Since 2008, Europe has been in a near permanent state of crisis. Even as the issue of Greek debt bubbles along in the background, and the fighting in Ukraine coagulates into a bitter, frozen conflict along the EU’s border, attention has already shifted to the current surge in refugees fleeing civil war in Syria. With winter coming (and with Hungary recently announcing it is closing its border with fellow EU Member State Croatia), the response from Europe’s leaders has been muddled and confused.
Maybe people have grown used to living in ‘Crisis Europe’? It’s just the way things are done these days. But public trust in Europe is being eroded, and stands lower today than it was during the collapse of the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s (arguably the last major crisis faced by Europe before 2008). The percentage of people saying they trusted the European project has plunged from 77% in 1975, to less than half of people (40%) in 2015.
Interested to know more about citizens’ trust (or lack of trust) in the European project? We’ve put together some facts and figures in the infographic below (click for a bigger version):
We had a comment sent in by Maia arguing that the Schengen Agreement is like having “no fence between you and your neighbour’s garden”. The most important thing is trust. At the moment, because of the refugee crisis, that trust is being eroded. Is she right?
To get a response, we took Maia’s comment to Péter Krekó, director of the Political Capital Institute, a political consultancy and research institute based in Budapest. He agreed wholeheartedly, and argued that the current refugee crisis poses the biggest threat ever faced by the European Union to its integrity, even more so than the Euro crisis in terms of undermining cooperation between EU Member States. Here’s what he had to say in full:
To get another perspective, we also spoke to Carne Ross, the founder and director of Independent Diplomat, a non-profit diplomatic advisory group. He partly agreed with Maia, in that he thought trust was important, but he argued that it wasn’t all about trust:
I don’t entirely agree, because it’s not just a question of trust. It’s also about having common rules that you’ve negotiated together… It’s something that has been very, very carefully constructed over many years. [However,] it’s interesting that Schengen came only after the the European Community, and before that the European Coal & Steel Community. Which does suggest that Maia’s right, in that this openness exemplified by Schengen is due to the accumulation of trust over decades.
Finally, we also spoke to Brando Benefei, an Italian Social Democrat MEP, who argued that the EU needed to be able to meaningfully solve the problems of a globalized world (such as the current refugee crisis) if it wanted to regain lost trust:
[…] Over the last few years, politicians have often been unable to solve people’s problems. Politicians were perceived as powerless, and thus useless. We need politics to change people’s lives once more, with more originality and stronger action. I think politics’ lack of ability to really change lives… is one of the main reasons for people losing trust in politics. It’s seen as useless, so it’s seen as a cost.
We also have to deal with the issues of globalization. This means we need political structures that are able to give global answers. So, it’s especially important to build a stronger European Union. I’m a federalist, and I feel that we first need stronger integration to be able to make European politics matter again for people.
Has the refugee crisis damaged citizens’ trust in the EU project? Are people losing trust because the EU is unable to solve the challenges of a globalized world? Let us know your thoughts and comments in the form below, and we’ll take them to policymakers and experts for their reactions!
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Failing to tackle or act resolute in the recent, overlapping series of crisis situations has eroded trust in Europe, probably for different reasons in different countries. People tend to trust only things that work… I do not think trust can be rebuilt without major issues such as the debt crisis, the youth unemployment crisis, Ukraine policy or the refugee crisis (and other citizen concerns on immigration policy) are tackled.
Greek crisis has.
Yes. The EU has proved again that it does not represent the will of its citizens.
Totally true , and not accepted by politicians , the press , Un etc
Or is it the trust in the will and ability of our national leaders in the council?
When you see Mrs Merkel discussing the refugee crisis with Erdogan, you ask yourself who is Federica Mogherini then in the EU, for instance. Why havent the presidents of the regions and countries in south europe haven’t been listened to, haven’t they risen their voice enough? Why everything seems to be on the table for discussion when it reaches northern countries? Why the European Union is not a Europe of regions and not of states…
Merkel has no right to talk for Eu countries , and has proved that THE problem in the EU is GErmany
What do you think?
Unfortunately this is just the beginning. Now the leaders should be WISE and think with their brains instead of what parties might want. People needs stability and people is ready to help. The ones with power should come out with correct information would help. Current situation is dividing Europe and coming back to the open schengen ideology will be difficult. Greek drama and now refugees are changing the Europe for good. Unfortunately EU is far too weak, european states found themselves in new situation without quick solution. This is dilemma, but can be solved. Even so Europe is not returning to what it was.
The leaders failed to unite and thus the EU project was weakened by burocracy with no straight goals to follow. The hatred for sustainable welfare state(austerity) and the believe that every major state in EU can cut it’s debts with simply diplomacy and not paying them so they can offer greater welfare system than they can sustain during the economic crysis and the flow of immigrants is shocking to every post- communist state in EU because noone offers them debt cuts nor greater wellfare than the one they can support. I believe that is one of the prime reasons these statets refuse to accept imigrants. And all this creates rival camps in the EU project.
No, national politicians have damage the EU project due to much nationalism.
The EU project generates resentment from nation states who see their sovereignty being usurped by unelected EU officials, who then have the cheek to cry “nationalism”. The EU is not fit for purpose.
The EU has shown time and again that it is not a democracy, and that decisions are made way above he head of its citizens. One of the most painful demonstrations of this deficit was the way the European constitution (Treaty of Lisbon) came to be: the few referenda that actually took place were basically blatantly ignored, and a second draft didn’t even allow for referenda in those countries anymore. Politicians already ignore the people on a local level, and the EU merely provides them with a platform to do so with even less exposure. The EU is about politicians and not about the people. If people don’t trust politicians, they will not trust the EU.
Agree 100%
Agree too. The EU has wrecked trust in pan-European democracy so much that the next step needs to be repatriation of powers to nation states. Only after some time of nation healing should further configurations of power-sharing be considered.
Yes
Plus the national medias are only driving national stories.
Germany’s hegemonism has damaged it. A EU fundamental principle had been the convergence, not the divergence of the EU-state-members’ economies.
Eu is working against the Europeans ….enough. out from this stupidity
“If you cancel the border, it will return in a very short time” (Konrad Adenauer – one of the builder of EU)
“If you cancel the border, it will return in a very short time” (Konrad Adenauer – one of the builder of EU)
it is far deeper than this crisis. Check all these crazy rules imposed by the EU on traditional foods, crops, light bulbs, lifts, etc.
it is far deeper than this crisis. Check all these crazy rules imposed by the EU on traditional foods, crops, light bulbs, lifts, etc.
And in 50 years Europe will be the homeland of veiled woman, terrorist men, who will destroy every piece of Freedom, Renaissance, Baroque; every castle and anything, which is different than the “newcomers”, while we – the Europeans, will be just a minority, endangered by extinction…
It is so sad to see how easily are people brainwashed these days…
Because the borders are those, which had given us Peaceful and Secure life, where the Renaissance, the Baroque and the Enlightenment changed our lifes for better, breaking the chains of the Middle Ages.
Since Europe opened it’s borders for everybody (terrorists, people of other religions and cultures and economical leeches), Europe is no longer a safe, beautiful and developing continent…
Cities as London, Paris, Vienna are losing their charm and are becoming dangerous, dirty cities, which only beare the illusion of their glorious ages…
We are supposed to life in “modern” times but Europe is being unnoticeably being returned to the Middle Ages – simply, because of the “Newcomers”, whowon’t accept our Democracy and Traditions – our Culture – as they bring their Medieval methods and barberic Culture…
Just like when the Roman Empire was destroyed and the Mongols and Huns have attacked Europe…
Europe doesn’t belong to the Europeans but to the Immigrans…
Just you wait, in 50-60 years we will be in such a horrible state, that the ones, who have said “Open up the borders” will be saying “What have we done!”…
I agreee 100% and would drink champagne and jump for joy if the eu was no more.it has damaged Europe and i taking it back, further and further into degradation
And in 50 years Europe will be the homeland of veiled woman, terrorist men, who will destroy every piece of Freedom, Renaissance, Baroque; every castle and anything, which is different than the “newcomers”, while we – the Europeans, will be just a minority, endangered by extinction…
It is so sad to see how easily are people brainwashed these days…
Because the borders are those, which had given us Peaceful and Secure life, where the Renaissance, the Baroque and the Enlightenment changed our lifes for better, breaking the chains of the Middle Ages.
