Eurointelligence – The CDU/CSU is in open revolt against Merkel
“Pwe really think that the Greeks and Italians will continue in the established tradition of negotiating bad deals that are unfavorable to them?”
Of Saint Simon - June 16, 2018
There is a government crisis in Germany, due to the conflict between Interior Minister Horst Seehofer, president of the Bavarian Catholic Democratic Party CSU, and Chancellor Angela Merkel. The object of the conflict is immigration policy: Seehofer, in view of the October elections in Bavaria - the southern border of Germany on which the Mediterranean and Balkan routes converge - he would like the total rejection of refugees already registered in other EU countries at the borders; Merkel is seeking a softer approach so as not to exacerbate tensions in the European countries on the external border, and now it finds itself in the difficult position of depending on bilateral agreements with the Italians and Greeks for its political survival. He will probably try to offer large concessions in exchange, but in any case it would only postpone the showdown: Immigration continues to be the potential explosion of the shaky European balance. And Eurointelligence.
of the editorial team, Thursday 14 June 2018.
Immigrant crises are by nature cross-border events, but there are now other disturbing parallels between developments in Germany and Italy. In Germany there is an open revolt against Angela Merkel, which now desperately wants to find a European solution in a very short space of time.
According to the German news agency DPA, Merkel met Horst Seehofer last night, President of the CSU and Minister of the Interior, and proposed a compromise. The idea is that Germany concludes bilateral agreements with Italy and Greece, under the umbrella or at least with the acquiescence of the EU. These agreements would therefore make it possible for Germany to reject at the border immigrants who have already been registered in the two countries. This is the main demand of Seehofer and the CSU: the total rejection at the border of any refugee who has already been registered in another EU member country. Merkel's main concern, apart from his own political future, it is the cohesion of the EU if Germany were to act unilaterally.
What the story reported by DPA does not say is what Merkel intends to offer Italy and Greece in exchange. Perhaps Greece would not ask for debt relief? And Italy would not want full German support for its immigration policies, perhaps to the detriment of Spain and France? Italy would not ask for tacit German consent to an inevitable fiscal transgression? And the concession would not provoke a rebellion in the Bundestag? Or do we really think that the Greeks and Italians will continue the established tradition of negotiating bad deals that are unfavorable to them?
There is no response from the CSU, if not half sentences about the fact that they will not change their line, which makes no sense considering what Merkel is proposing. We have no doubt that, if Merkel's compromise was accepted by the other member states, and if it received approval from the European Council, Seehofer would agree.
Come Theresa May, Merkel might just buy some time, but the moment of truth will come. It's a binary problem: either you reject immigrants at the borders or you don't. And time is running out: Bavaria will hold state elections in October, and we do not believe that the CSU will accept a compromise that does not lead to a certain result the following year. Merkel needs a political agreement with Giuseppe Conte and Alexis Tsipras, and relatively early.
To give an idea of the ongoing rebellion, we considered an article on the The world. It is not a newspaper that we usually cite because we do not always consider it reliable. That said, we point out a story according to which a CDU parliamentarian has ptalked about a vote of no confidence in Merkel, while another said that there is a large majority within the CDU group in the Bundestag in favor of Seehofer's positions. This means that Seehofer will likely lead the charge in this stalemate.
In the meantime, Seehofer continues his search for European allies to support him in his difficult position. Yesterday he held a meeting with Sebastian Kurz in Berlin, at the end of which Seehofer spoke of an alliance between him, Kurz and Matteo Salvini, the new Italian strongman. He spoke of an “axis of consent” (axis of the willings), a dark metaphor full of heavy meanings.
Kurz said Austria's priority for its upcoming EU presidency is strengthening Frontex, the external border police, in terms of staff, funds and mandate. He noted that a new refugee route has opened up – through Greece, via Albania. The closure of the Western Balkan route put an end to the crisis 2015/2016, but this is becoming a new alternative corridor. According to FAZ, there are proposals for a “refugees for money” agreement with Albania, along the same lines as the one concluded with Turkey. We wouldn't be surprised.
http://vocidallestero.it/2018/06/16/eurointelligence-la-cducsu-e-in-aperta-rivolta-contro-la-merkel/
Now Merkel is afraid: immediately a special European summit on migrants
A short-term solution for Italy, Greece and Austria
“Migration is a European challenge, which needs a European response", repeats Merkel, But the chancellor's objective is to seek a short-term solution for Italy, Greece and Austria. Waiting to find an agreement in the European Union, Merkel proposes a summit that, according to what he reports Picture on Sunday, should be held next weekend.
Conte's trip to Berlin
"Yes, absolutely. In our time, that of financial capitalism, the old left-right dichotomy has been replaced by the new top-bottom dichotomy, master-slave (Hegel). Above, the master has his place, wants a more deregulated market, more globalization, more liberalization. Under, the “national socialist” servant (Gramsci) he wants less free trade and more nation state, less globalization and defense of wages, less European Union and more existential and professional stability. Il 4 March in Italy was not a victory for the right, nor the left: bass wins, the servant. And it is represented by the M5S and the League, the parties that the global master and his intellectuals defame as “populist”, that is, the neighbors of the people and not the financial aristocracy (Marx). If they are populists, it must be said that the master's parties are decidedly demophobic, they hate people".
