Brexit, the economy and house prices part 5

Rough_Justice

An interesting piece in the New Statesman, "What Europeans really think about Brexit"

Europe’s biggest Brexit fear? That we’ll flourish outside the EU

https://www.spectator.co.uk/2018/01/europes-biggest-brexit-fear-that-well-flourish-outside-the-eu/

ilovehouses wrote: »

There seem to be 10 European countries that appear above the UK in that democracy ranking - democracy seems to be alive and well on the European continent.

Something to ponder next time we elect a Head of State and second chamber.

Yet only 8 within the EU.
Then ask Catalonians, Poles, Hungarians etc. etc. their view of EU democracy.

Re: "Head of State and second chamber" - like every other person living in our democracy you are free to vote for whomsoever will change the parts you don't like.
These may suit: https://www.omrlp.com/

Rough_Justice

Warning: opinion piece ahead.
In CNN and it makes interesting reading.

Europe's xenophobic far-right parties have fans across the continent, representing, on average, 16% of elected lawmakers in national legislatures and 15% in the European Parliament, according to an analysis of 22 European countries by Bloomberg.
These voters would gladly elect their own Viktor Orban or a figure such as Poland's arch-conservative ideologue, Jarosław Kaczyński, of the ruling Law and Justice Party. Far rightists such as France's Marine Le Pen cheer the Central Europeans' ballot box victories and affronts to the EU, viewing them as the bastions of a Europe-wide movement: national populism in power, exactly where she and her peers want to be.

http://edition.cnn.com/2018/01/04/opinions/europe-has-a-much-bigger-problem-than-brexit-hockenos-opinion/index.html

System

Rough_Justice wrote: »

Yet only 8 within the EU.
Then ask Catalonians, Poles, Hungarians etc. etc. their view of EU democracy.

Re: "Head of State and second chamber" - like every other person living in our democracy you are free to vote for whomsoever will change the parts you don't like.
These may suit: https://www.omrlp.com/

If I was trying to show the EU is made up of undemocratic countries compared to the UK I wouldn't use a dataset showing the UK at the dizzying heights of 14th and 90% of the EU population living in countries covered by the top 20.

Must try harder.

Let's continue to gloss over our unelected head of state and second chamber.

Thrugelmir

ilovehouses wrote: »

If I was trying to show the EU is made up of undemocratic countries compared to the UK I wouldn't use a dataset showing the UK at the dizzying heights of 14th and 90% of the EU population living in countries covered by the top 20.

Must try harder.

Interesting that the UK follows Canada and the US for the country most people would like to emigrate to. Must be something good about living here.......

Arklight

I find the jingoistic demands for self determination of the Little Englanders somewhat incongruous with their serf like obeisance to an unelected hereditary aristocracy.


Brexit seems to be becoming a complaint that the EU is stopping the English being oppressed enough by their class system than any kind of desire for actual freedom.


If Brexiteers wanted actual self determination they'd clamour to get rid of the royals, the House of Lords, and the millennia of baked in unearned, encrusted privilege, that comes from deciding that life is easier tugging your forelock to a lord on horseback whose main achievement was having ancestors who killed your ancestors and stole their land, than throwing him off it and taking responsibility for yourself.

System

Thrugelmir wrote: »

Interesting that the UK follows Canada and the US for the country most people would like to emigrate to. Must be something good about living here.......

Could it be the UK is a great place to live?

Not sure what it's got to do with Tracey's made up concerns about democracy though.

Rough_Justice

Hot on the heels of Tony Blair's acceptance that populism could destroy the EU (although nobody listens to him any more) comes this from France's President Macron:

Brexit: Macron warns Europe could split after Britain leaves EU and calls for unity

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/brexit-macron-latest-eu-split-europe-warning-unity-a8142826.html

In the last month then that's Donald Tusk, Italy's PM Paolo Gentiloni and now Emmanuel Macron all publicly stating their concerns about the future of the EU.
Not really a good sign, is it?

Rough_Justice

Talking of Italy I see that - ahead of their March elections - the anti-Euro debate is being pursued there.

Matteo Salvini, leader of the country’s anti-immigration Northern League party, has reiterated his opposition to the single currency. Growing Italian discontent with the European Union could help to make the issue a vote-winner in elections planned for March 4. Despite a widespread economic revival, monetary union remains a political target.

https://uk.reuters.com/article/us-italy-election-breakingviews/breakingviews-anti-euro-debate-rears-its-head-in-italy-idUKKBN1EU0Y4

Rough_Justice

As for Brexit, it would appear that the EU27 are perhaps not as united as some here suggest.
The following is paywalled but you'll get the idea I'm sure.

Ireland and Hungary will push for a Brexit deal which allows "uninterrupted" trade in goods and services during the second phase of talks, Ireland's prime minister said on Thursday as he met his Hungarian counterpart in Budapest.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/01/04/ireland-hungary-push-brexit-deal-uninterrupted-trade-goods-services/

System

Rough_Justice wrote: »

As for Brexit, it would appear that the EU27 are perhaps not as united as some here suggest.
The following is paywalled but you'll get the idea I'm sure.

As far as the approach to brexit is concerned they've been far more united than some here suggested too. Certainly more so than the UK government.

Perhaps they'll crumble when it comes to transitional and trade talks. Have to say I would've thought the aim of both sides would be an uninterrupted trade flow so it doesn't seem like Ireland and Hungary are exactly choosing songs that aren't on the hymn sheet.

Maybe the evidence of the cracks in the EU27 can only be viewed after paying the Telegraph what with it being a 'premium' article.