Germany is widely regarded as the motor of the European economy. GDP grew by just 0.3% in the second quarter of 2012 and is barely 1% higher than a year ago. The German statistical agency Destasis speak of a continuing export-led recovery. But that is not strictly correct. German exports are rising. But because imports are rising [...]
Posts Tagged ‘EU’
72% of French people want referendum on permanent austerity treaty
Aug 27th, 2012 by Tom Gill.72% of French people want a referendum on the Fiscal Compact treaty, according to a poll. The CSA poll, conducted for l’Humanité newspaper, comes as the radical Left Front renewed demands for the decision to be made by this method a popular vote by all the French people. President François Hollande plans to adopt the new [...]
French radicals to start referendum campaign on ‘Permanent Austerity Treaty’
Jul 6th, 2012 by Tom Gill.The radical Front de Gauche (Left Front) is to launch a campaign for a referendum in France against the Fiscal Compact, known by critics as the Permanent Austerity Treaty. Agreed on 2 March 2012 by 25 EU countries, minus Britain and the Czech Republic, the EU Fiscal Compact – a German invention officially known as Treaty [...]
Hollande to present austerity treaty gift wrapped to French Parliament
Jun 30th, 2012 by Tom Gill.(In the Radical Press – Humanité) It’s done. François Hollande announced Friday afternoon that he would submit the fiscal pact (Treaty on the stability, coordination and governance in the Economic and Monetary Union – TSCG) to be ratified by the French Parliament. During his Presidential campaign he had promised to renegotiate it and would not [...]
Another road for Europe: an appeal
Jun 30th, 2012 by Newsdesk.The following appeal has been launched by a variety of politicians, activists and academics across Europe. Europe is in crisis because it has been hijacked by neoliberalism and finance. In the last twenty years – with a persistent democratic deficit – the meaning of the European Union has increasingly been reduced to a narrow view [...]
Cancel the Greek debt
Jun 19th, 2012 by Michael Burke.The Greek general election on June 17 presents a clear political choice on whether to continue with the ‘austerity’ measures imposed by the Troika of the ECB, EU and IMF which have caused a disastrous economic slump. Greek GDP fell by over 13 per cent between 2007 and 2011 and contracted sharply again in the [...]
Syriza: a wake up call for the Left in Europe
Jun 15th, 2012 by Bob Clay.It was a little disappointing to read Dave Osler’s piece about Greece. The present situation is not just a judgment call for the Greek Left but for the Left in Britain and the rest of Europe. I have also been in Greece recently and although my time was spent in Crete rather than the hell [...]
The stark choice facing the Greek people
Jun 14th, 2012 by Ben Folley.It is difficult to imagine the impact of austerity in Greecefrom here in the UK. Aside from the stark imagery of pensioners eating from bins, students forced into prostitution and children being abandoned in increasing numbers, the statistics make for uncomfortable reading. In February The Guardian reported that planned 15% wage cuts – on top of 30% already [...]
Spain shows how lethally fragile the euro really is
Jun 12th, 2012 by Michael Meacher.If the rallying call of Mariano Rajoy, the Spanish Prime Minister, is right – that “the credibility of the euro won” – then let’s hope we never have to experience a loss. It’s more a case of the first rule of politics – when you capitulate, declare victory. The Spanish deal cooked up over the [...]
European parliament: room for affirmative action
Jun 11th, 2012 by Robbie Scott.Before the party begins selecting candidates for the European elections in 2014 a serious effort needs to be made to attract candidates from ethnic minority backgrounds. The under-representation of ethnic minorities in the EU parliament has reached such a height that it casts serious doubt on the representativeness of the chamber. The UK sends 72 [...]
