EU Politics: I miss Renaults(don't make fun of me)

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Debate & Discussion > EU Politics: I miss Renaults(don't make fun of me)

Kassad: Nov 12, 2005; It's about time.

Orange Devil posted:

I mean probably yeah but on the other hand the British press is uniformly garbage.

There's garbage press and then there's sounding like some fake pithy Chinese curse, like "May you live in interesting time".

"May Emmanuel Macron be your greatest hope"

# ? Feb 8, 2020 16:17

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# ? May 24, 2024 04:19

V. Illych L.: Apr 11, 2008; ASK ME ABOUT LUMBER

lol the great white hope, the dude who's managed to unite a huge coalition of interests against him and faced a general strike even from the yellow unions because he's too clumsy to realise that other power centres don't like unilateralism

# ? Feb 8, 2020 16:43

Cat Mattress: Jul 14, 2012; by Cyrano4747

As far as internal politics are concerned, Macron's biggest problem is that he absolutely wants to get France caught up on all the neoliberal mistakes that have proven to be unmitigated disasters in other countries 30 years ago. He looks young enough, but he's really just Val�ry Giscard d'Estaing 2.0.

As for his foreign policy, I am sympathetic to his stated goal of Europe being more united and independent, but nobody wants that. The reaction of other EU countries is generally a mix of "wait, does that mean he wants to be my boss?" and "hey let's not rock the boat, we've got a good thing going on with the USA, if we're too independent we might spook the Yankees out of taking care of Europe's defense pro bono".

# ? Feb 8, 2020 17:53

A Buttery Pastry: Sep 4, 2011; Delicious and Informative!

OwlFancier posted:

It's amazing how you can guess it's a guardian article just by how stupid the take is.

Yeah, I was gonna post exactly this. That take in particular though, that's like the essence of the Guardian, isn't it? 'Talking up nice-sounding qualities a politician doesn't have but you pretend like you want them to have' I mean.

# ? Feb 8, 2020 19:00

OwlFancier: Aug 22, 2013

A Buttery Pastry posted:

Yeah, I was gonna post exactly this. That take in particular though, that's like the essence of the Guardian, isn't it? 'Talking up nice-sounding qualities a politician doesn't have but you pretend like you want them to have' I mean.

Oh yeah there's absolutely a particular flavour to guardian articles as well as a quantity of dumbness.

# ? Feb 8, 2020 19:05

Junior G-man: Sep 15, 2004; Wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma

Merkel 2.0 is on the fritz so they've decided to discard her.

quote:

Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer to quit as CDU leader amid far-right 'firewall' row
Successor to Angela Merkel also says she won�t run for chancellorship of Germany

Angela Merkel�s designated successor has announced she is not planning to run for the German chancellorship at the next federal election and plans to step down as leader of the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU), German media reported on Monday morning.

The surprise announcement comes in the middle of a major row over the centre-right party�s �firewall� against the far-right, after CDU delegates in eastern Germany defied the party headquarter�s ban on cooperating with the Alternative f�r Deutschland (AfD).

Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, 57, won the contest to succeed Merkel as leader of the CDU in December 2018 and was seen as the candidate most likely to continue the current German chancellor�s centrist course.

But �AKK�, as she has come to be known in German media, has struggled to build a profile in Merkel�s shadow, even after doubling up as defence minister last July.

Questions over her control over an increasingly divided CDU returned to the fore last week, when politicians from the party�s branch in Thuringia voted with the AfD to oust the state�s premier Bodo Ramelow, from the leftwing Die Linke party.

Merkel�s unusual decision to intervene in the affair, announcing that it was �unforgivable� for democratic parties to win majorities with the help of the AfD, accentuated Kramp-Karrenbauer�s lack of authority.

Kramp-Karrenbauer�s standing was further diminished when the CDU�s Thuringia branch defied her call to dissolve the state parliament and call a fresh election.

On Monday morning news magazine Der Spiegel reported that Kramp-Karrenbauer had cited the unclear positions of certain elements in her party towards the AfD and Die Linke as the reason for her resignation, and reiterated that she was against cooperations with both parties.

Merkel is reported to have accepted the resignation of her designated successor, who was previously a state premier in the Saarland on the border with France, while also letting it be known that she would like AKK to stay on as defence minister.

The vacant seat at the top of Germany�s most powerful party since 1945 opens up a debate over the country�s political direction of travel in the post-Merkel period.

