Terence Kealey Ryszard Legutko MEP Geopolitics of Brexit OUR VISION WHAT DOES FOR THE BRITAIN EUROPEAN WANT? ACRE Liberty Summit in Sofia, Bulgaria p.23 UNION p.17 p.15 Issue #4 | April 2019 A fortnightly Newspaper by the Alliance of Conservatives and Reformists in Europe (ACRE) | theconservative.online Steven Harper THE Forum for Democracy (FvD) CENTRE-RIGHT stunned the Dutch political IN THE AGE OF establishment in provincial election GLOBALIZATION held on the 20th of March by Membership of the IDU comes winning the largest number of votes. through our various regional unions, of which the Alliance Forum for Democracy has long been of Conservatives and Reform- doing well in the polls, but the size ists in Europe is among the most dynamic. p.7 of the outcome – 14,4 per cent – surprise many observers. The party, Profile which was founded only three years IVÁN ESPINOSA ago, and only has two seats in the A wealthier Spain is a stronger House of Representatives, will now Spain. p.10 have 13 of the 75-seat in the Senate. The magnitude of the victory is Pieter Cleppe historic. It has never happened THE ROAD before that a new party has become TO BREXIT the largest party in their first The referendum took place against the backdrop of the financial cri- provincial election. sis, the eurocrisis and the chaos of the migration crisis all which bol- CONTINUED ON p.5 stered Eurosceptic sentiment. These developments were not part of Cameron’s equation when he announced the referendum. p.12 Jan Zahradil CAMPAIGN DIARY Part III. Prague, Brussels, Sofia p.18 Conservative Music COMPOSING UNDER THE GUN by Jay Nordlinger Listen to the Shostakovich string quartets, for example. They tell you something about life under the Bolsheviks, something deep and terrible. p.21 VOICE OF REGIONAL Conservative Books BODIES HAS TO BE HEARD J.R.R. Tolkien’s by Władysław Ortyl municipalities, network organisations of THE LORD OF different types of local and regional author- THE RINGS he European Commission’s pro- ities, and economic and non-governmental posals for the Multiannual Finan- organisations. TRILOGY by James Delingpole T cial Framework (MFF) and draft In the ongoing discussion, the voice of SPECIAL FEATURE legal documents for the European cohe- representatives of regional bodies, which What this does is to give Tolk- sion policy, which it published in May have a key role to play in implement- ien’s work the most extraordinary BREXIT 2018, established a new framework for ing cohesion policy, has be clearly heard. depth and resonance: his creation A DEFINING MOMENT debate on the future of this policy. It has As marshal of the Podkarpackie voivod- is rooted in more than 2000 years’ formed the basis for the Member States’ ship, one of the sixteen regions of Poland, worth of invented history; his vari- negotiating positions, as well as the opin- I would like to point out a number of fun- ous races speak in exotic, philolog- ions of the main stakeholders: the Euro- damental issues concerning the Euro- ically plausible tongues. p.22 pean Parliament, the Committee of pean cohesion policy which are relevant to CONTINUED ON p.16 the Regions, regions, towns/cities and regional authorities. 2 EDITORIAL theconservative.online theconservative.online EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT 3 Ashley Fox MEP Ryszard Legutko MEP THE SUMMIT SEASON Regulation of the EU crowdfunding MACRON’S NEW EU sector backed by MEPs DAWN SOUNDS MORE ew rules providing the first LIKE ITS TWILIGHT Ballot EU-wide regulation of the N crowdfunding sector have is stronger than been approved by MEPs. Led through the European Parliament by ECR MEP THE Ashley Fox, the legislation introduces common regulations and standards that crowdfunding service providers (CSPs) can opt into. Currently, sepa- rate national rules limit cross-border activity. It also creates a European passport Bulletby Richard Milsom for CSPs, providing protection for both clear information about the risks of – a type of crowdfunding which often investors and those seeking to raise their investments and there are provi- involves cryptocurrencies. n this 4th edition of The Conservative we Terence Kealey, former Vice-Chancellor of The finance. sions to address conflicts of interest and Mr Fox said: “Approval means that features a special edition on Brexit, but University of Buckingham, writes on the geopol- Mr Fox said: “Crowdfunding is complaints. negotiations with European Coun- I really focuses on the topic of democracy itics of Brexit. In his view the proper question for becoming an important source of fund- National authorities remain respon- cil and Commission can begin after the more generally. In the news sections, we see the the British to ask themselves over their member- ing for small businesses and micro-en- sible for authorising and supervising European