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On Europe Day, Is There Anything to Celebrate? On Europe Day, Is There Anything to Celebrate?
(35 minutes later)
Monday is Europe Day, the European Union’s annual celebration of peace and unity on the Continent. This being the European Union, do not expect any fireworks or carousing in the streets of Brussels, although the bloc’s employees have the day off, and several public events are planned. LONDON — Monday is Europe Day, the European Union’s annual celebration of peace and unity on the Continent. This being the European Union, do not expect any fireworks or carousing in the streets of Brussels, although the bloc’s employees have the day off, and several public events are planned.
The holiday commemorates a 1950 speech by Robert Schuman, the French foreign minister at the time, that set out the case for a European Coal and Steel Community. This became the core of what later evolved into the European Union.The holiday commemorates a 1950 speech by Robert Schuman, the French foreign minister at the time, that set out the case for a European Coal and Steel Community. This became the core of what later evolved into the European Union.
Monday is also Victory Day in Russia, commemorating the Soviet Union’s triumph over Nazi Germany in 1945; a giant military parade in Moscow celebrates the occasion. The defeat of the Third Reich is more often observed on May 8.Monday is also Victory Day in Russia, commemorating the Soviet Union’s triumph over Nazi Germany in 1945; a giant military parade in Moscow celebrates the occasion. The defeat of the Third Reich is more often observed on May 8.
While most of the Continent is mercifully free of war, an accomplishment for which the European Union won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2012, in many ways it is facing more challenges than ever. Here are six.While most of the Continent is mercifully free of war, an accomplishment for which the European Union won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2012, in many ways it is facing more challenges than ever. Here are six.
British voters will decide June 23 on whether to leave the 28-nation European Union, a decision known as “Brexit.” Driven by fears over immigration, dissatisfaction with the bureaucracy in Brussels and anxiety over Britain’s evolving place in the world, the “leave” campaign says that Britain will be stronger outside the European Union than in it, although economic evidence suggests otherwise. Prime Minister David Cameron, who is helping to lead the “remain” campaign, gave a forceful speech on Monday, warning that leaving the European Union would raise the risk of conflict. His office even released a video showing four World War II veterans to make the case. President Obama, visiting London last month, urged Britain to stay in the 28-nation bloc. British voters will decide on June 23 whether to leave the 28-nation European Union, a decision known as “Brexit.” Driven by fears over immigration, dissatisfaction with the bureaucracy in Brussels and anxiety over Britain’s evolving place in the world, the campaign to leave says that Britain will be stronger outside the European Union than in it, although economic evidence suggests otherwise. Prime Minister David Cameron, who is helping to lead the campaign to remain, gave a forceful speech on Monday, warning that leaving the European Union would raise the risk of conflict. His office even released a video showing four World War II veterans to make the case. President Obama, visiting London last month, urged Britain to stay in the bloc.
More than one million people desperate and fleeing war and persecution entered the Continent last year, testing the European Union’s bonds of unity. The majority ended up in Germany, where Chancellor Angela Merkel, defying domestic and international critics, insisted on keeping the door open to asylum seekers. Under a deal with Turkey reached in March, asylum seekers using clandestine routes to reach Greece from Turkey are being sent back, while the European Union will directly resettle refugees, mostly Syrians, who have been processed and registered in Turkey. Many observers say the crisis will not really abate without a political or other resolution to end the Syrian civil war, now more than five years old. More than one million people desperate and fleeing war and persecution entered the Continent last year, testing the European Union’s bonds of unity. A majority ended up in Germany, where Chancellor Angela Merkel, defying domestic and international critics, insisted on keeping the door open to asylum seekers. Under a deal with Turkey reached in March, asylum seekers using clandestine routes to reach Greece from Turkey are being sent back, while the European Union will directly resettle refugees, mostly Syrians, who have been processed and registered in Turkey. Many observers say the crisis will not really abate without a political or other resolution to end the Syrian civil war, now more than five years old.
Dissatisfaction with the European Union is nothing new, but a combination of factors — anxieties over Islam, fears of terrorism and economic stagnation — have fueled right-wing parties across Europe. Marine Le Pen’s National Front made big gains in the first round of regional elections in France in December, several weeks after terrorist attacks killed 130 people in and around Paris (though her party was shut out of power in the second round of voting). In Germany, the migration crisis has fueled the rise of the far-right Alternative for Germany. Last week, the once-marginal U.K. Independence Party, which supports a British exit from the union, won seats in the Welsh Assembly and London Assembly.Dissatisfaction with the European Union is nothing new, but a combination of factors — anxieties over Islam, fears of terrorism and economic stagnation — have fueled right-wing parties across Europe. Marine Le Pen’s National Front made big gains in the first round of regional elections in France in December, several weeks after terrorist attacks killed 130 people in and around Paris (though her party was shut out of power in the second round of voting). In Germany, the migration crisis has fueled the rise of the far-right Alternative for Germany. Last week, the once-marginal U.K. Independence Party, which supports a British exit from the union, won seats in the Welsh Assembly and London Assembly.
