Europe in a crisis? It's sitting on a time bomb
Europe is in a crisis all right but not solely for the reasons stated: sluggish economies, widespread but unspecified citizen anger and vicious infighting among leaders. Rather, the malaise is deeper, and it won't be cured until Europeans abandon the myth that theirs are not immigrant societies. It is the model that needs fixing, not its victims.
Germany is beginning to grasp the challenge. It is taking skilled immigrants as permanent residents. But it does not quite know how to undo the immigrant ghettoes it has created. Ditto France and Italy. EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson got to the heart of the matter recently when he said that Europe must "equip every citizen, of whatever social background, nationality, colour or religion, to fulfill their individual potential ... We need to integrate migrants and minority groups more successfully than we have, so far. "In other words, Europe must move towards the Canadian model — albeit imperfect — of economic, social and political integration of all citizens."
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