Politics in Europe Archives - Our Continent

Let’s make the European elections a continent-wide live event!

Tim Staker — Sat, 18 May 2019 10:45:48 +0000

Sign the petition below to make the European elections a continent-wide live event!

Election night in Europe. Countless souls across our continent clutched to the TV or computer, all tuned in to the same program, aired in English, but dubbed live in all languages of the EU. The atmosphere heated up in millions of households – think of the release of the voting results at the Eurovision Song Contest, but tenser, with infinitely more at stake; motivational slogans, sighs of relief, tears of sadness and of joy. A Europe-wide live event that, despite the many political contradictions, makes people realize that they are members of a continental community, and partake in the celebration of its democracy.

That is how the European elections could be like. Unfortunately, the current reality is quite different. A decreasing number of European citizens make their way to the voting booths during the European Elections, and perhaps even fewer follow the results in real time on TV or online. The tendency towards disinterest, one could say, is baked into the voting system itself. Europeans can only vote for national parties and candidates, which, together with likeminded parties and candidates from other EU-countries, make up the larger European parties in the Parliament in Brussels. Ideal would be to change the current system so that voters can choose whatever candidate they want, regardless of their country of residence. But it would be too optimistic to expect a swift end to country-bound voting for the time being.

Nevertheless, there is a way to make the European Elections much more engaging, with the current system still in place. Because the problem is not only that voting is limited to national borders, but that the announcement of the election results is as well. Huddling together around a screen, watching the numbers and percentages come in from different cities and regions, is the height of any modern democratic process. Events like that create a sense of belonging to a political community, even though your fellow citizens might prefer another party than you; you feel that you are all part of the same lively democracy. Sadly, those who watched the European elections until now could rely solely on their national TV emissions, showing mostly country-specific maps and results, leaving some with the impression that only an insignificant national voting round had taken place, instead of a continental ballot involving hundreds of millions of participants.

To make voters truly aware that they are part of a European democracy, we should upscale the broadcasting of the results to a European level. What we need, is a Europe-wide live election event shown on public TV, where the results of all the different voting regions in the European Union are tracked, put together and objectively analysed, in contact with correspondents in all member states. This pan-European show would also involve commentary and debate, from different sides of the political spectrum, and might even include music, citations of writers from the past and short videos showing the beauty of each of our member states. A likely candidate to organise such an event is Eurovision, part of the European Broadcasting Union, since it has decades of experience in airing large international live emissions. A Europe-wide election show would not only make the ballot much more interesting, but more importantly, it would also help to raise democratic and community consciousness to a European level.

You can help to make this event happen. Please share this initiative on social media and, even better, bring it to the attention of politicians, candidates, political parties, journalists, media companies, analysts and opinion makers. Let’s join forces to strengthen our European democracy!

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Analysis Video: Civic Nationalism vs. Ethnic Nationalism

Tim Staker — Wed, 15 May 2019 15:15:47 +0000

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Analysis video: on the rise of a European identity

Tim Staker — Tue, 20 Mar 2018 21:33:49 +0000

Do we see the emergence of a European identity happening before our eyes? Examining the two ideological currents broadly defined as Europeanism and Patriotism, their strengths and weaknesses, their artificial divide and the meaning of these currents for those that favour a strong and united Europe.

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Analysis video: the current state of Europe

Seward — Sat, 10 Mar 2018 18:46:16 +0000

Stanley Zoeteveld introduces the Pan-European Movement with an assessment of the state of our continent, the trouble we face and the challenges we must overcome in uniting European civilization. He talks about the main developments our continent saw in 2017, the different threats to European security and the emergence of a European identity,

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The year 2018: what to expect in Europe?

Seward — Thu, 25 Jan 2018 14:19:36 +0000

A happy, healthy and prosperous new year to all Europeans! Let’s look ahead at some of the political events that will come our way in the next months. Will we be at the edge of our seats again, or has Europe entered calmer waters?

For Europe as a whole, 2018 will probably be less exciting than last year. The only major EU state to hold a general election is Italy, in March, and unfortunately the Eurosceptic 5 Star Movement is now ahead of the polls. However, the M5S – how their name is commonly abbreviated from Italian – recently screwed down its anti-European rhetoric and scrapped its proposed referendum on the Euro from its program. This means that even if M5S wins and manages to form an administration, Europe will just have another government that favors a more decentralized approach, but it will not cause an existential crisis.

