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Anti-EU sentiment on the rise in Europe

April 28th, 2012
A pro-government columnist points out that critics of the EU are getting louder in Western Europe. More and more politicians harshly condemn the austerity policies promoted by Brussels. Compared to such voices, the sometimes sceptical Hungarian government seems to be rather pro-EU.
The European Union is in trouble, István Lovas contends in Magyar Nemzet. The pro-government commentator points out that anti-EU voices can be heard throughout the continent. Although the harshest criticism comes from radical right-wing parties, including the French Front National and the Dutch Freedom Party, moderate parties are also raising concerns about the feasibility of the Union project. Among others, François Hollande, the frontrunner in the French presidential elections has promised to renegotiate the European Fiscal Pact, implying that he opposes further economic restrictions. Lovas also remarks that some of the EU-15 are planning to reintroduce border controls.
Mainstream European dailies and popular pundits also condemn the austerity measures promoted by Brussels, Lovas adds, and warn that restrictions may only deepen the crisis. And he points to a recent opinion poll which suggests that the majority of the Spanish,  Greek, Portuguese, Italian and British public believe that their countries’ economies could improve faster if they were not members of the EU.
Taking all this into account, Lovas finds the position of those critics who consider Hungarian PM Viktor Orbán particularly anti-EU, unsubstantiated. And he interprets the decision the European Commission took on Wednesday to finally allow credit-line negotiations between Hungary and the IMF to begin, (see BudaPost April 26, 2012) as an indication that politicians in Brussels realize that Orbán is a supporter, not an enemy of the EU.

A pro-government columnist points out that critics of the EU are getting louder in Western Europe. More and more politicians harshly condemn the austerity policies promoted by Brussels. Compared to such voices, the sometimes sceptical Hungarian government seems to be rather pro-EU.The European Union is in trouble, István Lovas contends in Magyar Nemzet. The pro-government commentator points out that anti-EU voices can be heard throughout the continent. Although the harshest criticism comes from radical right-wing parties, including the French Front National and the Dutch Freedom Party, moderate parties are also raising concerns about the feasibility of the Union project. Among others, François Hollande, the frontrunner in the French presidential elections has promised to renegotiate the European Fiscal Pact, implying that he opposes further economic restrictions. Lovas also remarks that some of the EU-15 are planning to reintroduce border controls. Mainstream European dailies and popular pundits also condemn the austerity measures promoted by Brussels, Lovas adds, and warn that restrictions may only deepen the crisis. And he points to a recent opinion poll which suggests that the majority of the Spanish,  Greek, Portuguese, Italian and British public believe that their countries’ economies could improve faster if they were not members of the EU.Taking all this into account, Lovas finds the position of those critics who consider Hungarian PM Viktor Orbán particularly anti-EU, unsubstantiated. And he interprets the decision the European Commission took on Wednesday to finally allow credit-line negotiations between Hungary and the IMF to begin, (see BudaPost April 26, 2012) as an indication that politicians in Brussels realize that Orbán is a supporter, not an enemy of the EU.

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