At least four frontrunners present themselves. Armin Laschet, the 58-year-old state premier of North-Rhine Westphalia and a staunch defender of Merkel�s refugee policy, would be the candidate most likely to continue the outgoing chancellor�s steering of the CDU in the centre of the political stream.

By contrast, the anointment of veteran rightwinger Friedrich Merz, who lost out to Kramp-Karrenbauer in the race for the party leadership in 2018, would symbolise a departure from the Merkel era and a return to the CDU�s more traditionally conservative roots. Merz, who isn�t currently a member of the Bundestag but quit his role at asset manager Blackrock last week, has in recent months openly criticised Merkel�s �lack of leadership�.

Two other candidates are less easily categorised. Markus S�der, the state premier of Bavaria, hails from the CDU�s traditional more conservative sister-party, the CSU. But in recent years S�der has proved a canny and popular political operator who has emphasised his party�s environmental credentials and could prepare the party for a coalition with the Green party at a political level. During last week�s political earthquake in Thuringia, S�der was quickest to come out in condemnation of any form of collaboration with the far-right.

Thirty-nine year old Jens Spahn used to have a profile as a Merkel critic but has mellowed since taking over the health ministry, and recently pitched his tent closer to the chancellor�s pragmatist tent, championing both �migration and patriotism� in an op-ed for the Guardian. Spahn came third in the 2018 leadership contest.

Thank gently caress, she seemed terrible and this nazi poo poo is really worrying.

# ? Feb 10, 2020 12:49

Doktor Avalanche: Dec 30, 2008

Kassad posted:

[Macron's] ideas of solidarity and human betterment

lmao, the guardian really is poo poo

# ? Feb 10, 2020 14:28

BabyFur Denny: Mar 18, 2003

Junior G-man posted:

Thank gently caress, she seemed terrible and this nazi poo poo is really worrying.

Hey good luck, her successor is still unknown but one thing is for sure already: They will definitely be worse than her.

# ? Feb 10, 2020 14:28

Tesseraction: Apr 5, 2009

Junior G-man posted:

Merkel 2.0 is on the fritz so they've decided to discard her.

Thank gently caress, she seemed terrible and this nazi poo poo is really worrying.

BabyFur Denny posted:

Hey good luck, her successor is still unknown but one thing is for sure already: They will definitely be worse than her.

*charismatic young austrian takes the reigns*

# ? Feb 10, 2020 16:54

Antigravitas: Dec 8, 2019; Die Rettung fuer die Landwirte:

Well, I read a comment. Let me translate it.

quote:

I'd be in favour of Sebastian Kurz as a candidate for the chancellery. He is fairly popular in the CDU after all. Granted, an Austrian as the head of government would be a certain novelty, but it wouldn't hurt to try.

# ? Feb 10, 2020 17:06

punk rebel ecks: Dec 11, 2010; A shitty post? This calls for a dance of deduction.

So how far to the left is Sinn Fein economically speaking?

Corbyn? Sanders?

# ? Feb 10, 2020 17:06

Tesseraction: Apr 5, 2009

They're left populist but so was Syriza and in this case they're only the largest party, so it depends who they coalition with. A stunning surge sure but revolution this wasn't.

# ? Feb 10, 2020 17:30

Venomous: Nov 7, 2011

OwlFancier posted:

If it had gone remain cameron would still be PM.

and now we have Boris Johnson as PM. Is that really better?

# ? Feb 10, 2020 22:01

OwlFancier: Aug 22, 2013

Venomous posted:

and now we have Boris Johnson as PM. Is that really better?

I was more making the point that cameron losing the referendum was sort of a political singularity whereby it went maximum stupid in many respects.

# ? Feb 10, 2020 22:38

Tesseraction: Apr 5, 2009

If anything I felt as I made my vote in 2016 that if we went remain, it'd just lead to us leaving with a Tory-UKIP coalition.

*looks at current state of affairs*

I love it when timelines converge.

# ? Feb 10, 2020 22:54

OwlFancier: Aug 22, 2013

How the hell it would have gone if cameron got his nice managed transition I have no loving clue, corbyn might not even be leader of the labour party without 2017 to bolster his position.

# ? Feb 10, 2020 23:03

Blut: Sep 11, 2009; if someone is in the bottom 10%~ of a guillotine

punk rebel ecks posted:

So how far to the left is Sinn Fein economically speaking?

Corbyn? Sanders?

