European shibboleths

The European Union adopted its access regulation at the turn of this century. But as work went digital, the rules have failed to keep pace. A lot still goes unrecorded or unregistered, and cannot be accessed easily, if at all.

Speaking at the Global Progressive Forum, former Italian prime minister Enrico Letta describes the victim-shaming of Italy and Spain during the financial crisis — and explains how a big bag of money from Brussels may be helping heal the wounds.

With the COP26 climate conference about to get underway in Glasgow, major breakthroughs look elusive. Among the spectres at the feast are raging geopolitical tensions, high energy prices, the ongoing pandemic and a lack of diplomatic vigour from Europe.

In this episode, a Socialist MEP gives a first-hand account of being obstructed and misled by two of the prime suspects in the Qatargate scandal. She also shares her feelings of vindication now that the truth is coming out.

Political scientist David Rowe has been looking into why so much of Europe wasn't ready for Putin — and the consequences for the Western allies of not spilling their own blood in Ukraine.

The dumpster fire at the European Parliament may be largely of the EU's own making.