Senate The European Politics Thread

That's because the United States is unwilling to acknowledge elements of society are still institutional racist and thus why BLM marches are met with stronger resistance by the police.

 

You don't say! I hadn't noticed!

 

I note that as sarcasm, but I have a funny feeling there might be an element of truth in that. You seem to live in a political bubble, judging by some of your political posts..

 

Do we have a Spanish members in JCC? I'm curious to know more about the anti-tourism backlash that has appeared in the Basque. I am assuming it is the locals fearing tourism will lead to integration with Spain and damage their march for nation hood.

 

Pretty sure JoinTheSchwarz is originally from Spain.

 

I don't live in Spain, but as far as I understand the so-called "anti-tourism movement" is not Basque but nationwide, and it's more about the precarious state of the workers that work in tourism than about tourism itself. And I certainly empathize, having worked in hospitality for seven years and seen how work conditions can be tantamount to slavery.

 

Is it punishing hours? I'm guessing it is a sort of work "on-demand" approach due to seasonal variations of tourism.

 

Punishing hours doesn't really cut it: there's a cocaine and speed epidemic among hospitality and tourism workers because it's the only way to manage to get to the end of the day. Job stability is almost non-existent, even in areas with non-seasonal tourism like my hometown is.

And it's more than just that. Just look at the extreme example: all the pasty-skinned teenage date rapists that every year fly down from the U.K. to what they call "Saloufest" and proceed to turn a small coastal town into a landfill. Think of how whole cities become theme parks for foreign tourists yet its inhabitants barely see the benefits, being forced to work in a precarious sector that the government promotes as the country's driving force. How we have created a touristic model that can only be sustained if we keep being the dollar store of Europe.

I certainly empathize...

 

Oh, I understand now.

My friend has similar experiences in Greece, but on that scale.

Sadly, I would call that a normal example.

 

https://www.economist.com/news/euro...s-part-because-he-doing-right-things-emmanuel

Presidential stumbles
Emmanuel Macron finds change is often unpopular
France’s young president slides in the polls, in part because he is doing the right things

Europe

Aug 23rd 2017| PARIS
TWO months ago, France’s young leader could do no wrong. Emmanuel Macron defied all the rules to win the presidency at the age of 39. He secured a parliamentary majority for a party that did not exist 15 months before, and wowed the French with his muscular treatment of unsavoury foreign leaders. But summer has soured the mood. When ministers return to work next week after an uncommonly short break, they will find a president who has slid faster in the polls than any other under the Fifth Republic.

After his first 100 days in office Mr Macron’s approval rating dropped to 36%, according to Ifop, a pollster (see chart). At a comparable point, François Hollande, his hapless Socialist predecessor, was ten points higher. Given that unemployment has begun to fall, the euro-zone economy is picking up, and Mr Macron has yet to pass controversial legislation, this rapid fall from grace is perplexing. The best explanation rests on the nature of his victory, and three different sorts of discontent.

Under France’s two-round system, Mr Macron was elected in a run-off with a resounding 66%. But some of this was less a vote for him than against his opponent, the far-right populist Marine Le Pen. His solid base is his first-round score of 24%—lower than that of his two immediate predecessors, though higher than Mr Chirac’s in 1995 and 2002. These core voters are still firmly macronistes: 76% approve. His ratings have tumbled among those who never picked him as their first choice, particularly on the far left and far right.
The first source of their discontent concerns questionable political tactics. Mr Macron invited Donald Trump to attend the Bastille Day parade in Paris. This looked like a coup, putting France shoulder-to-shoulder with America. But voters struggle to see what the country has secured in return. The president then gave his former military chief, who had criticised defence cuts, a public dressing-down. This was intended as a show of authority, but public opinion sided with the general, who resigned. Another error was Mr Macron’s effort to codify an official role for the French First Lady. Polls, and an online petition, revealed this to be unpopular, and he made do with a “charter” instead.
It might have helped if Mr Macron had explained himself. He doubtless judged that there are greater dangers in isolating America, and that the two countries may need each other—over Syria, for instance. But he has decided to pursue a “Jupiterian” presidency: he speaks little in public, entrusting the daily job of spin to his government. Where Mr Hollande gossiped to reporters, Mr Macron mostly refuses to talk to the press. This leaves images to speak for themselves. Some have been easy targets for ridicule, such as the president playing Tom Cruise in a fighter-pilot suit, or laughing at the Elysée Palace with Rihanna.
This sort of criticism is legitimate in politics, but a second type seems rather unfair. During a special parliamentary session, which ran into August—a time when much of Paris had left for the beach—some first-time deputies from Mr Macron’s La République en Marche (LRM) proved accident-prone. Videos mocking blunders over legislative procedure swirled on social media. The opposition deplored their “incompetence” and “amateurism”. Yet “every beginner has the right to make mistakes”, says Gilles Le Gendre, vice-president of the LRM parliamentary group, pointing out that the newcomers attend far more assiduously. Spending on alcohol at the parliamentary bar is said to have plummeted.
The third form of dissatisfaction is different: Mr Macron is proving unpopular for doing the right thing. Some of his well-flagged plans involve uncomfortable changes or spending cuts. Unsurprisingly, those affected are not happy. Take his decision to finance a general reduction of payroll charges by increasing a broader charge, which touches pensions; 64% of those over 65 disapprove. His freeze on public-sector pay is, predictably, opposed by 80% of public-sector workers.
A former investment banker, Mr Macron has chosen budget cuts rather than higher taxes as the means of sticking to the European Union’s deficit rules in 2017. His underlying logic is to tax work and business less, in order to spur growth and job creation. But this is politically difficult, since some tax cuts—including to the “wealth” tax—are readily caricatured. Jean-Luc Mélenchon, the fiery far-left leader, calls the Macron government an “arrogant caste” with a “preference for the rich”.
The question is whether falling popularity will affect Mr Macron’s capacity to govern. His ratings are still well above the disastrous single digits that hampered Mr Hollande. The president seems undeterred, according to those who have seen him this summer. Yet complacency would be a mistake. The point of what he is trying to do seems misunderstood. Public opinion has not given him credit, for example, for an anti-corruption law passed in August to clean up political life. A tough month lies ahead, after he unveils his labour reforms, with strikes planned on September 12th. The French voted for Mr Macron because they wanted change. They may need an eloquent reminder of what that change is all about.
Correction (August 23rd, 2017): A previous version of this piece said that Jacques Chirac was the only Fifth Republic president whose popularity fell faster than that of Mr Macron. In fact, Mr Macron has no competition in this regard. We are sorry.

