed to actually appeal to the common man and used only "PIS bad!" as their line of defense, after Nowoczesna proved to be nothing but PO 2.0 with more corporate undertones, after PSL's country voters were taken away... PIS enjoys 40%+ voter popularity, with a tendency to go up.

Our democracy is simply not strong enough to hold against this kind of onslaught and the ordinary, faceless people either don't care or support PIS because they gave 'em 500 PLN the other day. It's a very Bread and Circuses approach.

grah
FergardStratoavis Stop Killing My Titles from And Locations (Not-So-Newbie) Relationship Status: And here's to you, Mrs. Robinson
Stop Killing My Titles
#6702: Dec 20th 2017 at 12:07:26 PM

Sorry for a double post, but it appears that President Duda will sign the laws he vetoed in July. (those being PIS' ideas about Supreme Court and National Council of the Judiciary)

So as it turns out, it really was nothing but a spat between him and Minister Ziobro about whose political dick is bigger. Farewell, Separation of Powers.

grah
TerminusEst from the Land of Winter and Stars Since: Feb, 2010
TheHandle United Earth from Stockholm Since: Jan, 2012 Relationship Status: YOU'RE TEARING ME APART LISA
United Earth
#6704: Dec 22nd 2017 at 2:36:07 AM

Fuck.

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
TerminusEst from the Land of Winter and Stars Since: Feb, 2010
#6705: Dec 22nd 2017 at 2:42:21 AM

Everyone knew it was going to happen, their interests align perfectly.

Si Vis Pacem, Para Perkele
TheHandle United Earth from Stockholm Since: Jan, 2012 Relationship Status: YOU'RE TEARING ME APART LISA
United Earth
#6706: Dec 22nd 2017 at 3:17:06 AM

Surely it takes more than two states turning fascist for the entire Union to be brought to its knees?

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
TerminusEst from the Land of Winter and Stars Since: Feb, 2010
#6707: Dec 22nd 2017 at 3:25:08 AM

In the first phase Parliament requires 4/5 to start the process-> In the second phase the Council must be unanimous to actually enact them. So if the country in question has allies, it won't go through.

The refugee crisis firmly upset the system, which didn't take into account outside shocks radically affecting the establishments of several countries simultaneously.

I also doubt the Treaty of Amsterdam (where Article 7 was agreed upon) would've been signed if it were more flexible.

edited 22nd Dec '17 3:38:18 AM by TerminusEst

Si Vis Pacem, Para Perkele
TheHandle United Earth from Stockholm Since: Jan, 2012 Relationship Status: YOU'RE TEARING ME APART LISA
United Earth
#6708: Dec 22nd 2017 at 4:01:19 AM

Well, what are the rules on meddling in each other's internal affairs? It's not like this isn't done.

But, you know, it should be done in such a way that the backlash doesn't nourish the far-right movements.

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
TerminusEst from the Land of Winter and Stars Since: Feb, 2010
#6709: Dec 22nd 2017 at 4:14:50 AM

Strictly speaking? Don't interfere.

On the more general side, EU has to actually improve its messaging, possibly even getting its own internal disinfo task force, not just the one focused on combatting russian information warfare.

In a sense, it's like with the Soviet Union, the best influence comes from regular media.

edited 22nd Dec '17 4:19:18 AM by TerminusEst

Si Vis Pacem, Para Perkele
Swanpride Since: Jun, 2013
#6710: Dec 22nd 2017 at 4:25:32 AM

It is too bad, but in a way, it is only a delay. There will be new budget talks in two years with the new budget starting in 2021. And then then Hungary and Poland can holler however they want, at the end of the day the budget will be decided by what the majority considers most important. Which might not be project benefitting two particular troublesome states.

Silasw A procrastination in of itself from A handcart to hell (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: And they all lived happily ever after <3
A procrastination in of itself
#6711: Dec 22nd 2017 at 6:08:27 AM

I’ve asked before, is it possible for punitive action to be done against Poland and Hungary with one vote, so that neither can protect the other?

“And the Bunny nails it!” ~ Gabrael “If the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we.” ~ Cyran
TerminusEst from the Land of Winter and Stars Since: Feb, 2010
#6712: Dec 22nd 2017 at 6:12:19 AM

No. Hungary did come awfully close in getting the same treatment, but it didn't get through parliament.

edited 22nd Dec '17 6:13:37 AM by TerminusEst

Si Vis Pacem, Para Perkele
CenturyEye Tell Me, Have You Seen the Yellow Sign? from I don't know where the Yith sent me this time... Since: Jan, 2017 Relationship Status: Having tea with Cthulhu
Tell Me, Have You Seen the Yellow Sign?
#6713: Dec 22nd 2017 at 6:14:51 AM

Well that was a vote result, but is there a legal prohibition to putting two states on the chopping block at once?

