Page 10 - ARUBA TODAY

A10 WORLD NEWS
Monday 18 deceMber 2017

Populist far-right leaders want no EU in future Europe

By KAREL JANICEK Union is a disastrous organi- in Europe, although Wilders
Associated Press zation which is leading our and Le Pen both ran un-
PRAGUE (AP) — Far-right continent to destruction successfully this year for the
populists in Europe vowed through dilution by drown- top political posts in their
Saturday to work together ing it in migrants, by the countries.
to create a new model negation of our respective More recently, Austria’s
of intercontinental coop- countries, by the draining far-right Freedom Party be-
eration that is far removed of our diversity.” came a partner in a new
from the European Union. Geert Wilders, founder of coalition government af-
Leaders of parties from the Dutch anti-Islam Party ter receiving more than a
France, the Netherlands, for Freedom, followed suit. quarter of the vote in a par-
Italy, Austria, Britain and “My party is convinced that liamentary election.
other countries met in the Netherlands would be Le Pen called it “very good
Prague to discuss ideas for better off outside the Euro- news, excellent news for
Europe’s future under the pean Union, and it will be Europe.”
headline “For a Europe of better for our economy, for The meeting was hosted by
Sovereign Nations.” From the left founder and President of Czech Freedom and our security,” Wilders said. the most anti-migrant, anti-
They attacked the EU for its Direct Democracy party Tomio Okamura, French politician and Wilders singled out immi- Muslim, anti-EU party in the
migrant policies, accused head of the National Front, Marine Le Pen, and Dutch politician, gration and “Islamization” Czech Republic, Freedom
founder and the current leader of the Party for Freedom Geert
its leader of trying to create Wilders pose for photographers after a press conference at a of Europe as the most press- and Direct Democracy. It
a super state run by Brussels conference of European anti-migrant parties from the Europe of ing issues. finished fourth in October’s
and praised U.S. President Nations and Freedom (ENF) Group in the European Parliament, “We must have the cour- parliamentary election,
Donald Trump’s approach in Prague, Saturday, Dec. 16, 2017. age, to introduce travel winning 22 seats in the 200-
to migration. Associated Press bans as President Trump seat lower house of Parlia-
Marine Le Pen, leader EU for getting “everything we accuse the EU of killing has done in the United ment.
of France’s far-right Na- wrong.” Europe,” Le Pen told report- States,” he said. “We must The party wants to ban Is-
tional Front, blamed the “Because we love Europe, ers. She said parties like hers have the courage to re- lam, which it calls an ideol-
want to save Europe “by strict legal immigration in- ogy of hate. Its chairman,
preserving nation-states.” stead of expanding it. We Tomio Okamura, is current-
“We are not xenophobes, must have the courage to ly a deputy speaker of the
we are opponents of the repatriate the illegal immi- house.
European Union,” Le Pen grants.” Hundreds protesters joined
said. “I think this is some- Parties with anti-immigra- a peaceful rally against
thing we have in common, tion platforms have been the far-right gathering in
because the European making gains at the polls Prague on Saturday.q
French sailor Gabart sets new

solo round-the-world record

BREST, France (AP) —
French sailor Francois Gab-
art broken the record Sun-
day for sailing around the
world alone, circumnavi-
gating the planet in just 42
days and 16 hours.
The organizers, tracking his
journey by satellite, tweet-
ed that 34-year-old Gab-
art reached the finish line
near Ouessant island off French skipper Francois Gabart poses with his new record, in the
France’s western coast on Brest harbor, western France, Sunday, Dec. 17, 2017.
his trimaran called “Macif” Associated Press
before dawn Sunday. porters waited to fete him have been following his
Dozens of vessels swarmed in nearby Brest, a historic travels.
around the victory vessel, port city and sailing capital “It’s a crazy pleasure ... all
accompanying Gabart as from where he departed this human energy,” Gab-
he waved torches. Sup- Nov. 4 and where residents art said later. q