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Angela Merkel won the elections on September 24, 2017, taking her party, CDU (Christian Democratic Union), to a victory at a crucial moment for the European Union, in view of the growth of far-right movements. This result, however, is not only positive.
Despite the victory, the CDU had its worst numerical result since 1949: 30% of the votes. In addition, the Social Democratic Party, which obtained 20.5% of the votes and was Merkel's coalition, has announced that it will pass to the opposition. The Alternative to Germany, in third place, was with 12.6% of the votes. This last party is characterized by a greater conservatism, nationalism and Euroscepticism.
It also appears that the German Parliament, the Bundestag, will have a more right-wing position, which may point to the need for Merkel to join smaller parties, such as the Green Party and the Liberals, elected with 8.9% and 9.2% of the votes, respectively.
Merkel has been in office for twelve years now and has taken over four more. Last year, she decided not to leave, knowing that the 2017 elections would be difficult. Now that the Brexit has taken place, Germany's permanence becomes even more crucial to the success of the European Union, and many of the Chancellor's measures were seen as unpopular by a part of Germany, such as the refugee issue, sice the country has opened its doors to more than nine hundred thousand in recent years.
According to a press release by the European Commission, there will be an additional three million aid to address the most pressing needs of Rohingya civilians. The decision came after the information that more and more refugees arrive in Bangladesh from Myanmar. The funding comes on top of the €12 million announced in May 2017 when Commissioner Stylianides visited Rakhine State in Myanmar.
"The European Union is providing further emergency humanitarian aid as the situation continues to be critical. This additional funding will help provide emergency shelter, water, food and health assistance for newly arrived refugees in Bangladesh and people in need in Myanmar, as soon as humanitarian access to the latter is restored. The EU continues to call for full humanitarian access and the respect for international human rights law in Myanmar. The immediate restoration of humanitarian assistance in northern Rakhine State is needed in order to address what is already a precarious humanitarian situation, and to avoid an escalation of the crisis. I thank the government and people of Bangladesh for their hospitality in sheltering many refugees. The European Union remains committed to support those who are forced to flee their homes during these difficult times", said the Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management, Christos Stylianides.
This funding will be channeled between NGOs, the United Nations and the Red Cross.
The European Union celebrated the victory of the new French president Emmanuel Macron over the euroskeptical Marine Le Pen.
The European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker has revealed on social networks that he is "happy that the French have chosen a European future"; While the Italian Prime Minister, Paolo Gentiloni, congratulated the victorious president with a "Viva Macron president. A hope rises in Europe." Among others revealing their positions pro-European Union were the Italian Democratic Party secretary Matteo Renzi, who stated that "Macron's victory writes an extraordinary page of hope for France and Europe" and German Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokeswoman in saying that the result in France is "the victory for a united Europe". Another important statement came from Donald Tusk, president of the European Council, who said that "freedom, equality and fraternity" prevailed, a motto of the Republic of France, which said "no" to the "tyranny of false news".
The UK will not pay 100 billion to leave the European Union, according to Brexit Minister David Davis. The answer came after the Financial Times newspaper announced that the European Union was preparing to charge that value.
Davis told the British ITV Channel that it was necessary to discuss in detail what are the duties and obligations. Meanwhile, Frenchman Michel Barnier - European Commission negotiator on Brexit - said that the sum that the UK must pay for its exit is not a punishment or a tax, just a matter of responsibility: commitments have been made and must be fulfilled .
It is believed that the hardening of this accountability is due to a fear of a possible Frexit. National Front leader Le Pen - who is among the top two candidates in the first round of the French presidential election - said that, if elected, she plans to hold a national referendum on leaving the European Union early in 2018.
Listen to the interview of Professor Dr. Jamile Bergamaschine Mata Diz, in commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the signing of the Maastricht Treaty.
The Jean Monnet Chair Programme from the Federal University of Minas Gerais has received the conformity letter from the European Commission in relation to the projects's first year.
Professor Jamile Bergamaschine Mata Diz participated, on October 17 and 18, 2016 of the Jean Monnet World Conference in Brussels, Belgium. The theme of the Conference was "Global Governance in Times of Global Change" and the event was attended by several Jean Monnet Chair holders from around the world. The conference was attended by lecturers Tibor Navaracsics (European Commissioner for Education and Culture), Nathalie Tocci (High Representative of the EU) and Dr Hayat Sindi (Visiting Professor at Harvard University and UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador), and had as working panels on Prosperity, democracy and peace and security. See below the photos of the event:
