(image: barcelonaconnect.com) It seems like a rotten sequel to an already very bad film. If you thought “Brexitmania” was bad, now we have the very latest cheap remake on a theme that is well past its “sell by” date. In deciding to go it alone, Catalonia has done exactly what the UK did, on 23rd […]
Democracy
- Netherlands
- ...
How Much Is That DUPpy In The Window? – The Dutch Want One Too
[perfectpullquote align=”left” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]Theresa May goes shopping[/perfectpullquote] Even from this side of the North Sea, it’s pretty obvious that, after the elections, Theresa May bought herself and her party 10 Democratic Union Party votes, costing 150 million quid a piece, in order to survive the Queen’s speech and get “back to […]
UK Election: “And The Winner Is…Democracy.”
By calling a snap general election, Theresa May took a gamble and failed miserably. From having a small majority in the last parliament and a 20-point lead in the opinion polls, she has ended up with neither. On hearing the news, on Friday morning, I got out of bed with a spring in my step. […]
Taming The (Lone) Wolves
Saturday’s London terrorist attack affects us all deeply, whether we were directly involved, or watching it from a distance. I feel particularly saddened by the attack because it took place in a part of London that I’m so familiar with, having qualified at Guy’s Hospital, all those years ago. The attack is just the latest […]
When Progressive Humanism Meets Terrorism
Islamic attacks on Western democracies pose a deep philosophical and moral problem to anyone sympathising with a progressive humanist vision of society. The Islamic fundamentalists are targeting the very heart of our democracies and, more importantly, our entire way of life. They are trying to drive a wedge between the Islamic community, which they are […]
Tolerance In The Attic
If ever a ranking of ordinary-looking houses that possess a universal value were made, the building situated at 38 Oudezijds Voorburgwal, in the centre of Amsterdam, would probably be near the top of the list. Whereas the Anne Frank House, situated on the nearby Prinsengracht, symbolises all that is bad about human nature, this house epitomises […]
French Presidential Debate: Much Ado About Nothing
From time to time, there is such a build-up to a mid-week football match, that you cannot wait for the Wednesday night. The build-up to this week’s French presidential debate promised a night of high drama, philosophical insights and antipodal ideologies. Instead, I was forced to watch the debate on my iPad, my son having […]
Joan Of Arc And The Little Prince
Joan of Arc, having liberated France from English occupation in the 15th century, has become a symbol of ultra-nationalism expressed by the French National Front Party. The Little Prince, written by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, is a poetic tale, in which a pilot stranded in the desert meets a young prince fallen to Earth from a […]
French Press (4) – A Coffee Drinker’s View On The French Presidential Election
(IV) Emmanuel Macron’s Late Night Out Up to now, compared to Marine Le Pen, I’ve been quite nice to Emmanuel Macron. Well, one thing’s for sure: nobody’s perfect I was fortunate enough to attend the Euro 2000 football championship final between Italy and France, that took place in Rotterdam. I was standing in the midst […]
French Press (2) – A Coffee Drinker’s View On The French Presidential Election
(II) Marine Le Pen’s Splitting Headache Over Europe The situation at the Whirlpool plant, situated in the northern town of Amiens, underscores the nature of the combat between Marine Le Pen and Emmanuel Macron. The fact that the American owners want to relocate the plant in Poland, is, for Le Pen, the epitome of […]