News / Will PiS be happy if AfD wins elections in Germany? [1440]

Well, the incoming chancellor Friedrich Merz certainly has his work cut out for him. What we now need is nothing short of a second Adenauer. He has to reform the German economy, solve the refugee crisis and coordinate the European response to the Russian threat in the East. And then there is the Trump situation. He has to show leadership where Scholz failed to do so.

If we want to stay positive, there is currently a window of opportunity with European leaders who understand the urgency of the situation and are willing to cooperate. This window may close with the end of Macrons's term in 2 years, so one can only hope that they use it.

History / Is there any part of Polish history that's at least a bit glorious? [239]


What truth?

That PiS did not alienate the other EU countries and that it was a German ploy instead?

History / Is there any part of Polish history that's at least a bit glorious? [239]


Everything related to the Disciplinary Chamber of the Supreme Court for instance.

EU court upholds €320M fine against Poland for violating rule of law

politico.eu/article/eu-court-upholds-320-million-fine-against-poland-violating-rule-of-law/

The Polish government should consider suing the responsible PiS politicians for reimbursement.

History / Is there any part of Polish history that's at least a bit glorious? [239]


Nobody does. A closer look at how the EU operates and how much it favours smaller countries shows how ridiculous the idea is that Germany, or any other country could dominate the EU.

Do you know how many German seats are in the European parliament? Or how many votes German ministers have in the European council meetings and elsewhere, where unanaminous voting is not needed?

Usually less than what would be representative of the German population size relative to other EU members, and very, very from even a simple majority. In the EU, you need other countries to agree with you if want your agenda approved. And Poland under PiS has been very bad at reaching a consensus with other leaders not named Orban. Of course instead of admitting that offending pretty much every other EU member in some way or other was not a winning strategy, it is of course easier to blame Germany for it.


To the rule of law, and the reputation of the judiciary in general. They did so incredibly short-sighted and egoistically, and from what I have read, it will take some time to undo the damage.

Though I suppose one good came out of it. This precedent made the parties in Germany realize that the German judiciary was also vulnerable under the current rules, and implemented changes to the German constitution that prevents similar misconduct by any future government.

History / Is there any part of Polish history that's at least a bit glorious? [239]


Always amusing to see that kind of PiS deflection. The PiS government managed to alienate every other EU country except Orban's Hungary, but it ultimately all boiled down to a nefarious plot from Berlin, which of course also runs the EU.

Leaving aside the stereotypes, that view always betrayed a profound lack of insight into how the EU works (per consensus with rules favouring the small countries). The fact that Putin's proxy Hungary has such veto power should really disapprove any such notions.

History / Is there any part of Polish history that's at least a bit glorious? [239]


Internally they did incredible damage to the rule of law, while externally they severely harmed Poland's international reputation and standing in Europe.

In a sense PiS got lucky that they got voted out when they did because they otherwise would now be forced to explain the dead end they positioned Poland into.

History / Is there any part of Polish history that's at least a bit glorious? [239]

I know that their attempts of undoing the damage that PiS has done is partly frustrated by the current president, but this will hopefully be resolved after the presidential election.

History / Is there any part of Polish history that's at least a bit glorious? [239]


Those two achievements both really impressive and it sent a message that went beyond Poland.

The first showed that Soviet hegemony over Eastern Europe was not set in stone (or as other say, the first stone was removed from the Berlin wall during the protests inGdansk) and the second that democratic backsliding could be reversed. Thanks to that, Poland seems no longer in danger of following in the footsteps of Orban's Hungary.

Off-Topic / Is Islam a threat to western society? [167]


Sadly no. They are no longer as shunned as they were before, but the church is still shamefully backwards on that issue.

The church looked away when their priests abused little children and was lenient with serial rapists amongst their ranks, but heaven forbid if two men love each other or a married couple discovers that after 30 years of marriage, they are simply no longer compatible.... .

Off-Topic / Is Islam a threat to western society? [167]

Religion is generally losing appeal in modern societies. There are signs that the same is happening in countries that have no freedom of religion like Iran.

Iran's secular shift: new survey reveals huge changes in religious beliefs

theconversation.com/irans-secular-shift-new-survey-reveals-huge-changes-in-religious-beliefs-145253

Off-Topic / Is Islam a threat to western society? [167]

Did he do anything particulary to modernize the church though? He appointed some women to powerful positions in the vatican, but he still denied them the right to become priests.

News / Presidential elections 2025 - the race has commenced!!! [665]


It depends. If the lie is that Ukrainians are truly Russians and are just waiting for their liberation from the Kiev regime by Russia than peace is rather difficult.

But if the dispute is about whether some jewish prophet from more than 2000 years was the messiah or not. That is something everyone should make out for himself, and thankfully we live in countries that give everyone that freedom.

News / Presidential elections 2025 - the race has commenced!!! [665]


If only Braun had restricted himself to internet boards.

