discover the. subscribe. documentary on you tube. they have a fun thing that is not working some people decide not to see it. all the time countries in chaos i have talking about baghdad smuggled to put the other side . france's president emanuel macrolides to be seen as one of the driving forces for reform in the u. but his efforts to change his own country around it's a serious trouble my guest this week here in brussels is former europe minister not only was one of his most vocal cheerleaders in the european parliament is the market revolution advancing or has it run out of steam.

welcome to conference on. nobody has talked more about reforming the e.u. than emanuel merkel why should anyone listen when he's making such heavy weather of reforms in his own country. why 1st you've been reforming from for more than 2 years with steady paff. the country is in chaos their country is not in care of there is no threat anymore are in real with all public transportation and there will be the most ambitious pension systems reform for the kids with wish which will pass in the parliament in the next few weeks people have died in the instructions paris has wreaked of tear gas for weeks on end you've had gigantic disruptions in

transport so the worst transport disruption since the 1960 s. are you talking about that obviously i'm talking about paris you don't seem to come often to paris are i do i have my family in paris yes there with our from protests that suppression tradition birds are 0 to 700 people injured across the country 17 and a number of policeman injured among them and some casualties were due to this yellow tackett protest movement are you see it throughout the word right now middle class is wondering whether globalization is good or bad for it for them and they need to get off it and they got a month from the government they got said until the 1000000000 euros program that he catered at increasing wages and increasing public services and they found out that the president has an increasingly authoritarian streak and 2 years report by

the national ombudsman spoke of an unprecedented number of preventive arrests so the long with the decline of public service is a policy of strength and security and repression taken root is a path work is ations from the official watchdog charge with the sending the rights of french citizens and i strongly deny it we are in a democracy you can make saddam are up to one you think he makes it or i think well he 3 theresa. it and i would like to us a little of the notice elsewhere is where people are that free to protest or to deny what's happening and the government isn't much good if you just dismiss it when he says it are this is my writing this on this is it i decline of public services the undermining of fun being mental rollers i'm not in the government i'm an elected member i have 23 elected members of my party here in the european parliament i have as much freedom of expression as any french citizen we are in

a democracy where in a country where we have rule of law every problem has been or is being investigated with independent judiciary i would love to see it as open as balanced and with such a rule of law in other places in the european union i think you should focus on what's happening in poland on what's happening in hungary rather we talk to pose but we're talking to you about france and you're still a member of the president's party home o'shane are still one of his most vocal cheerleaders so that's why i'm putting these points to you especially when both the u.n. and the council of europe weighed in against what they saw as disproportionate force against demonstrators on the streets of fronts there was this proportion of the violence in my country and there were casualties caused by. blockades by yellow vests can should we forget about that should we forget about the number of traits of

a sin with which closed because of this unrest i will never because i was elected by my fellow citizens united knowledge was addressing the points the many people have raised the paris think tank for instance general assembly leap so last year the clampdown on civil liberties was part of a consistent pattern since mr michel took office and i deny it because there are freedoms they are respected they are protected for in. and freedom to go on strike that's fine that's even constitutional in my county but frank freedom not to go on strike should be protected as well and freedom of movement should be protected as well you want to see the powers of police increased as they were october 27th in the new deterrent or substantially increase police in february 28th in the immigration or reduce the rights of migrants and asylum seekers in october that year the supreme court refused to halt the creation of a biometric database containing detailed information of all french citizens as

surveillance and these are measures that are causing concern one prominent lawyer and long time supporter actually i'm assuming across france or soon will put it bluntly said fundamental rights are under attack while our i know mr question well i know the n.g.o.s he is dealing with on refugees because i'm dealing myself on a private basis on the rights of refugees are but please are fighting against terrorism the 1st freedom of my fellow citizens is security and my country was struck again and again by terrorist attacks should we are 30 as we were before and so we are doing nothing this is not a nobody asked you to do nothing this was last seen not to want to undermine fundamental rights and liberties that's now not in a fight you can always go to the court and you always have your rights protected i know what my fellow citizens want they want to cure it. more than rights more than

