27/11/23View in Browser

Waiting for the disruptors

By Georgi Gotev | @GeorgiGotev

The term ‘disruption’ in the field of politics has become a buzzword, although there is little clarity as to what the term means, how it is deployed, and towards what ends.

Among political disruptors, the most frequently mentioned name is Donald Trump. Even before his election in 2017, analysts called him “the ultimate disruptor”, breaking every rule in the book. We have already argued that Trump is likely to return to the White House again.

Javier Milei, the new president of Argentina, elected by a landslide, is described in many ways: as libertarian, radical, anti-mainstream, and certainly a disruptor.

In 2017, this catchy headline highlighted problems to come: “Dutch election a test case for Europe’s appetite for populist disruptors” – illustrated with photos of the far-right populist Geert Wilders.

Now that Wilders won the Dutch elections last Wednesday, a major disruption can be anticipated before our union attempts to change its treaties.

This seems to be a perfect time for disruptors on the global scene.

The post-World War II international institutions such as the United Nations are either blocked or irrelevant. The alienation between the “golden billion” and the Global South is growing. Europe has two wars at its gates with no end in sight.

To put it simply: The world is pregnant with problems while mainstream politicians seem unable to propose solutions. At the same time, I believe that the disruptors named above are likely to bring chaos rather than any good.

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Photo of the day

Police officers try to get hold of activists of Greenpeace in front of a barrel during a protest against the car industry in front of the Chancellery in Berlin, Germany, 27 November 2023. The protest was staged by Greenpeace in order to protest against the car industry. EPA-EFE/CLEMENS BILAN
 

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The Roundup

The Spanish presidency of the EU Council asked member states for flexibility in the sensitive area of law enforcement ahead of a crucial political meeting for the AI law.

The German Greens have adopted a European Parliament election programme which highlights the need for carbon capture and storage, a historic shift for the party.

Brussels on Monday gave the final green light for an EU-New Zealand trade deal that, while mutually lowering barriers for both markets, highlights the recent failure of EU-Australia negotiations.

Germany, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania are set to approach the European Commission with a proposal to reform EU digital policy, with Berlin hoping to benefit from the expertise of the Baltic states who, in turn, want to capitalise on Germany’s clout.

The Bulgarian government will offer financial incentives consistent with mandatory annual preventive health examinations, in a move that could be dubbed a “tax return” and is aimed at improving overall public health.

Describing HPV (Human papillomavirus) vaccination for girls and boys as a “game-changer”, Ireland’s Health Minister Stephen Donnelly has revealed that Dublin is on target to eliminate cervical cancer by 2040 and is now in “a strong position to exceed the World Health Organisation [cervical cancer] global targets”.

Green campaigners have condemned the European Parliament’s proposed provisions for trucks running solely on renewable fuels, though the fuels industry insists the move is in line with Europe’s climate goals.

Renew Europe chief and leader of the Renaissance presidential party, Stéphane Séjourné, said he would lead the fight to the European elections without clarifying though if he would also lead the party list.

Egyptian, Qatari and US negotiators closed in on an extension of a four-day truce in Gaza that expires on Monday, Egyptian security sources said, amid rising international pressure to roll over a deal which has paused seven weeks of fighting.

Look out for…

  • Neighbourhood and Enlargement Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi participates in International Conference on a Global Alliance to counter migrant smuggling.
  • Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs Council meets in Brussels Monday-Tuesday.
  • European Business Summit in Brussels Tuesday-Wednesday.
  • Parliament President Roberta Metsola delivers a speech on the 75th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights Wednesday.

Views are the author’s

[Edited by Zoran Radosavljevic/Nathalie Weatherald]

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