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Malgré la montée des populismes en Occident, Alain Juppé se veut intraitable vis-à-vis des mesures prônées par les candidats souverainistes, voire certains de ses concurrents à la primaire à droite.

L' éditorial de Michel Guilloux. "Vingt-deux mois après les tueries de Charlie, de l­’Hyper Cacher et l’assassinat d’une jeune policière municipale, un an après les tueries de Saint-Denis, du Bataclan et des terrasses parisiennes, six mois après l’assassinat d’un couple de policiers à Magnanville, quatre mois après celles de Nice et de Saint-Étienne-du-Rouvray, qu’est-ce qui a changé en France ? "

“That men do not learn very much from the lessons of history is the most important of all the lesson of history.” Aldous Huxley

The Islamic world, more specifically the Middle East, is suffering from political vertigo—a state of profound disorientation. With raging wars, crumbling economies, collapsing states, and the spreading of violent extremism, the Middle East has a new normal with an unprecedented danger of multifaceted nature. The most dangerous—and arguably the least understood—is the Sunni-Shia divide.

In recent years, toxic polemics disseminated mainly by scheming politicians, ultra-conservative clerics loyal to Saudi Arabia and Iran made the dreaded full-blown Sunni-Shia civil war across the Muslim world a matter of time. And while the situation is very volatile in countries such as Lebanon, Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia (and nuclear Pakistan), Iraq, Syria, and Yemen are already burning.

Hegemonic Competition

Shortly after the invasion of Iraq, think tanks and pundits of neocon persuasion started to stir the pot on Sunni-Shia sectarianism. But it wasn’t till 2004 after King Abdullah of Jordan (and later Hosni Mubarak of Egypt) pushed the strategically manufactured threat that the Iran-led “Shia crescent” is hell bent to take over the Sunni world found traction. The Crescenters have become the conduits of a self-fulfilling prophecy.

The Sunni-Shia schism has intensified due to the Shia crescent paranoia that eclipsed the broad-based uprising against repression, regional power politics, and global geopolitical rivalries.

Ever since Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi overthrew a democratically elected government and ultimately turned Egypt into the standard-bearer of oppression and economic nightmare, Middle East political power vacuum was inevitable. And since Turkey has been in the fringes of Middle East politics, that cleared the space for either Saudi Arabia or Iran to step up to the role; hence the Saudi Iranian cold war.

When nations are suspicious of each other they overreact in gauging the other’s intention and objective. So, they demonize one another and eventually allow the situation to escalate beyond their control.

Political Capital of Sectarianism 

There is not a single verse in the Qur’an that unequivocally highlights how political power should be attained. The sectarian divide between Sunnis and Shi’is is a political divide that started upon the death of Prophet Muhammad since he has not left specifics on who should succeed him in leading the Ummah or the Muslim nation and how that individual might be deposed.

The Sunnis contend it is based on individual’s piety and the consensus of the ummah. The Shia on the other hand believe in a doctrine of Divinely ordained succession. Leading the ummah is an exclusive privilege reserved for the noble offspring of Prophet Muhammad.

Contrary to the Sunni who reject the concept of collective piety, the Shia consider the offspring of the Prophet beyond pious. They are considered infallibles and as such are granted the authority to interpret God’s message—in the Shia tradition it is the Qur’an and the moral authority of the Prophet’s direct lineage—and the custodians of Imam-ship or moral leadership.

The Logic of Rancor

Prophet Muhammad taught one brand of Islam or to “hold on tight to the rope of Allah” and to not cause division. Prophet Muhammad unified all false deities being worshiped by polytheists into one God and unified the faithful to become part of one ummah.

Nowadays Muslims are divided by sectarian identities—Sunnis, Shi’is, Sufis, etc. or by schools of thought or theology as in Malikis, Hanafis, Shafi’is, Hanbalis, Ja’faris, etc. The Prophet was neither Sunni nor Shi’i. He was not a hyphenated faithful; he was simply a Muslim.

Based on Pew world demographic trend, by 2050 the world population is likely to grow to 9 billion people. One third of that is projected to be Muslims. With growing trend of Sunni-Shia divide, social unrests, foreign interventions, civil wars, and extremism, the future does not look bleak; it looks horrific.

In their own special ways, both Iran and Saudi Arabia became incubators of intra-Muslim hate narratives. Anyone who listens to the hate narrative of one side would think the other is a belligerent paganist.