In the same month, Russia will hold its next presidential election, but we know already who the winner will be; his name starts with Vladimir and ends with Putin. To be sure, the future “winner” has instructed his state controlled courts to preventively exclude his biggest opponent from the race. Swedes also go to the polls in 2018, in the general elections of September. All eyes there will be on the right wing Sweden Democrats, since the Scandinavian country continues to suffer under the negative effects of years of uncontrolled 3^rd world mass immigration.

Nevertheless, even if the SD would win a lot, it would never be able to make policy on its own since Sweden has a coalition system. Meanwhile, many Europeans are waiting for Germany to finally form a new government after months of formation talks. Not surprisingly, the new administration will likely be led again by Angela Merkel; the woman that singlehandedly made Europe a less safe, less united and frankly less European place by inviting millions of unvetted young men from the most backward corners of the planet. Instead of making space for someone with a less stained reputation to lead Europe together with the likes of Emmanuel Macron, the German chancellor stubbornly wants to remain in power.

It is clear, there will be a lot of criticizing to do again this year, but we are ready for it! We will bash the naivety, political correctness and hypocrisy of the left, the chauvinism, anti-Europeanism and Putin-apologetics of the right, and the indecisiveness of the centre. However, we will also praise those politicians and public figures whose words or actions are a breath of fresh air in this tentative climate. While doing so, we will not differentiate between left, right or centre, but only between what is good for Europe and what is bad for Europe.

Furthermore, we will be sharing our perspective and, as always, propagate a pan-European collective identity whenever and wherever we can. Do you want to contribute in your own modest way? Then join us on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube and spread our pro-European material.

Long live our glorious continent! Long live Europe!

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Catalan independence: what does it mean for Europe?

Stanley — Wed, 04 Oct 2017 19:04:34 +0000

Unlike many political issues today, the question of Catalan independence does not play out in left versus right. There are people from both ends of the political spectrum that support Spanish unity and praise the tough response of the Spanish police during the referendum, just like there are left- aswell as right-wing supporters of Catalan independence, who call for a quick secession from Spain and who accuse the Spanish government of dictatorial behavior.

The pro-European camp is equally divided on the issue; some say Catalan independence would be a pure expression of democracy on our continent, others want EU leaders to ignore the referendum and follow the line of Madrid in order to prevent further division. There is something to say for both positions. Ideally, European nations should be equal partners under a democratic administration in Brussels. There is no principle reason, from our perspective, to keep nations imbedded in an intermediary administrative structure (in this case Spain), if the majority of their members do not wish so. On the other hand, Catalan secession would not only mean the break-up of a major European country, it would also mean the further division of the EU itself – just at a time when pro-EU forces are making a comeback and support for Brexit has hit an all-time low.

Any weakening of Europe means a relative victory for its adversaries; Putin, the far right and far left, and the forces of Radical Islam. Moreover, it is hard to imagine that Catalonia itself would benefit from leaving Spain (and the EU) because it would suddenly be disconnected from the largest single market in the world. The Catalans then must start a tiresomely long and difficult process of EU entry negotiations – which have become much stricter after the entry of Romania and Bulgaria in 2007 – and would likely be blocked by Spain from ever becoming a member. In the short term, Catalonian secession means a severe escalation of the political chaos in Spain, and perhaps even more violence. And considering the fact that only 42% of voters showed up – or were able to enter voting stations – arguing that Catalonia’s regional government now has an overwhelming mandate for independence would be an overstatement.

Concluding, we principally believe the Catalans have the right to self-determination in the framework of a united Europe. However, with only a minority of voters taking part in the (officially illegal) referendum, the current tense situation in Spain, Europe and the world, and the prospect of a major political calamity, we believe Catalonia would be wise to steer towards de-escalation. We acknowledge that Spain’s response has not helped to ease tensions, neither has the silence of most EU leaders, but all eyes are now on Catalonia. It is for the Catalans to show the rest of Europe some common sense and try to negotiate a peaceful compromise.

