Polls discussed State of European unity

UK and the Netherlands, two of the countries where anti-European populism have penetrated, began Thursday ‘s marathon elections that have been summoned 380 million voters in 28 countries to discuss the state of European unity. The elections to the European Parliament, the date the most important polls next year with the recent elections in India, are a kind of expedition horizon from 25 -M, Europe is measured with a sensational bouquet of challenges to redefine a project headdress, ” under critical failure ” in the words of former President Felipe González.

The only effective control exercised by the electorate on policy is its ability to drive (or not) to a party of power. In Europe it has happened again and again – with a few exceptions: Germany, since the Great Recession began. But the review, which will last until Sunday, goes further than this first evaluation of the management of the crisis are at stake greater integration plans and the possible devolution of power to the capital, the redesign of the eurozone, the consequences of the rise of anti-European forces amid a growing eurodesencanto, the threat of war near the borders of the EU -Ukraine – and fracture potential secessionist projects representing indoors, among others.

The crisis raises fundamental questions about the European way of life. There are parties who question the viability of the welfare state, the so-called European social model that Lula da Silva calls ” heritage of humanity “. And the result of the election will influence even in the future of one of the cornerstones of the EU: the free movement of people is at stake as a side effect of the economic problems. The French president Nicolas Sarkozy on Thursday came out of retirement and gave a great jolt to the campaign with a proposal that calls for a two-speed euro and a temporary suspension of the Schengen agreements, which guarantee the free movement of persons. Sarkozy wants to prevent foreigners from twisting procedures that allow them to enter the Schengen area to choose the country with more generous social benefits. The data do not support this thesis: there is little tourism benefits, despite the insistence of London, Paris and Berlin about denounces the European Commission.

Sarkozy ‘s ideas never go unnoticed. The far-right National Front leader, Marine Le Pen, accused the president from copying their recipes for electoral reasons. Le Pen leading the polls with 23% of the vote, alongside Sarkozy ‘s conservative party and five points ahead of the Socialists. But France is not alone: the polls show a still similar in several countries, including the two who voted Thursday. The anti-immigration and anti-European UKIP group leading the polls in the UK, ahead of Labour and the Conservatives. In the Netherlands, in the campaign polls predicted a great result to Geert Wilders, a supporter of the country out of the euro and to expel the Moroccan.

Judy Dempsey, an analyst at Carnegie Europe, provides another reason to keep the free movement conquests: “If Europe weakens those bases, lose influence in the world. And the winners are others. ” This expert combat the idea of the social cost of maintaining freedom of movement. ” Young Spaniards to be, for example, Ireland, stop using social services in your country to go and work in another. Therein lies Europe, ” he says.

But consideration to European unity after the 25 -M goes beyond immigration policy. It will measure the pro-European parties against anti-European. And the game will mark the major policies of the Union for the near future: continue with the current conservative prescription or allow certain change in economic policy; partners to return powers to continue the federal or bet. Even seemingly technical details as to implement projects mutualisation of debt restructuring or allowing more mired in countries such as Greece, depend in part on the election results. “Europe is in denial,” warns Philip Legrain, exasesor Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso. “The recovery is extremely weak, and without a policy change can see serious political and social crisis. Without a change of course the hassle returns where used; maybe not so harshly, but do much damage in the countries where it hit stronger. A kind of European spring is needed: the EU must fill empty slogans content as the current A or ever closer union will suffer a great time, “says Legrain.

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Posted by Khalil Khan on May 25 2014. Filed under Europe. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.