Over the years while there were periods of bloodshed, Muslims of Sunni and Shia sects have coexisted, intermarried, and even shared political power much more than sectarian Muslims like to acknowledge. Today, takfiris on both sides are quick to declare each other apostates.

In order to break the current trend a few things must happen. Independent-minded Muslims willing to reach across the sectarian divide must start empathetic discourse. And it is much easier for Muslims in the diaspora to spearhead such effort since they are already compelled into interdependence for civil rights representation, sharing mosques and places of worship to name a few.

Intellectual and religious scholars and sermon-givers (khateebs), especially among Sunnis, must earnestly talk about the battle of Karbala, what took place and who was to blame. After all, the massacre that took place and Imam al-Hussein’s wrongful killing is not merely a Shia tragedy; it is an Islamic tragedy and arguably the darkest moment in the Islamic history. Regardless of one’s faith, we as human-beings are hardwired to seek the truth. It is the Divine will that inspires the hearts, unless that inner truth-seeking light is deliberately blocked.

Iran and Saudi Arabia should negotiate a strategic collaboration to put out sporadically blazing fires across the region. Though both would not have any problem understanding how that is in its nation’s best interest, neither one is likely to reach out to the other. Here is where Turkey should take the lead. It can play a significant role in pulling the two sides together by appointing a seasoned representative for this critical diplomatic initiative. Iran is Turkey’s second trading partner.

Poisonous political rivalry that proclaims the other a perpetual enemy must be stopped. And each should suspend its support of proxy wars, armed militias, etc.

All three—Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey—have strategic interest in solving the bloody conundrum that is the Syrian Civil War and help prevent the next genocide. However, this would require leaders that are not handicapped by sectarian mentality and strategic myopia.

Economic and political marginalization of Shia minority communities in Sunni dominated countries is perhaps the oldest dirty secret in Islamic history. It is the repression that most politicians, religious scholars and intellectuals opted to ignore or worse remain apathetic to. And this proves profound moral inconsistency. As a ‘Sunni Muslim’ I confess this with sense of profound shame. We must change our attitude before it is too late.

Criticizing Sunnis who would condemn oppression in Syria and turn a blind eye to the oppression in Bahrain, and the Shi’is who would condemn oppression in Bahrain and ignore the one in Syria, Mehdi Hassan made this appeal: “Our concern, our empathy, our compassion has to be universal. It cannot be selective. It cannot be self-serving”.

It is incumbent upon each Muslim to question the political and strategic judgment of Saudi Arabia and Iran, neither which is ordained by God. Whose interest are they really guarding, and whose ‘religion’ are they really preserving?

I am afraid the seeds of hate that both countries have sown and the hostile environment that they have cultivated will find its way into Saudi Arabia and Iran. The current trajectory will only benefit war profiteers and extremists. So, it is existentially critical to raise a new generation of Sunni and Shia who could think beyond their biases and love beyond their differences.

The post Sunni-Shia, or Saudi-Iran Discord? appeared first on Foreign Policy Blogs.

Vrai faux putsch raté au Monténégro : l'ancien chef de la gendarmerie serbe dénonce un coup monté
Législatives au Monténégro : la « manip' » de trop pour Milo Đukanović ?
Serbie : les amours criminelles de la police, de la politique et des oligarques
Serbie : fusillade à la frontière avec le Kosovo entre gendarmes serbes et trafiquants de bois albanais
Vallée de Preševo : la gendarmerie serbe retire le « monument aux martyrs » de l'UÇPMB
Serbie : les gendarmes doivent prêter serment sur le Kosovo

/ Milo Djukanovic, Monténégro, Médias Monténégro, Radio Slobodna Evropa, Politique intérieure

Vrai faux putsch raté au Monténégro : l'ancien chef de la gendarmerie serbe dénonce un coup monté
Législatives au Monténégro : la « manip' » de trop pour Milo Đukanović ?
Serbie : les amours criminelles de la police, de la politique et des oligarques
Serbie : fusillade à la frontière avec le Kosovo entre gendarmes serbes et trafiquants de bois albanais
Vallée de Preševo : la gendarmerie serbe retire le « monument aux martyrs » de l'UÇPMB
Serbie : les gendarmes doivent prêter serment sur le Kosovo

/ Milo Djukanovic, Monténégro, Médias Monténégro, Radio Slobodna Evropa, Politique intérieure

https://tvnewsroom.consilium.europa.eu/uploads/council-images/thumbs/uploads/council-images/remote/http_7e18a1c646f5450b9d6d-a75424f262e53e74f9539145894f4378.r8.cf3.rackcdn.com/consilium_16351_41719_30597_101.92_thumb_169_1477321722_1477321722_129_97shar_c1.jpg

EU Ministers of Agriculture and Fisheries meet in Brussels on 14-15 November 2016 to focus on 2017-18 fishing opportunities for deep-sea stocks, the multi-annual plan for demersal stocks in the North Sea, the recommendations of the Agricultural Markets Task Force and the impact of trade on EU agriculture.