It's hardly surprising that those with ridiculous entitlements, and an entitlement mentality, howl loudly when those entitlements are under threat. But the Economist is right on this; Macron's reforms need to happen.

 

Thank you, Ghost.

 

I hate you.

I'm also just preempting the armchair left from your adopted country criticising Macron through an American lense that cannot and should not translate internationally.

 

If only these (let's say) austere reforms had been tried in any other European countries in the past ten years and had both completely failed to reactivate the job market and managed to increase the inequality gap to "I can't believe it's not an early William Gibson novel" level. But as they haven't the people have no frame of reference, and you know how the plebe is!

 

Yes but those countries were all second tier next to France. I mean, come on. Greece?

Spain? I mean, Fernando Alonso earns more than Spain's GDP. And he's driving that car.

 

There's no situation that The Economist won't solve with austerity measures, though. At least they avoid falling into the domestic economy equivalence fallacy...

 

No but to be fair, France has also illustrated Same Ol', Same Ol' state spending is not a viable plan for the future either. This is a country who howled at the idea of a 38hr working week. They'll fight reform to the last, even if it's the best thing for them.

 

I'll grant you that piece doesn't reach the heights of their amazing Leni Riefenstahl tribute.

 

I'm loathe to interrupt your little lovers spat, but I'd hardly compare what Macron wants to do with the austerity measures forced on Greece and Spain (which were absurd). Better comparison, I think, would be the Skandanvian countries and Germany 10-20 years ago. And the results have proven the measures were effective.

 

JC Juncker wants the Euro EU-wide. Someone really hasn't been paying attention the last 5-10 years, have they?

 

Precisely.
Economic liberalisation works.

 

JoinTheSchwarz Can you please recommend a few useful resources in French or English for a complete ignoramus who is trying to follow what is going on in Catalonia?

 

Half year ago they were talking about a multi speed Europe and now Juncker wants everyone to join the Euro.

Some wild speculation: I'm guessing multi speed Europe, put forward by Germany, France, Italy and Spain, (Google A multi-speed formula will shape Europe's future to bypass the paywall) is off the table rejected by the majority of member-states. But then the only way to avoid a multi speed Europe is by everyone being at the same speed e.g. everyone has to use the Euro, be member of Schengen and no opt-outs of any kind. In that regard Juncker's speech made sense. Still it baffles me why countries would rather use the Euro than have a multi speed Europe. Is being left out of the decision making such a big deal or are they in denial about it thinking they can have their cake and eat it too by saying no to both multi speed Europe and the Euro.

 

I can find my own sources than you very much!

 

Finally, France reforms its labour laws.



A birth of a new vibrant, liberal and centrist France.

 

Big election today in Germany, the question isn't so much who is going to win but how many seats is the AFD going to get? Wolfgang Muchau had a depressing article about them last week and the potential problems it will cause in the future.

 

I hope the AfD win jack ****

But, alas, I expect some sort of minor breakthrough.