Agree with the key issues facing the UK government and its second unelected conservative PM in recent years.

What are similarly key issues facing the EU in the near future? Perhaps,
Energy security
Inflation
Unemployment/ stagnation in south EU economies

How serious are concerns of water shortages in Italy, Germany or Spain?

The European Union was created as a result of post-war cooperation in Europe to ensure peace, prosperity, and stability on the continent. For the most past this has worked, while accepting the current crisis. And yes there is a current crisis.

In response to your question, the key challenges the EU faces are social and political, married together. i.e. unemployment & poverty on the one hand and politicians being out of touch with their people on the other, spending more time on global or regional affairs and not enough worthwhile and meaningful time and effort on their own country. The knock on impacts this has at a government level is that parties and individuals of extreme views come into power via "protest votes" thereby destabilising the country further, and the people lap it all up because these new parties are perceived for a time to be better - until the shit hits the fan.

So in summary if you want a single key issue, its the EU's ability to remain relevant and have free international trade (it really is all about trade and prosperity - happy people dont complain as much).

This post was edited by ferdia on Sep 23 2022 02:09am

the main problem of the EU is pretty simple

with the deindustrialisation of germany the main net contributor wont be able to pull the carriage in the near future

Which deindustrialisation? I wasn't aware that was happening.

Perhaps another layer or beaurocracy could be the solution. An inception of governance.
A higher echelon council where only the most european of european countries will be permitted. Like Spain, France or Israel.

entire industrial complexes from multiple fields (chemistry, metallurgical) have shut down their production due to exploding energy costs and lack of material

https://twitter.com/disclosetv/status/1573251301084995584?t=BKcCCPUj_wOfWcbWeojRkg&s=19

von der leyen and her opinion on democratic elections

they are saying it to your face, wake up

what did she say to our face about democratic election that is so outrageous?

it was a clear threat: stupid italians, if you dont vote what we want, we have "tools" to punish you

she literally says, that its the "right direction" or the "difficult direction" for them

unreal, absolutely no shame and thats coming from a woman, who was not elected for her current post

of course you know this, but you asked this fenderp question to start something again

Could you corroborate that statement? Right now, enterprises in our country do face difficulties and there may even be partial shutdowns of production capacities, but where's the catastrophe you're insinuating?

you really turned full facebook karen, haven't you? everything is a grand conspiracy, everyone is out to get you: scientists, politicians, big pharma, the EU, migrants, LGBTQ people...

meanwhile in reality, her "threat" is simply: if you're gonna break EU rules (something that right wing populists in various countries constantly promise / vow / suggest in order to gain votes from gullible simpletons), we're not just gonna take it any more.

if you had ACTUALLY listened to her speech, and not just the spin that a fellow karen of yours put on it, you'd realise that she said "we work with whoever - the only condition is to adhere to DEMOCRATIC PRINCIPLES". the pearl clutching about that from people who usually like to portray themselves as "rule of law" guys is hilarious.

it's about time. the EU is not gonna fund the corruption and exploits of lazy right wing populists, who defy it every step of the way, any longer. the likes of hungary and poland have been getting away with it for too long. undermining democratic principles and people's rights should not be rewarded. ideally, those governments would just finally go through with their "threats" to leave, but they were unfortunately always empty. those grifters KNOW they need our money, they just play strong man to impress bigoted dumbasses. in reality, they are well aware that their countries will turn into even bigger shitholes once they aren't part of the union any more. so they talk big, but never go through with it (where did i see that before, hm?). not surprised that people like you fall for that though...