News / Presidential elections 2025 - the race has commenced!!! [665]


Just someone who takes seperation of state and church seriously.

Nobody has the right to ridicule or attack someone else for his believes.

News / Presidential elections 2025 - the race has commenced!!! [665]


I am perfectly calm. I pointed out what he did. If you don't think that was an antisemitic attack and find it fit to ridicule it as an attempt to suppress a fire hazard so be it.


It would be wrong from your point of view. But not according to their believes to which they are entitled to in Poland.


Seems like they underwent their era own Enlightenment.

News / Presidential elections 2025 - the race has commenced!!! [665]


Braun violently interrupted of a holy ceremony and insulted the jewish faith and its' followers as satanic (an accusation that has sadly a long history in antijudaism/antisemitism).


Might as well argue that Christians practice idolatry because from the jewish point of view our worship of him violates monotheism.That doesn't give them the right to violently interrupt a mass at christmas.

News / Presidential elections 2025 - the race has commenced!!! [665]

Grzegorz Braun: Polish MP who doused Hanukkah candles loses immunity

google.com/amp/s/bbc.com/news/world-europe-68014535.amp


Not much ambiguity there. That was clearly an antisemitic incident.

News / Presidential elections 2025 - the race has commenced!!! [665]

Someone whose surname is the German word for "brown" (maybe "Braun" has a different meaning in Polish) who hates jews is running for president in Poland.

Well, the world is full of endless possibilities.

News / Presidential elections 2025 - the race has commenced!!! [665]

Braun is the guy behind the antisemitic fire-extinguisher incident right?

News / Poles say a big YES to our European Union [996]

I mean yeah, Brexit made the UK poorer and less influential than it would have been otherwise, but aside from that, no harm done... .

News / Building regional alliance to stabilize Eastern Europe. [236]

If he claimed that those were Slavs yes. But they were Serbs in his imagination.

News / Building regional alliance to stabilize Eastern Europe. [236]

As Crow tells it East Germany was also Serbia until the evil Catholic invaders came... .

News / Building regional alliance to stabilize Eastern Europe. [236]


Interesting. My mistake seems to have been that I clicked on that button before I marked the quotes. Well, you never stop learning I guess.


Just a reminder that it was the Polish PiS government who prevented Hungary from losing its' voting rights in the EU. And now he has Fico who backs him up... .

News / Building regional alliance to stabilize Eastern Europe. [236]

@jon357


People from the GDR accounted for only 1/4 of the votes. The population of the GDR was smaller than the population the largest West German state NRW. All East German states put together dont' have a blocking minority in the Bundesrat on most issues. Even if the people of the GDR voted all together in strong contrast to the rest - which they dont, there are strong regional differences - it would not paralyze the system. Contrast that with the veto power of a very small country like Hungary in the EU. As it stands now, neither the EU nor Turkey is ready for membership. Maybe in a few decades, but for now that is a pipe dream.


I did just that. That saves one step, but still no name in the quote.

News / Building regional alliance to stabilize Eastern Europe. [236]

@Bratwurst Boy

Worth remembering that there was a huge corruption scandal in 2013 involving many of Erdogan's close allies and his son.

Police investigations were supressed and many of the responsible police officers were reassigned, demoted, fired and otherwise punished.

The police is now fully under governmental control.

How the Corruption Investigations of 2013 Still Shape Turkey's Bleak Future

vocaleurope.eu/how-the-corruption-investigations-of-2013-still-shape-turkeys-bleak-future/

News / Building regional alliance to stabilize Eastern Europe. [236]

@jon357


Italy has been there since the beginning yet they are not a founder?

Speaking about Turkey, Erdogan's biggest rival was just arrested, shortly before his likely nomination for the presidential election.

Istanbul mayor arrested days before likely presidential nomination

theguardian.com/world/2025/mar/19/istanbul-mayor-arrested-ekrem-imamoglu-days-before-likely-presidential-nomination-erdogan-ntwnfb


You can also say that red is blue. The FRG had long been a stable democracy when the GDR joined, and the GDR became part of its' political system, and even if it had gone terribly wrong, the GDR was never large enough to become a veto player. An autocratic Turkey however could very well become one in the EU. One only has to look at the kind of damage Hungary, a country with 1/10 of Turkey's population.

I suspect that if the German constitution had offered the same kind of power to e.g. Thuringia, people in West Germany would have either amended it or would have been much more reserved about the prospect of German reunification.


Ok, so then it never worked on my devices, hence I never felt the need to fix it. Case solved.


All I am doing is marking the parts I want to quote, use "quote" and then copy the parts I want to quote in there. If you want to believe that I am doing something else so be it.