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Denial and Apathy during Germany’s Elections

Stanley — Tue, 05 Sep 2017 15:37:48 +0000

The official economic stats on Europe’s largest economy look as good as ever, but Germany has changed, some would say unrecognizably, after more than a decade under Chancellor Angela Merkel. I recently visited several German cities and indeed felt the confusion, the fear and also the anger in the air. Especially the large urban areas bore little resemblance to the easy-going, pleasant Germany I knew from numerous vacation trips in my youth. To be perfectly frank, my surprise was mostly due to the discovery that mass migration from the 3rd world has had a much greater impact on the demographics of the country than I had anticipated.

Some places, like Dortmund or Hannover, appear to have become more than half Middle Eastern; headscarves are all around, and Arabic is heard with almost the same frequency as the German language. Groups of migrant men hang in front of the train station, stroll through the center, or sleep on the grass of the parks. The original population, meanwhile, is clearly not at ease with the situation. Faces full of worry move through the streets, or nostalgically observe, from behind a glass of beer on a terrace, how their city is not the same anymore. The demographic fears are, moreover, enhanced by growing economic inequality, which is linked to Germany’s neo-liberal austerity dogmatism, and one does not have to search far to see its effects. It was particularly shocking to encounter so many homeless older Germans, begging for money and even looking for food in public garbage bins.

More than one million migrants came to Germany in the year 2015 alone, after an open invitation by Chancellor Angela Merkel, without consulting the population or even her political allies at home or in Europe. In fact, warnings from politicians, academics, journalists and ordinary citizens were not simply ignored, but often branded with the stamp of “selfishness”, “xenophobia” or “racism”. Overnight, Merkel had decided that Germany should embrace a so-called welcome culture, and most media outlets uncritically followed this narrative. The mass sexual assaults in Cologne, a terror attack on a Christmas Market in Berlin, and numerous other incidents of unthinkable brutality seem to have done little to change the public discourse. Actually, the imported violence has driven the supporters of Merkel’s “welcome culture” into the realm of denial and irrational belief in which an alleged moral duty to help those in need overwrites any national security concerns. In this worldview, humanitarianism is the highest virtue – not for the people of Germany, but for the world as a whole – a virtue that is personified by Angela Merkel. It is therefore that criticism of Merkel can easily be bent by her supporters as ‘anti-humanitarian’, ‘anti-immigrant’ and ‘far-right’. Given Germany’s brutal history, making such accusations against opponents is politically highly effective.

Despite the terror attacks, the socio-cultural tensions and inequality on display, there are still few Germans who publically dare to go against Merkel. Even Martin Schulz, Merkel’s only real competitor in the September 2017 German elections, has not dared to criticize what many now consider a historic mistake, namely Merkel’s ‘refugee invitation’. In the election debate, the one critical point Schulz could bring up with regards to Germany’s immigration policy, was the fact that Merkel did not coordinate well with other European countries. For the rest, Schulz even tried to ‘out-virtue’ the Chancellor in xenophilia by quoting Islamic poetry and repeating an earlier statement saying: ‘refugees bring to Germany something more valuable than gold’. The Alternative for Germany, or AfD, is the one party that does criticize Merkel on migration, but it is small, plagued by internal division and scandals, and has alleged links with the Kremlin and far right groups abroad. Equally important, the AfD rejects European integration while Germans are among the most pro-EU people one can find.

All this leaves ordinary German voters with a sense of utter powerlessness. A new demographic reality has been forced upon them, sparking new cultural tensions, increasing crime and even bringing along horrors Germans had no longer thought possible in their country. But public criticism of this new reality is still a massive taboo maintained by most media, most politicians and many public institutions like schools and universities. With the choice in the 2017 German elections being between Merkel and Schulz, who differ close to nothing when it comes to immigration, a general sense of apathy has taken hold of Germany. Apparently, Germany’s prominent politicians have learned nothing from the discontent that caused the popularity of both Brexit and Trump in the UK and US. They seem determined to continue on the current path, which will bring enough voters to the voting booth, but will leave many others at home feeling betrayed. Without the prospect of change, Germany’s anger will linger and grow, and I am afraid it might one day come back with a vengeance.

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Is the Polish Government on the right track?

