Almost half of the European population is happy with the EU, according to a new report, the highest level of positivity in over a decade.
The European Union (EU) is still working as a united front, despite the trials and tribulations currently being experienced.
In the 2022 Standard Eurobarometer survey, which is a collection of cross-nation public opinion polls conducted regularly by the EU since 1974, 49% of citizens have expressed trust in the bloc, with 65% being optimistic about the future, a three-point increase on the last poll taken in January and February.
The positivity image of the EU now stands at 47%, the highest level reached since autumn 2009, while 36% of respondents had a neutral view and 16% were negative.
With regard to the war in Ukraine, the people said they strongly backed the bloc’s response, with 92% approving of the level of humanitarian support and 90% liking the way countries were welcoming Ukrainian refugees. Sanctions on Russia and targeted Russians got a 78% approval rate, and 68% think the EU should be financing and supplying military equipment to Ukraine.
The majority of the EU populace, 87%, think the EU needs to invest more heavily in renewable energy, and 86% to reduce dependence on Russian gas. Independence from energy producers outside the EU also ranks high at 85%.
The economic situation has people rattled and only 40% have positive perceptions. The majority of respondents think the situation will get worse in the next year, but 72% of people are nonetheless confident in the euro, despite 54% being concerned about inflation and rising prices.
Finally, the people interviewed are happy with the way Covid is being handled and 63% trust the EU to take the right decisions for the future on this front.
Photo by Christian Lue on Unsplash
Book your tickets: AMLA Gala to transport guests to mystical Bolivia
The Association Monegasque for Latin America is hosting its annual gala at the Yacht Club of Monaco in September and it will be a spectacular showcase of everything that exotic Bolivia has to offer.
The Association Monegasque for Latin America (AMLA) is teaming up with No Finish Line International for a big night that the organisers are calling two nights in one. The Mystical Bolivia Gala 2022, being held at the Yacht Club of Monaco on 17th September, is introducing Bolivia to attendees whilst also introducing the exporting of No Finish Line Monaco to the South American country.
The night will be filled with authentic experiences involving renowned chefs, artists, musicians, cinema stars and fashion designers to show all the wonders Bolivia has to offer.
The gala will start with a welcome gathering on the Sunset Deck starting at 7pm where guests can enjoy watching chefs cook live, cocktails, painting, an art auction, traditional dance performances, a tombola, and music by Bebe Aponte. Additionally, No Finish Line’s first ever event in the cosmopolitan Bolivian hub of Santa Cruz will be introduced with 2023 being the inaugural year.
At 8:30pm, the crowd moves to the Gala Fusion Dinner Party where the two organisations will make short presentations and show a video about Bolivia followed by introductions to the chefs, a fashion show by Ropsita Hurtado, Deanna Canedo Patiño, Las Diablas and Miss Bolivia 2021 Nahemi Uequin, and guitar music by Piral Vaca. The awards ceremony and announcement of tombola winners comes next with Bolivian actor and singer Milton Cortez performing live as well as the ancestral dance show by ACF. The jam-packed night will continue into the wee hours with music and dancing with Bonny Lovy and Matamba.
The Mystical Bolivia Gala will benefit the Public Women’s Hospital in Santa Cruz as well as efforts being made to diagnose congenital chagas in newborns from infected mothers. The disease is caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, which is transmitted to animals and people by insects and is found only in the Americas, mainly in rural areas of Latin America where poverty is widespread. If left untreated, chagas can be deadly.
AMLA is a non-governmental humanitarian organisation based in the Principality. Its main goal is to build a community where members and any interested parties can build alliances and explore synergistic ideas.
Aside from the gala, they also organise workshops, conferences and musical shows that boast “authentic entertainment, state of the art production and exquisite occupancy”.
Speaking at the inauguration of AS Monaco’s new training centre in La Turbie, CEO Jean-Emmanuel de Witt revealed discussions between the club and the Monaco government are taking place over the future of Stade Louis II.
The Principality club will celebrate its centenary in 2024, and whilst Monaco already have a brand new elite-level training facility perched upon the rocks above the Principality, could they have a new stadium to match?
The Stade Louis II is an iconic stadium, instantly recognisable and memorable for its arches and unique architecture. But fans of the club have this season protested about its current state.
Monaco’s Ultras unfurled a banner during the club’s recent match against RC Lens, describing the Stade Louis II as “empty” and “decrepit” and calling for the government to act.
