The spectre of austerity haunts Europe. It poses no doubt an existential, as well as an economic, political and social threat. The take-up across the continent of impoverishment as an economic policy became a recipe for failure, as much of the trade these countries did between each other broke down. The seams of society are on the verge of breaking, as the economic situation puts many in poverty, thus straining the bonds of solidarity, and feeds long-forsaken tensions, many of which nationalistic. Incumbent governments everywhere around Europe are being voted out, and their replacements are briefed against their aspirations for alternative.

There is an image of unavoidability that is projected in a deliberate attempt to suppress calls for change. But this suppression is increasingly explicit and unacceptable to a silent majority of Europeans whose aspirations to a decent standard of living are being frustrated. As it becomes clear that the European Union, with Angela Merkel as its leading figure, are directly antagonistic to those aspirations, and actively and explicitly defeating them, diffidence and even suspicion against the European project becomes an increasingly popular sentiment. Continue reading →