Years after the financial crisis of 2008-09, Europe’s economy is only fitfully recovering. The International Monetary Fund projects that the euro area will grow by a lethargic 1.7 percent this year, compared with 4.3 percent in emerging and developing economies, 2.6 percent in the United States and 2.2 percent in Britain (which does not use the euro). Aging populations, stagnant productivity and rising inequality in Europe — Greek households lost 24 percent of their disposable income, while German households gained more than 15 percent, from 2008 to 2014 — are fueling discontent. Youth unemployment in Italy, Germany and Spain is high. In France, even a modest attempt to loosen the country’s rigid employee protections has been met with stiff protests. Years after the financial crisis of 2008-9, Europe’s economy is only fitfully recovering. The International Monetary Fund projects that the euro area will grow by a lethargic 1.7 percent this year, compared with 4.3 percent in emerging and developing economies, 2.6 percent in the United States and 2.2 percent in Britain (which does not use the euro). Aging populations, stagnant productivity and rising inequality in Europe — Greek households lost 24 percent of their disposable income, while German households gained more than 15 percent, from 2008 to 2014 — are fueling discontent. Youth unemployment in Italy, Germany and Spain is high. In France, even a modest attempt to loosen the country’s rigid employee protections has been met with stiff protests.
The Fidesz Party of Viktor Orban, elected prime minister of Hungary in 2010, and the Law and Justice Party, which swept to power in Poland last October, have alarmed human rights and civil liberties groups by limiting news media freedoms, reining in the judiciary and lashing out at dissidents in their countries. Mr. Orban was a harsh critic of Ms. Merkel’s stance on migration, while Poland faces a European Union investigation over whether its new government’s policies — which include greater control over the public broadcasting system and an effort to add new justices to the country’s constitutional court — violate the European Union’s democratic norms. The Fidesz Party of Viktor Orban, elected prime minister of Hungary in 2010, and the Law and Justice Party, which swept to power in Poland in October, have alarmed human rights and civil liberties groups by limiting news media freedoms, reining in the judiciary and lashing out at dissidents in their countries. Mr. Orban was a harsh critic of Ms. Merkel’s stance on migration, while Poland faces a European Union investigation over whether its new government’s policies — which include greater control over the public broadcasting system and an effort to add new justices to the country’s constitutional court — violate the European Union’s democratic norms.
Anxiety over a newly assertive Russia is one reason the European Union has been reluctant to confront Poland and Hungary more forcefully. The collapse in oil prices has sent Russia into a malaise, but President Vladimir V. Putin’s assertive and unpredictable foreign policies — his seizure of Crimea in 2014 and his military intervention in the Syrian civil war last year — have made him a force to reckon with. While the Cold War may have officially ended with the Soviet Union’s collapse in 1991, today’s European Union leaders fear that former communist countries of Eastern and Central Europe — not only the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia, which joined in 2004, but also potentially Bulgaria and Romania, which joined in 2007 — could be drawn back into Russia’s orbit of influence. Anxiety over a newly assertive Russia is one reason the European Union has been reluctant to confront Poland and Hungary more forcefully.
The song contest, known as much for its campiness and kitsch as for the talents of its contestants, is in its 61st year. This year’s contest culminates in Stockholm this week, with finals on Saturday. It’s not sponsored by the European Union, but, like soccer, it has arguably become a unifying influence for a Continent still haunted with the ghosts of history, and possibly something worth celebrating this Europe Day. The collapse in oil prices has sent Russia into a malaise, but President Vladimir V. Putin’s assertive and unpredictable foreign policies — his seizure of Crimea in 2014 and his military intervention in the Syrian civil war last year — have made him a force to reckon with. While the Cold War may have officially ended with the Soviet Union’s collapse in 1991, today’s European Union leaders fear that former communist countries of Eastern and Central Europe — not only the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia, which joined in 2004, but also potentially Bulgaria and Romania, which joined in 2007 — could be drawn back into Russia’s orbit of influence.
The song contest, known as much for its campiness and kitsch as for the talents of its contestants, is in its 61st year. This year’s contest culminates in Stockholm this week, with finals on Saturday. It is not sponsored by the European Union, but, like soccer, it has arguably become a unifying influence for a Continent still haunted with the ghosts of history, and possibly something worth celebrating this Europe Day.