Subject: The Brief, powered by Boeing: EU cash scandal could strengthen Le Pen
From: EurActiv <[email-masked]>
To: [email-masked]
Date: Mon, 27 Feb 2017 15:59:11 +0000

The Brief, powered by Boeing: EU cash scandal could strengthen Le Pen  
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    <http://eurac.tv/6NQ8?sid=33541>    Today's EU policy news,
27.02.2017, 5PM

       = EU cash scandal could strengthen Le Pen =

      === By  James Crisp <http://eurac.tv/6NPP?sid=33541> ===

 Populist is an over-used and abused word in Brussels. Too often, it just
means “someone I disagree with”.

 MEPs are particularly guilty of  such lazy mudslinging
<http://eurac.tv/6NPW?sid=33541>, which stifles serious debate and
contributes to the sense of a dismissive, political elite divorced from the
people.

 Understanding what populism really means can bring insight. For example,
it sheds light on the differing fortunes of French presidential candidates
Marine Le Pen and François Fillon.

 Both Le Pen and Fillon are under legal scrutiny. French prosecutors are
probing Fillon over the employment of his wife and children as
parliamentary aides.

 Le Pen has refused to be interviewed by police over the investigation into
her alleged fraudulent use of European Parliament funds for work in France.

 While Fillon’s campaign has foundered, with  independent Emmanuel Macron
<http://eurac.tv/6NPX?sid=33541> opening up his  biggest lead yet
<http://eurac.tv/6NPY?sid=33541> over the Republican candidate, Le Pen
still stands a chance of  becoming French president
<http://eurac.tv/6NPZ?sid=33541>.

 The Merriam-Webster  dictionary defines populism
<http://eurac.tv/6NQG?sid=33541> as a political doctrine that supports the
rights and powers of the common people in their struggle with the
privileged elite.

 Fillon, who took a leaf out of the Trump playbook  by accusing journalists
<http://eurac.tv/6NP_?sid=33541> of trying to carry out a “lynching” or
“assassination” with their coverage into an inquiry, is a member of the
privileged elite.

 Le Pen, however, can rely on a long history of the National Front claiming
to be persecuted outsiders. She has already accused the investigation of
being motivated politically, potentially strengthening her
anti-establishment credentials.

 A true populist must be an outsider. Any criticism coming from the
establishment or fictional “special interests” can be easily deflected
and burnish the candidate in the eyes of the electorate.

 While Hillary Clinton’s campaign was derailed by the scandal over her
emails, Donald Trump shrugged off accusations of Russian backing, and a
whole litany of other outrages that would end any “normal”
candidate’s hopes.

 Le Pen will look to profit from the same kind of scandal that has weakened
Fillon, and strengthened Macron.

      == The Roundup ==

 EurActiv France reports that the 1,000-strong cyber-warfare division of
Russia’s defence ministry is targeting  the French elections
<http://eurac.tv/6NQ9?sid=33541>. Sounds familiar…

 Jean-Claude Juncker has called an extraordinary meeting of his
Commissioners tomorrow evening. They will discuss the white paper on the
future of Europe, as well as on migration and security. The executive has
promised the white paper will be presented before the 60th anniversary of
the signing of the Treaty of Rome.

 EU energy ministers were in Brussels today and discussed the bloc’s
plans for Energy Union and the clean energy package.  Check EURACTIV later
<http://eurac.tv/6NQ9?sid=33541> for more details.

 Plans to pull the plug on MEPs indulging in hate speech in the European
Parliament have  raised censorship fears <http://eurac.tv/6NQa?sid=33541>.

 Rejection of EU citizens seeking UK residency  has hit 28%
<http://eurac.tv/6NQb?sid=33541>. Theresa May plans to announce the end of
free movement for EU  migrants next month <http://eurac.tv/6NQc?sid=33541>.
 The Brief discussed <http://eurac.tv/6NQd?sid=33541> this thorny  issue
last week <http://eurac.tv/6NQe?sid=33541> and the Commission said it 
would not comment <http://eurac.tv/6NQf?sid=33541> until Article 50 was
triggered.

 The London Stock Exchange has blamed the EU for the collapse of its merger
 with Deutsche Börse <http://eurac.tv/6NQg?sid=33541>. The Commission
refused to comment. Brexit poses a threat to both  Britain’s speciality
cheeses <http://eurac.tv/6NQh?sid=33541> and  to UK farmers
<http://eurac.tv/6NQi?sid=33541> but the Lords could yet delay Article 50
legislation.

 Agriculture Commissioner Phil Hogan today said that trade deals with
Mexico, South Korea and Switzerland  were a boon
<http://eurac.tv/6NQj?sid=33541> to European agriculture. Trade
Commissioner Malmström addressed a conference on the EU plans to set up a
 multilateral investment court <http://eurac.tv/6NQk?sid=33541>, the
Commission’s bid to quell fears over controversial ISDS clauses in trade
deals.

 Jorge Valero sets the scene as the World Mobile Congress opens in
Barcelona. The Commission will urge the private sector to pull its weight
in the development  of 5G networks <http://eurac.tv/6NQl?sid=33541>.

 Thousands of Romanians formed an EU flag during a protest against the
government’s moves to weaken  a corruption crackdown
<http://eurac.tv/6NQm?sid=33541>.

 Hungary has started building a second fence along  its southern border
<http://eurac.tv/6NQn?sid=33541> with Serbia.

 Luxembourg’s foreign minister told our partner *Der Tagesspiegel* that
Poland would not be allowed to join the EU if it was applying for
membership today. He warned that messing up the Brexit negotiations would
cost hundreds of  thousands of jobs <http://eurac.tv/6NQo?sid=33541>.

 Ukraine is  the only country <http://eurac.tv/6NQp?sid=33541> implementing
the EU’s nuclear diversification policy, according to Westinghouse
Electric Company, a US multinational.

  NGOs are warning <http://eurac.tv/6NQq?sid=33541> that developing
countries are using public-private partnerships to hide the true costs of
projects, and have written to the World Bank about the use of  off-balance
sheet <http://eurac.tv/6NQr?sid=33541> accounting.

 The European Court of Justice has been asked to rule if the card game
bridge is  actually a sport <http://eurac.tv/6NQs?sid=33541>.

      == Look out for... ==

 EU environment ministers will look to clinch a deal on the reform of the
bloc’s carbon market at their  Brussels meeting tomorrow
<http://eurac.tv/6NQt?sid=33541>. NGO Transport and Environment said that
the low carbon price means ministers would only have to pay €10.41 to
offset their emissions travelling to Brussels. T&E said the true cost is 
closer to €133.04 <http://eurac.tv/6NQu?sid=33541>. Climate Action
Network has written to the ministers, urging them to make sure the
Emissions Trading System does not remain swamped with the free allowances
that have stalled the low-carbon transition
<http://eurac.tv/6NQv?sid=33541>.

 *Views are the author’s and not our sponsor’s.*

      *This Brief is powered by* *Boeing
<http://eurac.tv/6NQy?sid=33541>. Follow our biofuels forum tomorrow LIVE
on* *@Boeing Europe <http://eurac.tv/6NQz?sid=33541>, #EAdebates &
#SustainableAviationFuel.*

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