for no sense they want both of them and we protect both of them. does mr mccraw believe he can have greater success on the european stage with reforms than he's had at home time after time people claims the need for new organizations in the it's a bit like picking random tickets out of a hat isn't it reforms to immigration defense trade a european agency to protect democracy european council for interior security european climate bank and the reaction from the rest of europe was resulting silence to this proposed arm i'm not sure we are talking about the same word about my country or about here rob you're obviously very anti mccrone that's all right that's a surprise because i thought that was fair internalization but it is not that your right or right it's my it's my duty to put the other side to you your micro supporter and putting the other side to you ask the growing that's where you see things that are necessarily where other people turn a little but that's all right i don't deny it and 0 to learn to 1st answer at less

or go to reforms in france yes they are working we are the 2nd most attractive kountry in the european union for foreign investors we have one of the highest growth rates in the european union we half the number of unemployed which is the really creepy thing steadily we have 3 terms the unemployment number of germany that's right but we don't have many jobs when we talk about jobs which we talk about jobs will full pay that's her choice and we are still fighting against one point and we are changing the rules for apprentice for instance and it is working and considering the european union you mentioned the climate bank this was something i was complaining for in favor of when i was the head of the list of what they thought in the european union election and now this isn't a program of this. this from the lion her new green deal includes

a european climate bank includes. a 1000000000000 euros in the coming 7 years to finance green projects so this is precisely what we have were advocating for and this is precisely what the european union is indicating committed to but there was a huge backlash against you climate proposals wasn't there when the yellow vests protested against the new carbon tax which was introduced trying to get the troops to change their behavior people in rural areas it was deep in the tax had to be abandoned or are you handled were throughout europe you have. claims for a more through and vibrant meant a more anti global warming policy and at the same time people feel not in my backyard not on my our fuel expenses we face it every single developed country to advancing it sucks you know but we have

a burden raising the tax but we are working was the european union with the commission on a mechanism providing for our protection of european companies compared to 30 kountry companies if they don't respect the same and fire imminent rules they should pay for that difference there is no reason to impact or companies for a nickel for regulations that we are choosing on a room in europe with your independence advisory council on climate this report last june strongly suggested your record didn't match the promises you've made tell me of 11 single european country matching the result with the promises every counter is lagging with some time to figure out the stuff and you so you and there's a variety of climate that's a tragedy and one on target and that's why i mean this european parliament is a. you rob ian on ther we couldn't we cannot have one member state taking decisions

and another going and a different path we have to take common objectives and abide by them we have to have objective worked 420342050 we are in the process of doing it but then rose if you were serious about the environment you would halt this incredibly wasteful process of convening the european parliament for one week every month in strasbourg and the rest of the time in brussels why not have the parliament in strasbourg all the time i agree i mean you know but at the moment this is hugely damaging for the environment and hugely costly to the european taxpayer but it's france's vanity project it's into treatment. and it's germans vanity projects you have the european central bank in frankfurt and inflection of advantage of projects to have premises in luxembourg with the whole european parliament doesn't get up like a travelling circus and some people have said once every month how do you know the

cost of over $100100000000.00 euros a year have you asked the cost of having premises in like fender in frankfurt and in many other places in europe that doesn't justify this. might to more than just specific interest you must you want your crap to stay in brussels bubble. cut from the reality of the ground cut from member states is that what you bought is that what citizens have been voting for for them they are telling us please go to member states please get out of this but because married to strasburg once a month i'm not telling you that. in my country it is only done in your butt but at the cost of between $11000.00 listening to my voters between 11019000 tons of extra c o 2 emissions every year just to make this stunt possible you know every time

you don't know what a program on your smartphone you are participating and carbon emissions and thirdly you are doing it yes we'll have to change our habits but why are you finger pointing the heart of european democracy where we have the council of europe where we have the you open court you don't really matter right you don't need to go to strasburg once a month yes we can stay in strasbourg i agree the european concern have to somebody from this group said it was time for any peace to get their own house in order and the travelling circus no organization can honestly claim to be serious and tackling climate change and still maintain the work of working which is so manifestly destructive to the environment while i hope that you don't rob a conservative group also notice is that poland one of its main supporters as far as lagging far behind in terms of a mission and still denying the need for our green new deal let's talk about

