It is surprising to find high calibre people speaking with enormous conviction about the future as if they are totally convinced that what in their view should happen, will surely take place.

Clearly, we all have our ideas as to what should be done and why. We believe that it would really be most beneficial if matters are decided in this way and not that. But should this lead to an ironclad, immovable belief in how the future will shape up?

This question came to my mind when I heard a very influential MEP declare unequivocally that with Brexit, the UK is committing an enormous mistake which will cost it very dearly in future.

I too believe that following forty years of EU membership, the decision taken by the UK to leave the EU is not a good one. But from here, to move on and declare that this decision will inevitably penalise the UK extremely hard seems over the top. It reflects dogmatism, rather than a cool appreciation for how international relations develop.

For one cannot exclude the possibility that as the years go by, Brexit might indeed lead to a stronger British presence on the international stage.      

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Plastic

Currently, there is a controversy in the EU regarding how to control the huge surge in the usage of plastics, for packaging among other end products. The expectation is that plastic usage will increase further, even as it triggers an enviromental crisis.

When I read or hear about the problems that have emerged, I cannot help smiling rather bitterly. Some fifteen years ago, during the campaign about whether Malta should join the EU, we argued against the dominant use of plastics. We did so in the context of a discussion about the tendency of the Union to apply a one-size-fits-all approach. We argued that as member of the Union, Malta would be obligated to allow the use of plastics in the same way as other member states, and could no longer give priority (like we did at the time) to the use of glass bottles.

We were ridiculed then. Policies “in favour of” plastics were introduced. As we had believed would happen, Malta got overloaded with plastic... and so did the Union.

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SPD

I write before the result is known of the vote taken by the general conference of the SPD, the German socialist party, regarding whether the party should negotiate with the CDU/CSU for the two sides to set up a “grand” government coalition. Whatever the socialist delegates decide, their party will remain caught in a lose-lose situation.

If the SPD joins the coalition, it stands a good chance of continuing to disappoint its own voters, who will believe the party has become assimilated to the conservatives – and this after having promised that there would be a renewal.

If it stays in opposition, it will be criticised for having disregarded the national interest, since Germany needs a strong and stable government.

However, in Germany there is a political need for citizens to feel that when elections arrive, they are being presented with a serious choice between two really distinct alternatives. If not democracy could lose out.