The European Project: the future of the EU.

[Snowygerry]

(...)

But the EU Parliament ought to have been able to just stop
the flow of finds without waiting for a criminal conviction.

Imagine they ever had that power, the uproar from Britain would have been a magnificent a sight to see

 

[EnglishEdward]

As the UK was a net contributor for each and every year of its
membership, I doubt that that would have bothered us at all.

 

[r16]

le Pen . Some modernized fascist . Who somehow would surrender Ukraine to evil Putin even .

macron . Does not conduct Lawfare . Ever . We have been assured Europeans are above that .

people . Who talk about machines . Because this is the Matrix and they are the Zion . Or something . Yes , there is no machine behind the European Democracy and it is the will of people . Always .

the Varufakis tweet thing incidentally revolves around creating stopping power against the reported Francogerman support thing for Imamoğlu , because no machine or whatever and London goes through the motions of rejecting to support him . Democracy is for Europeans alone . Very much like the American Exceptionalism .

 

[Snowygerry]

As the UK was a net contributor for each and every year of its
membership, I doubt that that would have bothered us at all.

I think they are all net contributors, with few exceptions :

EU budget: Who pays the most into the EU, and who gains the most?

In the EU budget, wealthier western and northern European nations predominantly serve as net contributors, while central and eastern European members are mainly net recipients.

www.euronews.com

 

[Akka]

Oh, BTW, speaking of Marine Le Pen and embezzlements...

Translation of the most relevant part (right at the beginning) :
"when will we draw lessons and put in effect lifelong ineligibility of everyone who has been found guilty of illegal acts during their term of office"
Ironic, I know. Even BFMTV (a rather RN-sympathetic media) is plastered with this.

 

[r16]

good for her .

 

[Verbose]

As the UK was a net contributor for each and every year of its
membership, I doubt that that would have bothered us at all.

The UK entered the EEC as the new member with the lowest GDP per capita. And then it made good on the Common Market membership. While retaining the original massive, highly favourable rebates on its membership fees. It was always THE Most Favoured member of the EEC and later the EU. While making all kinds of trouble and waves and demanding more special treatment at ever turn. And even when getting it, it was never enough.

 

[Verbose]

macron . Does not conduct Lawfare . Ever . We have been assured Europeans are above that .

He can't.

That's the beauty of an independent judiciary.

Not that any of this will stop the slander.

Orban can. Erdogan can. Putin can. They just maintain a charade. Trump would very much like to, and might still get around to it. Xi has the entire political system set up so he is supposed to do it.

Go ***** about those instead. Or you are on their side, against us.

 

[r16]

little fascist of Budapest who did or did not bring a p_rnstar to this country on his plane , so that she could appear on way home . You apparently read very few posts of mine . Putin on the record for protecting people from me . Trump will not call me to the White House . Avoiding China comments , as US institutions find that overly provocative . Would advice to take a break from being too full of oneself but everybody knows it is a job these days .

but has been nice to get one more example of European exceptionalism . What's the timetable for the next two French entities to have their leaders barred ? Or is the intent on removing the Greek decision to oppose the so called Francogerman opposition thing ?

 

[Ordnael]

The time has come to punish Orbán, Germany’s next government says​

The time has come to punish Orbán, Germany’s next government says

Friedrich Merz’s incoming coalition wants to press the EU to look at withholding funds and suspending voting rights from Hungary, according to a document seen by POLITICO.

www.politico.eu

BERLIN — Germany’s incoming government says it will press the European Union to finally add some bite to its bark over misbehaving countries ― in a thinly veiled reference to Viktor Orbán’s Hungary.

The conservatives of incoming chancellor Friedrich Merz and their likely center-left coalition partner, the Social Democratic Party (SPD), have agreed to demand the bloc withhold funds and suspend voting rights from countries that violate key principles such as the rule of law, according to a draft coalition agreement seen by POLITICO.

While Hungary wasn’t mentioned by name, the draft agreement is clearly referring to the EU’s worst offender, which for years has been accused of taking a wrecking ball to democratic norms, curtailing the freedom of the press and restricting the independence of judges.
The German parties ― Merz’s victors and the SPD who led the last government ― are currently negotiating to form a coalition and need to agree on underlying principles before taking office. An agreement to pressure the EU to go after countries like Hungary forms part of a series of provisional deals covering issues as diverse as migration policy, the phaseout of coal and welfare spending.