foreign policy emanuel merkel's phone policy because there's been a strong perception that he favors go it alone diplomacy instead of the multilateral initiatives that you was close to value one of your president's harshest critics here in brussels the green m.e.p. philip blumberg skewes dream of being drunk on power and said you don't shape europe by bullying europe. shit europe by building alliances this is what we saw in in previous decades with a very lively your rock well listen to on the your world stage it was so obvious that we were winning n. that we were united an official come on you are no united on russia policy on russia well since our policy and russia look at the normandy form and summit that we had in paris a few weeks ago what did get you we defended ukraine's rights we favored an exchange of prisoners which had not taken place for months and news and we are

fully in line with the your property and position on ukraine crimea i don't buy that on the rest just the council on foreign relations that a lot of people claims sumac and didn't even inform them ahead of time when he sent his foreign and defense ministers to moscow last september seem to be part of an emerging pattern of unilateral actions should you say the same one angle america all good to moscow to meet with of lead in your putin know they are playing their role france is an important member state of the european union france has a permanent seat in the security council we have responsibilities with a friend european values we carried a rope in voice and we have share european positions we are fully in line with as a boy while there is not the year there of a slice of paper between what was a borel is a vacating for and what we are pushing for bilaterally it strengthen europe it doesn't weaken it was wonder whether when mr all bar prefers to talk to put in or

talk to other well and says that they are hungary and commissioner is at the service of a matron wonder whether he supports european union policy last august mr merkel called for a new architecture in europe based on trust and security because he said the continent would never be stable without easing and clarifying europe's relations with russia. well you didn't spell out was how you base a new relationship with russia on trust and security when there isn't any and you suggested us or we are virtual and my our political party was hacked irish an activist during the presidential campaign when there was a chemical attack in full of kerry in the u.k. who was pushing the other europeans for a coordinated onset it was a man like him and no one else we are perfectly aware of the threat of.

russia nostalgic of the path but then will it change geography what do we prefer to have russia turning definitely to china or to have russia and gate in the dialogue with the european union and major concessions does that involve doesn't enjoy a country that both those international borders shoots down commercial aircraft or as you say senses assassins to europe while to murder people for ethical weapons for instance i would have preferred not to theatre not trying to protect supported so heavily by germany because it deepens or dependent thing on russian gas that's a problem and we have to say that and then i'm back on fareed very bluntly it's not a question of confessions it's a question of having or a voice horace is a consistent voice that if we look at the question of enlargement in the european

union for instance in august. sumac rome was the leader who told europe to really invest geographically in the west balkans warning that if it didn't the fate of that region could be decided by the u.s. russia and turkey and then just 2 months later he effectively blocked or at the very least delayed those countries from joining the e.u. doesn't fit does it contradiction it's not the 1st time a few block eyebrow. myself a year before we want our votes you can tell us short acting from from these other countries that are taking an interest in was balkans and then not isolated areas but and through i was still going to ship look at serbia serbia started in succession process that serbia distanced itself from russia not a 2nd. do you think the. exception that has hitchens are the magical recipe you have counter is to distancing themselves from russia look at hungary it has not worked we have to reassess the whole accession the consideration process it was not

working we want to turn a blind eye and just considered that we have a policy when we have only bureaucracy now we have to be serious i'm dead serious about the importance of a european perspective for western balcones and because i believe in it i don't want to leave it to bureaucrats wants to be deeply involved in what we ask this country's work to what will take them accountable war for the fight against corruption fight against organized crime the standard of the council on foreign relations european council formulation said you french action may have actually weaken the e.u.'s leverage in this region french veto of north macedonia as well being is a session ago shoes and as a mix a completely changed the context for resolving bilateral problems in the west balkans once again look at serbia they are in the process they are negotiating they

are opening chapters and closing chapters and they are closer than ever to moscow they are with something that is not working some people decide not to see it we decided to name it because we want to reform it if we're serious about enlargement and we are serious it's not just a slogan it's not just to play nice and then go to some countries and try to make business it's about giving one hand and then straight with the other it's being in having them ready to enter the european union and not being a failure and not endangering the european project to me about the rumblings in the our most party because they've been some signs of serious discontent 2 months ago the mood reported the illusion of. president the group in the chamber written to macro warning about the state of his parliamentary majority and pushing him to rebuild trust with rank and file m.p.'s serious issue when the president and then please don't trust him oh if it were the case our that would be

