Quote Originally Posted by RandBlade View Post
So you keep saying though it's noteworthy that Merkel budged already from her usual lines yesterday.

Who even knows where the EU will stand by 2019? With the horror scenario of potentially soon having Presidents Orban, Le Pen and Hofer who knows what the EU's values will look like?
No Randblade, Merkel did no such thing. Merkel said she was categorically against compromises on the Freedom of Movement principle (which is in the Treaty of Rome, just so that you know). What Merkel said after that was that she was going to use the full extent of law, as EU Law and Directives allow, to stop people who have never worked in Germany or have worked only a short time in Germany from claiming non-contributory benefits. Ms Merkel was primarily talking about internal German legislation for that. Subsequently she indicated that it made sense to coordinate such legislation between EU member states.

None of this is even remotely connected to the Freedom of Movement you Brits get so hysterical about, because that indeed is something we on the Continent like very much and want to keep. Compromising on it could very well be political suicide for centrist politicians.

FYI; the presidency of Austria is ceremonial, the party he represents is not anti-EU. A potential President Le Pen would have to try to govern with a parliament that consists of 2/3rd representatives violently opposed to her. Orban stands a good chance of having his voting rights suspended under article 7 in a country where the EU actually is above average popular with its citizens. It also eludes me why you think it's easier to make deals with populists than with moderates.