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Macron: ‘No amount of intimidation’ will change EU nations’ course on Greenland
(www.theguardian.com)
this post was submitted on 17 Jan 2026
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Seems to me you are making a major false equivalence there.
In what way is the working class being choked in EU?
Unlike USA EU countries have a right to unionize, we have actual democracies and EU also have livable minimum wages despite some EU countries being only a fourth as wealthy as USA.
Also nationalism in Europe is very different than in USA, as EU has 27 countries, it's not like EU will suddenly become one maniac nationalist/fascist nation with a giant army that can oppress the entire EU population like can happen in USA.
EU is not perfect, except when compared to USA or China, then it kind of is.
The same neoliberals are in power in Europe, and the same redistribution of wealth from below to the top happens in Europe. All over Europe they tell us we have to work more, earn less, our social services are too expensive, and "what are you talking about, rich people should pay taxes, are you insane?"
If you truly believe the working class is not being choked in Europe you've got to open your eyes. They are just a bit more subtle about it over here.
Is that what it boils down to? AFAIK you are free to vote for someone who doesn't say that.
Yes there have been problems, first Covid, then Russia invading Ukraine disrupting oil and gas supplies plus demanding higher defense expenses, and then Trump winning the presidency on USA putting tariffs on EU.
All these are outside factors that have had an impact, but apart from that the general trend in EU is absolutely to improve conditions for the population, which has far from been the case in USA.
Yes they warn that times are bit tighter now than they should have been, but that's reality and not because we are being choked by our own.
I agree the rich need to be taxed more, and the distribution of wealth is unfair, but at least in EU we have a fighting chance, where in USA they have basically given up on fundamental rights like free healthcare and a living wage.
The worldwide class difference is a problem when the market is open to everyone, so investment grade assets like real estate are priced on a foreign billionaire level everywhere. Our local labour laws are pretty decent, and we have really good wage equality overall but the rest of you are dragging us down frankly. Since you mentioned them, China had the right idea to impose severe restrictions around that type of "investing" and we should probably follow their example to some degree. One way to fight absurd wealth accumulation is to make it impossible to buy anything with it.
Where are you from? and who is "you"? If foreigners are buying your real estate nothing is simpler than not allowing foreigners to own real estate in your country. Failing to do that is not the fault of other countries.
China is not all bad, but it is a totalitarian regime, where people can be imprisoned just for expressing a political opinion.
That kind of oppression of the people and ideas makes China clearly worse than EU, where it is a protected right.
The worst countries regarding making land unavailable to ordinary people are way poorer countries than USA and EU and are Asian countries, where land is part of a social construct, and your worth and ability for marriage is tied to how much land you own. Where not the foreigners but the local rich are pressuring out ordinary people.
I hear the working class in the EU is having troubles with inflation and housing.
Here in the UK it's pretty fucked. I earn a fairly low wage, and I live in a van because housing is so expensive. I could just about afford to pay rent, but I couldn't afford much else. The van thing isn't ideal - I'm in my 50s, hot summers and cold winters are challenging - but this is the only way I can afford to be able to do stuff and even save a bit.
UK has lost about 7.5-10% of their economic potential due to Brexit. Incidentally exactly as I warned would happen during the campaign for the Brexit election, where I warned the UK economy could decline up to 1% per year compared to remaining. Turns out I was pretty much spot on. My guess is this has hit the lower paid workers harder than average, because that is generally the nature of such things, unless there is political will to prevent it. But in situations with tighter economy, such political will almost always evaporates.
For UK workers overall this is a self inflicted wound. But of course if you voted remain, this was inflicted upon you by your countrymen. UK is in a special situation, and can not be used as an example for the rest of Europe.
Hopefully we will see this effect decrease, as UK forms new agreements with EU, and the economy settles on a natural level for the new conditions.
Yeah, I voted remain and like you I could clearly see the harm that leaving the EU would cause, but I couldn't get the leave voters in my life to listen - so fuckin frustrating! And yeah, it's hit lower paid workers harder, and even those who've had pay rises have rarely had 'rises' that meet inflation.
For me there was also the added element that I very much appreciated freedom of movement. I've lived and worked and had relationships and made myself at home in several EU countries and I intended to do so again in the future. So few people seemed to value the incredible opportunity this was - fuck off abroad, get a job and a flat, learn the language, make a home. Now I can only spend I think 90 out of any 180 day period in an EU country because of all those dimwitted bigots who voted leave.
I don't think I'll ever stop feeling angry about this.
I 100% get that, it was a moronic decision IMO.
UK is not in EU.
But I don't think Trump has had much influence on that honestly. Housing is getting super expensive for years and the prices just never stopped rising and inflation is largely a result of Putin's war in the Ukraine.
Inflation is an aftermath of Covid, Covid was a major economic challenge everywhere, this was made worse in EU and prolonged because Russia tried to strong-arm EU by closing off the gas. Which meant that EU was forced to source this energy from elsewhere, increasing prices on warming for houses for many people. But people are still paid livable wages in EU unlike in USA. There is always struggle for workers to get their fair share, difference is that in EU this struggle is on a much more even playing field than it is in USA, and AFAIK anywhere else in the world.
There is no class war in either USA or EU, there isn't in USA because Americans aren't fighting for their rights.
And there isn't in EU because workers did fight for it, and we have won the necessary rights that prevent us from getting choked.
There is of course always debate on how the money of society as a whole should be shared. And in EU workers actually have significant political power in that debate, where in USA they don't.
So apart from a livable wage, we have for instance free healthcare and education, something many Americans dream of.
Romania is among the poorer EU countries, but they have the highest home ownership in EU.
So at least I think I can say with good certainty that we don't have an EU wide housing crisis.
With major infra structure variables like housing there will always "trouble" show me a country that is completely without problems regarding housing.
In EU the situation today is certainly way better than it was back in the 70's in most countries, where in USA it's the exact opposite.
I don't think you understand what "class war" means. (1) One class can be fighting it while the other class is not. See Americans for an example.
(2) There is no "end" to class war when the working class "gets a living wage". The capitalist class will always chip away at your wage and social programs. They are doing that now in Europe.
You don't understand what I was even referring to when talking about class conflict. Here is a test: do you think "class" is dependent on how much money you make? If the answer is "yes, a Doctor is clearly of a different class than a janitor" then you have no idea what I'm talking about.
The way you talk about it makes me think you are just misunderstanding what I was talking about at a fundamental level.
I'm talking about class in the Marxist sense.
Oh yeah? But do you have the highest incarcerated levels? You probably don't even have school shootings.
All political options are captured by the ruling class, every cycle we lose rights, quality of life, buying power.
Everyone knows they are being screwed. Parties tell us it's going great. Far right is the only reform option. They will win without popular reform.
You can tell us we have never had it better, but we can all see that is not the case. Figures may not lie, but liars do figure.
Denying the plutocratic rot to force worthless sold out politicians is dooming the entire west, and you guys are as delusional as american voters if you do not see that by now.
Are you European?
Yes, I am European and a supporter of EU in for instance the way EU requires member states to observe human rights.
And also how EU protects democratic rights for all citizens of EU, which again is directly contrary to USA, that undermine democracy on the federal level.
Ah. "No True Scot", or "Appeal to Authority" ? Which?
No. I was literally just wondering to get a context for your comment. But based on your comment I'm gonna assume you're not.
I responded to another one of your comments so ending replies here. I realized from your other comment that you have no idea what I meant when I referred to "class"