“Existing protective instruments, from infringement proceedings and the withholding of EU funds to the suspension of membership rights such as voting rights in the Council of the EU, must be applied much more consistently than before,” negotiators from Merz’s conservative bloc and the SPD wrote in a draft coalition agreement on EU politics.

The European Parliament triggered the first phase of the Article 7 procedure — also known as the “nuclear option” — against Hungary in 2018 over suspected “serious breaches” of the bloc’s core values and fundamental rights. But the process, which could lead to the suspension of Hungary’s voting rights, has stalled because of political divisions among member countries.

In 2022, the European Commission moved to block about €22 billion in EU cash earmarked to Hungary amid concerns over human rights and the independence of the judiciary. It eventually unfroze more than €10 billion last year, sparking a backlash.

Another point of contention between the EU and Hungary’s government has been Orbán’s friendliness toward Moscow, with Budapest repeatedly making use of its veto power to block sanctions on Russian oligarchs and military chiefs.

To circumvent that veto power, the incoming German government wants to “advocate an expansion of qualified majority voting in the Council of the EU, particularly on certain issues of the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), such as the imposition of sanctions.” That would enable decisions to be taken without the need for Hungarian approval.

The German vote​

More broadly, the coalition negotiators vowed to take on a more proactive role on the European stage by using the Weimar Triangle — a loose alliance of France, Germany and Poland — as a vehicle for shaping EU policy. Under the previous coalition government led by the SPD’s Olaf Scholz, Germany’ relationship with France and Poland deteriorated.

“In the Weimar Triangle, we will seek close coordination on all relevant European policy issues in order to act more united in the service of the EU as a whole,” reads the draft agreement, echoing previous statements made by incoming chancellor Merz, who has said he will travel to both Paris and Warsaw on his first day in office.

Conservatives also vowed to address one complaint about Germany frequently heard in European capitals: Germany’s abstention in votes on important EU issues, ironically referred to as the “German vote.”

When German ministries are themselves at odds over EU policy, the country, as a rule, abstains from EU votes. Merz, however, has vowed there would be no such German abstentions when it comes to key votes in Brussels under his leadership.

But his conservatives and the SPD disagree on how to make that happen. The conservatives want Merz to be able to have a bigger say in Germany’s position when it comes to EU votes of major importance by “taking responsibility for coordination from the outset or taking charge of it during the procedure.” The SPD, on the other hand, wants to adhere to “the interministerial principle,” resolving disputes between ministries.

The draft agreement on the government’s positions on the EU comes from one of the 16 cross-party working groups established to develop positions on key policy areas. On Friday afternoon, key politicians entered final negotiations to stitch together a unified coalition agreement based on the working groups’ drafts.

A final coalition agreement may come as early as mid-April.

 

[Thorgalaeg]

Several years late, but nice.

 

[Kyriakos]

Veto powers are a safeguard against forced compliance. Importance-wise, only France, Germany and Italy can aspire to stop things without veto=> Christmas and turkey voters.

 

[Ordnael]

Orbán loves EU funds, but hates EU law! There should be no place in the EU for opportunist rats like him!

 

[Kyriakos]

Countries that go against 'Eu law' are fined. Taking away the veto option will mean no one will have it - which has nothing to do with Orban.

 

[Ordnael]

Orbán goes way, way beyond against 'Eu law'...he goes against the EU itself, that's why he loves Putin so much, they share the same goal, ending the bloc!

 

[Kyriakos]

The problem is that the veto won't be cancelled just for Orban.
If the Eu wants to act like it is a country, it should be federalized. As long as it is a loose union of countries, veto is needed.

 

[Thorgalaeg]

It will be fedrralized. Removing veto is a first necesary step. Second step is removing hungary and similars.

 

[Ordnael]

If the Eu wants to act like it is a country, it should be federalized. As long as it is a loose union of countries, veto is needed.

And I agree. But if Orbán doesn't want to abide by the bloc's "will" why on earth hasn't he started a Hungaryexit process?

 

[Kyriakos]

It will be fedrralized. Removing veto is a first necesary step. Second step is removing hungary and similars.

Naturally there is a reason why it doesn't federalize and watch those who don't wish to, leave.
Left to the student.

 

[Thorgalaeg]

Watch and learn, teacher. (lol)