For many people, 2016 was a miserable year. The Syrian conflict ground on and on; the Zika virus spread across the Americas; there were a string of brutal terror attacks around the world, and (whichever side of the Trump/Brexit divide you sit on) politics felt like it got a lot nastier.
Then there was the great celebrity death wave of 2016: David Bowie, Muhammad Ali, Leonard Cohen, Carrie Fisher, George Michael, Prince, Gene Wilder, Alan Rickman, Zsa Zsa Gabor, and more. On top of everything else, the realisation that our idols are not immortal somehow made 2016 seem particularly vindictive.
Of course, not everybody feels so gloomy about the last 12 months. For many people, 2016 is the year that citizens finally “took back control” from liberal elites. The coming year is one of hope and optimism, as a brighter future dawns. Indeed, perhaps the surge of populism is set to continue, particularly with French and German elections coming up.
Will 2017 be a better year than 2016? What are your predictions for the year ahead? 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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It will be for democracy & freedom, not for Brussels.
Freedom we already had you moron
@Tina Lythe
Freedom that was being slowly curtailed…
No we still going down! There are no solutions for the problems we had in 2016 nothing changed.
Yes, come on the Titanic!!!
Well it wouldn’t take much effort for this year to top last year. All it would take is for more understanding, willingness to listen to each other and a desire to work together in the interests of peace and coexistence. But as for guessing if that will happen, I won’t.
Buenos dias, los politicos de Europa están calentitos y sin cabeza, dificil cambiar si no se trábaja para el pueblo
No
a better year for whom? ,….. :/
Not looking good
I expect 2017 will be worse. The problems are not being addressed properly, the causes of the problems are ignored, and the accumulation of the negative effects will continue.
No propaganda will help after a while.
For us 2016 was the worse year I have ever lived. If 2017 is slight better it will be really good. But 2016s damage is heavy and will never reversed
Voitha panagia.
Αμήν
If the socialistic internationale will stop control EU sure, it will be great year for Europeans.
my prediction is that i’ll find a way to block such propaganda profiles as yours from comming sponsored on my Fb wall. :-)
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It will be for us, but then we are leaving the pointless EU :)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tN9EC3Gy6Nk
No it will not be a great year at all and you are stupid if you think otherwise
Says who?
Tina Lythe
Freedom from a barking mad ideology is ever a stupid idea.
Fascism, Nazism, Communism & now Europeanism, only the colour of your flag changes.
http://www.euronews.com/2016/08/23/why-france-is-the-most-likely-to-be-the-next-to-quit-the-eu
@Ivan Burrows
IF France leaves the EU [lets hope so] it should NEVER be allowed in the Commonwealth no matter how much they beg!
the EU won’t survive 2017…..
Yes it will it will carry on as usual but without whinging britain
That won’t be as usual then will it?
@Duncan
BRILLIANT riposte!
Bravo!
Não creio. Brexit, Trump, Eleições na Europa. Problema dos refugiados sem estar tratado.Só incertezas. Ficarei muito surpreendida se for melhor.
absolutamente…
veremos em poucos dias, se Trump mantêm o discurso de matar o Pres. Assad, para o substituir pelos moderados (os amigos do “Nobel da Paz” Obama)…
No doubt.
Will I eat an apple tomorrow?
No. 2016 was a wonderful year for the portuguese. 2017 can only be worse.
Yes, it was miserable – :(
Actually nope,the world is moving to hell however thinks that is somehow is untouchable to that just think again.
Compliments for the 2017 season to all! Even to the captured politicians who blindly support the EU bureaucratic buffoonery. I’ll hope they will spare us from their final envisaged “EU Fantasyland”- & pray for them.
Nobody has such magical foresight (“except the EC” & JCJ). It is up to us voters’- whenever the slightest possibility arises- “to advice them” how best to change an un-magical year to a magical one!
Si, l’Europa non si è certa resa onore nel 2016….speranze che il 2017 sia migliore sono molto poche !!!
I hope there will not be a war with Russia. Some countries are really intent on having it, just like it was with Iraq. They are now looking for reasons and spreading propaganda to justify a military aggression. If this happens, it will not be good for the world.
The other major destabilising factor is terrorism. If there are more attacks in 2017, then it will not be a better year. Humanity will really have to face the challenge of combating the ideology of Muslim religious sects like ISIL and other similar groups who glorify death instead of life, spread division and hatred between people and produce thousands of human killing machines by luring vulnerable people into a false sense of security and life purpose. If there are no steps taken by world politicians to achieve more unity against evil and less bickering and useless divisions, then it will not be a better year.
Also, the governments of many countries are too weak, corrupt and incapable of bringing normal, humane living conditions for their populations. There is extreme poverty and at the same time extreme selfishness of those who could change that. So we might see people demanding their right to life and dignity in different ways in different countries.
I think 2017 will be just as turbulent as 2016. This will continue in the following years until such time comes when all people in the world are happy with their lives. I don’t know when this will be, but hopefully, this century.
@Maia Alexandrova
I hope there is NOT a war with Russia UNTIL Brexit is done and dusted! :)
Seriously, even though we do not always see eye to eye, I hope that no European nation has to fight Russia or deal with ISIS terrorism incidents – PERIOD.
If the e goes `hop` it will be a brilliant year.
It won`t be for the EU.
It won`t be for the EU.
Depends on what you mean by ‘Better’. For me and other robot wars fans, having a second series of New Robot Wars this year means it’s going to be destructive, nasty, AND OH SO DELECTABLE. Other than that, this year is probably going to be the same, except the fact that several crucial national elections are happening. France is having one in April. Also, Article 50 triggering in March, eventually.
Yes it will be much better for all but the incompetent liberal elites
If nationalism can be fought back, it will be. Push off, problem creating ideology!
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A return to the natural order of the National State & an end of the pointless EU experiment.
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A return to the natural order of the National State & an end of the pointless EU experiment.
..2016 is the year that citizens finally “took back control” from liberal elites..
This.
I hope now that D.Trump is elected, 2017 will be even better. Liberal policies have failed the European people. This will be reflected in the next elections. EU needs a change of leadership. More european focused.
I do feel that you are all very very negative about this subject and words like “Trump”, “brexit”, “Russia”, “populism”, “OTAN” scares you a lot. What I’m trying to say is that we are not looking to possible good side of it. Reunite EU and rebuild from the scratch our concept of community (in whole sense). Like probably own defense, less dependencies of usa…. Let Trump crash USA in his own way, we are here to applaud his stupidity. Why worry now?
It’s already done, it’s consumed, from here, we are part of the problem or we are apart of their problem.
https://www.facebook.com/mikevscorner/photos/a.190374937730087.30131.190368281064086/956865857747654/?type=3&theater
https://www.facebook.com/mikevscorner/photos/a.190374937730087.30131.190368281064086/956865857747654/?type=3&theater