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[scriver]

This is why you have a round table

[ChairmanPoo]

Surprisingly enough, there is a massive diplomatic row between Turkey and the EU because Erdogan didn't have enough chairs

Throne war 2?

Honestly, reading the wikipedia article doesn´t it feel more like there´s a foreign policy row between EU countries or factions? It reads as if the most vocally angry about this whole thing are some particular countries and parties, while other countries and parties not so much (including, interestingly, the two EU officials that were in the meeting).

So... more likely the whole sofagate thing is a proxy for previous disagreements about foreign relations with Turkey?

[TD1]

I believe one of the EU officials is outspoken in claiming it was plain ol' sexism, and if she'd been wearing a tie and suit it wouldn't have been an issue. She then went on to claim it hurt some specific feelings, but I can't remember which. Which isn't me being snarky, I honestly can't remember what they were.


Edit: I guess I will take a stab at putting across my own opinion on von der Leyen's account.

There were two seats and two powers. I doubt it would have ruffled any feathers if she'd taken one of the seats, not her male colleague. If anyone was being sexist, perhaps it was him for assuming that he deserved to represent the EU more than her. Oh, and a Turkish male official was sitting on the sofa across from her, so sitting on a sofa doesn't appear to be an inherently sexist activity.

Anyway, I don't really read any sexism into Turkey's pretty silly blunder. No one rugby tackled her to stop her from sitting.

Though admittedly, I'm still looking for the full footage. The one I saw skips a bit of time, so I can't be 100% certain.

[MorleyDev]

For additional context, it's not just the seat thing but that the seat thing immediately followed Turkey pulling out of the 'Istanbul convention'.

In international politics where symbolic posturing is somewhat common for scoring points at home, pulling out of an international convention designed to protect women and then seeming to ensure that a powerful woman wasn't at the table looks awfully lot like one of those symbolic posturings, which is why it raises eyebrows. If that prior pulling out hadn't happened, this would probably not have been an issue.

[martinuzz]

In response to French plans to blockade the port of Jersey, over a fishing rights row, the UK has sent two patrol ships of the Royal Navy to the island. Boris Johnson has promised the islanders to protect them from enemy actions.

Inb4 UK-France war

[delphonso]

Inb4 UK-France war

Oh not again.

[martinuzz]

France has also dispatched a Naval vessel to Jersey.

[TD1]

Hmmm.

Out of curiosity, if France is the escalator here, would the EU get involved in any armed conflict?

Is it even legal for France to engage in military action over this?

[martinuzz]

The EU supports France's stance on the matter.
It is unlikely a miltary confrontation will follow. It is possible that the UK will board and arrest fishermen though.

It is also not clear who is the escalator here. France claims that the UK is making claims that are not part of the Brexit agreement.

(In perspective, what it is all about. It is about a grand total of 17 fishermen that lost their rights to fish in the Jersey waters, but claim that they cannot be denied that right because of historical rights. France threatened to cut off the electrical power from Jersey, and the fishermen announced they will still come and fish and blockade the port in Jersey waters. The latter prompted the UK to send the Navy, which in turn prompted France to do so as well)

[scriver]

EU: *makes fun of Brits for not anticipating the changes not being in the EU any longer would mean*
Also EU: what do you mean we can't go on fishing here like the UK being in the EU meant we could D:

[martinuzz]

What complicates matters is that Jersey has a status aparte, in that they are not a part of the UK, and free to determine their own fishing rights.
According to those, French fisherman should still be allowed to fish there, but the UK disapproves.

[voliol]

From skimming through a few articles I gather that the permits were not granted as part of the longer fishing rights conflict between France and the UK following Brexit. So presumably the Jersey government was pressured/co-opted into the UK's post-brexit policies, despite not being part of the EU to begin with? The articles aren't very clear on the details of the "start" of the conflict as they focus on the escalation. I guess armed patrol vessels are more interesting to write about than how the permits were (not) granted currently and previously, and by whom.

[martinuzz]

Pretty much, yeah

[martinuzz]

The French fishermen have stopped blockading the port of Jersey and have returned to France, stating that this matter should be resolved by politicians on land rather than by ships on the sea.
The UK has also recalled it's warships to port.

The French Navy remains near the Jersey waters.

[hector13]

Next week on Jersey Shore: the Germans get bent out of shape over straight bananas!