cafebabel.com

2011: God Bless Relativised Europe

('Nabeelah Shabbir',) — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 11:30:17 -0000

'Happy' was our EU in 2011 – not ‘blissful’, in accordance with the Danish bible society's dumbed down translations of its revised new testament, released this year. The EU is still about ‘unity in diversity’, its guiding motto, but has also become about unity in losing faith

Europe’s hunting witch-hunt

('English language version of cafebabel.com',) — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 10:15:00 -0000

On 15 September the Polish tabloid Fakt published images of president Bronislaw Komorowski hunting, to the rage of animal rights associations - though one of his election promises was to start going hunting with a camera as choice of weapon instead. 'The hobby of our president is killing,' came the cries

'An anti-Tony Blair, please': European press reacts prior to EU president election

('euro topics',) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 11:46:03 -0000

EU heads of state and government meet today in Brussels to appoint the president of the European council and the EU's high representative for foreign and security policy. Despite months of negotiation, agreement has not been reached on who should hold the posts. The Italian, Spanish, British and French press react

Historical dinner live: on the menu, one president

('Arnaud Houdmont',) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 10:32:18 -0000

Tony Blair? (or David Miliband?) Herman van Rompuy? Peter Balkenende...? The culmination of a long, outdrawn and rather undemocratic process that is shaping the future of Europe is nigh; 19 November, to be precise, and the cafebabel.com Brussels team are invited - check their blog out this evening

Jean-Claude Juncker or Tony Blair for EU president?

('euro topics',) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 13:13:45 -0000

The Luxembourg prime minister has declared his willingness to run for the post of EU president. But the EU may decide not to elect either of these two formidable politicians and opt for a lacklustre candidate instead. The Luxembourg, British, Italian and French press react

Portuguese Barroso: this is your man for Europe, again!

('euro topics',) — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 13:17:12 -0000

On 16 September, the European parliament voted José Manuel Barroso in for a second term as European commission president, with 382 votes for, 219 against and 117 abstentions. Barroso promised to advocate social policies, but the Portuguese, Belgian, French and Polish press was sceptical

Haggis or crepes? European politicians and their favourite food

('Nabeelah Shabbir',) — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 12:00:00 -0000

About cabbage, Angela Merkel has said 'it's robust and easy to freeze. You can always put it away and it will still be tasty after storing it.’ On 27 September the German elections will show whether Merkel is as endurant as her favourite vegetable

Luis Yáñez: 'Jean Claude Juncker for Europe'

('Astrid vW',) — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 10:22:47 -0000

The socialist and veteran of *Felipe Gonzalez’s Sevillian generation entered the European parliament in 2004. His critics maintained that he had landed there after being spurned from national politics. The 65-year-old intends to run for a second term in 2009

Videos: Putin, Sarkozy, Blair and Schröder

Sat, 05 Apr 2008 12:00:00 -0000

Putin pouts, schnip schnap Schröder, Blair sings and Sarkozy and opposition leader Ségolène snuggle

No Lisbon treaty referendum for the Brits

('Adriano Farano',) — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 12:00:00 -0000

A Europhile goes against the British PM's masquerade, as the bill has its first reading in the House of Lords on 12 March

Exonerating the exes

Tue, 04 Sep 2007 12:00:00 -0000

Biting into Europe's political scandals as we trace five former prime ministers, presidents and ministers and their collective embroilments

Gordon Brown, Euro-sceptic prime minister?

('Andrew Burgess',) — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 12:00:00 -0000

All change in Her Majesty's kingdom: Scotsman Gordon Brown, 56, replaces Tony Blair at the head of government after ten years of hard loyal service

Brown, Sarkozy and gang - sceptic fantastics

Tue, 19 Jun 2007 12:00:00 -0000

Is Europe increasingly Eurosceptic as with the arrival of a new generation of new leaders?

Exit: Downing Street

Thu, 14 Jun 2007 10:19:00 -0000

Northern Ireland highs, Iraq all-time lows - part of the legacy that British Prime Minister Tony Blair leaves after a decade in power, as he steps down on 27 June 2007

Impending independence?

('Nabeelah Shabbir',) — Fri, 02 Mar 2007 12:00:00 -0000

Independent from or autonomous within Serbia? Negotiations on Kosovo’s future status wound up in March

Cherie Blair, a legal knitter

Sat, 28 Oct 2006 12:00:00 -0000

Cherie Blair, 52 years old, wife of the British PM, explains her views on law, knitting and the Beatles

First comes respect, then freedom

Sat, 28 Jan 2006 17:53:00 -0000

Strong words from Tony Blair mark the launch of the Labour government’s Respect campaign, which aims to keep petty crime under control and update the concept of freedom in society.

Blair and Europe, all for one

('Morag Young',) — Mon, 11 Jul 2005 04:00:00 -0000

Just when Europe is in deep crisis, the terrorist attacks in London could lead Europeans towards a sacred union against terrorism, united around the British Presidency.

Tony Blair to the rescue?

Mon, 27 Jun 2005 04:00:00 -0000

If the recent summit in Brussels has further deepened the crisis in the EU, Blair has emerged as the strong man capable of sorting out Europe’s problems. Will an injection of liberalism revive the machine?

Great Britain, do you want us?

Mon, 27 Jun 2005 04:00:00 -0000

Great Britain is currently playing it safe, saying neither yes, nor no to Europe. But this is nothing new. Indeed it has been doing so since Churchill’s speech at Zurich in 1946.

Advantage Britain, Blair to serve

Thu, 09 Jun 2005 12:00:00 -0000

The British U-turn over its referendum on the European constitution does not mean the end of Europe. Rather a renegotiation on British terms.

Uncertainty reigns after Non

Mon, 30 May 2005 10:16:00 -0000

In theory, France’s rejection of the constitution means that the project is now stillborn as all 25 member states need to ratify for it to become law. What does this mean for the other member states?