Monaco’s Ultras unfurl a banner of discontent at the Stade Louis II, photo by Monaco Life
The 16,000-seater stadium was inaugurated back in 1985 by Prince Rainier III and has changed little since.
But on Monday, AS Monaco CEO Jean-Emmanuel de Witt alluded to the possibility of work being done on the iconic venue in the not-so distant future.
“We hope, and we are already in discussions with the Monégasque authorities to consider work on the stadium, which are already planned,” said de Witt in Tuesday’s training facility unveiling. “We just need to define the exact outline and the timings. It is a very, very important topic for our development. We have seen stadiums, for example the one we visited on Sunday [OGC Nice’s Allianz Riviera], that are far ahead of us.”
Whilst the Stade Louis II is also used to host the Herculis athletics event in the summer, as well as a range of other annual events, AS Monaco are “by far the biggest user of the stadium”, as de Witt stated, and the club are therefore hoping to replicate what has been done in La Turbie, in Monaco.
“It is very important for the spectacle, but also for the players, to accompany them with the necessary infrastructure during the match and also to accompany our fans,” de Witt concluded.
The Prince’s government is yet to confirm talks between the two entities.
Monaco is on a mission to create a whole new business sector: digital, and in order to attract those entrepreneurs, the Principality is passing some very bold laws, most importantly on the use of Blockchain. Fréderic Genta tells us more.
It is impossible to jump into this interview with Interministerial Delegate for the Digital Transition and Attractiveness Fréderic Genta without clarifying exactly what it is we are talking about – law number 995, which was recently adopted by the National Council.
The law builds upon law number 237 that was passed by the council in 2017. Basically, it paves the way for entrepreneurs to use blockchain technology in Monaco. It is a key part of this whole modernisation and digital transition of the Principality, because it effectively helps establish a brand new sector of activity in Monaco, and therefore, a whole new revenue stream for the State.
Monaco Life: Why is the passing of law no°995 so important for Monaco right now?
Fréderic Genta: The law was necessary because it provides the basis for the future of both the digital and finance economies; it gives the key principals, so it is a first step. We the government are very happy to have come to an agreement with the National Council. I think it’s going to equip Monaco to be extremely competitive in this area in 2023. There is still 18 months of work to make sure that every single norm is adapted, translated or created.
It effectively makes Monaco one of the first countries in the world to define blockchain, NFTs, and crypto in its law. What does that actually mean?
I think we were quite forward thinking on everything related to blockchain and consequently NFTs, then the metaverse which is a sub-part of NFTs. But we are keeping things quite flexible. Today, we have put together the blueprint for the future economy and now it is important we develop all that’s needed before the end of 2023 to be ahead of the curve.
How does this law play into the attractiveness agenda of Monaco and who is the Principality targeting by having this law?
This law is fully adapted to our ambitions and attractiveness. Monaco is more and more looking to attract active residents who have a professional life either as a CEO, entrepreneur or investor, and want to pursue and grow in the Principality. They come from European countries – 95% of our residents are from the EU, they are aged between 40 and 50, and they come with their families. We are fully aware that our residents have changed, that they have new needs, and we are really moving to target this new type of resident.
So, having a law that’s going to help the finance and digital sectors grow, by building on digital finance, is a huge asset. We are really targeting those active people who are going to come as residents, then become investors, and then entrepreneurs, because Monaco is really about the people, and those who grow the economy with the creation of companies and investments.
And it’s obviously a smart play by Monaco to pursue digital initiatives that require little office space in a country where space is enormously limited…
For sure, that is why we call the country’s transformation programme ‘Extended Monaco’, because digital is a unique opportunity to make Monaco much bigger, to make the economy much less dependent on square metres, on location and office space.
For us, digital and finance are really two key industries in a world where square metreage is rare and where people have a different approach to work. There has never been a time in history when there was such a great opportunity to be a small city-state.
For Monaco, it is a huge advantage because we can now compete to bring the best and the brightest from big cities. Some other city states have a deep understanding of that already. That’s why Singapore and Dubai are moving so fast in this area; that is why they are tailoring packages for residents and CEOs to come with their cabinets.
With the health crises, we experienced two deep transitions – the environment and digital. It is at the same time great for opportunities – space has never been so less important in an economy, but also the threat – many other competitors are coming to our segment. So, we have to be really aware of the threat while optimistic of the opportunity.
