European Leaders Seethe over Putin-Orbán Meeting

GUARDIAN EUROPE: Czech president calls on western capitals not to fall for Russian leader’s tactic to break European unity

Viktor Orbán (left) and Vladimir Putin shake hands on Tuesday before their meeting as part of the Chinese belt and road forum in Beijing. Photograph: Grigory Sysoev/Sputnik/Kremlin/EPA
European leaders must not “fall” for the tactics of Vladimir Putin, the Czech president, Petr Pavel, has said, two days after Hungary’s prime minister shook hands with Russia’s leader.

Viktor Orbán, in a rare move for the leader of a country that belongs to the EU and Nato, met Putin in Beijing on Tuesday for what the Hungarian leader’s office described as a discussion on energy cooperation and peace.

Hungary has long been criticised for democratic backsliding at home and its Russia- and China-friendly policies abroad.

Its foreign minister, Péter Szijjártó, routinely visits Moscow. And in a move that has frustrated its allies, Hungary – along with Turkey – has yet to ratify Sweden’s application for Nato membership. » | Lili Bayer in Brussels | Friday, Octoner 20, 2023

Europe Seeks Peace, Not War. But Will It Be Ready If War Comes to Europe?

GUARDIAN EUROPE: To survive Russia’s neo-imperialism, Europe’s democracies must find a balance between their desire for peace and their own defence

In 2003, the philosophers Jürgen Habermas and Jacques Derrida published a joint article in Germany’s and France’s leading newspapers. In it, they criticised the American invasion of Iraq and called on Europeans to “assume a reflexive distance from themselves”, in particular their imperialism and colonialism.

The pair’s criticism of George W Bush’s imperialism was justified; and their suggestion that Europe could lead the world towards a post-imperial future was a nice idea. Today, however, confronted with Russia’s genocidal invasion of Ukraine, the question is whether such a post-imperial world can be achieved through the means that the two philosophers proposed.

The Europe they imagined was a Europe of dialogue, of conversation and the embrace of differences. This is, certainly, a dignified idea. The problem is that it is powerless when one is faced with evil. » | Volodymyr Yermolenko * | Tuesday, October 17, 2023

* Volodymyr Yermolenko is a Ukrainian philosopher, journalist and writer. He is the president of PEN Ukraine.

European Antisemitism from Its Origins to the Holocaust

Jan 10, 2022 | This 13-minute film introduces the history of antisemitism. The term was coined in the 19th century and refers to prejudice against or hatred of Jews. But as this film shows, anti-Jewish hostility goes back many centuries—to the era of early Christianity and the Middle Ages. As a religious minority, Jews in Christian-dominant Europe were consistently persecuted as “outsiders.” They became scapegoats and victims of targeted violence in times of severe hardship and economic and political change.

Anti-Jewish prejudices endured and took on new forms as western societies became more secular in the 19th century, and Jews gained more rights and opportunities. Some politicians used “the Jews” as scapegoats in their attempts to gain support from people left behind by economic change. Ultra-nationalists, seeking ethnically homogeneous nations, saw Jews as biologically “foreign”—a different “race.” Antisemites also hatched conspiracy theories about “Jewish power” and that, after World War I and the Russian Revolution, linked Jews to Communism.

These radical strands of racial antisemitism, tied to ethnic nationalism and conspiracy myths, became core elements of Nazi ideology as the party was forming in the aftermath of World War I. After the Nazis took power in 1933, these ideas became state policy and underpinned anti-Jewish laws and decrees. Nazi propaganda portrayed Germany’s Jews as an “alien,” biological threat to the survival of the German people. During World War II, this racial antisemitism motivated Nazi policy that evolved into mass murder and genocide. Nazi officials also exploited longstanding traditional prejudices towards Jews in the countries they conquered to gain help from non-Germans to locate, round up, deport, and kill Jews.

