Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
FRENCH PRESIDENT FRANCOIS Hollande called for the European Union to scale back its role in the lives of its citizens after anti-EU parties made sweeping electoral gains across the bloc.
In comments with far-reaching implications for the EU’s future, the Socialist leader said the spectacular success of parties like France’s own National Front (FN) reflected how the bloc had become “remote and incomprehensible” for many of its citizens.
“This cannot continue. Europe has to be simple, clear, to be effective where it is needed and to withdraw from where it is not necessary,” Hollande said in a televised address to the nation.
The comments will be greeted with delight by Eurosceptics who accuse Brussels of meddling in national affairs, and by the likes of British Prime Minister David Cameron, who also advocates a scaling back of the powers currently vested in the European institutions.
But their tone will cause concern among those, particularly in Germany, who believe European integration still has further to run.
Hollande’s Socialist Party suffered a humiliating setback in Sunday’s elections for a new European Parliament, registering a record low vote of just under 14 percent while the FN topped the polls with nearly 25 percent.
The French leader said France remained committed to playing a leading role in Europe, but also acknowledged that the economic austerity of recent years had alienated many ordinary people.
“I am a European, my duty is to reform France and to change the direction of Europe,” Hollande added.
“Europe, in the last two years, has overcome the euro crisis but at what price? An austerity that has ended up disheartening the people.”
Unease among Arabs, Jews
Marine Le Pen, 45, has been credited with significantly broadening the appeal of a party founded by her father Jean-Marie Le Pen and long tainted by association with his multiple convictions for inciting racism and denying the holocaust.
She said after Sunday’s vote that the French people had demonstrated they no longer wanted to be ruled from Brussels.
“Our people demand only one type of politics – a politics of the French, for the French and with the French,” she said.
Such language and the FN’s current momentum generates unease among France’s large immigrant population, which is mostly drawn from former colonies in Arab north Africa, and has also been cited as a factor in a recent upturn in Jewish emigration to Israel.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
It’s amazing how the likes of Hollande,Cameron and even our own dear Enda never say a word against the EU behemoth until they get trounced in the polls. Then it’s “the EU is too big”or “it’s too removed from the people”. They’re not listening to us. Anytime we voted no they told us to go back and do it again until we got it right.
I think it’s time the EU returned to being the EEC. Time to return to being a friendly, helpful co-operative, community of independent nations. Disband the European Parliament
Back to the time so where Irish people don’t have the right to live or work in other EU countries aside from the UK
70 years on and the Germans are still looking for a unified Europe answering to one leader.
Brilliant
Yeah, one that we elect. What exactly is wrong with that?
Germany makes €42 Billion surplus per annum from the rest of Europe!
A sobering thought!
The Euro was set up to benefit EU Countries not to destroy them economically!
It has destroyed Ireland economically!
We were forced by the Germany Government (Merkel) to take responsibility for unsecured loans given by German Banks to Irish Banks!
Unsecured means they had no guarantee or security but our elected politician in Ireland gave them a Government guarantee for full repayment!
This is political suicide for Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and Labour!
It’s time to unwind the Euro go back to our own currencies, devalue, create jobs and have an export boom!
Common sense!
Do our elected politicians have any?
They were elected to act in the best interest of Irish people. They do not!
They act in the interest of the German Government and the German Bankers!
Time for correction and apologies to the Irish electorate.
It’s not just the EU it’s politics in general that has become divorced from the people they govern, they stopped listening years ago and people are searching for some parties that will represent people not corporations, bankers and the vested interests of top civil servants and their lobbyists.
There isn’t one party which is tough on Crime in this Country, they’ve all long since become detached from reality and how Voters want to deal with Criminals.
I admire the French and the English, they had had enough of unregulated immigration and the EU liberal policies that underpin it. They are concerned for their country and their countrymen and I respect that.
Being proud of your nation and having a preference for your fellow countrymen is not racism, it’s just national pride.
Europe should be run 100% by elected people!! Its unbelievable what they are doing to us all and they are not even elected….
EU reform is the last thing we want, we need a federal European superstate.
the people of Ireland need the EU to look after us, we as a nation are to small and stupid to run ourselves. If it was not for Brussels and the fantastic leadership of FG we would be fu$ked…..
Europe needs to be strong so as when war breaks out with Russia we will be ready.
Troll
The people don’t want a federal superstate. They don’t want forced integration. They don’t want to be ruled from Brussels. What is it that you don’t understand?
Starship troopers springs to mind….. Be a citizen…. Enlist!
Fcuking troll !!
Are you licking the inside of eggshells again..
I would like any kind of state where you are held accountable and no golden pension…….
Jesus mate you’re a bleedin’ lunatic.
More evidence, if it was needed, that our mental health services are in crisis.
Jeez, not health care…. The whole system…… Something similar to French revolution needed here….. Politicians from the traditional parties are solid crooks….. rich suck everything else dry….. Burn the fkn place down…. Eradicate these people….. What other way will work? Well, never see enough on the streets when bad things are forced on people by corrupt politicians like you do in other countries…. Given a choice of protesting, or watching Coronation st, well, you know what wins….. Irish are lazy…….. Will travel to far reaches of globe to watch a football game, but not slam down the door of your local TD……. Typical…..
TAXI for Maloney.
Taxi ? Ambulance more like.
Iceland got into financial difficulties in 2008 the same year as Ireland.
Iceland devalued, burnt the Bondholders and rebuilt.
Exports boomed, and today Iceland has full employment!
Our Irish politicians have not learned!
School teachers with two pension do not make good politicians! Self interest! Milk the system like FF!
The French now want a smaller EU.
Is Ireland going to wait to be expelled or do we have the intelligence to take corrective action ourselves?
Our politicians were elected to act in the best interest of the Irish people NOT the German Government led by Merkel!!
Time for cop on!
Change your direction now before you do more damage!
Not one developer, builder, banker or politician has gone prison.
In USA several bankers were jailed for corruption and reckless trading!
To be fair, Iceland was not and is not a member of the EU behemoth, thereby making it far easier for them to burn the bondholders, devalue their currency and rebuild their economy. While I admire the actions of the Icelanders, I don’t think the comparison to Ireland’s case is a fair one.
Likewise, it isn’t fair to say that several banks in the US were jailed for corruption and reckless trading. During the financial crisis only one senior banker was jailed as a result of it; a fella called Kareem Serageldin. He’s a token head, clearly. America is no more angelic in dealing with the actions or incompentence of bankers than anywhere else.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/04/magazine/only-one-top-banker-jail-financial-crisis.html?_r=0
have your say