Europe's Populist Left

[Martinus]

My impression is that Poland's sweet rides usually end due to foreign invasion. 

Yeah.

That being said, we are now 26 years with no foreign invasion/occupation/dominance and counting. Maybe this time, we'll be lucky etc.

[Valmy]

My impression is that Poland's sweet rides usually end due to foreign invasion. 

Yeah.

That being said, we are now 26 years with no foreign invasion/occupation/dominance and counting. Maybe this time, we'll be lucky etc.

At least now you can be reasonably sure you will not be invaded from the west or the south.

[Martinus]

Yeah, so you can run somewhere.

[Martinus]

Speaking of which, my mother wants me to buy a flat in Brussels. 

[Razgovory]

Keeping the zloty undervalued is good for your exports, though. Isn't it?

Yes, as long as you don't plan vacation abroad or shop at amazon, it is pretty sweet. Not to mention, helps work migration too, as people who save even some euro/pound abroad can really send a lot of moolah home.

I wonder when our sweet ride ends, but Poland has been doing pretty great over the last decade.

It was my understanding that Poland, Czechia, Slovakia, Hungary and the Baltic states were the big winners in the post Soviet world.  It's interesting that the countries that a strong German element in their history did best.

[Martinus]

Keeping the zloty undervalued is good for your exports, though. Isn't it?

Yes, as long as you don't plan vacation abroad or shop at amazon, it is pretty sweet. Not to mention, helps work migration too, as people who save even some euro/pound abroad can really send a lot of moolah home.

I wonder when our sweet ride ends, but Poland has been doing pretty great over the last decade.

It was my understanding that Poland, Czechia, Slovakia, Hungary and the Baltic states were the big winners in the post Soviet world.  It's interesting that the countries that a strong German element in their history did best.

That's actually very hit and miss. Hungary, for example, is a total mess. Baltic states are a mixed story too - during the crisis, I think Lithuanian economy shrank by one third. Slovakia is also not doing that well.

If I were to name the winners, I would say Poland, Czech Republic and Estonia.

And I wouldn't exactly say Poland had a "strong German element" in its history either. Unless you mean organising an ethnic cleansing of Germans and then moving into their homes.

[Norgy]

Speaking of which, my mother wants me to buy a flat in Brussels. 

Lucky you. Mine wants me to marry. 

[Martinus]

Speaking of which, my mother wants me to buy a flat in Brussels. 

Lucky you. Mine wants me to marry. 

Mine is extremely sceptical about my boyfriend. The feeling is mutual.

I tried to make them like each other but I gave up as it usually ended up with me yelling at both of them.

[Eddie Teach]

That being said, we are now 26 years with no foreign invasion/occupation/dominance and counting.

I thought you were in the EU? 

[Crazy_Ivan80]

Speaking of which, my mother wants me to buy a flat in Brussels. 

far too expensive in all likelyhood. About anywhere that is not Brussels is gonna be cheaper (and better to live).
deciding factor then becomes how you want to face traffic to get into the brussels caliphate.

http://www.standaard.be/berekenen/huizenprijzen  (the map is from august last year)

[Martinus]

Speaking of which, my mother wants me to buy a flat in Brussels. 

far too expensive in all likelyhood. About anywhere that is not Brussels is gonna be cheaper (and better to live).
deciding factor then becomes how you want to face traffic to get into the brussels caliphate.

http://www.standaard.be/berekenen/huizenprijzen  (the map is from august last year)

I checked out prices in Brussels recently and they were comparable to Warsaw.

[Norgy]

Is there anywhere in Europe north of France that doesn't have inflated house prices?
The prices in Oslo are just eye-watering. If I'd held on to that small condo I owned there until last year, I'd easily have 2 million NOK. Of course, I wouldn't have anywhere to live now.

I can only imagine Brussels being in a housing bubble or boom as well, with gazillions of bland Eurocrats living in minimalistic design apartments.

[celedhring]

My impression is that Poland's sweet rides usually end due to foreign invasion. 

Yeah.

That being said, we are now 26 years with no foreign invasion/occupation/dominance and counting. Maybe this time, we'll be lucky etc.

Must be a Polish record, surely.

FWIW, we are now 34 years without a coup or authoritarian government of some kind, also a record.

[Martinus]

Is there anywhere in Europe north of France that doesn't have inflated house prices?
The prices in Oslo are just eye-watering. If I'd held on to that small condo I owned there until last year, I'd easily have 2 million NOK. Of course, I wouldn't have anywhere to live now.

I can only imagine Brussels being in a housing bubble or boom as well, with gazillions of bland Eurocrats living in minimalistic design apartments.

It is still much cheaper than Paris, or at least it was when I lived there in 2007.

[Tamas]

Very, very few of their proposals so far necessarily involve increasing public spending and people are prepared that they may renege on some.

Most of the policies you outlined above necessitate public spending. Who else will be paying for more state employees, higher pensions or better healthcare?

The Germans.