They aren't particularly left-wing at all by European standards. They're centre-left economically, but more overall populist than anything else. Far to the right of Corbyn, a bit to the right of Sanders.

They want to abolish the Irish local property tax, which is a very un-left wing policy. They also want to lower taxes for everyone earning 20k+ by about 700e a year, which is also not very left wing.

They're in favour of free education and healthcare, but mostly everyone left of hardcore neoliberals in Europe is. SF's only real big traditional left wing economic policy this election cycle is bringing in a 3rd, higher, upper rate of tax. But that at the very high point of only for incomes 140k+ per year, whereas the proper socialist parties in Ireland would be arguing for more like 80k.

SF are defined more by their Republicanism (ie wanting a united Ireland), and by their simply not being Fianna Fail or Fine Gael, than by any economic philosophy.

Blut fucked around with this message at 00:17 on Feb 12, 2020

# ? Feb 12, 2020 00:14

suck my woke dick: Oct 10, 2012; I CANNOT EJACULATE WITHOUT SEEING NATIVE AMERICANS BRUTALISED!

Put this cum-loving slave on ignore immediately!

BabyFur Denny posted:

Hey good luck, her successor is still unknown but one thing is for sure already: They will definitely be worse than her.

It's going to be Merz, professional tax fraudster to the tune of 35 billion euros and champion of the oppressed megacorporations.

# ? Feb 13, 2020 12:19

Regarde Aduck: Oct 19, 2012; c l o u d k i t t e n; Grimey Drawer

OwlFancier posted:

I was more making the point that cameron losing the referendum was sort of a political singularity whereby it went maximum stupid in many respects.

Yeah leave winning the referendum is the result no one, even leave, expected and no one has recovered from it. It was the start of politics just becoming 'whatever' in the UK. Much like Trump was for the US.

It so wasn't supposed to happen and it it really disproves any sort of conspiracy theory about secret cabals running society because if there was they'd have put a stop to brexit quickly.

# ? Feb 13, 2020 12:41

double nine: Aug 8, 2013

at least some good has come out of brexit:

https://twitter.com/nicktolhurst/status/1227880330658504706

# ? Feb 13, 2020 20:36

Cat Mattress: Jul 14, 2012; by Cyrano4747

It's "bien fait !", Nick.

# ? Feb 13, 2020 22:18

A Buttery Pastry: Sep 4, 2011; Delicious and Informative!

Regarde Aduck posted:

It so wasn't supposed to happen and it it really disproves any sort of conspiracy theory about secret cabals running society because if there was they'd have put a stop to brexit quickly.

Only if you assume their goal is complete stasis.The status quo is already loving over billions of people, taking a giant dump on the UK in service of some higher purpose wouldn't be a big deal in the grand scheme of things.

# ? Feb 13, 2020 22:25

Tesseraction: Apr 5, 2009

double nine posted:

at least some good has come out of brexit:

https://twitter.com/nicktolhurst/status/1227880330658504706

This will be the first of many cases of Britain's toxic goals being thwarted by our own hubris.

# ? Feb 14, 2020 01:48

Guavanaut: Nov 27, 2009; Looking At Them Tittys
1969 - 1998; Toilet Rascal

The main reason that the Cameron/Osborne set wanted to stay in was for poo poo like that, but they couldn't say that part out loud.

That's why the case for Remain was so lackluster.

# ? Feb 14, 2020 15:44

Tesseraction: Apr 5, 2009

Hmmmmmmmmm

https://twitter.com/MailOnline/status/1230218253189943297
HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM

# ? Feb 20, 2020 16:04

OwlFancier: Aug 22, 2013

Do they not have the technology to film in backlit in france?

# ? Feb 20, 2020 16:06

Tesseraction: Apr 5, 2009

"oh you want them lit from the BACK not lit in BLACK" said the intern

# ? Feb 20, 2020 16:12

lost in postation: Aug 14, 2009

TF1 is garbage and I wouldn't be at all surprised to hear they did it to stick it to the politically correct gauchistes or whatever

lost in postation fucked around with this message at 19:55 on Feb 20, 2020

# ? Feb 20, 2020 19:52

Junior G-man: Sep 15, 2004; Wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma

Report from a doctor working in the Moria refugee camp on Lesbos, from the FT. Another reminder of the EU being a vile pig-continent that prefers to let refugees die of illness and starvation in overcrowded concentration camps than help them. Because we can and it's on an island now administered by a centre-right bunch of assholes.

quote:

Overcrowding in Moria refugee camp has reached breaking point
As the Syria crisis intensifies, the EU and Turkey must rethink their approach in the Aegean

The writer is a junior doctor in the NHS who has been volunteering in Moria refugee camp in Lesbos

As the official population of Europe�s largest refugee camp reached 20,000 in January, there were two fatal stabbings and a drastic escalation in tensions between the authorities and the inhabitants. This month, some 2,000 refugees took to the streets to protest against their appalling living conditions and the slow, impenetrable asylum process.

