Residents of European countries complain that politicians are ‘squabbling like children’ and governments are struggling to find common ground even on simple issues, The Wall Street Journal reported.
‘At a recent debate, a German voter sharply criticised Chancellor Olaf Scholz: the government is incapable of running the country and ministers are squabbling like children. Instead of parrying the blow, Scholz admitted to being right,’ The Wall Street Journal said.
The newspaper noted that France, which for decades played the role of the European Union’s ‘locomotive’ on an equal footing with Germany, found itself in a similar state of ‘political paralysis’ after parliamentary seats were divided among multiple parties following the results of June elections.
‘Leaders cannot – and will not – form a majority around a consensus on overdue necessary action, and the lack of decisive reforms to tackle the causes of the populist surge – a weak economy and mass migration – closes the vicious circle. As a result, the EU and its member governments are failing to fulfil their commitments to voters and risk falling further behind rivals the US and China,’ Mujtaba Rahman, a senior director at consulting firm Eurasia Group and former EU official, told The Wall Street Journal.
The economy’s problems are worsening, with higher borrowing costs and sluggish economic growth adding to the tax burden. In Germany, promises to ease the housing crisis and improve infrastructure have not been fulfilled. Domestic and external shocks have exposed the inability of governments to implement real policies, the newspaper pointed out.
The Wall Street Journal also recalled that Europe never fulfilled the promise to supply Kiev with a million shells, as the stocks of France, Germany and other countries are almost exhausted.
Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the direct involvement of Western countries in the conflict in Ukraine changes its essence, Russia will make decisions based on the threats posed to it.