Look with century eyes... With our backs to the arch And the wreck of our kind We will stare straight ahead For the rest of our lives
TerminusEst from the Land of Winter and Stars Since: Feb, 2010
#6714: Dec 22nd 2017 at 6:20:25 AM

[up]

Yes. The Article only stipulates one single member state. In other words, they all have to be considered separately, and they can all cover for each other since their voting rights are not suspended.

edited 22nd Dec '17 6:21:26 AM by TerminusEst

Si Vis Pacem, Para Perkele
desdendelle (Avatar by Coffee) from Land of Milk and Honey (Ten years in the joint) Relationship Status: Writing a love letter
(Avatar by Coffee)
#6715: Dec 22nd 2017 at 6:21:56 AM

It's also kinda anti-democratic because it takes a state's vote away for no (proper) reason.

The voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground
TerminusEst from the Land of Winter and Stars Since: Feb, 2010
#6716: Dec 22nd 2017 at 6:26:15 AM

Like I said, it was never really designed to handle multiple threats simultaneously nor can it be made to take into account common interests.

Si Vis Pacem, Para Perkele
Rationalinsanity from Halifax, Canada Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
#6717: Dec 22nd 2017 at 6:35:30 AM

So the EU can't do a damn thing if its members go full authoritarian.

God damn it.

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
ViperMagnum357 Since: Mar, 2012
#6718: Dec 22nd 2017 at 6:42:55 AM

Jeez, you would think they would have put some sort of 'break glass in case of emergency' clause into the Union. If for no other reason than to kick out a country that goes mental and starts electing fascists, because that has never happened in living memory.

TheHandle United Earth from Stockholm Since: Jan, 2012 Relationship Status: YOU'RE TEARING ME APART LISA
United Earth
#6719: Dec 22nd 2017 at 6:57:55 AM

Also, why? I would understand in the case of Ireland, Portugal, Spain, Greece, because they really ate shit during the crisis, but have Hungary and Poland been hit with any kind of significant crisis?

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
TerminusEst from the Land of Winter and Stars Since: Feb, 2010
#6720: Dec 22nd 2017 at 6:59:56 AM

[up]

Refugee crisis. Easy to exploit by populists.

edited 22nd Dec '17 7:01:42 AM by TerminusEst

Si Vis Pacem, Para Perkele
Silasw A procrastination in of itself from A handcart to hell (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: And they all lived happily ever after <3
A procrastination in of itself
#6721: Dec 22nd 2017 at 7:08:34 AM

Hungary was impacted but Poland wasn’t impacted by the refugee crisis, the already fascist leaning government used it to their advantage, but Poland didn’t actually suffer from it.

This isn’t because of the refugee crisis, Poland and Hungary were both on a fascist path well before it happened.

edited 22nd Dec '17 7:09:30 AM by Silasw

“And the Bunny nails it!” ~ Gabrael “If the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we.” ~ Cyran
TheHandle United Earth from Stockholm Since: Jan, 2012 Relationship Status: YOU'RE TEARING ME APART LISA
United Earth
#6722: Dec 22nd 2017 at 7:24:00 AM

Why and how? This is genuinely frightening!

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
Rationalinsanity from Halifax, Canada Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
#6723: Dec 22nd 2017 at 7:35:01 AM

They never truly purged the stain of authoritarianism after the Curtain came down, they just charged the flavor a little.

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
TheHandle United Earth from Stockholm Since: Jan, 2012 Relationship Status: YOU'RE TEARING ME APART LISA
United Earth
#6724: Dec 22nd 2017 at 8:02:08 AM

It didn't occur to any of the Western powers to Marshall things up a little? They just took ex-Authoritarian regimes in willy-nilly? Haven't they learned anything from Germany's reunification?

[down]Precisely who I had in mind.

edited 22nd Dec '17 8:05:41 AM by TheHandle

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
3of4 Just a harmless giant from a foreign land. from Five Seconds in the Future. Since: Jan, 2010 Relationship Status: GAR for Archer
Just a harmless giant from a foreign land.
#6725: Dec 22nd 2017 at 8:03:37 AM

...*stares at Saxony*

edited 22nd Dec '17 8:03:49 AM by 3of4

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