Built on the Greek island of Lesbos in 2015 for a maximum capacity of 3,100, Camp Moria is desperately overcrowded, with many NGOs believing the true figure to be well over what has been reported. Conservative estimates suggest that there are more than 1,000 unaccompanied minors living in the camp, which is notoriously unsafe.

A 2016 migration agreement between the EU and Turkey, which was designed to curb the flow of asylum seekers into mainland Europe, created a bottleneck on the Aegean Islands. Prior to that, asylum seekers passed through the Greek islands on their way to whichever mainland country they aimed to claim asylum in. Now, all but the most vulnerable are required to submit their claim on the first island they land at, and to stay there until it has been completed.

Combined with a surge in the number of migrants attempting the dangerous crossing from Turkey, and inaction from the Greek government, the Lesbos authorities have been completely overwhelmed. As the crisis in Syria intensifies, the pressure is only likely to grow.

I have just returned from a month volunteering as a doctor for Kitrinos Healthcare, which provides the majority of medical care in Moria. Open six days a week and managed by the tireless Abdul Hadi, a former medical student from Syria, it acts as a cross between a general practice and emergency department. The clinic sees more than 200 people a day and sends many more away, despite a heroic effort on the part of an international group of volunteer doctors and translators (most of whom are themselves refugees living within the camp).

The effects of overcrowding are immediately apparent inside and outside the clinic.

The sheer number of people queueing at the gate means that it is impossible for all of the patients to be seen. Long-term issues get pushed to the back of the queue until ailments become severe, complicated and challenging to treat. Despite efforts to provide repeat medications and long-term disease management, it is difficult to quantify how many preventable strokes or heart attacks occur in patients who simply don�t get through the door.

Despite �2.07bn worth of EU aid promised to Greece to cope with the influx of refugees, there has been no solution.

The whole population shares just 300 toilets and failure of the sewage system is all too common. The main road is frequently flooded, with human faeces strewn across it for several days. Disease spreads rapidly in such miserable conditions. Diarrhoea and vomiting can have fatal consequences for the physically weak. In November, a nine-month-old baby from the camp died of severe dehydration.

Reported mental health problems are rife � and as most of the migrants come from cultures where this topic is still a taboo, the true number suffering is likely to be much higher.

The camp is noisy throughout the night and many people share cold tents with strangers, sleeping on wooden pallets. Days are spent queueing for hours for basic amenities. This is disastrous for their psychological wellbeing. The asylum process is so complicated, and the system so overburdened, that many lose hope.

Deliberate self-harm is a major problem and one that is particularly prevalent among unaccompanied minors. They often struggle with the burden of the hope and expectations of a family left behind. The wound care section of the clinic is full of adolescent boys staring down at their feet. Minors living alone in the camp cannot take medicines unsupervised; they must return every six hours for simple pain relief or turn to the black market. Many of these wounds become infected, increasing the likelihood of scarring � a permanent reminder of their first �home� in Europe.

Thankfully, refugees may leave the camp during the day. This is a vital pressure valve, which allows them to access essential services provided by NGOs. However, the latest Greek plans will see them locked in new detention centres around the clock. This will only lead to more violence and hardship.

Moria is now at more than six times capacity and has descended into turmoil. The EU, Greece and Turkey must rethink their approach to the Aegean. Otherwise, the situation will only worsen, and refugee suffering increase.

We are literally operating concentration camps.

# ? Feb 25, 2020 16:23

MiddleOne: Feb 17, 2011

EDIT: Nvm

# ? Feb 25, 2020 16:43

V. Illych L.: Apr 11, 2008; ASK ME ABOUT LUMBER

Junior G-man posted:

Report from a doctor working in the Moria refugee camp on Lesbos, from the FT. Another reminder of the EU being a vile pig-continent that prefers to let refugees die of illness and starvation in overcrowded concentration camps than help them. Because we can and it's on an island now administered by a centre-right bunch of assholes.