Since Europe opened it’s borders for everybody (terrorists, people of other religions and cultures and economical leeches), Europe is no longer a safe, beautiful and developing continent…
Cities as London, Paris, Vienna are losing their charm and are becoming dangerous, dirty cities, which only beare the illusion of their glorious ages…
We are supposed to life in “modern” times but Europe is being unnoticeably being returned to the Middle Ages – simply, because of the “Newcomers”, whowon’t accept our Democracy and Traditions – our Culture – as they bring their Medieval methods and barberic Culture…
Just like when the Roman Empire was destroyed and the Mongols and Huns have attacked Europe…
Europe doesn’t belong to the Europeans but to the Immigrans…
Just you wait, in 50-60 years we will be in such a horrible state, that the ones, who have said “Open up the borders” will be saying “What have we done!”…
The EU bent the rules to allow piss poor countries to join the Eurozone to enlarge their empire.
The EU bent the rules to allow piss poor countries to join the Eurozone to enlarge their empire.
Stop imediatly islam invasion – or soon come the Revolution
Stop imediatly islam invasion – or soon come the Revolution
To me it feels like the EU is not working on solving its problems as a whole. We are ,as the name suggests, a union of countries but yet it seems that many times we work against each others interests. I understand that agreements that make everyone happy are impossible but things appear to have gone overboard this time.
I’m 19 years old and ,for me, open boarders between EU countries has been something that I had taken for granted. It’s a monument to the trust between the countries of the EU. However, lately I’ve seen Germany opt out of the Schengen agreement (temporarily at least) and Hungary close it’s boarders to it’s allies(!) one by one.
I feel like , in order for the European project to succeed, we need to put individual interests aside and collaborate; and sadly, I don’t see this happening. I want to believe in the EU and it’s vision, I really do, it’s just that it’s getting more distant every month.
Well, Merkel made some very bad decisions which would affect negatively Europe for long, long time!
neoliberalism and austerity have damaged the trust way worse
Off course yes!! What do you expect! People in Europe dont see with good eyes migrants from 3rd world countries invanding Europe because of the welfare system, people who not even the Gulf states want, people who want Europe not a peaceful country, people that could go to other countries nearby but instead Europe is the way, that is not refugee that is people with the objective going to Europe. USA create the whole war in Syria just because of some pipeline, money control and Richard Kalergi plan! Europe is condemned ;)
I is not the refugee crisis, it is the way it has been handled. Which show a fascism and incompetence for EU politicians. Europeans are very solidary and would without problems accept to help refugees. The problem is that this crisis has been handled with the backs of politicians towards citizens. And then having Merkel and others trying to quiet dissent from their ideology by calling people racists, xenophobe, nazi, islamophobes is not the way to do things. You can’t expect people to support a proyect when you are being placed second. I believe in a federalized EU, much like the USA. But I can’t stand the fascist EU we have now. Having a commissioner like Federica Morgerini stating that political islam needs to be a part of Europe and that Europe is Islam, and if you don’t agree you are a nazi and not European. Well let me tell you something. You can shove your fascism and ideology in your pocket. Another problem is having people we didn’t vote for making decisions. If someone like Federica Morgerini was up for elections were all Europeans had a choice to vote, she would not make the cut, as many others that are forcing their ideology on us.
Absolutely … Another black shadow over the German policies regarding the huge issues in Europe!
As long as this construct is being derailed from the vision of its Fathers by a franco-german clique with a thirst for power, nothing will work as it is supposed to. The whole EU leadership needs to take a deep breath and rethink everything.
Most Western European countries fail to understand that there are costs to belonging to this European construct for us Easterners too: Let me give an example: Very few Romanian companies win bids for infrastructure projects in Romania, most of those projects go to Austrian, French, Spanish companies, etc. Our economy is struggling (yes, it’s our fault, but not entirely). Prior to EU accession, my country’s GDP was increasing at an annual rate of 8 or 9%. Now it’s a meager 2-3%, rendered useless by Germany’s outstanding exports, and the acquis communautaire. We get subsidies but we pay for them literally in sweat and tears: many segments of our economy are littered with Western European subsidiaries who gulp all the EU funds, siphoning them back into their countries, selling back to us doubly-expensive goods (electronics, twice as expensive as in the US, some varieties of produce, twice as expensive as in Poland, etc).
We are expected to “show solidarity” (execute German orders), but we aren’t answered in kind. In the minds of many Western Europeans, Easterners (like us Romanians) are lowly creatures, skulking in sewers, ready to steal, rape and do all manner of bad things. It doesn’t matter if you are a PhD, Engineer, outstanding Doctor, Teacher, your presence will (in general) be answered with contempt, sometimes obscenities, sometimes silent treatment. We are not equals, Schengen is not allowed for us. Germany would receive any number of East Mediterranean beggars, but it won’t receive our doctors and engineers, and when they do, they regard us as “those guys”, and we are rarely accepted fully in those societies.
To top it off, this franco-german clique is sold to Putin and the New Russian Empire (c), who did so much harm to us in the East, and still is doing so. In spite of act after of act of war, defiance, terrorism and hostilities (throughout history, then 1992 Russia-Moldova, 2008 Russia-Georgia, now Russia-Ukraine), you, Western leaders, kiss Putin ass, paid with Gazprom money, and yell at us (I’m looking at you Juncker!) to treat this monster with respect, while he is murdering people in Ukraine!
You speak to us of equality, yet you show us none! We are good to host your garbage (Naples -> Constanta) or nuclear waste (Germany -> Maguele) or the immigrants you don’t want (Germany) and as a place for you to sell your goods, but not much else.
The EU cannot survive without its Eastern half. Drive us away with your idiotic “two-speed” Europe, and we will eventually go. Stick to your racism against us (astoundingly profound despite the pervasiveness of PC), lack of democracy and political equality among member states and embrace of totalitarian Russia. We need safety, not masters for us slaves. If you don’t respect your peoples, EU leaders, you will fall.
And us, EU idealists will wait to resurrect it in another form, devoid of Merkelism.
You never worked on a European Vision. No corporate identity is eatablished. Only many people suffer by the bad economic condition. We need welfare for the people. http://www.WWSEEP.com .
Not the refugee crisis but the xenophobia which is shoved through every possible channel to the people and then disorganized, policy less strategies have seriously damaged it..just my view.
Reading the comments of these subjects I think the real percentage of E.U. Project trust decreased to somewhere around 25%.. It wasn’t only the migration crisis, the financial and economic crisis wasn’t managed well!
The whole idea of United Europe was hijacked lately by the greedy, selfish, hypocrite, power thirsty, arrogant, leading elite. Somehow along the way, somebody decided (behind closed doors and without democratic consensus) that this is the direction Europe should head it, and press everyone to follow or support the consequences. Well guess what ? Wrong idea.
It’s not just the irresponsible way the EU has handled the migrant crisis, it’s the unilateral actions of Germany too that have hurt the Union. I used to be a federalist. Not anymore. The sooner we gain our countries back the better. Europe is governed by a corrupt and unaccountable elite and this will not change any day soon. The hell with them and with the entire project.
https://www.facebook.com/UKIP/photos/a.283591398329424.67830.209101162445115/1028834303805126/?type=3&theater
These europeans will suffers like indians where this community has 14 percent and supported by congress party in the name of vote bank politics purpose they are pompered and this community is responsible in creating pakistan in the name of religion and divided thr country into three parts like that your continent with great development but now bringing head acke to that country with burden of problems which is aleardy having problems themselves added to this .
How many times was the Treaty of Lissabon approved by a national referendum? Nowhere, except for Ireland (where it was supported by the whole media). Oh what can be the reason of decreasing trust in the European project?!
EU is a dictatorial, immoral, fraudulent cult and it must be dismantled for the good of all Europeans.
Yes
George Dimopoulos ax ma giati?afou i evropi einai sta kalytera tis .προβληματισμενος στην τοποθεσια ευρωπαικο κοινοβουλιο
I don’t feel European anymore I am very disappointed!!!!!
At least we, Europeans, have discovered there are some of us don’t respect the legacy of Schuman.
