“The Islamisation of Europe is a red herring

MAIN FOCUS: The Islamisation of Europe is a red herring | 23/09/2010

Survey Finds NATO Remains Popular in the US

Given waning support for the Afghanistan mission, a sentiment among many Americans that the US is putting far more relatively into both Iraq and Afghanistan than it’s partners, and regular arguments from media pundits that NATO no longer has relevance in a post-Cold War world — I was surprised to read this in The Chicago Council on Global Affairs’ 2010 national survey of public opinion on foreign policy:

Why Belgium is the ideal holder of the EU presidency

EU: From expulsions to justice and integration for Roma

The French ?Romagate? affair was highlighted dramatically before and during the summit of EU leaders, but the official conclusions were as if from another planet.

As Bitter As Bile

It has been labelled in all manner of different terms: “a violent clash”, “a virile confrontation”, “a furious row”. But today’s Le Monde finally sheds a little light on what Sarkozy and Barroso told each other during their squabble over the Roma deportations at last week’s EU summit.

The paper has published a transcript of the row, under a new headline: “A lunch as bitter as bile in Brussels”. Unfortunately for our French-speaking readers, we aren’t able to provide a link, as the article is only available to subscribers of Le Monde‘s website. However, we provide some of the more juicy excerpts below. (Only thing to bear in mind is that the transcript has been put together thanks to the contribution of several witnesses – both direct and indirect – and therefore might not always reflect what was said verbatim.)

Protests against Sweden far-right

A European turn for Sweden

Exploiting France?s ?Romagate? for party political ends? European Parliament

“I sincerely hope that following the deletion of any explicit reference to Roma in the circular in question, France will redress other legal and procedural shortcomings as well. I also hope that the European Commission will take the necessary actions if the French measures prove to be discriminative and the rights of Roma as European citizens are not fully guaranteed”, said the Hungarian member of the European Parliament Lívia Járóka in a press release on the web pages of the EPP group.

CAP reform debate hijacked by new priorities

Sarkozy?s ?Romagate?: Berlusconi or Mugabe?

The Bloggingportal.eu blog headlined its Week in Bloggingportal France vs. Europe, but more than yesterday?s news the French crackdown on illegal Roma camps is a fountain of learning about how the European Union (mal)functions.

Should we save ?sovereignty? or the Europeans?

On the blog Se former à la communication européenne, Michael Malherbe opined that the Roma crisis has mobilised pro and anti-Europeans more than it has improved understanding of the European Union, in: Quels sont les effets d?opinion de la crise européenne autour des Roms ?

Lessons for the European Union are the aim of the ?Romagate? series of blog posts, but Malherbe?s lack of optimism tells us that the mission is far from accomplished.

Sarkozy and Berlusconi: Helping or hurting their countries?

One of the questions in the wake of the French ?Romagate? affair is how it affects the international standing of France. Regards citoyens republished an article by Christian Lequesne in Le Monde: L?attitude du pouvoir vis-à-vis de l?Europe isole la France au lieu de renforcer son rôle.

MAIN FOCUS: Expensive credit for Ireland | 22/09/2010