Euro Zone

EU Elections | Armstrong Economics

Posted on by johnbarleycorn12

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has called a snap election after disappointing results from his party in the European Elections. His Syriza party was estimated to have received just 23.94% of votes in the elections, trailing behind its main opposition party New Democracy, which received 33.28%. A far-right party in Italy’s of Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini has come out on top in Italy’s European parliamentary elections based on the exit polls. It certainly appears that Nigel Farage will come out on top in the UK. So far, we are looking at truly a sea-change in Europe. Nevertheless, the European People’s Party in the European Parliament has influence in all the EU’s institutions and it will most likely remain with the greatest number of seats probably around 23%. It has been the largest political group in the European Parliament since 1999. In the European Council, 9 out of 28 Heads of State and Government belong to the EPP family and in the European Commission, 13 out of 27 Commissioners come from EPP parties. The EPP looks to be losing more than 40 seats. The parties who seem to want reform should combine about 200 seats against about 540 seats. The question that will rise is how will Brussels react? Ignore it and push on or reform? It appears that there will not be a reform movement and Brussels will most likely try to paint this as a temporary populace fluke as did Washington Republicans with Trump.
— Read on www.armstrongeconomics.com/international-news/europes-current-economy/eu-elections/

The winds are changing direction, away from globalism.

Euro-Skeptics Score Big – Will Brussels Reform? | Armstrong Economics

Posted on by johnbarleycorn12

Europe’s voters have spoken. The establishment parties have lost big time and the ant-EU parties have made major gains as have the Green parties. This was the highest turnout ever in European elections. The ant-EU parties won in the UK, France, Italy, and even in the Netherlands. This is a very clear message for Brussels that Europe must reform if it is to survive. Will the EU Commission listen since they do not stand for election.
— Read on www.armstrongeconomics.com/international-news/europes-current-economy/euro-skeptics-score-big-will-brussels-reform/

The short answer is no.

LAGOM – “Just the Right Amount” & European War | Armstrong Economics

Posted on by johnbarleycorn12

QUESTION: Hi Martin, The Rome WEC was a real eye-opener for me. Thank you for coming over to Europe. Especially the reports you released in advance of the conference. “The Fate Of Europe” pdf was especially informative. You’re explaining the structural defects of the EU make it clear it really is a doomed project, and just a matter of time before it, helped along by the ECB, descends into chaos. Upon arriving home in Sweden I noticed this poster for a Swedish MEP candidate. “Lagom” is the Swedish notion of the middle way. Not too much, not too little. Basically, blending in and being inoffensive. On the one hand, it’s cute, on the other hand, it’s sad. He’s clearly passionate about his political philosophy, but even if elected, there is Juncker, Tusk, and Verhofstadt waiting in Brussels to dictate to him what he has to do, and the structural flaws of the EU that make it all moot anyway. Rome had this quality of crumbling neglect about it, like nothing had been repaired in 20 years. Unlike Sweden, that dutifully reinvests a lot of the tax revenue it collects back in infrastructure, Rome appeared starved of money and dying. What does the computer say about civil unrest and war in Europe? I have the gnawing feeling it’s coming. BIK P.S. Thank you for Socrates and your life’s work. ANSWER: Oh yes. I am familiar with Lagom. My interpretation would be “just the right amount,” so he is a skeptic partially. Unfortunately, the tension should begin to become more pronounced starting in 2020 going into 2022. I am not sure it would be a war, but certainly a rising trend toward independence.
— Read on www.armstrongeconomics.com/international-news/europes-current-economy/lagom-just-the-right-amount-european-war/

Has the Day of the Nationalists Come? – Patrick J. Buchanan – Official Website

Posted on by johnbarleycorn12

“If one could identify a cry common to populists, it might be: “We want our country back!” A week from today, Europeans may be able to gauge how high the tide of populism and nationalism has risen within their countries and on their continent. For all the returns will be in from three days of…
— Read on buchanan.org/blog/has-the-day-of-the-nationalists-come-137052

Faith, Family, and the Future of Europe ~ The Imaginative Conservative

Posted on by johnbarleycorn12

Europe has a suicidal tendency to ignore the problem underlying its decay: a lack of faith and families. But perhaps, in light of recent legislation in Poland and Hungary rooted in faith and family and the future, perhaps we may be seeing the sun rising in Europe’s East, even as we see it setting in its decadent West… (essay by Joseph Pearce)
— Read on theimaginativeconservative.org/2019/05/faith-family-europe-joseph-pearce.html

This is the example America should follow or we will be in a race to the bottom like most of Europe.

Britain – Hard Exit or Cancellation of BREXIT | Armstrong Economics

Posted on by johnbarleycorn12

After months of political deadlock, the House of Commons voted by 413-202 last week to ask the EU to delay Britain’s exit. Prime Minister May has simply refused to listen to advice and keeps hoping that Parliament will surrender to her. Normally, after such a defeat, Prime Ministers would resign. But May withstood a no-confidence vote last year and cannot be challenged until December 2019. If the EU tries to force Britain to surrender, then there remains the risk of a hard-exit come March 29th, 2019. The EU is fighting for its survival. To see Britain crumble would bring them great joy and they could use this against Italy or anyone one else who dares to think about leaving. Indeed, in recent days there has been a chorus of warnings coming from the key EU figures. They are kicking Britain when it is politically impotent and they are demanding that any British request for an extension of the two-year negotiating period must come with a “credible” plan for next steps. This appears to be deliberately trying to force Britain to capitulate and remains in the EU as a second rate member at best. The European Council president, Donald Tusk, has said the EU wants a “reasoned” request for an extension, while Guy Verhofstadt, the European Parliament Brexit co-ordinator, said there must be a “clear opinion” from the House of Commons on what it really will accept. The vote in itself won’t prevent Britain from a hard exit. Actually, under the law, Britain will leave the EU on March 29th, with or without a deal. What the Eu is now gambling on is that Britain will be unable to come up with any plan that they would accept so they hope the stark choice between a hard-exit and an outright cancelation of Brexit altogether will mean the EU wins with the latter.
— Read on www.armstrongeconomics.com/international-news/britain/britain-hard-exit-or-cancellation-of-brexit/

They are trying to usurp the voters in the U.K.