It definitely has. We thought that the EU was going to promote the interests of its citizens and provide free travel across its expanse. It now turns out it promotes interests of people outside of the EU at the expense of its own citizens and borderless travel applies to unknown individuals from outside the EU? I thought that at the basis of the union was similarity. I don’t understand why we are now allowing people of completely different values and practical situation to make use and apparently be part of the EU unconditionally. Those “refugees” are abusing EU agreements and regulations with the intention of changing the face of the EU.
Q: “Public trust in Europe is being eroded- do YOU trust Europe? If not, why not?”
Correction please: surely, it should read & be referred to as the EU28 project & not a not envisaged “Europe 50” one! Trust in the EU project?- NO! Trust in a limited select new multi sovereign Europe groupings- newly negotiated?- YES!
“EUROCRATS” tend to hide behind the term “Europe” whenever the “EU” concept fails- instead honestly & bravely supporting their “EU concept- project!
It can’t be managed by back & cheek slapping- using school masterly methods- bringing naughty scholars to heed & heel! It exposes an act & degree of political cowardice & conspiracy within a too complex, unworkable, inefficient & already out of control gone project!
The early logic & clarity of its beginning of “why” and “what” – has been overtaken by too many “how’s” & additional opaque agendas- instead remaining restricted to trade mainly! The “unpublished” & stealthy EU concept/project of:
One EU country, one EU government, one common policy, one EU citizen, one EU thinking, one EU voting, one EU army, one EU currency, one EU tax system, one EU social system, one EU border, one Suzerain, etc….. totally destroying all 28 (or more) sovereign identities in the process- managed by & from Brussels by distant EU apparatchiks! This is just unworkable & will lead to disintegration- sooner or later- like the USSR!
The present EU system has become rigid, “treaty- dictatorial” & its ALL political leadership blinded, greedy & inflexible. The “no other choice- project option”- is a recipe to destroy our European freedom, welfare & security!
The EU “Project Managers” need to explain to us why they- or the system- should NOT be replaced- and the entire project rectified or changed! The only serious “renewal option” at the moment is- a mass exit- (demanded by member referendums) one by one!
http://historicalthinking.ca/historical-thinking-concepts
(Im)possible Happy End? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qB8_Q9oTuw
Trust is diminishing due to the actions of some EU politicians such as Angela Merkel who seem to have lost touch with reality and demonstrate complete lack of wisdom and vision for the future regarding the current Muslim invasion of Europe. Her obstinate refusal to acknowledge any opinions different from hers, indeed has the potential of breaking up EU. If your rich but short-sighted neighbour decides to allow wolves to roam on their property, claiming that these are actually deer, the least you could do is build a fence to protect yourself and ask your neighbour to check their eyes with a doctor. How can there be a true union of nations when one member thinks he is the most important one and disregards all others? If Merkel continues to assume powers that she has not been granted, i.e. to unilaterally decide the future of the whole European Union and impose those decisions on other countries, then we can expect even greater mistrust in the EU project in the coming years.
The EU increasingly turns out to be a paper tiger when it comes to global threats and challenges for Europe, but at the same time an almost dictatorial regime when enforcing (often illegitimate) rules and values on member states and its citizens.
Ttip has
haaaa, the European Union, that daily miracle!!!
Why does this website keep using the term ‘The European Project’ as if they are referring to something benign?
‘The European Project’ refers to the plan to limit, sideline and eventually abolish national democracy, and democracy’s replacement by a mutually appointed self-sustaining political oligarchy. There’s nothing benign about that.
I’m quite surprised that the support is still so high. But I realize that people support some kind of vague idea of ‘Europe’, not necessarily meaning the EU. So true support for the EU itself might actually be lower indeed.
Good point!
@Marcel
“But I realize that people support some kind of vague idea of ‘Europe’, not necessarily meaning the EU”
Exactly, particularly after Maastricht (1992) when the pushing of the EU project gained strength people in Europe developed high expectations, although differing from country to country. The southern and eastern rim was attracted by the promis of sharing prosperity, Germans by the chance to let behind the WWII heritage, the French to profit from German economic strength, etc.
After two decades people become increasingly aware that most of those promises do not realize, but the opposite.
Instead of prosperity we got austerity, instead of security we got breaching of treaties and laws, instead of freedom of speech we got an almost Orwellian regime of political correctness, and so on.
At the end the EU seems to profit only small groups in international business and those who run its institutions.
I think the mess in handling the Greek crisis has had the biggest negative impact on public trust. The EU turned it’s back on one of its own members and ignored their plight. For me, this showed that some countries see the EU as a money making machine, rather than a closely knit family.
After more careful consideration I think the EU, acting as one, might have averted the crisis. This, however, was not the case. Not in the case of this uncontrolled mass migration, nor in the case of Greece – the two major crises the EU has had to deal with these last few months.
It doesn’t take a genius to know that if you throw a party and open your doors to the entire city thousands will show up and completely trash your place. And it doesn’t take a genius to know that if you keep lending money to an irresponsible party animal you’re only further encouraging him.
Yet it takes a German chancellor to do exactly that. In both cases. Unfortunately Merkel has crowned herself the empress of Europe. Little to no regard for EU law and institutions and no respect for the other EU states, their leaders and their people. Yet no one has had the guts to challenge her.
We can debate about European Union all you want but what we have right now is Germany playing the fiddle and everybody else dancing to the tune.
Too many people, too many governments staring at their own belly buttons… Trying too keep instead of collaborating for mutual growth.
In that case…………a question to You, Sir.
Why was the EC in it`s history largely a succes……and the EU, a failure direct from the start?
I find it bizarre that you even ask the question.
There is already ,and has been for a very long time NO TRUST in the European project, (Do any Politicians actually read these posts ) It is a dismal failure in every single way it is possible to imagine.
Therefore the answer is ,……It is not possible to damage trust where none exists in the first instance.
We DO need to define more clearly where the borders are for Europe and how we control them (or not)
What European Project?
What exactly is the European project?.
Europe was once empire. Our states ruled the world. We had strong economy and were proud of strong army. UK, Spain, Poland, Germany, Sweden ect had their 5 minutes as European hegemon. Why EU failed ? Because EU leaders forget about European values: strenght, honor, endurance. They tried to replace them by multiculturalism, political correctness and social benefits. On top of that in name of sick social liberal ideology, Maksists in Europe start crusade aimed to eliminate every aspect of our European culture. Europe is dead economy – with GDP rate -1/+1%. This is pathetic – US GDP growth same period was 2.4%. China same period 7.4%.
NO NOT THE REFUGEES ! they are the result of that criminal European Commission and their lobby – The BANKSTERS and the corrupt politicias, the right wing #TTIP suporters, the Multinationals which dont pay tax in Mr Junckers #LUXLeaks Country – The structurally corrupt spanish #PP Gov. with #Rajoy – the xenofenia Mr. #Orban in Hungaria – and at least Mrs. Teflon Merkel. They drown, they destroy – they kill – MY United Europe of the people and regions. This Europe of the Banksters and Capital and the 1% Rich, we have to destroy it and built a new for the people – the 99%
io sono fiera di essere europea ma la UE è un’altra cosa, non confondiamo. La UE è antidemocratica, è nata SENZA il consenso dei cittadini. Nessuno ha spiegato ai cittadini di cosa si trattava e siamo entrati forzatamente per decisione di poche persone. Sarebbe ora di tornare a vivere dentro l’Europa che amo ma fuori dall’Unione Europea che distrugge i popoli europei
da dove sono usciti quei dati che non ci è mai stata data possibilità di un referendum nè per entrare nè per restare.? Però possiamo uscire dalla UE e non vedo l’ora
It certainly has…..reckless and irresponsible policies are to blame. There’s no rational thinking in the EU today. I used to be a big fan of EU now I hope it will fail and cease to exist in its current form. And I hope the British will start the process as soon as next year. Provided that Junker and the likes of him and their idiotic policies don’t change. Otherwise they will inevitably fall as Europeans may be tolerant but not stupid. Unlike Junker and Frau Merkel thinks.