Photo by Monaco Life
How much of the digital transition have you actually spearheaded?
Well, we were behind. When I came, we were in the bottom five of the UN in terms of digital administration. Now, I think we are about the European average and I hope soon we will be in the top 10, or top five.
Before I came, there were 25 online administrative services, today we have 110-120, so there has been a huge increase. Now, every single child in Monaco’s public education system can learn to code from ages three to 18. Last year we were ranked first in the EU in coding. Every single middle school or high school student has a tablet and access to full digital education in every class and on every topic. Monegasques now have access to a digital identity, following our adoption of the Estonian model, and they can do their government and administrative tasks online. There has been a huge improvement on many topics.
I come from a business background – I was a banker, I worked for Google, and Amazon in California, so I was growing the economies of the top tier. That’s why we invested a lot in the Blue Fund and training in Monaco. We are training more than 2,000 workers in digital, and with the Blue Fund we have helped more than 400 companies complete their digital transformation.
So, the first thing we focussed on was services, the second was how to grow our economy in a digital world and how to enable economic growth and ultimately government revenues with this digital transition. Because it is happening anyway, and we have to make sure the government and the country takes their fair share of this evolution.
Speaking of the Blue Fund (subsidies for Monegasque companies to make a digital upgrade), do we know if there is a time limit on that?
We aim to continue it next year because it has been a huge success. For every euro invested, eight euros of revenue was created by the company, which means revenues for the government and the state. It is a very virtuous cycle; we are extremely happy with the results – more than 300 jobs were created with the Blue Fund – so we are very keen to take this approach forward in the future.
Digital and economy are the same word for me. When you speak about digital you are speaking about the economy, and vice versa. It is the exact same topic in today’s world. And that’s where the attractiveness comes in to it. Monaco’s model is to attract entrepreneurs, companies, and investors. Monaco does not have a huge intermarket, it does not produce a lot. The vast amount of the wealth is created through attractivity, so by having attractivity and digital linked, there is a lot of things that can be done together to grow our economy.
What are the digital ambitions of Monaco now?
We have two objectives – first is economic growth. Monaco has to grow its economy more and more; that’s what the government has been doing with start-up hubs MonacoTech and Monaco Boost… we need to have both our classic economy and our future economy. That is the idea behind the laws.
The second is quality of life, how digital can be integrated in the big public policies such as health, education, and mobility, to get results. So, everything related to those priorities will really be pushed forward.
I believe there is also a push to simplify the company creation laws for start-ups in Monaco?
Yes, we are really thinking with the government about modernising the law for company creation, and even further about the life of a company – raising money, different vehicles to invest…
There are things that need to be done because, at the moment, our law is not fully adapted to our economy, which has changed a lot in the last years – the way companies are created, the way they grow and are funded, so we have to adapt our laws to an economy that has fundamentally changed.
Do you feel you have the support you need? Because there appear to be a number of National Councillors that share the same digital vision as you…
It is the Prince’s vision first of all. He gave four priorities to the government: attractiveness, environmental preservation, digital and security. I have the responsibility of two of those, and for sure the whole country is aligned behind the Prince on those priorities. We all know that square metres will not magically appear overnight, and we owe it to our model to have sustainable growth, but we need growth without square metreage, which means finance and digital.
The interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
Photo of Frédéric Genta source: Government Communications Department
Arsenal remain top of the Premier League despite defeat to a resurgent Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday, as Monaco Life takes you around the grounds.
Manchester United 3-1 Arsenal – after a disastrous start to the season, Erik Ten Hag’s men have now won four on the bounce, including against Liverpool and table-topping Arsenal. New signing Antony scored on his Manchester United debut before a Marcus Rashford brace in the second half gave Manchester United the points. They move up to fifth, whilst Arsenal remain top.
Everton 0-0 Liverpool – last season’s Premier League challengers and Champions League finalists Liverpool continue their patchy start to the season with a draw in the Merseyside derby. Both sides had their chances, but neither side managed to break the deadlock.
Aston Villa 1-1 Manchester City – after Erling Haaland gave Pep Guardiola’s side the lead in the second-half, it seemed as though the writing was on the wall. However, a late Leon Bailey strike salvaged a point for Steven Gerrard’s struggling Villa to take them out of the relegation zone, whilst denying City top spot.
