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While Angela Merkel continues to push for an EU superstate, voters in her home nation are backing away from the ideals of bureaucrats and their EU integration project.

The bloc has been hit by a wave of populist politicians, taking on the establishment, with a major resurgence of nationalism in countries once fully behind the idea of a more entwined Union.

A findings of a major study by think tank DEMOS into whether the EU will survive 2017 was launched this week, considering in depth why people all over are turning their backs on the EU dream.

Research for the publication Nothing to fear but fear itself began in 2015 when the eurozone crisis, the migrant crisis and issues in Greece threatened to tear the entire EU project apart.

Germany has taken more than one million migrants from Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan and African nations, leading to a rise from right wing groups, and clashes between cultures.

Failed integration debate reached a climax on January 1, 2016, when more than 100 women in the country reported being sexually assaulted by gangs of migrants in one night.

But with blanket policies, open borders and Brussels-based decision making on the table, voters are beginning to cool in the blind support of all things EU.

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At the UK launch of the DEMOS research last night, Christine Hbner, from German think tank d|part showcased her findings - revealing the image of the EU for Germans is beginning to change.

She said: Majorities or near majorities of Germans are quite afraid of further EU integration, but with regards to very specific topics.

They are very concerned with the loss of social security, given further EU integration.

On the other hand we also have a new majority saying that theyre afraid of a loss of national identity. which is very much at the opposite of looking at a potential loss of social security.

Lots of people are now saying we have to talk about what further integration to the EU is going to look like

Christine Hbner

According to her part of the research Ms Hbner found politicians were not accepting this was a current issue.

She said: There were lots of different concerns about further EU integration.

The countryside has reported to have the lowest image of the EU.

It was quite surprising to see how the politicians have difficulty grasping this.

Lots of people are now saying we have to talk about what further integration to the EU is going to look like.

The politicians werent quite aware of of this.

One MP of the Green Party said I dont think there is any EU related fear.

CDU said they hadnt had anyone in their constituency concerned about the loss of national identity.

There was a stark contrast between what was expressed and what politicians told the think tank.

DEMOS

Although Ms Hubner added: It is not going to be the Germans bringing the EU down.

According to the report, written by Sophie Gaston, perception in Germany has plummeted faster than ever before - although it remains the country least likely to rock the EU boat.

She wrote: Germany is perhaps less Eurosceptic than other places in Europe, recurring crises in the EU have left their mark on German society and public opinion towards the EU.

The German public has recently shown signs of increasingly Eurosceptic attitudes.

On the one hand, more Germans than ever agree that membership in the EU is a good thing (71 per cent) and that overall their country has benefited from EU membership (62 per cent).

At the same time, after a first low during the Eurozone crisis in 2010/11, the EUs image in Germany is on the decline, and faster than before.

In spring 2016 only 29 per cent of Germans said the EU conjured up an overall positive image.

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The report studied party politics, social cohesion, public policy and the rhetoric and opinions of citizens of five countries.

Those countries which were used as a barometer for the rest of Europe included France, Germany, Poland, Spain, Sweden and the UK.

In Germany, the report found: Sizeable numbers of Germans participating in our survey expressed strong fears about the impact of the EU.

DEMOS discovered in every country, there is either a majority or a substantial minority in favour of reducing the EUs powers or leaving it altogether.

Germany remained the most pro-European of the six with 48 per cent wishing to keep the stars quo - or increase EU powers and just 16 er cent wanted to leave.

DEMOS

The research found although large minorities or even majorities in Britain, France, Germany and Sweden feared for the future of the EU getting worse in 2017, the Union is not beyond saviour.

It states: Attention should focus on how elites can restore trust in the fundamental institutions of our democracies, better articulate the myriad, shared benefits and strength of open societies, and encourage more diverse, challenging and free public debate on issues important to peoples social and cultural identity.

There is no doubt that we are living through a transition that feels cataclysmic in nature disruptive, challenging and potentially dangerous. But the question as to whether this is the beginning or the end of something has not yet been decided.

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Merkel's nightmare: Now GERMANS question Chancellor's dreams of European Union superstate - Express.co.uk

The future of the Joint European Torus, the world-leading fusion facility near Oxford, U.K., remains uncertain beyond its current contract which ends in 2018.

EUROfusion

By Erik StokstadMar. 13, 2017 , 5:30 PM

CAMBRIDGE, U.K.For months after the United Kingdom voted last June to leave the European Union, many British scientists clung to hopes of a soft Brexit, which would not cut them off from EU funding and collaborators. But Prime Minister Theresa May, who is expected to trigger the 2-year process of exiting the European Union in coming days, has signaled the break will be sharp. U.K. researchers are now facing up to the prospect that they wont be able to apply for EU funding or easily recruit students and colleagues from the rest of Europe. People are bracing themselves for a bumpier and more abrupt landing, says James Wilsdon, a science policy expert at the University of Sheffield in the United Kingdom.