It’s a long time I’m disappointed and disgusted with the European Community sistem! They are simply non-elected non-representative and living on a another world and worse an oversized burocracy that is micromanaging all aspects of our life! But worse of all they are absolutely unanswerable to us! Then they completely miss handled the situation like Ukraine and Lybia and now by opening the door in the most idiotic way to the mass of immigrants/clandestine in Europe in which is completely out of control! It is really too much!
The common currency is a pivotal problem
It’s damaging cuse they can’t get to a compromise in the euro and refugees crisis. In both to mutch selfish thinking in both. To establish trust we must first have strong political people that can stand firm both against big corporation and countries like US.
Like the rools of chemical that was almost nothing left after it was finished.
And in the refugees it’s an institution problem not how many that comes. All countries can easily Handel refugees on a bout 1-2 % of its population. Even so some refuse to take in any at all course they listen to mutch to the small part that is xenophbic instead of trying to fix it thro education. Into of that is it those countries that would need an immigration the most.
It would be mutch more trust worthy if the Handeling of refugees were moved upto Eu level. That way would we have a mutch easier task to handle the refugees. And after Brüssel gives asylum to one person they are going to one of Europe’s countries.
Also a solidarity transfer of money from the rich region to the poor one would getting all of Eu to get on better foot with it’s people
The would also get more trust in Eu if we give away blue cards and humanitarian Visas and make it possible for refugees to fly again.
So we not get this watery graves.
Especially those from Africa that is now from a country at war is coming because we destroy their livelihoods due to Eu companies, Fisherboats and climate change.
A more effective way to gain trust is that the Eu parliament choose the president and the president choose the commission from those in the Eu parliament.
Time to go back to the EEC and get rid of the political eu.
y dejemos entrar libremente a terroristas y extremistas religiosos q NOS IMPONGAN sus creencias … costumbres …
I read a lot about Europe’s capacity and obligation to house those seeking either refuge or better life in the EU. There is an estimated 4.1 million European citizens who are HOMELESS (https://www.homelessworldcup.org/homelessness-statistics/#europe), a large number of them in the UK, France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands and Spain. The EU and our national governments have been UNABLE to provide their citizens with decent shelter yet they are quick to house, feed and cure foreigners who have paid large sums of money to traffickers in order to come. What the hell is wrong with our civilization. Are we so morally corrupt and hypocritical? Is it all about “likes” on facebook and tweets?
SICKENING.
The European national sovereign States delenda sunt
Financial crisis, local governments and, the most important, demagogic parties and people that believe in them are the causes of this situation.
I just hope Australians are learning from the mess in Europe created by the careless and excessive intake of illegal immigrants who oppose the way of life of the host countries. We too suffer from politicians and groups who misuse the term racism when people talk about Islam as a threat.
My heart goes out to the people of Europe who are having the rug pulled out from under their feet.
When Greece was being hauled over the coals for it’s debt crisis, I didn’t have much sympathy. That is UNTIL Angela Merkel said let’s show the illegal immigrants Germany’s loving face. I thought, well if you are part of the EU together then that makes you kind of kin, but yet you can’t show Germany’s loving face to your own?
A Europe without borders was a present to all europeans, today the same europeans are irritated about a kind of free imigration from “all countries”, due to the fact that the european national states did not effort a common plan to protect borders and to stear immigration. Now many people realize that the rules for basket ball do not fit for football….
I am going to vote for the new Australian Liberty Alliance. I hope to leave a country to my grandchildren that is good and free, like the country in which I grew up, not one where my grand daughters are treated like garbage so that they have to dress in a black bin bag.
No borders but not wished “españolizacion ” of the catalan kids ?
You can’t blame this on immigration
I personall
Is the Pope Catholic? ???!!!! Of course!
not the crisis of migrants, but the war in the Mediterranean!
The EU has to be big on big things and small on small things. Also, the EU has to give more benefits to citizens. But, the the EU has improved a lot and people dont want an EU (ECC) of the 70s, that is for sure
Speak for Yourself, Sir.
In that era there was everything, the EU has failed on.
Crisis after crisis. The debt crisis and now the refugee crisis…Germany under the Merkel-Schaeuble regime wrecked Europe. Segregated Europeans, polarized them into rich (frugal) northerners who’s hard-earned Tax-monies go to subsidize the poor (profligate) southerners. Shattered perceptions on what it is, Europeans share in common.
Worst of all – Germany under the Merkel-Schaeuble regime actively erodes European civil societies common understandings of shared common heritage.
Germany used the debt-crisis to present itself like the self-righteous moral-crusader, beyond reproach, beyond moral-hazard and beyond corruption…used the refugee-crisis to present itself like the most caring charitable kind-hearted country in Europe – What a let down!
I personally can;t see how expecting people to risk their lives to reach you so that you can get cheap labour is kind-hearted. It looks inhuman to me and reminds me of what Germany did in WW2.
Esto no es Europa, es una conglomeración de intereses y somos sólo una suma de x, en los que sólo piensan cuando hay elecciones.
Con. Y gordas. Islamizacion no
You can’t have both, open borders and generous social benefits for every newcommer.
It has proven the inefficiency of intergovernmentalism.
It’s not the refugees who are to be blamed but the corrupt EU politicians who have destroyed the economy of our countries and who back up the USA regardless of the consequences.
Didnt I tell u this last time I saw u? U and the mrs’ oh no no its for the greater good.’ The e.u will destroy europe like the u.s.. Cant be the elite. Politicians r absolutely nothing but puppet spokesman. And the €? Remember nick. Any country with the € dollar with be dankrupt soon enough.
The Greek islands, islets, and rock-peaks out of the (Aegean) sea, outline mark and delineate Europe’s maritime border with (Asia-Minor) Turkey. Germany, under Merkel-Schaeuble wisdom, think it better to pay Turkey €3billions to police Greek waters it tries it’s best to encroach…in essence, provoking Greek Naval forces to respond, by ushering Turkish military vessels back to their side of the border.
Question: Can Europe Trust this kind of (Germanic) wisdom ?
European logic dictates – it should be ‘Europeans’ that protect and defend Evropi’s external maritime border(s).
Increasingly, the actions and antic’s of the Merkel-Scaeuble regime is completely at odds with the European mindset.
Les “réfugiés de guerre syriens” n’ont plus aucune raison de venir ici, si ce n’est une raison économique. (AFP) https://fr.news.yahoo.com/moscou-annonce-avoir-mis-hors-combat-principaux-groupes-162650943.html
The EU is run by people that live somewhere in the sky and take decisions as if they live in another galaxy. By far the biggest failure ever, simply because politicians follow an own agenda instead of listening to the people that voted them in their functions.
In Spain, the problem is called austerity. It is ok to save money in times of economic crisis. But don’t force poorest people to pay more taxes while you decrease their salary. Are you mad? Do you really think that’s the way to trust EU? Of course not. In addition, the refugee crisis. We would be really happy to welcome them. But… Don’t you think that we are not in the best position in all Europe to take them in? Why us? Just because Merkel says so? More democracy and less “friendship” moves.
Why. All. The. Time. Blaming Germany…. It’s. The. Selfishness. Of. The. Hole. Stats ..for. Example. Why. The. Military Enfors the. Outside. Borders…
30 years change blamed on 1 year phenomenon? That’s scapegoating for a huge democratic deficit.
The refugee crisis is speeding up the EU awareness for unity and coordination not only in EU but also with all other countries. It is speeding up the need to work more efficiently in a comprehensive geopolitical and not selfishness way, including the way to better appraise our own identity and the real values of true ethics coming indifferently from either clerical or religious grounds. Do not be too negative about EU, just read the treaties you may see this is just an additional instrument defined by and to serve citizens, at regional level.
YES !
The END FOR EU !
I was for EU all the time but now I am Eurosceptic . Reason : Angela Merkel and German government . She send invitation to millions of radical Islamist to enter the EU , result over 165 000 refugees entered Croatia in about 20 days , big percentage illegal . If you can do this in the EU than is EU not an Union, it is Onion , EU is madness like some mad pub in which any insane person do what he wants . Greeks , Italians and mad Germans out of control , you can’t have that . EU has no police force – they have something on about 1000 man , no police that could fight crime and corruption , no army , nothing … Refugees are the evidence that EU is not working and some member states can create madness to all other members .
To some extent, but trust in the EU project has been eroding for quite some time. Just look at the graph… since 1995… this is not new news. According to the chart, politicians have not been in touch with Europe where real people live for 20 years!
