Open Europe improving its spin on Eurobarometer?

Spin and gloss are expressions related to the very human desire to present the emitter in the best light possible.

If the original communication is questioned and debated, this may lead to refined replies, which bring the discussion forward.

Did Open Europe improve its reasoning and advance the debate by yesterday, when Mats Persson again presented his views on the European Commission and EU-wide public opinion?



Persson’s opinions were published on the Swedish EU affairs portal Europaportalen: “EU drar missvisande slutsatser av opinionsmätningar” (The EU draws misleading conclusions from opinion polls).

It seems to me that Persson reiterates – practically verbatim – in Swedish what Open Europe and he said on the publication of the Eurobarometer results 26 August 2010.

Although directed at the Commission, possibly the last sentences contain a germ of willingness by Open Europe to listen to Europeans and to be prepared to discuss economic reform issues in a more pragmatic manner:

… borde kommissionen lyssna på vad medborgare runtom Europa verkligen säger – och sen dra sitt strå still stacken för att åstadkomma genuina EU-reformer efter medborgarnas önskemål.

Detta skulle till och med kunna bidra till att vända några av de minde smickrande opinionerna.

This may be only speculation based on purely cosmetic changes to the message, but if the change is substantive, the Eurobarometer discussion may have taken a small step forward.

However, as Persson must know, the European Union is basically a creature of the member states, so they have to start listening and reforming with at least the level of dedication Open Europe demands from the Commission.

Targeting only the Commission is – spin.




Ralf Grahn



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