

How France+Germany led to proEuropean Vote opposed to Turkey's bid, that others lost to eurosceptics
The "key" of France's, Germany's, and some other EU Countries', "success" to attract People opposed to Turkey's controversial EU-bid into pro-European mainstream politics, instead of losing them scattered around Euro-Sceptic and/or Extremist parties, as in the UK, Netherlands, Austria, Hungary, Bulgaria, etc, was clearly explained to "EuroFora" by Young Foreign Policy Expert and new MEP Arnaud Danjean, of the 2009 Winner in France, the Governing coalition UMP :
- "For the first time in France, the 4 biggest Parties are all pro-Europeans" on 2009. "This is important, because in the Past we used to have also some very anti-European, Populist parties in France. But now, the People who voted feel that Europe is a necessity today", Danjean stressed. - "I am very satisfied of the results of our party (UMP), which is a success of Sarkozy's way to manage EU policy"
- "By having a clear stance on EU's Borders (i.e. also on Turkey), may be this did help to attract voters that were not sure to vote."
- "I would see this as a Warning. We've developed strong Arguments for a Political Europe, within strong Borders. And that makes a Consistent position. We didn't speak about Turkey as Socialists did", (i.e. in a supreficial manner, cut off from EU Citizens' concerns).
- "I think that all over Europe, you shall see the same : The parties who have spoken (on that) with Credibility, Realism, Pragmatism, these are the parties from the EPP And, compared to this, the Socialists have chosen to be very Ideological, while we have been very Pragmatic" (on Turkey). "And this is a Key-issue. It was a Key-issue of Sarkozy's policy. And this is the Key of Success".
National Front's vice-President, French MEP Bruno Gollnish, former Group Chairman in EU Parliament, speaking to "EuroFora", stroke back : - "There was no real debate in this campain", he claimed. And "those People who were really critical of the system abstained, because they thought that if they had voted, they would have conforted a system they contest without being able to change it".
- "It's obviously a Failure !", criticized French Socialist Senator Roland Ries, (and mayor of Strasbourg), for his own party's (PS') performance in 2009 EU Election. Both in France and "in all Europe, people must find a new meaning for a pro-Socialist vote", he advised.
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FACTS :
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- In France, President Sarkozy's governing majority union UMP (EPP), who focused its campain on the development of a strong and popular Political Europe, with Identity and Borders incompatible to Turkey's controversial EU bid, won more than expected with some 28%, largely distancing the Socialist party which surprisingly fell down to only 16% (equal to "Greens") ! Significantly, in the only Constituency in which a PS list had a Turkish-origin candidate (East), it surprisingly fell to the lowest level, outpaced even by "Greens" ! Taken all together, the Parties who oppose Turkey's entry into the EU, represent a Majority with more than 54%; (without taking into account 40% of PS' own voters, reportedly opposed too) : A number which confirms Sarkozy's brillant win at the 2007 Presidential Election, after a "hot" TV-debate on Turkey : 53%. But all others are scattered around in small quantities, without any comparison to UMP's big result.
- In Germany, Chancellor Merkel's CDU/CSU (EPP) coalition, led by outgoing EU Parliament's President Hans Gert Poettering, (who consider Turkey's EU bid as incompatible with EU's Borders and Values) won a biggest than expected Victory with 38%. Her Bavarian ally, the Christiansocial party CSU, whose leader Seehofer asked "a Referendum on Turkey", boosted its votes winning more than 48% in its Bavarian stronghold, (7,3% nation--wide). If CDU's score was - 5%¨less than what it did in 2004, it might be partly due to voters' reaction to controversial local Hessen politician Koch's attempt to impose, for the 1st time, a Turkish lobby's candidate. This fits with the fact that Socialist SPD (very pro-Turkey since 2002), with 3 Turkish candidates in 2009, fell down to only 20% : a Record Low ! Liberals of the FDP (a possible coalition partner with CDU/CSU in the forthcoming September 2009 National Elections), after their leaders, (fex. MEP Lambsdorf) multiplied Criticism on Turkey's Violations of Human Rights, won some + 5% (growing up to 11%). But, despite the Economic Crisis, "Greens" stagnated, and the Left won only +1%...