President Mattarella has finally allowed the formation of the new government, Savona is no longer in the economy but is still part of the team. He feared that the new elections would give even more voice to the two dissonant groups?
"Absolutely. There was no need to take risks. Italy, like all European countries, lives under a perpetual financial dictatorship of the markets. That is, a glamorous totalitarianism, the totalitarianism of the capitalist market. The markets are asking, the markets are nervous: they are deities who decide from above, it is the culmination of fetishism well described by Marx. In the 2011, Italy was the victim of a financial coup by the EU. And even now it is almost reproduced. However, the “yellow-green” government was formed, although it has undergone significant changes (in particular the role of Savona), so as not to leave the markets dissatisfied..."
If Di Maio and Salvini want to take care of Italian-Russian relations, it is to free ourselves from liberalism whose logic according to Michel Onfray is impoverishment?
"Yes, Salvini and Di Maio are looking to Russia. And that's a good thing. Putin's Russia is now the only resistance against dollar imperialism, that is, against the Americanization of the world, also known as globalization. It is better to have a multipolar world, as we say these days, instead of the nightmare of “universal monarchy” (Kant), that is to say, of a single power invading the entire world. Italy should emerge from NATO, free yourself from the beyond 100 US military bases and seek to regain their monetary sovereignty, cultural and economic, opening up to Russia and non-aligned states".
We can say that the euro crisis is back, regarding the situation in Italy but also in Spain?
"I think so, Yes. I don't know the Spanish situation as an expert, but certainly Spain, like Italy and other Mediterranean countries, it has many problems caused by the euro. The euro is not a currency but a "method of government" (Foucault): a neoliberal method of government against the working and populist classes, and creates benefits only for the lords of capitalist globalism. We don't have to save the euro, we must save ourselves from the euro! I argued this in my book “Europe and Capitalism”. I hope that the yellow-green government takes Italy out of the euro and the European Union: this is the only way to defend the working classes and precarious people, by doing public spending and a real social policy".
You often say that the old bourgeoisie and the old proletariat are now part of the same oppressed group, It's not a bit exaggerated?
“That's exactly how it is. It's the new "precariat": the old bourgeois bourgeoisie and the old working class, once enemies, they are today oppressed and insecure, they form a new poor and disenfranchised plebs at the mercy of financial predators and banking usury. The ruling class this time is the financial aristocracy, a cosmopolitan class of bankers and delocalizers, lords of big business and dumping. Marx says it very well in the third book of Capital: capitalism overcomes its bourgeois phase and enters the financial one, based on financial income and thefts of the bankocracy. This is our destiny".
FIGAROVOX/INTERVIEW – At thirty-five years old, the philosopher specializing in Marx and Gramsci is the theorist who inspired the Five Star Movement campaign. Exclusively for Figarovox, he deciphers the Italian political recomposition.
Born in Turin in 1983, Diego Fusaro is a doctor in philosophy of history and teaches at the University of Milan. He draws on his reading of Hegel, Marx, Gramsci or Gentile to construct dissonant political thought, very hostile to the euro and financial capitalism. He regularly posts on his blog personnel.
Le Figarovox chose to give voice to this influential voice in the Italian debate to better understand the causes of the transalpine political upheavals.
FIGAROVOX.- The understanding between the League and the Movement 5 Is Stars the alliance of your wishes to replace the left/right divide??
Diego FUSARO.- Oui, absolutely. In our time, that of financial capitalism, the old right-left dichotomy has been replaced by the new up-down dichotomy, master-slave (Hegel). Above, the master has his place, he wants more deregulated market, more globalization, more liberalizations. Below, the “national-popular” serf (Gramsci) wants less free trade and more national state, less globalization and a defense of wages, less European Union and more existential and professional stability. The 4 March in Italy was not the victory of the right, nor from the left: the bottom won, the serf. And it is represented by the M5S and the League, the parties that the global master and his intellectuals defame as “populist”, that is to say, neighbors of the people and not of the financial aristocracy (Marx). If they are populist, it must be said that the master's parties are downright demophobic, they hate the people.
President Mattarella finally allowed the formation of the new government, Savona is no longer in the economy but he is still part of the team. Was he afraid that new elections would give even more votes to the two dissonant parties??
Quite. We had to take no risks. Italy, like all countries in Europe, lives under a perennial financial dictatorship of the markets. It means glamorous totalitarianism, the totalitarianism of the capitalist market. Markets demand, the markets are feeling nervous: they are deities who decide from above, it is the culmination of fetishism well described by Marx. In 2011, Italy was the victim of a financial coup d’état wanted by the EU. And even now it almost happened again. Despite everything, the “yellow-green” government (the colors of the M5S and the League, respectively) was formed, even if it has suffered significant modifications (notably the role of Savona), so as not to leave the markets too dissatisfied…
Why are Di Maio and Salvini looking towards Russia?