To some extent, but trust in the EU project has been eroding for quite some time. Just look at the graph… since 1995… this is not new news. According to the chart, politicians have not been in touch with Europe where real people live for 20 years!
I am normally PRO EU. I like the idea of a common place sharing differences and dealing with them. But I recentely feel like I don’t like the actual EU. And it not the refugees crisis that made me think so but the Greek crisis or the hidden negociations for the TTIP.
A Europe where the decisions are taken mainly by non-Elected people (the BCE is an organism where not elected very important people are) is not what we can call a democratic organism… Few wealthy people are deciding for everyone in their own interest, it is not my Europe. I want a real democratic Europe, where a petition of a million of european people DOES count, where citizens are heard and not aonly lobby… I don’t want a “United States of Europe” where money (and interests of multinational industries) is the only thing valuable…
A referendum would come in at much less than that 40%. EU politicians have no vadility to keep pushing their agenda. Nations have lost their soverignity to non elected politicians who follow and agenda whos concerns are anything but the EU citizens.
And it will plum to ground zero after the muslims Merkel&co have imported in Europe will start a sharia law enforcement destroying unity through diversity ideal
It’s the hypocritical and irresponsible statements and decisions of the EU leaders – dictated by the NWO Matrix Soros agents – what creates a huge democratic deficit :-( …
Off course!!! What do you expect!!! Europe is “solving” a problem that was created by USA!!! And now the whole European system will collapse and people´s trust on EU is going down! Europe should never take responsability for something that wasnt Europe!
“Refugees” Crisis” = Richard Kalergi Plan ;)
New label?
Immigration is breaking Europe.
Europe is not prepared for this immigration crisis,the whole world each and every one of us is responsible for what’s going on in the world today starting from the world leaders,in the 21st century people are still dying of hunger ,this is injustice, this is the result of selfisness,give to ceaser what belongs to ceaser!!!
We need more democracy in EU. More parlement ?
Do not blame the refugees, in 1975 was not the refugee problem, this problem is recent, only you have the guilt of the European people to be increasingly cut off from the European institutions, who really rules in Europe was not elected by us. With the treaty, the TTIP, that you are negotiating behind our backs are giving us reason. You an USA will destroy europe as we know.
Public awareness of what the EU is, what it does & how it works is also pretty dismal – you connect the dots.
The fragmentation and destruction of Europe has been brought about by the refusal of politicians to listen to their citizens ovewr the decades as they continued to drive toward and influx of ijmigrants from outside of Europe. Every one of thse politicians refuse on every level to report on, debate about or seek a policiy of ‘the best interests of Europe and its people.’ They denied the right of the citizen to have a voice or to protest against genocide by the threat of incarceration should they dare. They took our money and used it against us. And continue to do so in the face of thise horror.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/refugee-crisis-eu-leaders-struggle-to-find-agreement-on-how-to-handle-influx-amid-warnings-over-a6708531.html
What must happen now, is for those same Europeans who were denied a voice to loudly demand that Europe be divided into vast segements of only European indigenous population who wish to continue with a culture and society that has been stolen from them, which will be based on a Chritian ethos, similar to the Zionist take over of Israel. The European has far more right to vast areas of Europe than any Zionist had to Palestine.
Other areas of Europe must be handed to the immigrants who came from outside European borders, along with those indigenous Europeans who wanted, promoted and voted for a multi cultural and diverse society. Done without asking, informing or explaining to the indigenous people what they were intended and why, or, indeed giving them a vote on the decision prior to moving the policy forward. Which must therefore include all politicians who failed in their duty to listen to, defend and protect their fellow citizen. That way all parties will have what they were asking for. The only wrangle then is as to which segments go to whom.
That way we will, hopefully, avoid the situation in taking place in Gaza today.
The banner above, “Our Europe is without borders”, is playing with the security of people living in Europe, indicating a new eclips of reason.
EU has made the use of biometric passports and visas mandatory. Air travelers are subjected to all kinds of checks. Train travelers will soon follow suit. At the same time, hundreds of thousands of people from terrorism prone parts of the world barge in through the EU external borders and not only they are not stopped – they are told they are welcome to continue to do so.
The EU has long had a democratic deficit. Now it is demonstrating an acute common sense one as well. The only way we can react to this onslaught on our values and way of life is by -unfortunately- doing what the Hungarians and Poles have done. Elect nationalists and eurosceptics.
Since 2008: government of the financial markets, by the financial markets and for the financial markets.
You don’t see a single issue or debate without some politician expressing that “we need to vote for this because of the financial markets”.
“The peoples” do not seem to be a concern for them.
I would rather say ppl have lost trust in their politicians, and as a result, in the EU as well. But it is no secret that the Council has been ignorant, blind, short-sighted, lazy, neglecting, and much worse already from 2 years ago. Everyone had these indications: states do get the right type of information, and yet they are still the worst and laziest things out there as they didnt act on the information they got. They only started acting once the problem hit them hard, and none of them deserve to be in politics and should be immediately ousted from office.
EU executive has nothing to do with the refugee crisis. This is the absence of Europe and the absence of honesty, international coordination and responsibility from some politics we are paying, as it obliges each country most exposed, to act individually. http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/614159/Migrant-crisis-Slovenia-tanks-riot-police-12000-arrive
Definitely damaged.
Could be terrorist getting all the way to sweden the slow way before getting registered or stopped? wtf ofc it is damaged what a dumb question. The north will make their own union, Good bye EU.
Who wants to damage trust in the European project? Who does that benefit?
i think not
During the financial crisis the EU elite transferred the costs of the crisis to the people and bailed out the bankers. Now they are pushing for more austerity despite election and referendums against them. The EU is an undemocratic project of the financial elite. It makes perfect sense not trusting them.
Very unfortunate and very true!
Criminal Austerity policies has dissolved de facto E.U.
We want the United States of Europe !!!
I never thought it would work …. My friends didn’t agree with me at the time …. Now I say ” I told you so ” not very diplomatic on my part, but the vários countries in Europe just don’t have enough in common …. Sorry !
Godd to see how little trust the worthless eu and its unelected nobodies has.Time to shut the rotted union down.
Less and less european people like the EU…is a nest of corruption, good only for capitalists and inmigrants.
Absolutely!!! European dream collapsed
I can honestly say that the EU have done the damage all by themselves, in every aspect of their dictatorial wasteful corrupt administration!
That is it!
the EU was a good idea poorly implemented
Correct!
Oh come on, stop being such perfectionists…Of course the EU has made mistakes, but were it not for that it would not be ablee to learn from them and improve…JE SUIS EUROPEANNE…
Yeah its Greece’s fault only…Jerks!
WHEN YOU ARE GOING TO EDUCATE MUSLIMS TO STOP KILLING IF THIS IS THEIR RELIGION? eliminate religion is an option???? tolerant idiots http://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2015/nov/14/paris-terror-attacks-attackers-dead-mass-killing-live-updates
I can’t believe this page, this topic… I mean… unless “Debate Europe” thinks absolutely ALL TRUE EUROPEANS FROM NORTH TO SOUTH AND EAST TO WEST are dumb idiots, I won’t even bother answering questions like this one… Seriously… You can talk to me again when you put up an ‘European Army’, restore proper border controls and checks, put an end to that stupid Schengen agreement (ie, true Europeans don’t need that anyway, and it’s constantly being abused by non-Europeans coming into Europe, that’s all it’s good for…)… bye bye, EU-bureaucrats, figure it out yourselves, I’m sure you have brains, and lots of spare time in Brussels… you’re SO SO SOOOOO disconnected with the reality :-( PS- you will never be forgiven for imposing “refugee quotas” on smaller/weaker countries, even if you’re paying for it… some things cannot be bought, like national identity, culture, values and basic democratic principles :-( – feeling disappointed.
Certainly it will damage our trust in the system. Mostly because AUTHORITIES are just “allowing” to #historyrepeating with the strong hand of #sucks politics. We are slaves of this bloody dream turned into a nightmare.
https://www.facebook.com/AlterInformation/photos/a.487359167961944.116614.487237277974133/1057959994235189/?type=3&theater
Our world should be without a border!!!
