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Data: 03/06/2014
Populist parties have been creeping in the political scene since the 80’s, and are now growing at the seams of the European construct, breaking the myth that their popularity finds its roots in the Euro crisis or “mass immigration”. Following a comparative and multidisciplinary approach, the research proves they are the response to growing inequalities, poverty, or even the moral crisis many citizens feel our societies are the victims of. It calls for Europe’s mainstream party leaders to react, giving solidarity a reality and striving for equality in actions, not over-promising discourses. Reminding us of the volatility of such populist discourses, Counterpoint underlines the inexhaustible virtues of education, which invariably seems to inoculate people against the far-right syndrome.
Watch the video online here.
• GONG. Collaborating with journalists and thinkers, GONG, member of the ECF since last year, produced a series of articles on the elections and the substance of the EU debate, in line with the ideas on equality, solidarity and democracy, carried by our Manifesto. Access the content of the articles here.
• IPA. “Volunteering abroad in Poland and Germany, its implications on attitudes towards the respective neighbouring country, and its effects on images of Europe”. The Warsaw based Institute for Public Affairs think-tank, in collaboration with the German Centre for Developments in Civil Society, recently delivered its Report on “Volunteering abroad in Poland and Germany, its implications on attitudes towards the respective neighbouring country, and its effects on images of Europe”. After analysing the effects of voluntary service in these two countries, it explores the way in which voluntary service contributes to shift, positively, our understanding of Europe and the EU. The outcome of this bi-national research is now I the hands of decision-makers, as well as practitioners or any other actor involved in setting up and implementing volunteer programmes. Download the report here.
• AEGEE. Ukraine. 21 AEGEE members, with the support of the OSCE, took part in the observation of Ukrainian elections this week-end, which took place in a calm atmosphere, maybe “the first step towards stabilisation of the situation in Ukraine”. One of the main problems, observers say, was overcrowding in polling stations, due to high participation. However, armed groups did surround in some areas the election process, and although confrontation was in most cases avoided, a journalist and his translator were killed at the eve of the elections, and their presence will remain a key issue for the newly elected President, Petro Poroshenko, who made the promise of guiding the country towards the long-waited democratic functioning. Read the full Press Release here.
Following the worrying news of the balkans' flood which have already destroyed many cities, infrastructures and houses, AEGEE has created an online platform in order to gather funds.
Institutions
• European Economic and Social Committee. Action Plan for Europe. The economic crisis and predicted negative outcome of EU elections as starting point, the EESC wishes to make the best of a new Parliament and Commission to solidify the Union, injecting a high does of solidarity to regain the trust of the people, who make Europe, and urging institutions to fight anti-democratic eu_action_planattitudes by developing a positive discourse for Europe. Indeed, the rise of extreme scepticism is a sign of the economic and social concerns shared by many citizens, and the EU, having heard their call, must act.
Reforming the Economic and Monetary Union to gradually bring it to become an Economic and budgetary Union is the first step to restore the EU’s economic sustainability. It includes a focus on investment, a common management of the Euro zone, the coordination of the budgetary policies or the establishment of a European unemployment-insurance for instance. The second fundamental step touches Europe’s social policies. To boost growth and jobs, the EESC prioritises actions towards social cohesion, namely by opening discussion on standards for a minimum income or the improvement of prospects for young people.
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