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Home arrow newsitems arrow MACRON to EF+: It's up to the People of Europe to SEIZE THE CHANCE of EU Citizens' Consultations !

MACRON to EF+: It's up to the People of Europe to SEIZE THE CHANCE of EU Citizens' Consultations !

Pisac ACM
17. 04. 2018.
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*Epinal (Vosges' Mountains)/Angelo Marcopolo/- Speaking briefly to Journalists, including "Eurofora", just after the Official Inauguration of the 1st in a 6 Months-long Series of EU Citizens Consultations between April and November 2018 on Europe's Future, new French President Emanuel Macron, suddenly turned around, Looking straight towards there where we were standing, and shouted aloud, with a particularly Strong Voice :


 - "Democracy Belongs to the People !"


=> In consequence, "it's up to the People of Europe to Seize this Chance of Citizens' Consultations, and make them Spread" throughout 27 EU Member Countries (as scheduled),

 

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+ as well as, eventually, advance even further in the foreseeable future, (See Infra + Following Article), according to the Wider Horizon of his landmark Speech, symbolically made at the Historic BirthPlace of Democracy in Acient Greece's Pnyx Rock, facing Acropolis in Athens on 9/2017, (See : http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/macronatthehistoricsourcesofdemocracy.html).


--------------------

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Meanwhile, in Addition to his Surprising, Last-Minute Choice to Launch a "Long March" for these UnPrecedented EU Citizens' Consultations, just after his Debate with MEPs at EU Parliament in Strasbourg (See relevant "Eurofora"s NewsReports at : http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/macronlsongmarchtoconsulciti.html + http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/macronineuparliamentaskscitizensdebates.html, etc), Not at an "Euro-Metropole", but ... Up to he Mountains of nearby Vosges, at Epinal City, (known as HQ of Historic "Social-Gaullist" Top Politician Philippe Seguin, and Birthplace of the Father of Sociology : Emile Durkheim with a Fort still ..Haunted by Napoleon's Ghost according to a Legend), at the Same Time that his LRM Party supporters Started their "March for Europe",

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Macron made, Today, even anOther indirect Reference to ... Mao, concerning his Famous Appeal, at the Beginning of the "Cultural Revolution" back on the "Sixties" (1966+), to "let All Flowers (i.e. Political Ideas) flerish !", by Stressing from the outset, that, Nowadays "it's Time to find a New Debate", where "All Ideas on Europe must be presented !"


---------------------------

macron_in_1st_eu_citizens_consultation_epinal__vosges_mountains__side_eurofora_400


+ And "We must always Hear even Critical Voices and Opposite Views too" : It's "an Indispensable Moment of (mutual) Recognition and Exchanges", Macron advised one of his own Fans, who had appeared anxious about several People's alleged "Misunderstandings" about Europe.


- "Afterwards, we must Explain, become Pedagogic, use Arguments".


>>> In fact, "Even Me, I might, perhaps, sometimes make an Error", and/or "Have Not Seen yet a Point that Others (our Interlocutors) are trying to Suggest", the new French President bravely and rightfully, Acknowledged, clearly Recognizing the Value of Debates' Dialectics also as a means and procedure in order to Seek and Find the Truth, (as World-Famous Ancient Greek Philosopher Platon notoriously supported, particularly through his writings about Socrates' Dialogues).

 

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=> Therefore, Macron called interested EU Citizens to send their Debates to a special Website at the Internet, while Also practicing physical "Human Contacts" in actual Meetings, which are "Useful".

 


+ We must "Invite even People who are Against Europe, to do themselves some Citizens Consultations, because they are "Pedagogical" and "a Fundamental Tool", particularly during the present "Times, which, for Europeans, are of Essential importance, he urged.


---------------------------------

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During a Press Briefing organized by the Elysée Palace, to which "Eurofora" and Other Strasbourg's Medias had been Invited to participate through Tele-Conference methods at the Eve of Macron's visit to EU Parliament here, the Accent had been put mainly on 2 Key-Points :


(A) that Everybody could Participate and/or Organize such a "Citizens' Consultation" on Europe's Future, by Internet and/or through Meetings, etc., i.e. not only Public Authorities, Politicians or Experts, but also Associations, Students, even a Simple Citizen.


