MeRA25

In the last week of May European citizens will have their last chance to vote in a European Parliament election that makes a difference. It will be a paneuropean election where we can, perhaps for the last time, oppose both faces of authoritarianism across Europe: (A) The inane authoritarianism of the business-as-usual establishment, and (B) The authoritarianism of the xenophobic Nationalist International that is reinforced by the establishment’s policy of socialism for the bankers and austerity for the many.

The European Union Court today delivered its verdict: European citizens cannot be allowed to find out whether the ECB acted legally in closing down Greece’s banks in June 2015. Why? In the wording of the three judges, because such disclosure would affect the ECB’s “space to think in 2015 and also after 2015”. If this sounds like an Orwellian decision, it is because it is an Orwellian decision.

With xenophobic and authoritarian forces rising across the EU, societies in stagnation  levels, and climate catastrophe on the horizon, it’s time to stop what we’re doing and rethink. The EUROPEAN SPRING, that will be contesting the May 2019 European elections in 11 countries, brings together politicians and activists to give a new, European perspective on these critical issues.

Program:

Over the past two days, Mrs Merkel was in Athens on a victory lap to celebrate her successful subjugation of the Syriza government and the subsequent extension of the Greeks’ debt bondage. Nevertheless, even this subservient Greek government managed to upset her victory lap by mentioning the… war and the reparations the Greeks will continue to demand for the gigantic loss of life and infrastructure under the Nazi occupation. Click above to hear my interview on this subject with BBC Radio 4.

BACKGROUND TO MRS MERKEL’s VISIT

In 2018, the good people behind the Edinburgh Festival kindly invited me to host a series of discussions under the title KILLING DEMOCRACY? My remit was: Further to explore the question of whether the current form of financialised capitalism is devouring democracy, reflecting on my work with the Democracy in Europe Movement (DiEM25). In a series of four events I tried to explore the ways in which the demos can be put back into our democracies.

Onwards with DiEM25-Generation-s-EUROPEAN SPRING and our New Deal for Europe

Yesterday, DiEM25 and the SANDERS INSTITUTE, in a packed room hearing from Bernie Sanders, Yanis Varoufakis, Niki Ashton, Ada Colau and Jeff Sachs, we launched the Progressive International. (CLICK HERE TO READ THE OPEN CALL, TO JOIN, AND TO SUPPORT) Today, in this GUARDIAN op-ed, David Adler and Yanis Varoufakis explain why we need the Progressive International.

Germany is experiencing a paradoxical crisis. Germany is, on paper, flooded by… money. The federal government is in surplus. A tsunami of foreign money is flooding German banks. Families are saving. And even corporations hoard huge amounts of savings. So, why is the political centre not holding? Why are the major parties bleeding? Why is discontent, xenophobia and precariousness on a triumphant march?

Η Γερμανία βιώνει μια παράδοξη κρίση. Στα χαρτιά, η Γερμανία πλημμυρίζει από χρήμα. Η Ομοσπονδιακή Κυβέρνηση έχει καθαρό πλεόνασμα. Ένα τσουνάμι ξένου χρήματος πλημμυρίζει τις γερμανικές τράπεζες. Τα νοικοκυριά αποταμιεύουν. Ακόμα και οι επιχειρήσεις συσσωρεύουν αποταμιεύσεις. Τότε, γιατί καταρρέει το πολιτικό κέντρο; Γιατί η χώρα μαστίζεται από συναίσθημα δυσαρέσκειας; Γιατί θεριεύει η ξενοφοβία; Γιατί θριαμβεύει η ανασφάλεια;

On 17th October 2018, Valdis Dombrovskis, Vice President of the European Commission, addressed the Oxford Union in support of the motion that “the euro has never been stronger“. Today, Friday 16th November 2018, Steve Bannon is addressing the Oxford Union also.