All the focus in Sweden has lately been on the tours in the formation of the government. The rest of Europe has in place slowly but surely started to aim at the forthcoming elections to the european Parliament. Parties across the EU sets out lists, develop programs, discuss toppkandidater and the alliances that can be formed after the elections. There is a clear consensus that this election will be different; the traditional parties are expected to go heavily back then other forces will increase their representation.
We are many who feel a great deal of concern over the steady emergence of the populist alliances. Parties that are xenophobic and euro-sceptic and question the fundamental liberal values that european cooperation is founded on. Italy’s Salvini, Hungary’s Orban, the Polish government party with the Pirates in the lead, France’s Le Pen – all intensify their collaboration ahead of the elections. The President Trumps the previous civilization Steve Bannon travels extensively around meetings in Europe to fuel the talks about the cooperation of these parties in between. Grows in Sweden, The sweden democrats, and in Germany the AfD with similar agendas.
Viktor Orban recently said that he hopes that more migrationsmotståndare takes over national governments and thus able to control the European council, i.e. the heads of state and government summits in EUROPE. It could very well happen. EU governments will then appoint a new EU commission, the body that operates the on and proposes new laws. This means that the current commission can be the last where all the commissioners are genuinely convinced that european cooperation is something good.
the President Trumps the previous civilization Steve Bannon travels extensively around meetings in Europe for fuel.
There is no doubt that there is a substantial basis for the policies that these different parties runs throughout Europe. The aftermath of the economic crisis are still felt. The public anger such as the yellow of the vests represent in France draws its nourishment in the French political situation – but also out of a frustration over the increasing inequalities and a rapid globalization where not all of the hangs with.
the Support for both the euro as european cooperation is higher than ever in the vast majority of the member states. The chaos surrounding Brexit has discouraged most EU-sceptic parties from actively pursuing a utträdesagenda. Over three-quarters of EU citizens said they like the euro, the highest support since 2004. In the latest Eurobarometer survey said 77 per cent of EU citizens that they feel like european citizens, and the figure was 82% in Sweden. The proportion who feel that they can influence and feel heard in the EU are the highest in ten years.
We see other positive movements in both Poland and Hungary demonstrates the regeringsmotståndare, often with EUROPEAN flags. Recently held a big demonstration against the violence in France – EU-flags. Young people all over Europe klimatstrejkar and demonstrate for tougher environmental legislation, and faster joint action against global warming. They want the EU to do more.
It is from this civil soil to which a call is if Europe and the runoff to the european Parliament must obtain its nourishment. Tomorrow is a hundred days left to the elections on 26 may. We must initiate a broad discussion about what we should do in the EU and how we should do it, but also go out in a powerful defense of the values on which the whole cooperation is based on: democracy, human rights, tolerance, equality and the rule of law.
It is not enough to solemnly refer to the story – it is unique in that war-torn countries chose to cooperate rather than to go to war. It is amazing that Europe was, after so many years have been divided by a wall. The transition to democracy in former dictatorships in southern and eastern Europe.
All this proud history is important, but the EU’s role in today’s uncertain world is at least as important. The EU is currently determined up to international solutions and multilateralism when others want to build walls. The member states are united around an ambitious trade policy and the EU is leading efforts to strengthen and reform the WTO. We conclude far-reaching trade agreements with a growing circle of like-minded countries, which all believe in a mutually beneficial trade that is both sustainable as based on multilateral principles.
the EU defends the protection of privacy and individual rights on the net. Work to strengthen the digital internal market will continue. In the new long-term budget proposes major investments in innovation, research, vidareutbildningssystem and social development. Environment – and climate policy could certainly be tougher, but without the EU there had not been any international klimatuppgörelser in Paris in 2015 or Katowice earlier in the winter.
We are facing huge challenges in a world with multiple centers of power, with countries that do not follow established rules and international standards. Transatlantic cooperation is greatly weakened. We see an increasingly aggressive China, which creates disturbances in the global trade. We need to cope with massive technological change – artificial intelligence and robotics, major gaps in knowledge and higher demands on citizens to be constantly learning.
How should the european union be able to navigate all of this and be a credible global player? We have the recent years seen how difficult it has been to agree in the migration policy. In foreign policy, the EU is still a political dwarf. The inability to agree on the speed of common positions when it comes to, for example, Iran and Venezuela has shrunk, the EU’s credibility and capacity to act. We now need to undoubtedly discuss the possibility to start making decisions by majority voting in foreign policy – thus leaving the requirement of unanimity behind us.
the Same applies to fiscal policy. We are many who would like to see a european carbon tax. It would lead to major positive effects on the climate, but because this is the tax policy so it is required in the day of unanimity, to get to something like this. One can also imagine that a coalition of willing EU countries can go forward with the kind of cooperation on their own.
These are all discussions that Sweden must engage in. Traditionally, it has often nejsägande Sweden, hiding behind the Uk, but a british exit is on the one hand it is urgent to find new allies, both urgent to think about the vision of the EU cooperation, which most would benefit our country. Why have, for example, Sweden, together with only few other countries are now set outside of the european public prosecutor’s office, which aims to combat fraud with EU-money? And is it not time to have a eurodebatt again? The price to be outside all the time.
the Elections to the european Parliament in may is therefore more important than in a very long time. The strong forces that threaten the whole of the EU-cooperation is more well-organized than ever. A polarized parliament after the elections would make it difficult to make decisions, and constructively legislate, which, in turn, would affect the whole of Europe the way forward for a long time to come. Therefore, it is extremely important with a high turnout, a wide commitment and a broad debate on Europe’s future. We have a hundred days in the us.