Migs

"Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage." - Anaïs Nin

I'm not too sure Merkel is in any different situation to most governments in Europe. There is a crisis in government legitimacy which means that far right/nationalist movements are gaining ground, governments are losing majorities, and increasingly shaky minority governments based on unstable coalitions are barely hanging on.

Varadkers' Party, Fine Gael only have 49 seats out of a parliament of 158 seats and are dependent on Fianna Fail abstaining on confidence votes and a number of independents of varying hues and allegiances. Talks are ongoing as to whether this arrangement can continue. Traditional coalition partners like Labour and the Greens have been decimated.

Theresa May's problems have been well documented, but how many other Governments in Europe are barely hanging on? The most remarkable political achievement of recent times has been the unanimity of the EU27 in the Brexit negotiations. It seems to be about the only thing they can agree on.

Index of Frank's Diaries

Fahrverbot (diesel autos not allowed) in frankfurt and other major cities

Municipalism, my friend. Your friend. Everybody's friend. The return of democracy, and of constructive disobedience. There is an epoch-making shift going on, and it's a Good Thing (except when it's the hard right doing it of course)

_{It is rightly acknowledged that people of faith have no monopoly of virtue - Queen Elizabeth II}