Yes, we the citizens have lost any confidence in this Europe of businessmen.
Yes, we the citizens have lost any confidence in this Europe of businessmen.
And that debate is sparked after the won of NF in France is just a coincidence?
And that debate is sparked after the won of NF in France is just a coincidence?
it shows the difference between being European or being old fashioned nationalist
it shows the difference between being European or being old fashioned nationalist
Those people telling that receive oil money and they don’t care for the EU . They have money and they can go to some safe place any time they want.
Those people telling that receive oil money and they don’t care for the EU . They have money and they can go to some safe place any time they want.
I think no !
I think no !
The refugee crisis is just an accelerator not the reason. This unity is a union of those who never been united by a thing even remotely close to the EU. It’s bound to have troubles. Forcing ideas in statets that find them untraditional is one thing but forcing multiculturalism and everything that comes with it is something that is too much to handle by some statets who’s minorities have nothing with that multiculturalism.
The refugee crisis is just an accelerator not the reason. This unity is a union of those who never been united by a thing even remotely close to the EU. It’s bound to have troubles. Forcing ideas in statets that find them untraditional is one thing but forcing multiculturalism and everything that comes with it is something that is too much to handle by some statets who’s minorities have nothing with that multiculturalism.
There is no Plase in Europa for Muslims – we must ban them all aut from Europe – like Trump say for USA
There is no Plase in Europa for Muslims – we must ban them all aut from Europe – like Trump say for USA
Yes, Europe should become the Federation of Europe as soon as possible!
No Borders, one policy, one people, one army, one project!
#UnityInDiversity is our motto!
Yes, Europe should become the Federation of Europe as soon as possible!
No Borders, one policy, one people, one army, one project!
#UnityInDiversity is our motto!
…all what eu was build for, never took off. Lot of useless talks and more costs for The People..no surprise if from a not to bad 77% there is today a fall to 45%..probably you should listen more to the Eu People, don’t you?..as for the people who are invading eu, please stop calling all of them refugee!..only 10/15% are real refugees and you well know!…so before they get on our borders, you should help children & old people first, identify and screen very well women and then send back -after identifycation- all the 15>45 yo well fitted men to fight for their Country…easy to be violent here, isn’t it? Plus, we have The Mother of all problems: a high percentages of these people do not want to integrate to the Country thay are in…different cultures, religions, laws…but they want us to update (..better: down-date!) to their belief ! Unbelievable!There is not space in our cultures for these people unless we want to suicide ourselves…if we should follow what Bita just wrote, in 5 years Europe could be completely ruled by these people (..is going to happen anyway!) and expecially women, guys, disable people and children will be those who will suffer to dead…At the end the question is: What is the use of having a Europen community when there isn’t any community??? [From the dictionary: Community is a group of people interacting and sharing a common understanding and often the same language, manners, traditions and laws. -See also: Civilization, Partecipation – ]
…all what eu was build for, never took off. Lot of useless talks and more costs for The People..no surprise if from a not to bad 77% there is today a fall to 45%..probably you should listen more to the Eu People, don’t you?..as for the people who are invading eu, please stop calling all of them refugee!..only 10/15% are real refugees and you well know!…so before they get on our borders, you should help children & old people first, identify and screen very well women and then send back -after identifycation- all the 15>45 yo well fitted men to fight for their Country…easy to be violent here, isn’t it? Plus, we have The Mother of all problems: a high percentages of these people do not want to integrate to the Country thay are in…different cultures, religions, laws…but they want us to update (..better: down-date!) to their belief ! Unbelievable!There is not space in our cultures for these people unless we want to suicide ourselves…if we should follow what Bita just wrote, in 5 years Europe could be completely ruled by these people (..is going to happen anyway!) and expecially women, guys, disable people and children will be those who will suffer to dead…At the end the question is: What is the use of having a Europen community when there isn’t any community??? [From the dictionary: Community is a group of people interacting and sharing a common understanding and often the same language, manners, traditions and laws. -See also: Civilization, Partecipation – ]
The refugee crisis has just exacerbated the mistrust we, the EU people, have developed for our politicians, those people we elected but who never got the the job of building a strong Europe.
The refugee crisis has just exacerbated the mistrust we, the EU people, have developed for our politicians, those people we elected but who never got the the job of building a strong Europe.
Yes
Yes
The refugee crisis has just exacerbated the mistrust we, the EU people, have developed for our politicians, those people we elected but who never got the the job of building a strong Europe.
The results of their incompetence are very visible now and getting worse.
It is NOT the trust in europe in question – the lack of acceptable european border control has threatened the free movement of the workforce without control from country to country within the Schengen agreement. If anyone outside of europe’s outer borders can come into europe without serious checks on their ‘ID’ and can stay without giving finger prints for the database and no one has a copy of a recent photo – then WHY bother with the rest of us europeans – honestly its a farce !
It is NOT the trust in europe in question – the lack of acceptable european border control has threatened the free movement of the workforce without control from country to country within the Schengen agreement. If anyone outside of europe’s outer borders can come into europe without serious checks on their ‘ID’ and can stay without giving finger prints for the database and no one has a copy of a recent photo – then WHY bother with the rest of us europeans – honestly its a farce !
Yes it has no borders outside, but it becomes having borders inside !
Yes it has no borders outside, but it becomes having borders inside !
What trust? The EU has failed its countries’ citizens, ignored their wishes, disrespected their governments. What trust….
What trust? The EU has failed its countries’ citizens, ignored their wishes, disrespected their governments. What trust….
Eu leaders love refugees and migrants and put more and more presure on Eu citizens! Who do they represent? They should not be allowed to stay in power!!!!
Given that there is an immigration crisis rather than a refugee crisis, I would say yes. What little trust there was is now gone.
Oh, yes, but we should have known better. We should have discouraged groups in the Middle East to take up arms, should have vetoed the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and should have sealed our common outer borders. Seems we failed in all three fronts.
Might as well accept the reality on the ground and live with it (lots of migrants)
Wozu brauchen wir Grenzen. V
Foreign journalists and broadcasters wishing to speak to a British member of the public who wants to leave the EU are welcome to contact me. I am a recently retired civil servant with 38 years experience in Government administration and an interest in the EU referendum campaign in the UK. I can travel to central London for interviews. Thanks. stephenwolstenholme@talk21.com. Telephone 01883 716693.
Foreign journalists and broadcasters wishing to speak to a British member of the public who wants to leave the EU are welcome to contact me. I am a recently retired civil servant with 38 years experience in Government administration and an interest in the EU referendum campaign in the UK. I can travel to central London for interviews. Thanks. stephenwolstenholme@talk21.com. Telephone 01883 716693.
Has proved it’s worthlessness at all levels.
Has proved it’s worthlessness at all levels.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0yU0JuE1jTk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0yU0JuE1jTk
If you have a home and if you have a door and you close and open to those who you want and not. Thé same border is thé same as door but for country
If uk leaves their economy will stop
Of course, and also the lies about Syria.
None wants Arabs around, and none wants to bomb Arabs for gas.
The more we and our media use the word crisis the more the people of Europe stick to their flock. Imagine there is a crisis and we do not go there! The people of Europe are different and wonderful!
Nope.
The migrants invasion is the last drop to an already full glass of mistrust. Corrupt politics and capitalists have ruined Europe and the best for HONEST european countries ,should be to leave the EU.
They cannot feet in Europe !!!!!!
Wake up before they start to take your head !!!!!
Surely sounds like it I hope its not to late to make things work out.
The refuges doesn’t effect any thing in any way there always has been movement like this wev never heard anything bad happening,if u see the refuges from Albania in Italy looks insane but theyv just make a better economy for Italy no other damages,EU wants to cause panic and thats why this crisis sounds bad.but politic is politics and i think that all over the world people need to vote all different new parties because all this parties all over the world r getting greedy and evils they don’t care anymore for humanity.
Better to say; Human Smuggler’s Europe is without border ;-)
No, not in European project, in European POLITICIANS! Shallow liberal idiots that do not care about people, just about insane AGENDAS!
Yes it did
Who is who ?
Basing mobility with the assumption that everyone has good intentions, is like cocking a gun to one’s head.
Yes it has, because the project is deeply flawed.
we need to open the border and have a lot more migrants comming in ore we will get in to a permanent economic crisis like Ungarn and Japan.