- In Spain, EPP's Popular party, whose program stresses that EU is "now" in "a stage of Consolidation" and "Assimilation" after the 2004-2007 Enlargements to 12 more Countries, and that "Enlargement requires for the EU to have sufficient capacity to integrate new members", who "must fully meet the conditions", while it also "supports the possibility of Other possible Formulas and possible means of Association to the EU", (fex. privileged Partership), speaking on Turkey, won the EU Election with 42% : A clear difference to 38% for the governing PSoc, which remains in support of Turkey's controversial EU bid.
- In tiny but symbolic Cyprus, frontrunner MEP of EPP (DHSY-opposition) party, Kasulides, (who lost the 2008 Presidential race), now wins the 1st place, after a statement in favor of Sarkozy and Merkel's stance against Turkey's controversial EU bid. Voters chose also a 2nd DHSY MEP critical on Turkey (Helen Theoharous). For the 1st time, Cyprus' Socialist party (EDEK : more critical on Turkey than others), succeeds to elect a MEP, choosing a strong critic on Turkey, former Defence Minister Mavronicolas, while "softer" canditates lost. The governing AKEL party (Left), favorable to the "full compliance with EU conditions - full access in the EU" stance on Turkey, lost some ground (falling to 2nd place), but kept its MEPs. Because critical "Euro-party" (unique in 27 EU Countries to identify itself with EU's Human Rights, etc. values) shortly missed the threshhold for 0,3%, despite augmenting its votes.
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On the contrary, when mainstream parties didn't integrate Citizens' opposal to Turkey's controversial EU bid, they lost voters who went towards various other, more Critical parties :

- The most loquacious example is that of the UK : The expected 1st place of Cameron's Conservative party, (27%, with a Cypriot-origin lady among its candidates), was eclipsed by the surprising rise of Nigel Farage's "Independence" party (Ind/Dem) : 16,01% which became.. the 2nd party in the UK, extending the number of its MEPs ahead of the governing Labour party (PS : the most favorable to Turkey's bid), which fell down to an abysmal low (15%), almost equalled by Liberals. This astonishing New change cannot be explained by the Independence party's traditional euro-sceptic stance for the withdrawal of the UK out of the EU (in a kind of EEA, as Norway, Switzerland, etc). The only big New factor is Nigel Farage's recent loud statements in Strasbourg that "the IP is he only party in the UK which opposes Turkey's entry in the EU" (March 2009), and his official Critical reply to US President Obama's push for Turkey, in the aftermath of Strasbourg's NATO Summit (April 2009). That's the only big difference between UKIP's huge boost, and other eurosceptic parties, from Conservatives up to the British National Party, (far right), who also won + 2 MEPs for the 1st time.
- In the Netherlands, Geert Wilder's PVV ("Party for Freedom") euro-sceptic party became the 2nd bigger in the country, winning + 4 MEPs, shortly after he notoriously withdrew from another group "because he didn't agree with its policy on Turkey". EPP, mildly Critical on Turkey, maintains a lead over Socialists (committed to Turkey's bid) which diminish, but loses many of its former voters who went this time for the PVV.

- In Austria, mainstream OVP (EPP)'s promise to hold a Referendum on Turkey's bid succeeded to give it the 1st place, the pro-Turkey PS (SPO) seriously loosing ground. But the biggest rise is a combined boost of 3 Populist right's parties, Peter Martin's and Haider's (the recently killed politician's) former and current parties FPO and BoZ, which total some 36%. with their outspoken opposition to Turkey's bid, (even if only the 2 first get MEPs, the 3rd arriving at short distance, lacking only 0,3% !)
- In Greece, mainstream parties' continuing stance "full compliance to conditions - full accession in the EU" for Turkey, resulted into a stalemate, reducing PS' advance in only +2%, the governing EPP party limiting its percentage accordingly. But it pushed Citizens to an unprecedented Abstention : 48% (despite sanctions, since the vote is obligatory). It multiplied and doubled LAOS' MEPs, after the Populist party was glad to claim that it's "the only one to follow the Sarkozy-Merkel line" against Turkey's controversial EU bid ( up +3%), and brought "Greens" in EU Parliament for the 1st time.

