International

It was announced today that one of the European political parties, the Alliance for Direct Democracy in Europe (ADDE), which includes UKIP, has been guilty of misuse of EU subsidies. “It’s well-known that subsidies to European political parties and foundations, which are distrusted annually by the European Parliament, cannot be used by national parties,” SP Euro-MP Dennis de Jong explains. ”ADDE is at fault to the tune of no less than €173,000. As rapporteur for the EP budgetary accounts it’s struck me how hazy things are when it comes to the budget for subsidies. The only solution to the problem as far as I can see is for the EP simply to stop the subsidies and for European political parties and foundations to be financed instead from contributions from their members, the national political parties. Otherwise we’ll keep having this kind of mess.”

Our draft manifesto for the parliamentary elections next March contains a chapter on European cooperation. This is a logical inclusion, because European and national policy are absolutely interconnected. The manifesto is critical, as was the manifesto for the European elections in 2014. That too is logical, because the EU hasn’t improved at all since then: still more neoliberal policy and a European Commission which calls itself ‘the most political ever.’

Donald Trump has been elected President of the United States. Following Brexit, this is the second time that the people of a western democracy have dealt a solid blow to the political elite, an elite which has no idea what goes on in the everyday lives of ordinary people and which shares out the plum jobs amongst its members.

Never before has a demonstration in Brussels had such a rapid effect. On the same day that 20,000 steelworkers from across Europe took to the streets of Brussels to protest against the dumping of Chinese steel on the European market, the European Commission proposed fresh measures to counteract it. In addition, thanks to a motion proposed in the national Parliament in The Hague by Socialist Party MP Sharon Gesthuizen, the Netherlands will be obliged on this occasion to cooperate in bringing about the proposed measures.

SP Member of Parliament Harry van Bommel has reacted angrily to the arrest of a number of prominent pro-Kurdish politicians in Turkey. “More than ten democratically elected representatives have been dragged from their beds,” says Van Bommel. “This is the umpteenth illustration of the fact that Turkey has thrown the principles of the democratic rule of law overboard. The country’s accession talks on EU membership must be suspended with immediate effect and arms exports immediately restricted.”

Each year after the government has presented its programme for the coming period, which in this case will end in March with the general election, parties in both houses of the Netherlands’ Parliament present and debate their response. Today was the turn of the upper house, with SP Senate leader Tiny Kox launching a blistering attack on the government’s record.

The European Commission’s Ethics Committee today published its advice regarding the appointment of former Commission president Jose Barroso to investment bank Goldman Sachs.

The adjustments demanded by the Walloons to the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) between the EU and Canada must be put before the national parliaments, argues the SP. To that effect Member of Parliament Jasper van Dijk has requested a debate with Trade Minister Lilianne Ploumen. “It would be bizarre if Brussels were to continue to shove the amended treaty down the throats of the people.”

Belgium’s refusal to sign the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) between Canada and the European Union means the beginning of the end for the treaty, according to SP Euro-MP Anne-Marie Mineur. “The Walloons continue to stand up for democracy and fair trade,’ she says. ‘That’s not compatible with this stranglehold agreement. This must mark the end of CETA, nothing else is possible. Its supporters have suffered a heavy defeat.”