Europe’s ‘Mini-Trumps’ Survived His Fall. Now They’re Hoping for His Comeback

THE GUARDIAN – OPINION: From Orbán in Hungary to Fico in Slovakia, populists are looking to a Trump win to boost their power in the EU

Viktor Orbán and Donald Trump at the White House in Washington DC, 13 May 2019.Photograph: Chris Kleponis/EPA
When Donald Trump lost the White House in 2020, Europe’s strongmen, populists and climate change deniers lost a powerful ally and a protector. Yet most of Europe’s mini-Trumps have survived his fall, his denial of defeat and the storming of Congress by his supporters, and are now hoping that a comeback for the Republican frontrunner in next year’s US presidential election will put fresh wind in their own sails.

In his four years in office, Trump described the European Union as a “foe”and Nato as “obsolete”. He had earlier openly applauded the UK’s vote for Brexit and encouraged other countries to follow suit. He pulled the United States out of global agreements to fight climate change, tore up arms control treaties, slapped tariffs on his allies and picked fights with Germany over trade and defence spending. And he rolled out the red carpet for the populist leaders of Poland and Hungary just as they were defying EU censure over moves to snuff out judicial independence, civil rights and media pluralism. » | Paul Taylor | Tuesday, September 26, 2023

Revealed: One in Three Europeans Now Votes Anti-establishment

THE GUARDIAN – EUROPE: Exclusive: analysis of results in 31 countries last year found 32% of votes were cast for parties that are populist, far-left or far-right

Italy’s far-right prime minister Giorgia Meloni addressing an election rally in Ancona in August 2022. Composite: Guardian Design/AP
Almost one-third of Europeans now vote for populist, far-right or far-left parties, research shows, with wide support for anti-establishment politics surging across the continent in an increasingly problematic challenge to the mainstream.

Analysis by more than 100 political scientists across 31 countries found that in national elections last year a record 32% of European voters cast their ballots for anti-establishment parties, compared with 20% in the early 2000s and 12% in the early 1990s.

The research, led by Matthijs Rooduijn, a political scientist at the University of Amsterdam, and shared exclusively with the Guardian, also found that about half of anti-establishment voters support far-right parties – and this is the vote share that is increasing most rapidly. » | Jon Henley, Europe correspondent | Thursday, September 21, 2023

A perfect storm brewing’: how populists could challenge Europe this autumn: Anti-establishment parties look likely to play a significant role in elections in Slovakia, Poland and the Netherlands »

Storm Daniel Batters Greece, Turkey and Bulgaria with Heavy Rain | DW News

Sep 6, 2023 | In Europe Storm Daniel has battered Greece, Turkey and Bulgaria causing landslides and further damage with the deluge. Nine people are confirmed to have died so far. The storm has dumped vast amounts of water on south-eastern Europe, with Greece recording the highest level of rainfall since at least 2006. The floods in Greece follow weeks of drought and wildfires. The government says climate change is to blame.

Articles en français liés à cette vidéo.

Record Numbers of Migrants Arriving in Europe | DW News

Sep 4, 2023 | Sub-Saharan migration across the Mediterranean is on the rise. With Tunisia fast becoming the latest hotspot for departures, the EU has pledged to help avert migrant flows.

Hundreds of Firefighters Continue to Battle Wildfires across Europe - BBC News

Jul 28, 2023 | Wildfires continue to spread across Europe and the Mediterranean, with hundreds of firefighters tackling fires in countries like Italy and Greece. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has said his country needs to take more steps to combat the effects of climate change. The BBC’s Bethany Bell and Sofia Bettiza report from Rhodes and southern Italy.

‘Like a Blowtorch’: Mediterranean Gripped by Wildfires as Blazes Spread in Croatia and Portugal

THE GUARDIAN: ‘There is no magical defence mechanism,’ says Greek prime minister as fires burn in northern Africa and southern Europe

Wildfires were burning in at least nine countries across the Mediterranean as blazes spread in Croatia and Portugal, with thousands of firefighters in Europe and north Africa working in extreme heat to contain flames stoked by high temperatures, dry conditions and strong winds.

High temperatures and parched ground sparked wildfires in countries on both sides of the Mediterranean, with at least 34 people killed in Algeria, where 8,000 firefighters on Tuesday battled blazes across the tinder-dry north. Fires burned in a total of 15 provinces, leading to the evacuation of more than 1,500 people.