To lessen the blow to research, scientists and bureaucrats are already brainstorming about new funding structures and international collaborations that could make up for the lost EU money and brainpower. They are also taking some comfort in a major boost to government R&D funding, detailed last week, aimed at building up research areas that could bolster domestic industries. Yet much uncertainty hangs on what are expected to be rancorous negotiations with the European Union, covering issues such as the right of foreign citizens to remain in the United Kingdom and a possible exit bill from Brussels. We live in a kind of limbo, says Giorgio Gilestro, an Italian neuroscientist at Imperial College London (ICL).

The stakes are high for the United Kingdom, which is a scientific powerhouse and a magnet for talent. Between 2007 and 2013, U.K. researchers brought home more than 7 billion in EU research funding, second only to Germany. Cash from Brussels made up nearly 10% of research funding at U.K. universities in 2013, an increase of 68% since 2009. The United Kingdoms prominence as an international hub was made clear this week when a new analysis of mobility of high-skill professionals, published in the Journal of the Royal Society Interface, found that the country was four times more highly networked than the average for Europe.

May has said repeatedly that maintaining the United Kingdoms scientific prowess is a priority, but a more immediate worry to the government is industrial competitiveness, as a hard Brexit is likely to mean a departure from the EU common market. To kick-start or boost industries, particularly in biomedicine and technology, the government launched a new Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund in November 2016. It will spend an extra 4.7 billion on applied research, to be delivered in rising sums over the next 4 years, which amounts to a 23% increase in government R&D spendingthe biggest since 1979. I was flabbergasted, recalls Kieron Flanagan, a science policy expert at the University of Manchester in the United Kingdom.

Last week, the first details on spending were revealed. This years tranche consists of 270 million for research on robotics, electric vehicle batteries, and drug manufacturing technology. Another 300 million will be spent on fellowships for early- and midcareer scientists, grants to attract foreign scientists, and support for an additional 1000 Ph.D. students in fields relevantto the industrial strategy.

In 2020the year after Brexit presumably will occurthe challenge fund will disburse 2 billion, exceeding the 1.6 billion a year the United Kingdom currently gets from Brussels for R&D. But some scientists fear that blue sky research will get left out. It would be crazy to simultaneously boost applied research and allow fundamental research to wither on the vine, says Robert Massey, deputy executive director of the Royal Astronomical Society in London.

After Brexit, U.K. researchers will likely not have access to EU funds that have promoted collaborations.

CREDITS: (Graphic) J. You/Science; (Data) Scopus

One bright spot: The research community will have an influential advocate in 2018 after a reorganization of the six research funding councils into UK Research and Innovation. Its director-to-be, Mark Walport, was most recently the chief government science adviser, and will oversee 6.8 billion a year in science and innovation spending. There is great potential for science to have a greater profile in government and [in] negotiations with the European Union about the terms of Brexit, says Sarah Main, director of the Campaign for Science and Engineering, a lobbying group in London.

Some urge recreating the most cherished aspects of EU funding within the United Kingdom. Grants from the European Research Council (ERC), in particular, are prized for their size and long duration, and because the work does not need to show societal relevance. The United Kingdom has received about 200 million a year in ERC fundingmore than any other country. Another hope is to make up for the expected loss of talent from the European Union by easing entry for scientists from the United States, China, and elsewhere. Were going to have to recruit from the entire world, says Venki Ramakrishnan, who heads the Royal Society, which is pushing for immigration reform. Skeptics say any loosening of visa regimes is unlikely when the government has vowed to reduce immigration overall.

A related approach is fostering non-EU international collaborations. Efforts are already underway: In 2013, the research councils signed a 5-year agreement with the U.S. National Science Foundation to allow scientists in both countries to submit joint proposals in social sciences. A year later, the United Kingdom launched the Newton Fund, which will spend 735 million over 7 years for research partnerships supporting economic development in China, Brazil, India, and more than a dozen other countries. But details are scarce.

Some applied researchers may be celebrating their bonanza, but many other scientists are gloomy. The next 5 to 10 years are all about damage limitation, says Stephen Curry, a structural biologist at ICL. Its deeply depressing.

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U.K. scientists prepare for impending break with European Union ... - Science Magazine

In lets-all-take-a-step-backwards news, the European Unions highest court ruled this week that employers in Europe can legally ban hijabs at the office.

On Tuesday, a court in Luxembourg ruled it was legal to bar women from wearing hijabsas long as the company has a policy that bans all religious garb. While technically the ruling applies to symbols across religions and political bents, it comes in the midst of a European election season during which feelings toward Islamism have been under the microscope and conservative politicians have been gaining popularity, reports The Guardian .

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Though not official, the ruling feels especially tailored to Muslim women. The decision comes as the result of two separate lawsuitsboth by Muslim women. In the first, a Belgian woman was fired from a security company where shed worked for three years when she started wearing a hijiab. The company said shed broken unwritten rules on religious symbols at work, according to The Guardian . In the second suit, a Muslim woman in France was fired from a tech firm after a customer claimed his employees were embarrassed" by the hijab she wore during a presentation. In this case, the court ruled in her favor, stating customers cannot ask an employee to remove a head scarf unless the company has a policy against them already in place. Last summer, French municipalities sparked outrage when Muslim women were prohibited from wearing swimwear that covers the body and the head, better known as the burkini.