Seward — Thu, 20 Jul 2017 19:37:15 +0000

It is no secret that Western and Eastern European countries have had their differences in the past. These differences have once again come to a head over recent political developments in Poland. Already the Polish government was under scrutiny for the passing of controversial media laws that could allow the government to control public media coverage. Some observers argue that since then, the public broadcaster has become a mouthpiece for government interests. Now, in what can only be interpreted as a further move towards authoritarian control of essential democratic institutions, the ruling party PiS (Law and Justice) has passed laws that allows the government to appoint judges directly to the Supreme Court. Such a move would effectively abolish all judiciary independence and make the Supreme Court an instrument of government control.

Unsurprisingly, these developments have aroused the opposition and sharp condemnation of Western European member states and the European Commission, which is considering putting in place countermeasures, including the revocation of Poland’s European voting rights. I have recently supported Eastern European countries, united in the Visegrad Group, in their resistance to taking in numbers of refugees and condemned the Commission’s assertiveness in this matter. Now I feel that, concerning Poland’s recent authoritarian tendencies, the same kind of assertiveness is entirely justified. Should Poland’s drift towards authoritarianism continue, the European Commission should not hesitate to pass sanctions to keep Poland on the right track.

Do not get me wrong, there is plenty wrong with the current distribution of political power in the European Union, and it is understandable that nations can sometimes feel strangled by an assertive Commission. Coercive action taken by the Commission or other European institutions can be perceived as meddling in national affairs and an infringement on sovereignty. That is why the European Union should generally be reserved in interfering, especially when it comes to morally dubious issues like immigration. Nonetheless, when it comes to fundamentals like the democratic order, it is a different issue. There are times when the Union must rightfully step in to ensure that member states live up to modern democratic standards. It seems entirely reasonable that if there are certain constitutional requirements for joining the European Union, there are also measures in place to enforce them.

Control over the judiciary by the Polish government would easily open the way for arbitrary political trials against political opponents. We can not have a situation where the ruling party gathers the power to silence opposition and effectively halts the democratic process. Modern democracies flourish in lively debate, the clash of political ideologies and the constantly changing political landscape. If the authoritarian tendencies of the Polish government were allowed free reign, and current developments would continue, Poland could very quickly become a one-party state, frozen in a condition where only one political ideology, one view of society, would be the acceptable norm. Such a situation would be a regression to the authoritarianism of the Soviet days, a dark past which most Poles observe with horror.

The progress Poland has made since these days can not be overstated. Like many Eastern European states, when the Iron Curtain disappeared, it opened the door to the transformation of their societies to Western-style liberal democracies, with a clear separation of power and an active civil society. Furthermore, the Polish economy has been growing steadily since the early ‘90s onwards, since their re-conciliation with the rest of Europe and through their subsequent accession to the European Union. The fruits of Western modernity, already enjoyed by Western Europe decades before, have since been widely tasted by the Polish people. Ensuring that Poland does not fall back into old patterns and making sure that it remains a free and democratic society is in the interest of the Polish people and should thus be a prime objective of the European Union. If we truly value freedom and democracy, we must be willing to actively defend them, even if that causes friction with national ruling parties and their supporters.

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After Brexit, Europe’s popularity is booming

Seward — Mon, 10 Jul 2017 17:17:44 +0000

Since last year’s dreaded Brexit referendum -the event that prompted us to form our Movement- the popularity of the European Union has been rising. American researchers from the renowned PEW institute conclude in a new study, that, now a year after Brexit, more than two thirds of Europeans have a positive view about their country’s membership of the EU.

The European Union is most popular in Poland, even if this country has a rather Eurosceptic government, and least popular in Greece, which is still recovering from a severe crisis. Overall, 67 procent of Europeans has a favourable opinion of the EU and in none of Europe’s member states, including the UK, a majority exists for leaving the Union.

The chaos that followed after Brexit and Trump victories undoubtedly made many Europeans realize, that thoughtless destruction of one’s own political institutions is self-harmful and brings no solutions to today’s global problems. The events in the UK and US also moved many politicians to take people’s concerns about mass immigration and Radical Islam more seriously. Moderate politicians are increasingly vocal on these issues, call for Europeans solutions and, given the results of the French and Dutch elections, voters increasingly align with them.

One year later, we can conclude that the chaos after Brexit has provoked a true pro-European counter-response, of which we, and our followers, are a proud part. We must continue to promote the EU in a powerful way, debunk the arguments of our opponents on the left and on the right, and be unapologetic in expressing our intention to maintain and strengthen the unity of European civilization.

Long live Europe!

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