Brighton and Hove Albion 5-2 Leicester City – Graham Potter’s side piled the misery on Leicester City, who remain bottom of the league with just a single point from their opening six matches. Despite arguably over-achieving with Leicester in recent seasons, Brendan Rodgers is now under huge pressure to turn things around, and quickly.
Chelsea 2-1 West Ham – Chelsea were perhaps lucky to walk away with all three points at West Ham saw a late equaliser controversially chalked off by VAR. In the end, Kai Havertz’s strike in the 88th minute was enough to give Chelsea the win, which moves them up to sixth.
Brentford 5-2 Leeds United – An impressive Ivan Toney scored a hat-trick at the Community stadium to give Brentford an ultimately comfortable win against Leeds. His recent form has led to calls for him to be called up to Gareth Southgate’s England squad ahead of this winter’s World Cup.
Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 Fulham – Tottenham edged London rivals Fulham on Saturday. Harry Kane looked to have sealed the points in the second-half when he double Antonio Conte’s side’s lead, but a later Aleksandr Mitrovic goal halved the deficit, which made for a nervy finish. However, they held on and move up to third.
Nottingham Forest 2-3 Bournemouth – In a clash of the newly-promoted sides, it was surprisingly Bournemouth who came out on top at the City Ground. Having lost 9-0 to Liverpool last weekend, which subsequently saw manager Scott Parker sacked, their torrid run looked like continuing. But having gone into half-time 2-0 down, Bournemouth launched a thrilling second-half comeback, which saw them take all three points.
Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-0 Southampton – Daniel Podence’s goal just before half-time was enough to give Bruno Lage’s side the victory at Molineux. Both sides will likely finish mid-table this season judging on current form.
Newcastle United 0-0 Crystal Palace – It ended goalless at St James’ Park. Eddie Howe’s Newcastle have enjoyed a steady start to the season, but will be looking to push on and challenge for the European places.
AS Monaco’s training centre inaugurated in star-studded celebration
The stars descended on AS Monaco’s sparkling new training centre in La Turbie on Monday to celebrate the official completion of a project that began back in 2018.
Prince Albert II, Charles Leclerc, Didier Deschamps and many other stars of AS Monaco’s past and present were in attendance on a landmark day for the Principality’s football club.
Upon Dmitry Rybolovlev’s arrival at the club just over 10 years ago, he had the objective of creating the optimal conditions within which players could flourish and develop; 5th September 2022 marks the date of the completion of that key task.
As performance director James Bunce rightly said during a tour of the impressive facilities, which include two gyms (one of which is fitted with an anti-gravity treadmill), saunas, sleep pods and a swimming pool, “a modern football club needs modern facilities”.
The new training centre, which according to Monaco CEO Jean-Emmanuel de Witt cost around €60m, doesn’t just allow players to train in optimal conditions, it also facilitates the realisation of the club’s philosophy.
“This facility allows us to take the next step in our development, both individually as players but also as a club. We have one of the youngest clubs in Europe and a big history of developing young players, who move on to even greater things,” said Bunce.
The AS Monaco Performance Centre Gym, photo source: AS Monaco
Manager Philippe Clement also believes that the centre can help attract the best talent to the club. “It’s important to have installations like this in order to work, but also in order for transfers. All the players who come here are impressed,” he said.
Speaking during the inauguration, Prince Albert II said that the construction of the elite facility is a “strong signal from the club”, whilst sporting director Paul Mitchell told Monaco Life that the centre is “one of the most special in the world”.
Amongst all of the stars, including Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc, France manager Didier Deschamps and notable figures both past and present in Monaco’s footballing history, was a notable absence. Ekaterina Rybolovleva revealed that her father and president of AS Monaco, Dmitry Rybolovlev, couldn’t attend the event due to a “health worry”, but she relayed her father’s words.
“Monaco is a historic club, one of the most successful in French football. We have always had at our heart the idea of allowing the club to continue to develop in order to obtain the best possible results so that Monaco can continue to be not only one of the best in France, but also to shine on the European scene. Today, I expect that the team shows itself worthy of the confidence that we put in them. Monaco is a club with a rich and beautiful history that we respect and that we will continue to write together with our passion for football and with our desire to win,” she said.
As the club begins to write the next chapter in its long and illustrious history, it will do so in an optimal environment, which will give Monaco the best chance of ensuring that this next chapter is one of success.
Click on the gallery below to see more images of the new performance centre, photos courtesy AS Monaco…
All the headlines and highlights from Monaco, direct to you every morning
