Europe’s economic outlook, jihadist attacks, the refugee and migrant drama, the Syrian conflict, and relations with Russian Federation and Turkey were all on the agenda for the talks later on Monday on the island of Ventotene, one of the cradles of the European dream.
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According to the Financial Times, at a summit on the Mediterranean island of Ventotene, Italian premier Matteo Renzi, German chancellor Angela Merkel and French president Francois Hollande discussed plans to deepen intelligence co-operation and levy a pan-European investment plan.
Described generously by the AP as “a symbolic bid to relaunch the European project following Britain’s decision to leave the EU”, it is in truth the desperate act of globalist politicians to pull an increasingly unpopular institution out of its death throes.
Renzi was to welcome Hollande and Merkel in Naples at 1400 GMT before travelling to Ventotene, where they will visit the grave of Altiero Spinelli, one of the founding fathers of the ideal of European integration.
Merkel has shown little enthusiasm for grandiose changes to the EU’s structure, preferring to make things work better rather than embark on major structural reform.
Whatever the fearless rhetoric, the reality is that – as Francois Hollande, the French president noted – the forces of “fragmentation” are rising in Europe and (as he didn’t say) Britain’s vote for Brexit is adding a significant load to those centrifugal political forces.
Questioned about Italy’s chances to win concessions on deficit and debt rules, Merkel was non-committal, noting there are “flexibility” margins in EU regulations, but that it was up to the European Commission to see how they can be applied.
“I am doing everything in my power to support him with this”, she said.
“If the United Kingdom, who made up 15 percent of the EU’s GDP, leaves (the EU), this means the departure of an important partner, and from the start we must act collectively and very calmly to build up a new, 27-member European Union again”.
All three leaders have been hit in the polls by varying toxic combinations of the refugee crisis, economic slump and terror attacks, with eurosceptic or populist parties gaining ground.
Their room for manoeuvre is restricted.
Hollande said Europe can have a future of “unity and cohesion” but only if European Union and national leaders fight against “dislocation, egotism, folding in on ourselves”.
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Hollande said Europe was faced with a risk of “fragmentation and division” and needed to focus on three key fronts: the economy, defence and security, including ensuring a prosperous future for the younger generation.
