EU Vows To Use New Powers To Block All Elected ‘Far Right’ Populists From Power

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Ultimately, a country can be stripped of voting rights in the EU or have funding blocked.

In a test run for the new EU constitutional powers, the commission has issued unprecedented orders to Poland, instructing the newly elected right-wing government to bow to Polish judges who have struck down laws passed by the parliament.

Cant check how reliable this source is, seeing as I cant access it.

But have you read who decides this? It isn't the Commission.

"The European Council [ie Heads of Government], acting by unanimity on a proposal by one third of the Member States or by the Commission and after obtaining the consent of the European Parliament, may determine the existence of a serious and persistent breach by a Member State of the values referred to in Article 2... Where a determination .. has been made, the Council, acting by a qualified majority, may decide to suspend certain of the rights deriving from the application of the Treaties to the Member State in question, including the voting rights of the representative of the government of that Member State in the Council."

That's a hell of a lot of checks and balances

(nb. there seems to be a drafting error in that unanimity seems to include the country complained about)



But that is what the Rule of Law means; that the Polish government must comply with the Polish Constitution.

What this discussion shows is the extent to which the Brexit debates becomes a forum for the extreme right. I want Cameron to have the right on our behalf not to have to play footsie with fascists and dictators and that is what this power gives.

Let's unpick what Juncker, the President of the European Commission actually said, before the people of Austria went to the polls.

He said that he hoped that the Green candidate, Van der Bellen would win, (and therefore, obviously that the Freedom Party candidate Hofer would lose) and that he could have "no debate or dialogue with the far right."

I put it to you that this was an attempt to influence that election. And will have been perceived as such in Austria. Jean Claude wasn't just offering his personal political preference as a prosperous Luxembourger, chatting to his mates in the global media in a private capacity.

He was speaking as Commission President, ex cathedra.

Maybe you don't accept that premise. If so, fine, we have nothing to discuss.

But assuming you do, let me ask you a few questions, since you still seem pretty sanguine about all of this:

1. Is it appropriate for a President of the Commission to interfere in the domestic elections of member countries? Is that the sort of European Union you want? Will it be a growing trend if we remain?

2. Who elected Juncker himself to his post? Note I do not say "appointed", but elected by direct democratic mandate? How can this electorate throw him out?
Can we in Britain do so? If so how? (As I recall our democratically elected PM didn't want him in the first place but wasn't able to prevent it?)

3. On the assumption that the rise of the "Far Right" is in part a reaction to a perceived elite, regarded as out of touch and unelected (an assumption you may not share, but I predicate) do you think such an attempted intervention will have a positive or deleterious effect?

4. Would you be comfortable if the European Union (having gone through all its checks and balances, ya de ya) suspended some of the UK's Treaty Rights, if the British people elected a Government of which it did not approve?

That is a poor point. Tell me about the direct democratic mandate of Callaghan and Brown. British PM's have an indirect mandate and Juncker was approved by the EU Parliament and can be removed by it.

I don't know. The substantial majority in Europe who are very pro-EU and demonstrated that at the last EU election may well be cheering Juncker's comments to the rafters.

Probably yes, because the sort of government we would be talking about would be building gas chambers in Hyde Park. Remember this isn't about getting the approval of a power crazed bureaucrat, this is about persuading the heads of governments of countries like us, that the British government was barking. Almost certainly, Canada, New Zealand and Australia would be trying simultaneously to have our Commonwealth membership suspended.

Good.

It is all over the web if you want to check its veracity.

Just saying you disbelieve something with obvious provenance adds nothing to this conversation.

"Democracy is bad when it gives results I don't like"

Posted from TSR Mobile

Good.

Probably yes, because the sort of government we would be talking about would be building gas chambers in Hyde Park.

Good.

Fascist.

Where? Yahoo (with one quote) and Breitbart are the only accessible sources. Where else is it such that it's "all over the web"?



I'm trying to suggest that people shouldn't just accept news because it fits into their political views, in this case leaving the EU, which is exactly what Breitbart (and the Daily Mail) do. What is a debate without two sides?

If you can only find one source for the Juncker interference in the Austrian election speech on the whole web, then clearly you have a bit of a problem, I agree. Maybe ask someone who can do basic searches on Google to help you out?

Your bolded comment is highly ironic because it is a product of your OWN political views. You disagree (it is pretty obvious) with the editorial stance of Beitbart and the Daily Mail and therefore seek to dismiss anything they report, out of hand. To close down debate..

That is ridiculous, A speech is a speech, either it was correctly reported or not. The vehicle in which it arrives is irrelevant. It wouldn't matter if the Juncker speech was published in the Islamic State's propaganda magazine. It is what he says that matters not WHERE the speech is reported.

That is why it adds nothing to the debate.

Nulli and I have been having an interesting discussion (I have found it so at least, he is clearly a very bright and well informed chap) ABOUT that speech and its ramifications.

Join it is you wish, be my guest. What do you think?