RE: [Futurework] 128. Anti-immigration feeling grows in Europe

[Karen Watters Cole]

Chris, I noticed that Chirac sat in for Schroeder at session of the EU summit last week, thus representing both France and Germany, and this created a little minor buzz; some arguing that it demonstrated great friendship between France and Germany and the decline of old nationalistic rivalry, others that it demonstrated the larger countries would represent each other rather than cede any votes to the smaller countries if one had to be absent (no more DeGaulle politics of the empty chair).      - Karen Chris wrote: The SVP's success has more to do with the EU than with immigrants. It's a hint from voters that the government should finally withdraw its EU accession request. Considering that the SVP is the only major party that is opposed to joining the EU, and more than 50% of Swiss voters are opposed to joining the EU, it is rather surprising that the SVP _only_ got 27% of the votes.  This shows that many anti-EU voters either abstained from voting or voted for a center-right/leftist (pro-EU) party, just to avoid voting SVP.  In other words, the SVP's anti-asylum PR rather _put off_ voters than attracting them -- contrary to the British PR. Also, the economic decline in Switzerland is due to the bilateral agreements with the EU rather than due to asylum seekers. So the title "Anti-EU feeling grows in Europe" would be more appropriate, applying even to EU countries (especially the small ones, after the EU reforms tend to favor the large countries), but _they_ hardly/rarely get the chance to express that in votes/referenda. _______________________________________________ Futurework mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://scribe.uwaterloo.ca/mailman/listinfo/futurework