Yes
No. What damaged the European project are the politicians… They are not elected by us, we don’t chose him… They chose themselves!! According is own colours!! The presidente EU is nothing more than a puppet of few countries!!!
And the Roman Empire without borders to protect it was easily destroyed… ;)
YES !!!!
Our Europe has to have very strong external borders and protection.
What damages the european project IS the project by itself. It was made to increase economy and wealth of the zone, BUT NOT to increse democracy or circulation of ideas, opinions, and not to increase JUSTICE. It was made for the rich people.
So, to be changed (??? not easy) or to be destroyed, and reconstructed.
.
What ‘trust’ ?, EU fanatics claim two successes for their union:
1. Schengen – In reality a complete disaster for the countries signed up to it.
2. The Euro – In reality a complete disaster for the countries signed up to it.
Conclusion: – End the madness, End the EU.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/apr/24/trust-eu-falls-record-low
The EU is disintegrating, and the crisis of the so-called ‘refugees’ has hastened the EU’s demise. As the EU collapses, as the open borders close, and as crime rises because of the islamist invasion….don’t forget to thank fuhrer merkel and the far left for this ensuing disaster.
Is not far the times that the “strong” countries in Europe had colonies in most of the African and Arab world..and not so far either tht slavery was official trade..thst was convinient at those times that they needed cheap hands…now that the same about nationalities forced by wars and distabilised situation in their countries come to find shelter in Europe we “see” this as an invasion..that they transform our whole culture structure..How much more hypocrites we can be??(sorry my english are medium).
Yes it shows that europe is absolutely unable to contol anything and is opened to any storms …europe was supposed to bring welfare to its citizens and bring unemployment poverty and islam….i dont eant this kind of weak europe doing the game of the new american world order…
Yes. The german governament created a problem when they said they would accept them. This declaration only opened new emigration routes and gave millions to outlaws that provided transportation for refugees. This money can be easily used to feed the ISIS.
No, i don’t. External borders lack of control, islamization of the EU and manipulation of public opinion in order to hide the real consequences of Ms. Merkel agenda. That’s why.
It’s what soros & rotschild want.
yes
https://josamotril.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/el-triunfo-de-la-muerte2.jpg Here is Europe without Borders – The Triumph of Death !!! ;)
Europe cannot take people who dont belong here!
Good chance to restart Europe on good bases
..without borders within! Outside borders were never ment to be supressed!
The EU in just like a ship with no captain, no guide,no common foreign policy.
And: 1) Greece will not be able to pay back its debt
2)the rich is getting richer and the poor poorer, middle class is extinct
3)Germany is the ONLY country running a big €surplus..why is that?
Why taxpayer’s money should be wasted for this people? Have your government asked anything?
Mine not.. I don’t want to waste my taxes for this people, I have enough of paying for the bailout of Greece, Spain, Portugal…
Germany has a surplus for a few reasons: Never left being an industrial country without going in the financial fashion. 2 – car industry is protected from imports. 3 – forced to open up barriers on textiles and shoe industry to favour China exports and get facilities to its own exports to China, damaging the industry of southern countries. 4 – Advising Southern countries to specializing in tourism and forget industry. 5 – Lending money in a irresponsible way, using corruption and and pushing the consequences to ECB and to Southern governments.
It’s destroying the trust of the European citizens to their Government and it had separated Europeans; walls have been erected and new laws have been passed…clearly it’s affecting Europeans, but some will deny it! 😎
Finally someone with common sense. It is just obvious that EU cannot afford the influx of people at the rate and speed we see . Hopefully they can take control of their lands before it’s too late.
cruel politics against the lowest classes, corruption, and stupidity are the reason why people don’t trust eu anymore!! the Refugees (2 millions) are just a drop of water in an ocean of 500 millions Europeans
https://www.facebook.com/1050560068303609/videos/1315047315188215/
The problem was already there, the refugees just braught it on the surface. The real cause of destabilization is within the europe
It is europe and its individual states that is/are destabilizing Europe. If we would really work together there would not be a large problem at all. What is 2 million newcomers on a population of almost 750 million? Almost nothing, not even 1/2% …. What are we talking about!
No, EU was sick long before the crisis
EU’s Problem, is that they don’t care for welfare of the people. Exploiting people. This is, what EU does. What is the positive Vision? The positive Leading? Not feelable.
Why is the EU doing this? Don’t they see the great mistake they are doing right now? Why the EU doesn’t hear it’s members? Bulgarian people have said that the refugees will come for years now but nobody payed attention. Why?
I think it damages completely what the EU is all about. If we don’t practice solidarity amongst people running from war, who are we really as human beings at this moment? What do we believe in? Do we still have values and honor those that made Europe great? We are falling down the hill with closing borders, paying Turkey to do the indignant job of containing desperate people who simply seek peace, with the UK menacing to leave, with France admiting to make a referendum as well, the rise of extreme-right in Germany, etc… It might be the end and the return of old rivalries amongst european peoples and with other peoples in general. Everybody understands that instability may bring war to Europe. Down this path we will find war and misery, moral and certainly material also. It’s very sad and frightening what is happening. Come and join us in Portugal, here we still believe despite thre crisis. You might despise us as non important, but we believe and we have the strengh of hope, at least for the time being… Don’t steal hope from people, that’s evil and very hurtful. But also don’t instead give us ilusion. We need to feel that peace and union are possible with the right way of doing things. We all have a part, so don’t exclude anyone. Everbody is needed and we need to heal because we are hurting very badly. Most of us are turning sick of hatred and demanding the destruction of our most beautiful dream of a united continent, such a wonderful project as Europe with all it’s richness of culture, peoples and common goals: peace and prosperity. And everybody should be a part of it. Everybody!
20/04/2017 Marina Watson Pelaez, a freelance journalist working in Lisbon and London, has responded to this comment.
20/04/2017 Paul Ames, a freelance journalist who has written in Politico about the reluctance of refugees to come to Portugal, has responded to this comment.
We have been separate nations for more than a thousand years. The idea to make a United Europe in a few decades is a plan I didn’t vote for. The idea to sell out state sovereignty to Brussels is also something I did not vote for. The political caste in Stockholm and Brussels they wanted it. The populas, the untouchables, the jobless and the old age pensioners, the people who can hardly afford one hot meal per day, and who risk being evicted every month and thrown out onto cold Tarmac sidewalks unable to pay the rent for a shabby 60’s apartment on the outskirts of town, they didn’t vote for or want the funds that should in the name of decency have paid for tax relief for those worst off to be instead used to pay for other people and bribes to Turks instead of food and shelter for those already living here.
I never voted for that. Oh, but I am untouchable. Excuse me.
EU is damaged by white genocide organized by institutions
Trust in the eu??? PMSL
Of cpurse yes.europe shows its weakness and impotence to handle crisis
European project?Who cares.EE can’t even be human and keep the morals and international laws about reugees.EE doesn’t keep the international laws and agreements………..
Project?….what the hell are we to the EU…..a social experiment? I simply cannot wait until the UK leaves the EU.
HE Menelik chukwuma christian Ngene EOA is a public intellectual,a problem solving humanist, an unversity trained botanist,multi published book author, global fraud detection specialist, retired humanitarian human rights champion,world record victim of fraud and zero acess to justice and Ambassador CDI Corps UN WHF European Union http://www.unwhf.org
Often persecuted for his genius, superior intellect,anti corruption stance and frequent ability to outperform goverments and their agencies in evdry area of human activity,
Menelik still had
over 23 years of incredible global sucess with his unsual strategies in international job creation,global trade, global health issues,education,leadership,policy,training,mentorship,management consultancy,programme management,research, and organisational strategy,migration,fraud detection,race relations,religious reform,energy matters,refugee and migration issues,governance and policy design http://www.unwhf.org
In 23 years he developed himself from being the deputy national publicity secretary of the United Nations IYV2001 Nigeria program to south africa`s all round sucess model and national motivator and inspirational sucess solutions expat for south africa`s independent electoral commission,IEC, before his current listing as one of the 888 Ambassadors on CDI Corps UN WHF European Union pay list,currently owed diplomatic indemnisation since 2008 .