We are literally operating concentration camps.

just loving end europe, we had a horrible lovely run until the end

# ? Feb 25, 2020 16:45

AceOfFlames: Oct 9, 2012

V. Illych L. posted:

just loving end europe, we had a horrible lovely run until the end

Unfortunately I doubt a return to nationalism and competing nation states would make it better.

AceOfFlames fucked around with this message at 17:00 on Feb 25, 2020

# ? Feb 25, 2020 16:54

Cat Mattress: Jul 14, 2012; by Cyrano4747

AceOfFlames posted:

Unfortunately I doubt a return to nationalism and competing nation states would make it better.

Nationalism and competing nation states is exactly why the EU is failing hard.

Like those refugee camps? It's because countries styling themselves "the frugal four" are very happy to let them stay Greece's problem after they did all they could to make sure Greece couldn't possibly handle this (or any other) problem. After all, if money was spent to make the situation less appalling, it'd create a "moral hazard", wouldn't it?

# ? Feb 25, 2020 19:45

Antifa Poltergeist: Jun 3, 2004; "We're not laughing with you, we're laughing at you"

The camp where a bunch of people trying to escape pain and misery, and find a better life, only to find more pain and misery being called Moria is another example of the simulation writers getting lazy.

Can't wait when the first coronavirus outbreaks start there,and the usual shitheels push through a full lockdown.

# ? Feb 25, 2020 20:02

SplitSoul: Dec 31, 2000

Antifa Poltergeist posted:

The camp where a bunch of people trying to escape pain and misery, and find a better life, only to find more pain and misery being called Moria is another example of the simulation writers getting lazy.

The Minors of Moria

# ? Feb 25, 2020 20:13

An insane mind: Aug 11, 2018

Even before I looked it up I had an inkling that my loving country was part of the frugal four. gently caress Rutte and his whole stupid face.

# ? Feb 25, 2020 20:38

V. Illych L.: Apr 11, 2008; ASK ME ABOUT LUMBER

AceOfFlames posted:

Unfortunately I doubt a return to nationalism and competing nation states would make it better.

no i mean like with a plague or something, just destroy the whole thing

# ? Feb 25, 2020 21:14

JordanKai: Aug 19, 2011; Get high and think of me.

An insane mind posted:

Even before I looked it up I had an inkling that my loving country was part of the frugal four. gently caress Rutte and his whole stupid face.

Ugh, of course we are.

We're in the top 15 highest GDP per capita and yet we're afraid of spending money to help people out.

# ? Feb 25, 2020 21:34

Private Speech: Mar 30, 2011; I HAVE EVEN MORE WORTHLESS BEANIE BABIES IN MY COLLECTION THAN I HAVE WORTHLESS POSTS IN THE BEANIE BABY THREAD YET I STILL HAVE THE TEMERITY TO CRITICIZE OTHERS' COLLECTIONS

IF YOU SEE ME TALKING ABOUT BEANIE BABIES, PLEASE TELL ME TO

EAT. SHIT.

JordanKai posted:

Ugh, of course we are. We're in the top 15 highest GDP per capita and yet we're afraid of spending money to help people out.

quote:

�The Brits will be dearly missed in this debate,� Wopke Hoekstra, Dutch finance minister, told the FT. �The UK has been one of our core anchors.�

I'm not happy about Brexit but, well, there's some fringe benefits.

# ? Feb 25, 2020 21:41

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# ? May 24, 2024 04:19

SplitSoul: Dec 31, 2000

The Identitarian fascists will be holding a conference in the Danish parliament this Thursday. Recently they let Stram Kurs (Hard Line) hold a conference there, a party known for burning Qur'ans in public and picketing Muslim child funerals with police protection. They've also had their ability to collect voter declarations suspended due to alleged fraud, but they can get around that by simply running under a different name next time. Anyway, their conference turned up some friendly Holocaust deniers. It'll be interesting/depressing to see what GI will bring to the table.

Just in case anyone was wondering why some European parties establish cordons sanitaires around aspiring fascist parties, it's because no-poo poo ethnic cleanser types will be completely normalised in short order if they let them throw their weight around. Both aforementioned conferences have been supported by the Danish People's Party, whose unofficial ancillary the Free Press Society just gave noted simpleton Tommy Robinson a free speech prize for nearly torpedoing a pedophile rape trial.

SplitSoul fucked around with this message at 22:44 on Feb 25, 2020

# ? Feb 25, 2020 22:39

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