elections in May, with the aim effects in the form of terrorism and atrocities ship of the EU is if the British want to be part of a terprises across the EU. CSPs, with the European Securities and of the legislative process being com- brought about by undemocratic – or, even, anti- United States of Europe, or if the country wants This legislation is big step towards Markets Authority assuming a medi- pleted by the end of the year.” democratic – to be the geopolitical equivalent of Canada. helping achieve its full potential.” Dif- ation role. Although not included in The crowdfunding regulation is the he EU must start listening to renaissance. It sounds more like a ideologies. As destructive as these ideolo- Władysław Ortyl, Marshal of the Podkar- ferent levels of regulation will apply to today’s report, MEPs have asked the first to emerge from the European Com- voters’ genuine concerns and European twilight.” gies are, essentially there are several good news packie voivodship, takes a closer look at how platforms depending on the complex- European Commission to come for- mission’s Action Plan, aimed at harness- T undertake a thorough self- Specifically on Brexit, Legutko stories. the democratic elected regional authorities can ity of their operations. Service pro- ward with new legislative proposals on ing technological innovation in financial appraisal, particularly given recent called on the EU side to be prepared to The fact that Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s implementing cohesion policy to improve the viders will be required to give clients the regulation of initial coin offerings services. ■ crises such as Brexit, said ECR co-chair offer any help it can. final report on the investigation concludes that wellbeing of the citizens. He gives several exam- Ryszard Legutko. He said: members of the Trump Campaign didn’t conspired ples from the success story of his own Podkar- He was speaking during a debate “Of course the Brexit clock is tick- or coordinated with the Russian government in its packie voivodship. In the overarching discussions he Alliance of Conservatives and Reform- of all individuals by rejecting and speaking out with other Group leaders at the ing. We await progress in London, and election interference activities – that there wasn’t of democracy, we must never forget that all policy ists in Europe (ACRE) organized the Lib- against bigotry, discrimination, harassment and European Council summit, and said: I hope they can find a way through the any collusion – with the Russians must be a reason must, in the end, benefit the citizens of the enti- T erty Summit in Sofia on 22nd March. violence; and so build a more equitable society “Brexit is not the time for self- current situation. We should be pre- to rejoice. The sad fact that U.S. Attorney General ties in which they live. Ministers, members of both the national and for all.” The pledge is inter alia supported by Mr congratulation. It is the time for a pared for any outcome and offer any William Barr’s finds that the Russian government It is clear that Brexit has been a challenge for european parliaments, academics, think tankers Ahmed Shaheed, the UN Special Rapporteur for self-appraisal. This has been the help we can. It is our problem too.” tried to interfere in the Presidential election, is no the UK political class. It is also likely to be a defin- and activists – in total 80 delegates from 36 coun- Freedom of Religion or Belief. biggest period of crisis since the start Legutko concluded: real blow to this good news because no one should ing moment for the European Union. The Pieter tries – participated in the very successful event The Alliance of Conservatives and Reform- of EU integration. “The clock is also ticking on the have held out high hopes for the democratic mind- Cleppe of Open Europe has written about the his- hosted by Nikolay Barekov MEP. ists in Europe (ACRE) will be organizing a one- “Mr. Macron recently wrote the future of the EU. We should be listen- set of the Russian leaders. torical road that ultimately lead to Brexit giving a As with some other Central European coun- day seminar entitled the Blue-Green Summit whole of Europe a letter – it called ing to voters across the EU. More and Another good news story to celebrate is that more fine-grained picture of the process than we tries that emerged from totalitarian rule, Bulgaria in Brussels on 3rd April. The Summit will bring for more centralisation and more more voters are desperate for change the last stronghold of so-called Islamic State in normally see and also debunks numerous Brexit at first struggled to become a fully constitutional together politicians, academics, activists, busi- regulation. He called it a European and change will happen very soon.” ■ Syria has fallen. While this may not be the end myths.