(B) On the Condition to provide also for a kind of "Restitution" of the main Results of that Consultation, to a Centralized Body specially set up in order to Monitor the Organisation of such Events, Collect and Preserve their Outcome.


=> I.e., a Mechanism apparently Conceived to be Easy for EU Citizens to Replicate almost Everywhere throughout Europe, while also allowing to have an Overall View of the Total Input.


--------------------------------

QUESTIONS...
--------------------------------------

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Introducing to "1,5 Hour of Exchanges" <<Live>> between several Hundreds of registered EU Citizens and the French President at Epinal's Congress Center, (in the presence of various Politicians and Elysée's Press Pool of Paris and Strasbourg Accredited Journalists, just arrived from an EU Parliament RDV in a Special Bus, including "Eurofora",

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------

 Macron Started by briefly Resuming the main points of his short Presentation to the Debate with MEPs, Earlier this Morning, about his Preference for a "United, Democratic and Sovereign Europe" (See relevant "Eurofora"s NewsReport at : http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/macronineuparliamentaskscitizensdebates.html) :

 

macrn_looking_straight_at_agg_at_1st_eu_citizens_consultgation_eurofora_400 


- I.e, the "Capacity to give your Own Rules", and "to Exist in the World", in Addition to the National Sovereignity of each EU Member Country, but particularly for Issues such as Migration, Digital Technologies and Protection of private Data, Energy, (etc), where "Size" matters in order to be Efficient, f.ex. facing USA, China, etc., as he reminds.  


--------------------------------


=> EU Citizens' Questions issued from that 1st such event, organized this time by a special team under the State Secretary for EU Affairs, Nathalie Loiseau, touch upon a Variety of Concrete Issues around Europe, and Receive Macron's Replies, one by one, taking enough Time to enter, in a Fast and Sharp, but Substantial way, into the Heart of the matter, real Practice included, whenever needed :

macron_hears_question_at_1st_eu_citizens_consultation__overall_eurofora_400



F.ex., among many others, (See Note at the End), it's also about:


- whether we should Speak about "Europeans", or not, (in Addition to every EU Citizen's National Identity, which remains valid and pertinent, practically co-existing with the EU level);


-  the 2008 Economic Crisis, Banks and Speculation (resulting also to the Current Need for the EU to "Complete Banking Union", etc) ;


- whether the French "NO" Vote of 2005 (followed also by that of Netherlands, Ireland, etc, i.e. on the Occasion of a Draft EU Constitution, shortly After Opening controversial and unpopular EU "Accession" Negotiations with Turkey) corresponded to a Political "Error" (See also Infra) ;

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-------------------


- the recent USA-UK-France AirStrikes in Syria (after allegations of Chemical weapons in Ghouta Suburb in Damascus Capital City, until recently occupied by Islamist Terrorists and Other Armed Rebels) ;


- Economic situation's Need to "Settle the Real Problems, Instead of Wasting Public Funds" aggravating a Public Deficit, (as f.ex, Germany did, back from 2009, when it "was in Greater Recession" than France, But managed to avoid more Deficit) ;


- Space High-Tech's developments in a World-wide competition and EU's role, (an anew Topical Issue, due to be partly debated also in an EU Parliament's STOA Committee's Panel of Experts, later this week in Strasbourg, on Thursday Morning, April 19) ;


- the eventual creation of an "EU ID Card", (in Addition to the National one, during the Next EU Mandate of 2019-2024, and also in order to Help Manage the recent Mass Irregular Migration Issues, etc) ;


- (anew  : Comp. Supra) the 2005 "NO" Vote, which was just "Droped by Bureaucrats", making People wonder : - "Why Debate again ?", (Macron reacting by Finding "Better a Good Debate" going on the Substance of the Issues really at stake, "Instead of Only a Yes or No", but also Promising that there will be "Not any Structural Change withOut Asking the People"'s views, in order "Not to Repeat the 2005 ... Betrayal of Democracy", as he Harshly Criticized it);