Because Putin’s Russia is today the only resistance against dollar imperialism, that is to say against the Americanization of the world, also known as globalization. A multipolar world is better, as they say these days, instead of the nightmare of “universal monarchy” (Kant), that is to say of a single power which invades the entire world. Italy should leave NATO, free itself from more than a hundred American military bases and seek to regain its monetary sovereignty, cultural and economic, opening to Russia and the non-aligned states.
We must not save the euro, we must save ourselves from the euro !
Can we say that the euro crisis is back?, concerning the situation in Italy but also in Spain?
I think so. I don't know the Spanish situation like an expert, but certainly Spain, like Italy and other Mediterranean countries, has a lot of suffering caused by the euro. The euro is not a currency but a “method of government” (Foucault): a neoliberal method of government against the working classes and populists, and creating profits only for the lords of capitalist globalism. We must not save the euro, we must save ourselves from the euro! I argued this in my book “Europe and Capitalism”. I hope that the yellow-green government will take Italy out of the euro and the European Union: this is the only way to defend the working classes and precarious people, by making public spending and a real social policy.
You often say that the old bourgeoisie and the old proletariat are now part of the same oppressed group, isn't that a bit exaggerated??
It's exactly like that. He is the new “precariat”: the old middle bourgeois stock and the old working class, for a time enemies, are today oppressed and precarious, they form a new impoverished and deprived of rights plebs given financial predations and bank usury. The ruling class is, this time, the financial aristocracy, a cosmopolitan class of bankers and outsourcers, lords of big business a you dumping. Marx says it very well in the third book of Capital: capitalism surpasses its bourgeois phase and enters the financial phase, based on financial rent and the theft of the bankocracy. This is our fate.
THE TIMES: On immigration, Italian populists are the future.. Merkel the past.
The EU melting pot is melting down
Niall Ferguson
One hundred and 10 years ago the British author Israel Zangwill completed his play The Melting Pot. First staged in Washington in October 1908 — where it was enthusiastically applauded by President Theodore Roosevelt — it celebrates the United States as a giant crucible fusing together “Celt and Latin, Slav and Teuton, Greek and Syrian — black and yellow — Jew and Gentile” to form a single people.
“Yes,” declares the play’s hero (like Zangwill’s father, a Jewish immigrant from Russia), “East and West, and North and South, the palm and the pine, the pole and the equator, the crescent and the cross . . . Here shall they all unite to build the Republic of Man and the Kingdom of God.”
It is rather hard to imagine a similar play being written about the European Union in the early 21st century. Or rather you could easily imagine a very different one. In it, the influx of migrants from all over the world would have precisely the opposite effect to the one envisioned by Zangwill. Far from leading to fusion, Europe’s migration crisis is leading to fission. The play might be called The Meltdown Pot. [….]
Where else can the populists come to power? They are already in government in some way in six EU member states: Austria, the Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Italy and Poland. But across the EU there are a total of 11 populist parties with popular support of 20% or more, implying that the number of populist governments could roughly double. It’s just that few countries can match Italy for political flexibility. Imagine, if you can, the right-wing alternative for Germany (AfD) sitting down with the German leftists (The left) for sausages and beer in Berlin.
(the rest here: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/the-eu-melting-pot-is-melting-down-hfw3975q8?shareToken=9eeef98774bb577bbd7b1f6d94db552a
End of Merkel? CDU MP admits Germany could have a new chancellor 'by the end of next week'.
The End Of Merkel? CDU Lawmaker Admits Germany Could Have A New Chancellor “By The End Of Next Week”
It’s looking increasingly likely that German Chancellor Angela Merkel may have attended her last G-7 conference.
A day after the euro whipsawed on conflicting reports touting the collapse of Merkel’s governing coalition, a lawmaker from Merkel’s own party said the Chancellor could be out by the end of next week during an appearance on BBC World at One (via Express). On Friday, German media reported that Merkel’s junior coalition partner, the CSU, had announced the end of its alliance with Merkel’s CDU – though that report was quickly denied.
While the German public’s anger over Merkel’s “open door” policy has been simmering for years, the instability within the ruling coalition – which features a decades-old political alliance between the CDU and CSU – intensified when Merkel decided over the weekend to veto a planby Interior Minister Horst Seehofer aimed at controlling and reducing illegal migration. The minister’s refusal to back down has already shattered an uneasy truce between conservative backers and opponents of her liberal asylum policy.
https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-06-16/cdu-lawmaker-says-germany-could-have-new-chancellor-end-next-week
(Mogherini's stoned face as she sees the EU crumbling. Erasmus generation had not prepared her for the fresh and harsh air of political freedom)
