Big day in Europe

Major events in Europe today.

1.  The Netherlands general election.  Will the resulting coalition government be more euroskeptic than its predecessor?

http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/coalition-struggle-likely-to-follow-dutch-general-election-a-855160.html

2. German Federal Constitutional Court.  As I surmised yesterday, the court has not sunk the ESM, but it has shot a warning shot across the bows which may inhibit the ESM's effectiveness.

http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/german-high-court-oks-permanent-bailout-fund-with-reservations-a-855338.html

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/financialcrisis/9537638/German-Constitutional-Court-ratifies-ESM-with-conditions.html

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/finance/ambroseevans-pritchard/100019976/german-constitutional-court-tightens-the-noose-yet-further/

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/financialcrisis/9539695/German-court-backs-ESM-rescue-fund-in-double-edged-ruling.html

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/financialcrisis/9538465/The-euros-demise-may-be-the-final-chapter-of-the-ERM-debacle.html

http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/commentary-ruling-underscores-german-court-s-weakness-in-europe-a-855441.html

http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/constitutional-court-ruling-a-setback-for-germany-s-euroskeptics-a-855413.html

http://www.nucleus.uk.net/comment/item/eu-s-super-wednesday-throws-down-gauntlet-to-uk?category_id=51

http://www.bverfg.de/en/decisions/rs20120912_2bvr139012en.html

3. Barroso's 'state of the union' speech, calling not for an EU superstate but a federation of states..


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/financialcrisis/9538077/Europe-must-become-federation-of-states-Barroso-says.html

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/financialcrisis/9538595/Debt-crisis-Barroso-may-want-political-union-but-whats-in-it-for-the-people.html


4.The Brussels push to control banks.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/banksandfinance/9536997/UK-banks-could-be-shut-down-or-forced-into-bail-outs-by-Brussels.html

5. Scotland as an independent nation would have to apply to join the EU?  Alex Salmond must be livid.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/scotland/9303587/European-Commission-Separate-Scotland-forced-to-reapply-for-EU-membership.html

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/scotland/9541844/No-SNP-separate-Scotland-EU-plan-until-2013.html

http://networkedblogs.com/C7d9O

5. Bungling Ashton.

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/finance/thomaspascoe/100019937/bungling-baroness-ashton-is-considered-a-joke-by-foreign-governments-say-worried-senior-diplomats/