A collective sigh of relief from Austria – Putting the Bundespräsidentenstichwahlwiederholungsverschiebung to bed

Austria’s Presidential Election is finally over, Renzi loses in Italy and the Supreme Court Hearing takes place…

In a year where the only certainty has been uncertainty – particularly as far as election results have been concerned, the acceptance of the result in the postponed re-run of the run-off for the President Election was a relief – marking at least in Austria the end of the political year dominated by the “Bundespräsidentenstichwahlwiederholungsverschiebung“. Back in May, with Van der Bellen and Norbert Hofer too close to separate from physical votes cast, we had had a nervous weight for a result – Austria’s news providers’ webservers crashing seemed to collude to make the announced results at 4pm on the Monday  back in May after a Sunday vote even more tense. Continue reading “A collective sigh of relief from Austria – Putting the Bundespräsidentenstichwahlwiederholungsverschiebung to bed”

Bluster from Boris?

At some point between now and the time of the referendum, I expect there to be a major event that might prove decisive for the course of the referendum – and the optimistic says it might be the result of a statement made by Boris Johnson. Unfortunately with so much of the fluff and bluster that he spouts, there is a fear that it might cocoon any bombshell that he might drop, the detonation of which could permanently damage his “Brexit” campaign. Continue reading “Bluster from Boris?”

Stratifications of citizenship (or First Class, Second Class, Worst Class…)

With the Freedoom of Movement being essential within the EU – it being exactly what has allowed me to stay and work in Austria as a UK national, another issue was alerted to me, which may affect fewer people, but which until recently would have affected someone no less prominent in the Brexit referendum than Boris Johnson.
Continue reading “Stratifications of citizenship (or First Class, Second Class, Worst Class…)”

One wanted to stand on the desk and cheer…

Connolly - Rotten Heart of Europe
The Rotten Heart of Europe

I remember my previous boss once telling me that he had worked with Bernard Connolly at the European Commission in the early 1990s – prior to Connolly’s departure from the Commission under a cloud in the wake of his book “The Rotten Heart of Europe”, which savaged the common currency. The book, written in 1995 was re-released a couple of years ago with new material to extend to the financial crisis. Continue reading “One wanted to stand on the desk and cheer…”