- Why EU Countries do "Not yet Speak all in 1 Voice" on "Foreign Policy", (where Macron pointed, f.ex., to a succesfull Negotiation with Iran by EU's Representative, Federica Mogherini, and did Not Exclude that also in the Future, when CFSPolicy would become Identical for EU Countries, But Warning that there are "Not Yet" "Identical Views and Interests", due also to History/GeoPolitics, since f.ex. "some EU Member Countries were Invaded by Turkey", as he reminded, while Others had special links to Russia in the Past, etc., added also to the Fact that "there are Different Rules on Military Operations" : F.ex., "Only France can Act Fast", while "Others need Long Parliamentary Debates", etc);

- "Energy Sovereignity" for Europe, (apparently Not Possible in Short Term, Difficult in Medium, since, f.ex., France = Independent, but Others still Depend on Russia, or Turkey, etc. But we "Can Coordinate" actions Now, and "Afterwards Advance further, When our Interests are the Same". But, during the Next Decades, many EU Member Countries may still be based on some Different Foreign Policy options);

- "English Language" domination ? (a problem to be Solved via Pluri-Linguism : I.e. by systematically Learning at least 3 Languages = Mother Tongue, English, and anOther one, f.ex. French, etc. It's not normal for most French to be almost the Only in the World to stay Traditionally Uni-Lingual in practice. In such a context, Sometimes, even African Languages can be Useful to Europe :  f.ex. they are of decisive importance for Development, etc);

 

 macron_at_1st_eu_citizens_consultation_closer_eurofora_400


- Several Rural Areas, (including, f.ex., even those Vosges' Mountains), "do Not yet really Profit from the EU", complained another, Local participant. (This concerns, mainly, Road/Rail Infrastructures, where Germany's experience of - 30% Less Cost for efficient Local/Regional Railroad Links can be Useful. On Agricultural Policy, National States still remain in charge, but they Need an EU Complement. It's true that "Metropolisation-Effects", visible f.ex. in Strasbourg, don't exist in Provinces. But the development of Digital Technologies and High-Speed Networks, spreading all-over the Country, added to "Tele-Work" and "if we get a Full Digital Market" in the EU, with Hundreds of Millions of potential Customers, could bring a Big Change, giving a Chance to Rural Areas, where the Quality of Nature and Everyday Life is often Better, rightfully observed Macron - who has had also an interesting Experience there, as former Minister of Economy, when he signed a relevant Agreement between the French State and Strasbourg's Alsace Region about Spreading High-Speed Internet Networks : See "Eurofora"s NewsReport from the relevant Press Conference, then, at: http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/strasbourgregionpresidentrichertandfrencheconomyministermacrononhighspeedinternet.html ).

- A partly Related, critical Question concerned specifically a key part of Agriculture : F.ex., an Animal Raising Farmer said that there were "Enough Roads", and even a "Good Sanitary Quality" of Farm Products, as milk, meat, etc., but they were "No More Competitive in the Jobs' Market" abroad. (Macron, inter alia, observed, in Reply, that, in fact, it's just a Part of that Jobs-chain which raised problems in trade, referred also to recent EU Debates and moves on the Wider Issue of "Posted Workers", and appeared optimist for the future. "Eurofora" remembers that Similar Questions had been raised, in a recent Past, also by Neigbouring Alsace Region Farmers, concerning, then, the Comparative Cost of Lowest Salaries for Seasonal Workers in Agriculture, particularly in adjacent German areas before the recent introduction of a Lower Salary Guarantee, where we were, indeed, Surprized to find that even the Price of Milk was Cheaper than in France, while most Cows were Born, Raised and Exported by France to Germany and other EU Countries !)


- Frustrated by the obvious Lack of any Radical, fully-fledged "Anti-European", or, at least, "Euro-Sceptic", be it from the Far Right or the Far Left area of the Political Spectrum, (that Mrs Loiseau's Team had, perhaps, found Difficult to discover when they organized that 1st Citizens' Consultation), President Macron, Finally, exploded with a sincere Cry :  - But, isn't there anyone who has at least Doubts about the European Project ?...


- The guy who Dared raise his hand in public, apparently did his best, but didn't really convince about his supposed "Euro-sceptic" stance, (since we have all seen "Better", even among some EU Parliament's MEPs...)  : He Briefly evoked "Migration" Problems, but preferred to Focus on the Price of everyday consumption goods. F.ex., even the Wine ("Picon") that I use to drink, Nowadays Costs almost X 3 Times More than in the Past, he complained...