Download this video here.

Ouh la la ! Alain Juppé n'apprécie pas qu'on le suspecte d'appartenir à cette « élite » contre laquelle Nicolas Sarkozy dit faire campagne. Interrogé ce lundi sur son utilisation d'une enseigne qui n'existe...

Allgemeines : Die Wahl Donald Trumps zum 45. US-Präsidenten wird ohne Zweifel die EU-US-Beziehungen sowie die laufenden Verhandlungen über das Freihandelsabkommen TTIP stark beeinflussen und könnte auch Auswirkungen auf die andere Säule der europäisch-amerikanischen Zusammenarbeit, nämlich die NATO, haben. Wir haben mit dem Vorsitzenden der Delegation für die Beziehungen zu den Vereinigten Staaten, dem deutschen EU-Abgeordneten David McAllister (EVP), über die kommende Trump-Präsidentschaft gesprochen.

Quelle : © Europäische Union, 2016 - EP

VIDÉOS. Invité de la matinale de RTL, Alain Juppé, en baisse dans les sondages, a sorti l'artillerie lourde contre François Fillon. Résumé.

Porté par une hausse remarquée dans les sondages, l'ancien Premier ministre veut croire qu'il peut être la surprise de la primaire à droite.

Moldavie : une élection présidentielle sous l'ombre de Vlad Plahotniuc, « l'oligarque le plus détesté »
Moldavie : le pro-russe Igor Dodon domine le premier tour de la présidentielle
Élection présidentielle en Moldavie : la lutte anti-corruption au cœur de la campagne
Moldavie : une révolution est-elle possible à Chişinău ?
Moldavie : nouveau gouvernement, les manifestants prennent d'assaut le Parlement
Moldavie : Premier ministre introuvable, crise politique interminable
Manifestations en Moldavie : « Rendez-nous le milliard ! »
Élections locales en Moldavie : « un vote sanction contre le gouvernement »
BLOG • République de Moldavie : Maia Sandu prise à la gorge par les prêtres orthodoxes

/ Moldavie élections, Moldavie, Politique intérieure, Courrier des Balkans

Our team brings you live updates of the most important events and developments in the Balkans as they happen.

Mit der Verhaftung von Raphael Huber begann vor 25 Jahren die Zürcher Wirte-Affäre. Die Justizposse ist auch ein Abbild der streng regulierten Zürcher Gastroszene der 1980er Jahre.

la chronique juridique d’Aline CHANU, avocate. De la nécessité de permettre aux syndicats d’exercer la mission de défense des droits des salariés.

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development challenges domestic and international actors. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) represent a multidimensional approach to development and are consequently aimed at all countries. To ensure SDG-sensitive cooperation it is not only necessary to adapt the allocation of official development assistance (ODA) to the requirements of the agenda, but also to reinforce the role of development cooperation in international cooperation. However, there is a lack of clear guidelines for adaptation and reform.
Using five strategic questions of donor decision making, the objective is to illustrate what SDG-sensitive development cooperation includes. The reform potential of the 2030 Agenda and the effectiveness of ODA giving are significantly dependent on the ability of donors to adjust their cooperation criteria, mechanisms and instruments towards the aims of the agenda. They should focus to a greater extent on the priorities of partners and the global common good, to co-ordinate themselves and focus on their comparative advantages. The goal is to establish development policy as an instrument to achieve policy coherence and reinforce the high development-relevant standards of the 2030 Agenda as underlying principles for international cooperation in all policy fields.
The following recommendations for SDG-sensitive development cooperation can be derived from the 2030 Agenda:

1. Allocation channel: Global public goods are central to the realisation of the 2030 Agenda. Therefore, the multilateral channel should be strengthened.
2. Country selection: SDG-sensitive ODA allocation is based on the division of labour amongst donors and supports particularly under-developed countries in the realisation of the agenda. In cooperation with emerging countries it strengthens their international responsibility and the reduction of inequalities between and within countries.
3. Sector selection: SDG-sensitive sector selection requires strategic coordination and the reliable division of labour amongst donors. This enables donors’ profile formation and broad national support for the agenda. However, country-specific cooperation with each partner is also central.
4. Instruments: An SDG-sensitive instrument-mix is adapted to the conditions of the partner country and makes increased use of local systems. Evidence-based and flexible instruments contribute significantly to this.
5. ODA as catalyst: ODA can only be catalytic if the 2030 Agenda is realised, with the creation of development-relevant standards and regulations that enable the mobilisation of national, public and private investment.