Witnesses described fleeing walls of flames that raged “like a blowtorch”, destroying homes and coastal resorts, and turning vast forest areas into blackened wastelands. (+ videos) » | Helen Sullivan and agencies | Wednesday, July 26, 2023

Europe Braces for Record Heat as Wildfires Hit Greece | DW News

Jul 18, 2023 | Greece has been especially hard hit by wildfires. The normal summertime dangers are being made worse by a heat wave. Firefighting services are now trying to fight the flames in several different regions while keeping residents and visitors at a safe distance.

Heatwave: Extreme Heat across US and Europe - BBC News

Jul 16, 2023 | Extreme heat and high temperatures are making their way across the US and Europe. Nearly a third of Americans - about 113 million people - are currently under heat advisories - including in Florida, California and up to Washington state. Meanwhile, sweltering temperatures are showing no signs of abating in southern Europe. The Italian health ministry issued a red alert for 16 cities including Rome, Bologna and Florence for the weekend

Southern Europe Gripped by Cerberus Heatwave with Record Temperatures - BBC News

Jul 13, 2023 | A heatwave is sweeping across parts of southern Europe and north-west Africa, with potential record-breaking temperatures in the coming days. Temperatures are expected to surpass 40C (104F) in parts of Spain, France, Greece, Croatia and Turkey. In Italy, temperatures could reach as high as 48.8C (119.8F). A red alert warning has been issued for 10 cities, including Rome, Bologna and Florence. On Tuesday, a man in his forties died after collapsing in northern Italy.

Related.

Cerberus Heatwave: Hot Weather Sweeps across Southern Europe

BBC: A heatwave is sweeping across parts of southern Europe and north-west Africa, with potential record-breaking temperatures in the coming days.

Temperatures are expected to surpass 40C (104F) in parts of Spain, France, Greece, Croatia and Turkey.

In Italy, temperatures could reach as high as 48.8C (119.8F). A red alert warning has been issued for 10 cities, including Rome, Bologna and Florence.

On Tuesday, a man in his forties died after collapsing in northern Italy.

Italian media reported that the 44-year-old worker was painting zebra crossing lines in the town of Lodi, near Milan, before he collapsed from the heat. He was taken to hospital where he later died.

"We are facing an unbearable heatwave," Italian politician Nicola Fratoianni tweeted.

"Maybe it's the case that in the hottest hours, all the useful precautions are taken to avoid tragedies like the one that happened today in Lodi."

People have been advised to drink at least two litres of water a day and to avoid coffee and alcohol, which are dehydrating. » | BBC | Thursday, July 13, 2023

UK told to prepare for possible 30% increase in uncomfortably hot days: Britain and Switzerland among countries that need to adapt most for heating, says research looking at impact of 2C global rise »

Summer Heat Waves Killed 61,000 in Europe Last Year, Study Says

THE NEW YORK TIMES: Researchers suggest that strategies to cope with higher temperatures aren’t keeping pace with global warming.

More than 61,000 people died because of last year’s brutal summer heat waves across Europe, according to a study published on Monday in the journal Nature Medicine.

The findings suggest that two decades of efforts in Europe to adapt to a hotter world have failed to keep up with the pace of global warming.

“In an ideal society, nobody should die because of heat,” said Joan Ballester, a research professor at the Barcelona Institute for Global Health and the study’s lead author.

This summer is likely to be even worse: On top of climate change, the Earth has entered a natural El Niño weather pattern during summer for the first time in four years, bringing about conditions that will turn up the heat in many parts of the world. The season is already shattering various global temperature records. » | Delger Erdenesanaa | Monday, July 10, 2023

Italy, Spain, France: The Rise of Far-right across Europe | ARTE Europe Weekly

Jul 2, 2023 | Across Europe, the firewall between the mainstream and the far right is starting to crack. From Germany’s AfD to Italy’s Fratelli d'Italia, parties that were once deemed outcasts are slowly gaining respect - after a surge in popularity. This week’s show breaks down the reasons for the shift.