- In Bulgaria, the populist right's ATAKA party wins more than 12%, becoming one among the 4 big parties over 10% and a solid player at the political landscape, after it decided to focus all its 2009 electoral campain under the banner "No to Turkey's EU bid !". On the contrary, PS loses ground, while EPP (1st) grows slightly stronger.
- In Hungary, the ruling Socialist party, (in favor of Turkey's EU bid, as almost all PS), lost - 5 seats, while the "Nationalist" Jobbik party won + 3 MEPs, getting some 15% of votes, dangerously approaching the score of the governing Socialists (17%). Meanwhile, EPP (opposition) wins + 2 MEPs more, totaling 15 MEPs, (compared to PS' remaining only 4)...

- EuroSceptics are also active in Sweden (whose mainly Liberal government continues to support Turkey's controversial EU bid under conditions), where the "strongly eurosceptic Environmental party" won + 5% of votes more, gaining one MEP for the 1st time. Swedish People elected also the only .. "Pirate" MEP in 27 EU Countries, who struggles against EU's Copyright rules restricting Internet downloading : It gained more than + 7% of votes. Moreover, "Nationalist" anti-Islamic movement of "Swedish Democrats" won +2,2%. Added to "June's list", an older eurosceptical party (4%), "Green" EuroSceptics (11%), "Pirates" (7,1%), "Swedish Democrats" (3,3%), etc. gathered in 2009 much more votes (26%) than .. Swedish Prime Minister Reinfelds' own party (18%) !...