@Bobko


Well, without having looked into it, each ranking puts different weight on certain criteria's. Turkey under Erdogan has purged a lot of people after the failed military coup, with a lot of people losing their jobs despite having no ties to the coup attempt. Turkey is one of the countries with the most journalists being jailed, enough to warrant its' own Wikipedia page.

Deniz Yücel was a prominent case of a journalist being incarcerated without any evidence for more than a year, iand he and other journalists were reportedly the victims of abuse during his time in prison.

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deniz_Y%C3%BCcel

Ultimately you have Erdogan ruling the country for more than 20 years. During this time he changed the constitution in order to stay in power and later to give the previously mostly ceremonial office of president most of the power. Many criticial journalists and opposition politicians are jailed. His party has complete hegemony over the press, any dissenting voice in the state apparatus are purged. He has given his family and friends important positions in the government. His son-in-law was made finance minister (with terrible consequences for the economy) And now the mayor of Istanbul has been arrested. The one opponent Erdogan is still concerned about. Because as former mayor of Istanbul he knows the power and prestige of this office. Before his arrest there have been multiple other to neutralize him as a political threat, including the annulement of the mayoral election, on flimsy grounds.

I would argue that all of this paints a pretty bad picture.

News / Building regional alliance to stabilize Eastern Europe. [236]

@jon357


I provided you with a source stating the opposite. Call Italy a member of the "Inner Six" if it makes you feel better. The point is that they have a special position in the EU thanks to their history.


Not sure what you are saying here. Erdogan has been transforming his country into an autocracy for more than a decade now and at this point, there is little reason to think that anyone can stop him. And even if someone does, it will take many, many years to reverse the damage done by him to the democratic system and culture of his country.


He wouldn't. As far as I know he never reconciled himself with his fall from power, let alone German reunification. . His wife spent decades living in Chile, mourning for the GDR. I think they viewed it as conquest in form of a counterrevolution or something.

Again, this is just a silly idea.


I am not. I've bought a new phone a few years ago, and since then I seem to recall having this issue. Or maybe it is a different reason, dont know, dont care. If people had shown trouble with comprehending my posts I would have looked for a fix, but that doesnt seem necessary.

News / Building regional alliance to stabilize Eastern Europe. [236]

@jon357


It is relevant in so far as it may explain your lack of knowledge on the conditions Turkey. I suppose the recent Turkish elections did not receive much attention in the UK?


Just because the UK joined later doesn't mean you can just start the history of the EU later.

The EU is pretty clear on this and the date of its' foundation (hint: It is not 1992)

enlargement.ec.europa.eu/enlargement-policy/6-27-members_en#:~:text=The%20organisation%20founded%20in%201957,Italy%2C%20Luxembourg%20and%20the%20Netherlands.


It wasn' and it is not. Maybe there is a fix for it, but why bother to look for it if people can understand what I write just fine?


That is such silly take. West Germany and Germany are the same entity. The most obvious aign being that "West Germany" was just unofficial nickname, while the official name was and is Federal Republic of Germany.

News / Building regional alliance to stabilize Eastern Europe. [236]

@Ironside


Again, read the article. Those are well-publicized issues. And since Germany has a large Turkish migrant population, those problems have received a lot of publicity here. Perhaps this is something that has not been of much interest in the UK?


The founding members of the EU are the Benelux, Italy, France and Germany.


And Greece has a veto against Turkey joining the EU. As does Cyprus.

Not that it matters. Turkey is not even pretending that it is trying to pass the membership criterias anymore.


Not if someone like Salvini replaces her.

@Ironside


Even though they are currently buying more fossil fuel from Russia than the other European countries combined?

energyandcleanair.org/publication/eu-imports-of-russian-fossil-fuels-in-third-year-of-invasion-surpass-financial-aid-sent-to-ukraine/

News / Building regional alliance to stabilize Eastern Europe. [236]

@jon357


Chaos is not the issue. But if most of the news outlets are directly or indirectly controlled by the government, and the state-run media is almost exclusively advertising for Erdogan, it is hard to say that those conditions are fair.

Turkish election 'free but not fair', say international observers

euronews.com/2023/05/30/turkish-election-free-but-not-fair-say-international-observers

"Erdogan received nearly 33 hours of airtime on the main state-run TV station, according to opposition members of the broadcasting watchdog, while his presidential opponent, Kemal Kilicdaroglu, received 32 minutes."


It is really not. Those countries haven't imported that much Russian fossil fuels to in absolute terms to begin with, so their embargo by themselves won't have much effect. And they lack the means to enforce an embargo via the EU. Even prolonging the sanctions is not a sure thing.


Yeah, I can see Meloni telling this to her voters. It may make you feel good to write those words, but they are far removed from reality.


It helps being a founding member of the EU.

In all seriousness, the only scenario in which a EU-membership of Turkey is remotely feasible would be one in which Erdogan's successor implements a decade-long democratic reform process and settles all territorial disputes with other European countries to the latters satisfaction. Which I don't see happening.