a serious issue and there are are many examples throughout the european union of we could nation with weak political parties absence of majorities of varying their own majority you have a one and a state in european union which doesn't face this problem and this is front there is a clear big strong majority there is but by the end of november 11 employees in the national assembly had quit or been pushed out of the parliament you mentioned group in the summer 60 on march 1st are because they were out of the principles and values of the other parties and this is healthy so party discipline is breaking down in the summer 60 our march m.p.'s abstain though voted against the government over the free trade agreement with gamma that could mean one single draft bill which was not voted by the majority of 2017 put just one there is now you've got an official party candidate in the race for mayor of paris in march benjamin greville

and another are marsh m.p. said the big deal and he has decided he's going to run anyway despite failing to get official backing it's a mess isn't it only our non-accrual now is not north korea agree we are not russia or agree we are a recount free with creed i mean political party whether you agree with that i feel a need for running where there is better america or with the answer is no but he's free and then thought we are an african tree and losing the youth vote as the elections. for the european parliament no it didn't they had never been as many young people voting and a number of them voted for omar well compared to 2017 you lost 6 percent among 18 to 24 year. rhodes and 11 points among voters aged 25 to 34 problem is that you should compare what is comparable compare it with previous european elections and you will see that the turnout was much bigger and young people went to the pools

where there were not voting for previous european elections the highest school in the europe in the elections in the categories was in the category of people over 70 years old now but no party can be complacent about that we are a party which was created out of trap scratch in 2016 and we are a party which when the presidential election the national election and we fear the world in the european election we are going to have 23 and a piece in this parliament exactly the same number as the far right i would have preferred to have even more than that but compared to my predecessors i'm quite proud of the result but the party that came to power representing above all the younger poorer more metropolitan sectors of society dissent that caring about climate no wasn't that was in the. it's a party that denies the traditional left right divide and rightly so look at where traditional right and traditional left arjay in france and it's true throughout

europe you're about to take a position in the. steering rack sit still in group while it's one of the only directed a noise to be is going to be you click on the initial rupie has and you have a deal 11 months while are not on everything on have a bare bones deal probably yes. i could have done a deal with the reason my why didn't the do that you would have. sent in remember mutual says she's only our respect stop but because it's clear that finished her off didn't it while she had no majority in her parliament and she could have got an agreement through if you'd let her on the backstop at least 2 of them really think that protecting the rights of 4 companies offer citizens are protecting please an island was not a key priority i don't agree with you. government so that was a key priority but the backstop wasn't necessary but you're going to end up know

with a with an outcome if britain leaves without a deal that's an outcome that nobody wants especially the brains yeah but you didn't want it either though but going to cause massive disruption for you to buy it my point is you plowboy it's a choice for the press if they want to destroy their country i don't think this is what they want they have to be responsible leaders it's time for responsible it's going to suffer too that's for sure i mean there is no good brighter red is bad whatever form it has but protecting the rights of a company's protecting or priority is protecting the european project risky they have chosen in britain to get out of the year european union fair enough. we have just to destroy the european union all right and we will not that's a new thank you very much you know compass.

thank you.

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come to germany. months ago my license to work as a swimming instructor i'm sure now our 2 children 100 dogs just want us to just discuss. what's your story take part share it on info migrants dot net. i'm not laughing at the gym well i guess sometimes i am but i stand up in that region of thanks taken for german culture looking at the stereotypes aquatics if you think you speak of your country that i don't blame. you yet you did seem to look for this grandma day out to you it's all about ok by. by my job join me to meet the germans on the w. . post. it is for me. is for.

you. is for everyone. beethoven 2020. 150th anniversary here on. the cover. this is news and these are our top stories german lawmakers have approved an unprecedented relief package to shield the country's economy from the effects of the coronavirus the legislation is aimed at supporting health care in propping up businesses taught by the pandemic.