We’ve all been there, looking forward to the ‘perfect’ Christmas with faultless food (and too much of it), flowing conversation, and gifts that are going to be spot on.
Just imagine: the fire crackles in the fireplace and you peacefully rest, recover and relax, pontificating that, in fact, the year was better than expected.
But beware the harmony.
While our American friends have to balance an already thin line between Democrats and Republicans, we, Europeans, face a more complicated situation as the ups and downs of Europe’s institutional mess, combined with national politics, create a potential minefield around the dinner table.
Needless to say, plentiful alcohol and overindulgence combined with end of year fatigue is a potentially dangerous mix – we are just one glass of mulled wine away from disaster.
Here’s a guide for how to survive the political hell more commonly known as Christmas dinner.
Because between European party squabbles, climate, populism and Brexit – it has been quite a year for European politics, so expect that to be on the Christmas menu as well, beside bites of Turkey and Macedonia.
And don’t let dreams of a “White Christmas” provoke a bitter row over climate change.
If your relatives decide to badger you with questions about whether global warming is really caused by humans or they bring up the subject of Brexit or BoJo – just keep calm and have another slice of mince pie, fill your glass with something restorative, and change the subject.
There are several approaches to yuletide political talk: you can fight fire with fire and engage in passionate verbal duels (a tactic that never ends well), opt for passivity, or go for evasion.
And let’s be frank, evasion is the best for mental well-being and family harmony.
A stock generic reply that will satisfy honour while moving the conversation on to happier subjects, like Euro 2020, the delicacy that is a roasted parsnip or how socks get lost in the washing machine.
Politics is for life, not for Christmas.
And whether your beloved party won, lost or didn’t compete, don’t be a Scrooge – there’s too much to be grateful for.
Happy holidays. EURACTIV over and out.
A message from Eurogas: Decarbonising Europe’s home heating. #EurogasPoll: 60% of Europeans accept personal responsibility for climate change. They are willing to take a broad range of actions to tackle it. Two-thirds would recycle more (59%), while one in five would change a heating system (21%). More options here.
The Roundup
It’s official: “Freedom gas” is the Worst Phrase of the Year, according to the Plain English Foundation. But where does the expression come from? EURACTIV did not have to look far to get the answer…
Russia, Ukraine and the European Commission, after hours-long talks, agreed in principle on a new gas deal starting after 1 January 2020, European Commission Vice President Maroš Šefčovič told a briefing.
France’s current discrepancy with Germany does not call into question their relationship, said France’s European affairs minister Amélie de Montchalin, who also stressed that own resources are key for the European budget, while the member states are reluctant to increase their contributions and will have to compromise.
The Greek government plans to take advantage of Poland staying away from the new Green Deal to push forward its own priorities since the very start of the talks about the Just Transition Fund, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has said.
The European Commission is considering reviewing its state aid rules to support cutting-edge projects financed by several member states, as requested by national capitals in order to strengthen Europe’s industrial might
For those that have not have enough of Brexit yet: Here are the main points from Queen Elizabeth II’s speech in parliament setting out the British government’s legislative programme.
But politics and policy aside. Have a peak at EURACTIV’s Tweets of the Year, where we look back at what was happening throughout 2019.
OTTAWA – Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the NDP is caving to political pressure from Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre when it comes to their stance on the consumer carbon price.
Trudeau says he believes Jagmeet Singh and the NDP care about the environment, but it’s “increasingly obvious” that they have “no idea” what to do about climate change.
On Thursday, Singh said the NDP is working on a plan that wouldn’t put the burden of fighting climate change on the backs of workers, but wouldn’t say if that plan would include a consumer carbon price.
Singh’s noncommittal position comes as the NDP tries to frame itself as a credible alternative to the Conservatives in the next federal election.
Poilievre responded to that by releasing a video, pointing out that the NDP has voted time and again in favour of the Liberals’ carbon price.
British Columbia Premier David Eby also changed his tune on Thursday, promising that a re-elected NDP government would scrap the long-standing carbon tax and shift the burden to “big polluters,” if the federal government dropped its requirements.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.
Simon Jolin-Barrette, minister responsible for consumer protection, has tabled a bill to force merchants to calculate tips based on the price before tax.
That means on a restaurant bill of $100, suggested tips would be calculated based on $100, not on $114.98 after provincial and federal sales taxes are added.
The bill would also increase the rebate offered to consumers when the price of an item at the cash register is higher than the shelf price, to $15 from $10.
And it would force grocery stores offering a discounted price for several items to clearly list the unit price as well.
Businesses would also have to indicate whether taxes will be added to the price of food products.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 12, 2024.
Quebec legislature member Youri Chassin has announced he’s leaving the Coalition Avenir Québec government to sit as an Independent.
He announced the decision shortly after writing an open letter criticizing Premier François Legault’s government for abandoning its principles of smaller government.
In the letter published in Le Journal de Montréal and Le Journal de Québec, Chassin accused the party of falling back on what he called the old formula of throwing money at problems instead of looking to do things differently.
Chassin says public services are more fragile than ever, despite rising spending that pushed the province to a record $11-billion deficit projected in the last budget.
He is the second CAQ member to leave the party in a little more than one week, after economy and energy minister Pierre Fitzgibbon announced Sept. 4 he would leave because he lost motivation to do his job.
Chassin says he has no intention of joining another party and will instead sit as an Independent until the end of his term.
He has represented the Saint-Jérôme riding since the CAQ rose to power in 2018, but has not served in cabinet.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 12, 2024.