- "Your Wine ("Picon")'s Price is Not Fixed by the EU", sharply Replied Macron. But it's True that there are, indeed, also some Other Popular, Everyday Consumption Goods, such as, f.ex., even Coffee, Bread, etc. in Paris too, whose Prices have gone up, some years ago, and this is another, Different Issue that We have to Fix, he observed.


--------------------------------

 >>> Concluding this 1st EU Citizens' Consultation, the embattled French President applied his own Recipe, to be Pedagogical :


- Always Remember the Main things : "PEACE - FREEDOM - SIZE", he resumed :


=> EU Avoided Wars during More than 60 Years, stoping Military Domination Dreams as Never Before ; Helps Respect Citizens' Human Rights Better than several Authoritarian Regimes around the World ; offers a Market X more than 10 Times Wider than our National Market, and, more generally, EU has the Size required in order to be able to Deal with certain Big Issues in the World (Comp., f.ex., Supra, etc), as he Briefly, but Substantially, Highlighted in fine.

--------------------------

Last, but not least : One of the Photo's published here by "Eurofora" was Kindly provided to us, upon our Request, (just after an Electricity Shortage interrupted our own Tool), by a Collegue, Journalist for Radio, Margaretta Svensson, from ...Sweden !

=> One concrete Proof more, that Macron's "EU Citizens' Consultations", may, indeed, have a real Chance to widely Spread accross most EU Member States, (including up to Scandinavia)s..


 (../..)


----------------------------------------


***


(NDLR : Obviously, these are some Hasty, InComplete NOTES, taken "Live", on the spot, after 2 or 3 Days withOut Time even to Sleep overNight, particularly Because of some Strange, unjustified Practical Obstacles, including on Timeline Contradictions among Key Events in Strasbourg and Epinal, etc [Comp., f.ex., among others, also: http://www.eurofora.net/newsflashes/news/macronlsongmarchtoconsulciti.html , etc]. So that, in order to have a really Full and Accurate View of all those Questions/Replies between EU Citizens and President Macron, one has also to Better seek to find a Full VIDEO, at least of the Main Event, which should not omit to Pop up on the Web, sooner or later, since there were some People placed at Key-points in order to take Shots, by just Pressing a Button, and afterwards Simply "Copy-Paste" all at the Internet. => In Consequence, Readers could Usefully COMBINE Both Tools, f.ex., by Chosing at the Above-Mentiioned Written List some Interesting Questions/Replies, and, According to the Approximative Order shown in this List, afterwards Search to Find at a Video on the Web, All or Part of what was actually said, on this or another concrete point).


***


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    Before the end of 2009, France and Germany will take strong initiatives to open "new Horizons" needed by Europe and the World, going well beyond the current Crisis' management, anounced French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angie Merkel, reassuring that both a judgement on Lisbon Treaty by nearby Karlsruhe German Federal Court, and the forthcoming National Elections in Germany would confirm their capacity to act.    

They were replying to Press questions in Berlin, after key-regional elections on Sunday, where Merkel's ChristianDemocratic party kept everywhere a strong 1st and won the possibility to forge a New Majority with Liberals at the largest of 3 Landers : Saxony (4 millions inhabitants), while its main competitor, the Socialdemocrat party fell to unprecedented lows : Tackled by the small "Linke" (left) party in Saarland (1 million inhabitants), it became even smaller than it in Saxony and Thuringen (3 million inhabitants), where SPD arrived only third. While its usual partners, the "Greens" also fell down, contrary to CDU's new partners, the FDP Liberals, who go up.

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    - "At any case, at the end of the year (2009), if things go as scheduled, we shall take strong initiatives, showing that Europe needs a Franco-German axis, as well as the World, even if it never excludes other" countries to join, replied Sarkozy to a question if France and Germany will revive the "European dream", by "relauncing the EU motor" for the Future, with actions going further than the mere management of the global crisis, (as it was done fex. in the Past with the creation of the "Euro" Monetary zone, etc).