Dieser Bericht ist hier auf Deutsch verfügbar.

How Europe’s Far Right Is Marching Steadily into the Mainstream

THE GUARDIAN: Whether in Italy, Spain, France or Finland, parties that were once outcasts are fast gaining respectability – and power

Brothers of Italy, the party of Giorgia Meloni, the Italian prime minister, has neofascist roots. Photograph: Luca Zennaro/EPA
Almost 25 years ago, when Jörg Haider’s far-right populist Freedom party (FPÖ) won just under 27% of the vote and entered government in Austria, the shock waves reverberated around Europe. Diplomatic visits were cancelled and punitive measures imposed.

Not long after, when Jean-Marie Le Pen of France’s National Front (now National Rally or RN) reached the presidential runoff, the eventual winner, Jacques Chirac, refused even to debate with the far-right leader, so abhorrent – and abnormal – were his views.

But now across western Europe, far-right parties are advancing: climbing steadily up the polls, shaping the policies of the mainstream right to reflect nativist and populist platforms, and occupying select ministerial roles in coalition governments.

Giorgia Meloni, whose party has neofascist roots, is prime minister of Italy, and Spain’s far-right Vox, after recently doubling its regional and local vote, could soon be sharing power nationally.

The far right is part of the new coalition government in Finland and, in exchange for key policy concessions, is propping up another in Sweden. Back in Austria, the FPÖ is comfortably ahead in the polls, roughly a year from the next election. » | Jon Henley, Europe correspondent | Friday, June 30, 2023

Sécheresse en Europe | ARTE

May 17, 2023 | La sécheresse s’installe en Europe. Les pluies rares, même durant les saisons froides, ont amené les régions du sud de l’Europe à leurs limites en termes de ressources hydriques. A travers plusieurs exemples en France, en Allemagne, en Espagne ou en Roumanie, décryptage d’un phénomène inquiétant, dû au réchauffement climatique mais largement amplifié par nos pratiques.

Après trois années marquées par un climat exceptionnellement chaud, le dessèchement du sol de plusieurs pays européens s’accélère et l’eau vient dangereusement à manquer. Dans les régions méditerranéennes, la saison des feux de forêt s’allonge de plusieurs mois, et le nord du continent − la Suède notamment – n’est plus aussi épargnée par cet inquiétant phénomène, lié au réchauffement climatique et amplifié par nos pratiques agroalimentaires. Comme la "mer de plastique" en Andalousie, qui s’étend sur des centaines de kilomètres et consomme quotidiennement des quantités astronomiques de litres d’eau.

Un enjeu majeur

Analysant les causes de cette catastrophe annoncée, ce documentaire met au jour la responsabilité de l’agriculture intensive et s’interroge sur l’efficacité du Pacte vert et des subventions européennes pour la protection de l’environnement. Au travers des éclairages de militants et de scientifiques sur le terrain en France, en Allemagne, en Espagne et en Roumanie, ce documentaire dresse un bilan très préoccupant de la situation climatique en Europe, mais présente aussi quelques pistes prometteuses – comme le développement de la résistance des plantes à la chaleur, et en particulier des vignes – pour y remédier.

Documentaire de Jens Niehuss et Marcel Martschoke (Allemagne, 2021, 54mn)
Disponible jusqu'au 26/07/2023


Die gleiche Dokumentation über die Dürre in Europa kann man hier auf Deutsch zuschauen. – Mark

What Europe’s Royals Could Teach King Charles

Norway: Why this princess gave up her royal duties

Read the BBC article here.

Europe Sovereignty: “Pandemic, War Made Us Discover We Have to Reduce Our Dependencies” | DW News

Apr 12, 2023

Inside the Port Flooding Europe with Cocaine - BBC News

Dec 17, 2022 | The port of Antwerp in Belgium is largely seen as the capital of cocaine trafficking in Europe. Corruption and violence are now on the rise and the drug is widely available on the streets. Europe correspondent Nick Beake visited the city to find out how the problem has developed.