(etc)...
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It's important to create a synergy between "mutually stimulating" EU Countries' moves in order to overcome an "Unjust" Crisis "imported from USA", stressed new French Minister for Economic Revival, Patrick Devedjian, in Strasbourg, warning also that, while hoping for a vigorous Obama US Plan, nevertheless, "Time" is of essence for Europe...
In fact, it's EU's own interest to act Fast, before June 2009 EU Election, since, with Lisbon Treaty not ratified yet, it cannot face again the risk of a Majority Abstention, as back in 1999 and 2004, nor another "anti-EU" mood among Citizens, as in the 2005 French and Dutch "No", followed by the 2008 Irish "No", without endangering rare Historic opportunities, currently open for the EU, whose future is at stake.
From Social issues up to High-Tech Scientific Research, concrete action for Economic revival started from Strasbourg and its European dimension, for the new super-Minister Patrick Devedjian, who visited a Popular Social Housing and Infrastructure project at nearby Hagenau village, before meeting new leaders of Strasbourg's unified mega-University in a Scientific Labo at the Campus, close to EU Parliament and CoE headquarters.
Devedjian, who met also with all the spectrum of Local Political deciders of Alsace region, close to FrancoGerman borders, wants for deeds to meet the words, in real practice, whenever politicians speak about Strasbourg and Europe's development.
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Devedjan to "EuroFora" : "European coordination can act as a multiplicator by mutual stimulations"
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Devedjian was questioned by "Euro-Fora" on his expectations for reciprocal effects of coordinated European plans :
- "We are living in a (European and Global) system where borders are transparent : When we take measures in France, they produce effects also in Germany, in Belgium, Italy, Spain, or other EU countries, and vice-versa. "So, we can have mutually stimulating effects between national revival Plans, if they are somehow coordinated", ..."They can augment each other's effects, acting as multiplicators and levers". "As a State stimulates Local authorities and Private business, similarly, each EU country's economic revival plan may multiply the effects of other EU countries' actions", he told us.
- "F.ex., when I visited Strasbourg University's Scientific labos, they told me that part of the renovation, funded by France, is realized by German companies located only a few Kms away from the border. Thus, the French revival plan benefits also the German economy. And vice-versa : when Germany takes certain measures, they can have beneficial effects also for French companies"
In an era of Globalisation, "nobody can close and isolate himself inside a Fish-Bowl !", he concluded.
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Economy's revival starts from Strasbourg and Europe, for new French Minister Devedjian
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This could be one of the reasons for which the new French Minister for Economic Stimulus chose to make his 1st visit to Strasbourg, the headquarters of European and Paneuropean Institutions, in the Franco-German river borders at the heart of Europe.
- "It was President Sarkozy's idea", he revealed, adding also fresh "support to Strasbourg's European vocation, not only with words, but also with deeds" :F.ex., the completion of a High-Speed Train network, due to stimulate fast links with Germany, Austria, Italy, Hungary and other central EU Countries.
- "This Crisis is Unjust for Europe, because it wasn't its fault". The greatest part of the "Crisis was imported from the USA, where problems are deeper than here'', in the EU. The Crisis "wasn't due to a bad managment by Europe", who was affected by problems which emerged elsewhere. That's why Europe must be united and active enough to face this challenge. said Devedjian, who has just won +5% in popularity...
- "I hope that there will be an "Obama-effect" also on Economy, and that the Plan of the New American President will be substantial enough to face this crisis, which is worse in the USA than in our area", Europe, he added.
"Economic Revival overcomes political divisions : F.ex. Strasbourg's Socialist Mayor "Ries agreed that State actions funded by Public Debt are justified during such exceptional circumstances", noted the Center-Right republican Minister.
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"Zeitnot" for 2009 EU Elections ?
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"My problem is Time", stressed Devedjian from the outset, at Strasbourg's University. "I have to engage 75% of funds in 2009, out of a total of 29 Billion euros", he explained later. "Monitoring will be of essence", because we must "avoid bureaucracy or delays. No project should get lost or neglected in complex meanders of adminstrative offices' moving sands", he warned.
- "I must create activities in the middle of the Crisis", he added. Questioned by EuroFora whether he aims to start creating some "hopes before the June 2009 EU Elections", Devedjian, a former leader of the Governing Political Party in France: UMP, did not immediately reply, but revealed, later, that he "hoped to start at least some Projects on May 2009, even if the bulk of Revival Plan's effects are "expected from Autumn 2009".
However, with only 30% of EU Citizens currently aiming to cast a vote at the forthcoming EU Elections on June, (See other NewStory), the coordinated moves' results are expected to be crucial for Citizens' participation and votes at the forthcoming June 2009 EU Elections throughout all 27 EU Member Countries...Thus, it's vital for all Europe's own Future that coordinated national Economic revival plans start to have concrete results and create hopes for new dynamics before the June 2009 EU Election...
A real challenge, since careful choices are needed : Our aim is to fund projects which "create activities", even "in the middle of the crisis", and have a "lever effect, attracting other investments", Devedjian said. Because the "Stimulus' Plan has 2 aims : A Tactical one : to create New Activities. And a Strategic one : Choose what can become efficient and useful also in the Long-term".
- "Are you ready ?", he asked Strasbourg University's new President, professor Alain Beretz, with some 700 million euros in his pockets for Education-Research in France. - "We are !", he replied.
- "The Minister's initiative can accelerate funds, and Time is important for us. This concerns the entire renovation of all our buildings", said to "EuroFora" President, Beretz. "I showed some Scientific Research Labos to Mr. Devedjian. But, If we had more time, I could show him also some Education Amphis, whose condition needs to meet Strasbourg's new Mega-University's ambition" to reach the 10 best in the World, as Prime Minister Fillon earlier anounced here.
(Devedjian kicks off his Economic Revival tour from Strasbourg University, meeting with its new chairman Beretz, at Scientific Institute Le Bel)
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Regional Prefectures should gather and select projects to be presented for decision before the end of January 2009.
A well-known close friend of President Sarkozy, who succeeded as EU Chairman to launch, in agreement with German chancelor Merkel and even British prime minister Brown, vigorous EU actions against the Financial/Economic Crisis, (starting from the 1st Historic Summit of EuroZone's Heads of State/Government, October 12 at Elysee Palace, followed by Washington G20 Global Summit), Devedjan will have a key role in the realisation of National and EU plans recently agreed in Brussels.
President Sarkozy is expected to arrive himself in Strasbourg, on the occasion of the official inauguration of its brand New Mega-Hospital, on the 9th of January 2009, at the eve of EU Parliament's session here, Elysee confirmed shortly after Devedjian's visit.
EU is due to review its economic revival plans at March 2009 EU Council in Prague, before the April 2 London Global Summit.
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Multi-facet concrete activities at focus : Stimulus Minister Devedjian at the Political, Social and High-Tech fronts in Strasbourg...