    - "I am convinced that the Franco-German friendship must be constantly nourished by New Projects", he added."There are many areas of cooperation where we intend to take, very soon, some Franco-German initiatives, which will allow to open more Horizons" to the EU, Sarkozy stressed.

    But if "we don't speak about that now, it's only in order to avoid interfering in important elections coming in Germany", he observed. However, "we have already started to consider the Future with the (German) Chancellor, and what we can do in order to honour our predecessors". "We are already speaking about that, and we are preparing things". "I am working very well together with Mrs Merkel, and I wish that it goes on", Sarkozy concluded.

merkel_sarkozy_eu_flag_400

    - "It's important for EU's credibility that France and Germany advance forward together", stressed Merkel from the outset. "Don't worry about Germany's capacity to undertake initiatives" with France, she added. "France and Germany will be perfectly able to make proposals" for the EU.

    -  "After-crisis" plans must be prepared, meanwhile, with measures "advancing progressively", Merkel anounced. And, for the short term, we must deal also with EU Citizens' dismay since they feel that it's a Scandal for some in the Financial Markets to be paid with excessive "Bonuses", etc, she agreed with Sarkozy.

    - "Abuses in financial markets must stop", stressed also Sarkozy. Backing Merkel's announcement that France and Germany call for an EU meeting to forge "a crystal-clear European position" in view of the G-14 Summit at Pittsburg, he warned that "everyone will have to undertake his responsibilities, in front of World's Public Opinion. particularly those who don't want to make the same effort of regulation as France and Germany".

    Moreover, "Global Trade cannot be correctly dealt, without taking into account also Environmental and Social rules", Sarkozy added, referring to recently expressed positions against Unfair Competition via Environmental and/or Social Dumping, (See earlier "EuroFora"'s publications).

    Such moves are obviously linked to the need to ensure at least an elementary respect for Human Rights by Third Countries, (f.ex. exploitation of Children's work, etc) in order to avoid, precisely, any such Social Dumping.

    - "EU has Values, protecting Human Rights and Human Dignity", and "it cannot close its eyes" in front of grave violations, particularly "Torture and/or killings", added, indeed, Sarkozy.

    Thus, "the time comes, where decisions must be taken". But, in case of "Sanctions", "all International opinion should be convinced of the need to take action", he observed.

    Expressed on the occasion of recent developments in Iran, the same principles should logically apply also to other similar cases, including fex. that of Hundreds of ECHR judgements' condemning f;ex. Turkey for grave crimes, (as Torture, brutal Killings, Enforced "Disappearances", Destruction of Family Homes, harassments and oppressive violations of Freedom of Speech, etc).

    Meanwhile, questioned on (EU Commission's chair)  Barroso's bid to succeed himself for a second mandate, they both expressed a "wish" or a "feeling" that "EU Parliament"'s various political Groups might fix a date for decisions "during September". However, is he is endorsed before the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty, it will be legally necessary to re-vote anew for a full term of office afterwards, according to EU Legal Experts, revealed recently in Strasbourg the experienced former President of EU Parliament's Constitutional Committee, German Socialist MEP Jo Leinen. And Germany will not vote for Lisbon Treaty's ratification but only "on September 8 and 18", revealed Merkel, ( i.e. after EU Parliament's plenary session in Strasbourg).

    - Therefore, "for EU Commissioners' appointment, it's too early yet, because we must wait for the ratification of Lisbon Treaty" by all 27 EU Member countries, including naturally Ireland's Referendum on early October, said to "EuroFora" the influential President of EU Parliament's largest group of MEPs, Joseph Daul, expressing, however, the hope that a controversial deal with the head of the Socialist Group of MEPs, Martin Schultz of Germany, might hold for Barroso alone, at a forthcoming vote due to fix the Strasbourg plenary's Agenda.

    But MEPs reportedly just "postponed" for 1 week all their previously scheduled group meetings (See : http://www.euractiv.com/en/future-eu/barroso-unveil-summer-homework-week/article-184825 );

    However, while the choice of a new EU Commission's President by EU Parliament is supposed, according to many MEPs' wish, take place according to EU policy issues, paradoxically, this would mean that Barroso's bid would pass before even the anouncement of France and Germany's "initiatives" for EU's "new Horizons"...

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