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Friday, March 24, 2017

European Union leaders mark past but assess uncertain future

Greece, scarred by the financial crisis and the tough conditions the 19 nations sharing the euro currency imposed on Athens' bailout, is also balking. The bloc has proven in the past to be less than unified in decision-making on issues such as the single euro currency to the Schengen zone of unfettered travel, but it always left a taste of being less than perfect. "Different paths of integration and enhanced cooperation could provide for effective responses to challenges that affect member states in different ways," the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg said in a joint statement earlier this year. With French President Francois Hollande leaving in May, there is the specter of a possible election victory by Marine Le Pen, the far-right candidate and another anti-EU populist. The drift under the eyes of bureaucrats and great financial powers has created a market anything but united, highlighting the north vs. south divide created by the financial crisis, Agea said.


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