Considering the current social climate around hijabsespecially in the global arenas of fashion and sports this seems like a major step backward. This year, Somali-American Halima Aden made history as the first Muslim model to walk in fashion week wearing a hijab, hitting runways from new-school Yeezy to old-school Alberta Ferretti (and before that she made history as the first contestant to wear a burkini in a beauty pageant). In the world of sports, Nike made major news earlier this month by announcing plans to release a sports-friendly hijab , leveling the playing field for Muslim athletes.

With the EUs ruling in the mix, it looks like two steps forward and one step back when it comes to fighting hijab-based discrimination.

The latest news surrounding hijab:

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The European Union Just Ruled Employers Can Legally Ban Hijabs at Work - Allure Magazine

Charlotte Observer

Bank of America eyeing new European Union base after Brexit Charlotte Observer Bank of America views Dublin as its default destination for a new hub inside the European Union if Brexit means Britain loses easy access to the single market, according to one of the firm's top executives in Germany. The Charlotte bank will likely ... and more »

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Bank of America eyeing new European Union base after Brexit - Charlotte Observer

The European Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy have today adopted a Joint Communication proposing a forward- looking EU strategy for Syria. As called for by President Juncker in his State of the Union speech in September 2016, the Communication defines how the European Union can play a stronger role in contributing to a lasting political solution in Syria under the existing UN-agreed framework. It also looks at how the EU can continue its assistance to over 13 million people in need in Syria, help build resilience and stability in the country, and support post-agreement reconstruction and the voluntary, dignified and safe return of refugees and internally displaced persons once a credible political transition is underway.

The High Representative/Vice-President Federica Mogherini said: "The Joint Communication adopted today strengthens not only our current engagement and support for a political solution to the war as the only way we can bring peace back to Syria, but also what the European Union could do in a post-agreement context in which reconstruction can start. And there is much the European Union is ready to do, together with the United Nations and the rest of the international community. The Syrians want peace, they deserve it, as they want and deserve to finally have the possibility to shape the future of their country. We are at their side to support the future of Syria."

As outlined in the Joint Communication, the European Union's engagement in Syria goes beyond the current state of play. It is defined by a longer term perspective in support of the EU's strategic goals on Syria. The Syrian people deserve a united, democratic, diverse, inclusive and territorially integral country. A stable, strong and secure Syria will be rebuilt provided that a political settlement in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2254 and the Geneva Communiqu is reached.

The Joint Communication comes at a crucial moment for Syria, as we mark the 6th year of the conflict and with the resumption of the UN-led talks in Geneva, supported by a ceasefire mechanism established as a result of the Astana talks. The Communication reiterates the European Union's direct support for the UN process, notably through ongoing political dialogue with regional actors under the EU regional initiative on the future of Syria and ongoing work to strengthen both the Syrian political opposition and civil society organisations.

The European Union will continue to be the first and leading donor in the international response to one of the worst humanitarian crises since World War II. Since the outbreak of the conflict, the EU has mobilised over 9.4 billion, providing life-saving humanitarian assistance and resilience support to the Syrian people and neighbouring countries hosting Syrian refugees.

The Joint Communication presents the current political, security and humanitarian context in Syria and the state of play of the EU's assistance in response to the Syria crisis. It contains an assesment of the risks and threats posed by the continuation of the war to the EU's core interests, regional and global stability, as well as the definition of a set of clear objectives for the EU's policy for Syria, which include:

As a next step, the Communication proposes clear lines of action to implement these objectives, in close coordination with regional partners and international organisations, and to continue the diplomatic work and post-agreement planning in order to ensure that international support is ready, coordinated and can be delivered effectively when the appropriate moment comes.

High Representative/Vice-President Mogherini will present the Joint Communication to EU Foreign Ministers at the Foreign Affairs Council on 3 April; it will also be presented to the European Parliament. The Communication will also serve as an important input for the Brussels Conference "Supporting the Future of Syria and the Region on 5 April 2017 that the EU will co-chair with the UN, Germany, Kuwait, Norway, Qatar and the United Kingdom.

Background

The European Union's last strategy on Syria was adopted in March 2015 as part of the EU Regional Strategy for Syria and Iraq as well as the ISIL/Da'esh threat. The Joint Communication represents the review of the Syria-related aspects of the Regional Strategy that was last reviewed and updated by the Council in May 2016.

In his 2016 State of the Union address, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said: "I call today for a European Strategy for Syria. So that Europe can help rebuild a peaceful Syrian nation and a pluralistic, tolerant civil society in Syria."

For more information

Joint Communication to the European Parliament and the Council: Elements for an EU Strategy for Syria

Factsheet: The EU and the crisis in Syria

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Towards an even stronger EU role for Syria, reinforcing EU efforts to build peace - EU News