These recommendations require further systematic analysis to enable learning processes and design development cooperation adaptively. The objective should be an evidence-based policy that reacts to changing conditions and is transparent and aware of its responsibility.

Trois mois après notre premier séjour en Hongrie, vint le grand jour du déménagement. Il n’avait pas été simple de trouver un prestataire acceptant la mission de transporter les effets d’une famille de 4 personnes dans un pays de l’Est.

Une fois la perle rare dénichée, il fallut remplir des tonnes de documents décrivant dans le moindre détail le contenu du camion. Ce dernier fut plombé au départ d’Allemagne et il était prévu que la douane hongroise lève les scellés à l’arrivée à Budapest et vérifie chaque pièce mentionnée sur la liste. Telle était la règle mais c’était sans compter avec la bureaucratie communiste.

J’étais parti seul en voiture quelques jours avant l’arrivée du camion pour le réceptionner à Budapest. Ce fut le premier voyage d’une longue série. L’autoroute s’arrêtait à la hauteur de Bruck an der Leitha, 50 kms après Vienne et ne reprenait qu’à Győr. Il me fallut ce jour-là pas moins de 5 heures entre Bruck et Budapest: le passage à la frontière se déroula paradoxalement sans trop d’encombres, avec toutefois les contrôles habituels à l’aide de grands miroirs qui étaient glissés sous la voiture. Ce qui fut plus laborieux c’était la traversée des villages qui se succédaient entre Hegyeshalom et Győr. Les bas-côtés de la route étaient en effet couverts d’échoppes qui vendaient des produits locaux, en particulier ces énormes bocaux dans lesquels cuisaient au soleil de cette fin du mois d’août de gros cornichons et autres paprikas.

Le camion de déménagement arriva en avance le vendredi matin. Il fallut alors aller à la recherche du douanier qui devait autoriser l’ouverture des scellés. La maison d’Adonisz utca avait toutes les qualités sauf une: elle n’avait pas le téléphone. Les portables n’existaient naturellement pas encore et il fallait donc courir en permanence à la cabine la plus proche ( ou à la suivante quand la première était défectueuse ) où muni de menue monnaie, on tentait de joindre son correspondant. Appeler quelqu’un de Budapest à Budapest pouvait ainsi relever de l’épopée. Ce fut le cas ce jour-là et finalement ce n’est que vers 15h30 que le douanier tant attendu se présenta. Il parlait heureusement quelques mots d’allemand et on comprit très vite qu’il aurait préféré en ce vendredi aprés-midi ensoleillé être au bord du Balaton ou du Velencei tó que de devoir travailler. Son visage blêmit quand il constata que le camion était plein et que de surcroît, il contenait des antiquités. Il me fut donné alors de vivre pour la première fois en Hongrie une scène digne de Kafka. Le douanier fit décharger en premier un fauteuil Voltaire dans lequel il prit place. Puis il demanda que les déménageurs lui présentent une à une les pièces de meubles ou tableaux anciens sur lesquelles il appliqua scrupuleusement le tampon officiel de la République populaire de Hongrie.

Il me suffit 28 ans plus tard de retourner une chaise ou de regarder au dos d’un tiroir pour retrouver le tampon avec le marteau et la faucille qui scellait ainsi définitivement notre installation en Hongrie.

Témoigner du quotidien de l’autre côté du Rideau de fer

François Fillon le martèle de longue date : il sera la surprise du premier tour de la primaire à droite, dimanche prochain, et se qualifiera pour le second tour. Et les bons sondages ces derniers jours...

Possible de mieux faire. C'est le message envoyé par Michel Sapin, le ministre des Finances, dans les Echos ce lundi en évoquant l'objectif de réduction du déficit budgétaire (3,3% du PIB en 2016 et 2,7%...