(Bloomberg) -- Prime Minister Michel Barnier warned that France has reached its “moment of truth,” as far-right leader Marine Le Pen is set to join a left-wing coalition to topple his government as soon as this week.Most Read from BloombergAs Wars Rage, Cities Face a Dark New Era of Urban DestructionRiyadh Metro Partially Opens in Bid to Ease City’s Traffic JamsSubscribe to the Bloomberg Daybreak podcast on Apple, Spotify or anywhere you listen.Le Pen’s National Rally as well as a leftist
Well thank you very much. They seem to have considerably more power than the UN. They print money, regulate industry, levy fines and penalties, and require action from members (accepting refugees), so your explanation is not great, but I’m obviously not understanding the EU’s true form.
I’m not sure you’re aware of how much power they have consolidated while assuring you you are a sovereign, independent state. Which just seems to mean yes, they won’t help if you need it.
The WTO can levy fines and penalties as well, I guess they are a state. The UN also requires compliance with various treaties from it’s members (including accepting refugees). Some EU members can be argued to be easier to whipped into compliance due to EU funds being critical to their level of living. Of course the IMF also has had a lot of leverage over poor countries, even EU ones.
The EU does not have an army, or even a federal police force to enforce compliance in member states. It can only try to coax compliance by withholding funds and other benefits. Contrast this to Little Rock Nine, where the US government sent it’s own army (EU doesn’t have one) and was able to take control of the Arkansas NG from it’s government. The EU cannot do this. Especially not to fucking France.
They have been granted power in a lot of fields, including trade and human rights. It would not be a problem for my country to leave the EU, the issues would be the lack of market access. Your second sentence makes even less sense than usual, what help? Is that what you would call “the EU” (aka foreigners) sending their non-existent troops to run things? No thanks mate.
Thank you. My original question WAS a question. You answered it.
Appreciate you.
You are welcome.
The EU is a complicated thing. It’s certainly the most integrated international organization and pushes the envelope so to speak. It’s also portrayed as a equivalent to a state quite often, whether for practical (an easy if inaccurate analog) or even ideological (EU federalists) reasons.
Also France is not in particular trouble at least in regards to it’s ability to function. At most legislative elections will be needed.