Materials stolen from menelik`s work has been used to launch south africa`s national stadium,offer university degrees in six south african universities,run goverment itself and execute the 2015 homo naledi human evolution bone scam.
In 2015, UN WHF CDI Corps EU Ambassador MENELIK CC Ngene, had against all odds, sucessfully resolved on paper, all pre existing UNWHF EU and EU problems of poor leadership,poor diplomacy,organisational strategy and documented his ideas in his 2015 UNWHF EU diplomatic mails to the presidents of EU Commission and the EU Parliament.
In spite of the fact he ha
Nonsense! Thats why we need a strong Europe!
Somewhat yes, there is a big shame among us now :/
Did you ever trust Germans ? :P
Europe per se is the damage to each EU MS. We are in this situation because of dictatorial policies and complete incompetence emanating from the stupid euroidiots in Brussels
Hell yeah!
“Damaged trust” . Refugee crisis is going to destroy the EU if Angela continue with that politics . Refugee crisis is great evidence that something is really wrong with the EU and our democracy . One person decided to open borders to such a huge number immigrants without to ask own citizens nor other EU citizens and all other EU member states should accept those people . OK she told we should help poor refugees but those people are young man , on the other side we have so many starving people and Angela never tried to help them , really strange big love for Arabs and ignorance for black Africans and Asians :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3etBe5ej_Is
Maybe losing trust in Germany?
Of course it did!
Everything has its end, only salamy has two ends.
The trust on the Union isn’t just damaged is destroyed because nobody anymore is following the rules or even the agreements they make… If you can’t HONOR THE AGREEMENTS YOU MAKE you worth nothing, you can’t even call your self civilized..
Sad but true
Esta foi a causa próxima que deu o “mate” na confiança de um projecto que está em coma
Marxism go to kill us all
This is a new level of stupidity in this comment.
What does “marxism” has go to do with a very CAPITALISTIC approach to solving problems ?
We need EU external borders, EU border authority staffed well from the militaries of the member countries. Not necessarily to close borders but to be able catch and to process and to identify the refugees. Those coming from wars (Syria) should be accepted but the rest not.
The European project was a failure for many other reasons not immigration , and politicians will have to accept all the blame , and the fact that the EU will disappear
I think yes because we all know europe values as humanity, peace, sharing etc but after responsed from different EU states like Hungry it showing in other hand lack of leadership and unity between the EU states.
Which is damaging the overall trust.
The EU debate on immigrants is completely missing the point on several important fronts. I was a Hungarian refugee in Italy 1969, having fled with my family across the current border of Slovenia and Italy. During this time there was a steady trickle from eastern Europe and Albania across the somewhat porous iron curtain between Yugoslavia and Italy. Maybe around 10,000 refuges a year arrived, judging from the size of the 3-4 refugee camps that operated with Red Cross money across Italy. With other words a tiny amount of people compared with the current influx of migrants from the African continent. Furthermore, most of the refugees were not only European but also (except the Albanians) of Christian religion. Nevertheless, the doors of western European nations were completely closed to these economic and political refugees. The only European nation that sent delegations to the camps in Italy was Sweden, who granted asylum to a few hundred individually selected (my family among them) applicants every year. The borders of all other European nations, such as Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Benelux and Switzerland were completely closed to these eastern European refugees. Consequently, most refugees went to the Anglo Saxon colonies of Canada, New Zealand and Australia, or the USA.
A very different situation from today when in the recent migrant crisis, Germany (already home to some 2 million) Turks took in close to a million Muslims last year alone, and little Sweden accepted 160,000. Did all of a sudden these nations develop a tremendous amount of compassion to be so generous towards Middle Eastern and African refugees? In 50 years, Germany has gone from refusing to even accept a single Hungarian political refugee, to now berating Hungary for not signing up to the influx of 100,000 or more Muslim immigrants. How and why did this transformation happen?
What has changed is the expansion of the EU and the globalization of the economy. Germany together with other western industrial nations, have been massive beneficiaries of the change, with ever more access to ever more consumers for the products their factories churn out. These export industry jobs are loved by economists and the central bankers love the inflows of foreign currencies it creates. However, these industries are not loved because they are providing stimulating and rewarding jobs. They do not. They actually provide some of the worst jobs one can even define. Being a human robot on a car assembly line ranks right down there with cleaning public toilets when it comes to job satisfaction.
As these product exporting western nations started to get rich in foreign source income, they expanded the domestic service sector and all the natives that had worked on dirty factory floors left the factories for public service jobs in front of a computer terminal. This created a labour void in export the industries that had to be filled at all costs. Normally xenophobic nations with racist populations figured out how to keep the inflows of foreign currency going by importing labour from wherever they could. The arriving migrants were clearly not very welcome, hence they were called Gastarbeiter (Guest worker) in Germany. The idea was that the million or more Turks would eventually be sent home once the domestic labour shortage could be eliminated by population increases. This of course never happened, as newer generations of Germans were as unwilling to work the factory floors as their parents had been. Even the immigrants, once they learned the language and integrated enough to qualify for other jobs also left the factory floors. The industries could have paid more to keep people in these jobs, but that would have made the products uncompetitive in foreign markets, so the only answer was to keep the flow of immigrants going.
Fast forward to today. The rich western EU nations, need a constant influx of new immigrants to keep their foreign income earning activities going and to have ample staff on hand for all the menial jobs in the economy that natives shun. A steady flow of new desperate immigrants prevents the already present ones from making wage demands, so these industries can remain competitive internationally. Even though Italy has youth unemployment numbers in the 30-40% range, it has to import workers to pick tomatoes, grapes, and olives. Young Italians prefer to live at home and collect unemployment while they await their turn in line to get a life time job turning paper in some government office. Without new immigrants Parisian restaurants would have to close or raise prices. The story is the same all across Western Europe. New immigrants are not only welcome, but outright necessary, because they are deployed in sectors that are bringing in foreign source income to these nations, and the wage pressure they create mostly hits the existing group of immigrants. The majority of the native populations of the western nations are holding jobs that are beyond the reach of first generation immigrants.
The situation is completely different in Eastern Europe, where the former communist nations are just now starting to develop some kind of ways to earn income from other nations via exports and tourism, while at the same time just starting to learn how to protect their domestic resources from foreign speculators. In Hungary, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, etc. menial jobs are still being done by nationals, and the factory floor jobs that natives in the west shun, are coveted by the native population as they pay way more than employment in their impoverished governments. If these nations are somehow forced to accept immigrants on a large scale in the name of EU immigration politics, the new people will simply put wage pressure on jobs held by natives as there is no existing generation of immigrants. Every citizen in these countries know this, and thus they vote for politicians who promise to protect them from this competitive pressure that will only make life worse for them. The rise of support nationalist parties that are hostile to immigration is an obvious and logical response in a democracy.
The populations in western European nations don’t like immigrants any more than eastern Europeans do. They just tolerate them because they know that otherwise many of them would have to leave the cushy government jobs they now hold and start working on factory floors and clean toilets, or stop enjoying all the tasty foreign foods they now import because they cannot grow it.
The immigration rhetoric coming out of western EU politicians is either rooted in profound ignorance about the existing economic disparities between its western and eastern member states, or it is just the latest example of western European cynical, self serving hypocrisy. In the east, all it accomplishes is increasing the already existing anti EU sentiment.
Lastly, the mayhem in the middle east and Africa that is producing the migrant crisis is largely a result of historical meddling in middle eastern affairs by the former colonial powers UK, France, Belgium and Netherlands, and is kept alive today by international capitalists and self serving US foreign politics. These nations continue to benefit even during the war through arms shipments to the combatants.
People leave their homeland only when starvation is on the door steps. While there is war in the middle east, these people are not feeling the bullets, they are fleeing the prospect of starvation. The migrant crisis could be easily resolved if these powers stopped shipping arms to the combatants and instead shipped an abundance of food to feed the population. They don’t do that though because food is expensive and many western nations have to import a good deal of what they eat. It’s much more profitable to export arms, create the mayhem and then absorb the migrants in the very industries that build the arms. If this is not stopped, the migrant crisis will just grow and spread, as it is fueled by a positive economic feedback loop…
We cannot say than the European project failed because of the immigration. Europe’s problem started before the arriving of immigrant.