A drama in many funny acts unfolding in the bowels of the EU headquarters in Brussels
A drama in many funny acts unfolding in the bowels of the EU headquarters in Brussels
(Part II of Episode 1 just published!)
Dialogue
“We Welcome Your Feedback”
Author: Teresa Barrio Traspaderne Airports are symbols of power, not only in a political sense but also in an economic one. They represent the power of the State to control its borders, yet they also embody a relentless appetite for profit of those transnational corporations that are omnipresent at every single airport throughout the EU….
Juncker tells Greeks who (not) to vote for
The purportedly most democratically legitimate President of the European Commission has made a surprising statement, just days before the Greek parliament votes for a new president of the republic, by telling Greeks who they should not vote for. The President of the European Commission cannot tell European citizens, or their representatives, what to decide, it should be the other way around: Greek citizens, together with the rest of Europeans, should be telling Juncker what to do.
Piano self-service at St Pancras, London
“Play me, I’m yours,” said the piano, which sits on the concourse of St Pancras International railway station. And the silver-haired man played. Beethoven’s sonata filled the cathedral-like building, which is a grand union between ornate Victorian redbrick architecture, and late 20th century glass and steel.
The Universal Basic Income, a promising idea?
In 2016, Switzerland will hold an unprecedented referendum. Citizens will be asked to vote in favor of or against a radical idea: an unconditional basic income of 2,500 Swiss Francs (about 2,000 €) for all adults. Under Swiss law citizens can organize popular initiatives if they manage to gather 100,000 signatures. The organizers of the…
Contemporary History at Ercan Airport
In the departure hall of Ercan International Airport, Turkish Cypriots commemorate the 76th anniversary of the death of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder and first president of modernTurkey. As Northern Cyprus is a self-declared state that is only recognized by Turkey, travelers from Europe have to touch down first at a Turkish airport before they…
MADRID: run your way to the New Year
Less than one month to go… Running the San Silvestre from the centre of Madrid to the popular Barrio de Vallecas on 31 December is probably the healthiest way to prepare for the excesses of the night. Thousands of people gather every year for this 10 km marathon in which the least important is who gets…
The EU generation, a colourful tapestry
Sometimes we are called the “Erasmus generation”, but not all young people in Europe benefit from an Erasmus exchange. Sometimes we are called the “lost generation” because of our surging unemployment rates, the uncertainty regarding our pensions and the future of our planet.
What democracy for Europe?
During the past few months most politicians and commentators have praised the democratic progress in the Union. The fact that political parties announced their candidates for the Commission Presidency in advance of the elections for the European Parliament; the visits these “Spitzenkandidaten” paid to many cities in the Union; the lively exchanges that took place in the European Parliament during the confirmation hearings of the commissioners-designate, have been interpreted as major steps towards addressing the so-called democratic deficit in the European Union´s institutions. Some have said that the current Commission leadership benefits from a “very strong democratic legitimacy”.
Are we heading for a new Cold War?
“The world is on the brink of a new Cold War. Some are even saying that it has already begun,” said Gorbachev, now 83, at an event to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. He accused the West and the US of “triumphalism” after the fall of Soviet dominance in Eastern Europe, and noted that trust between Russia and the West had collapsed during the events in Ukraine.
