Yohann Abiven: The single market needs a shield

Published Tuesday, March 4, 2008 at 14:31
by yoan.abiven in New Social Europe (550 views and 1 comments)

The hopes for a better European future are stalling. In that context, what are the urgent matters that need dealing with?

First and foremost, the European Union can measure its legitimacy by its usefulness. In order for Eurosceptics, starting with the French, to think of Europe as indispensable, Europe must become indispensable once again.

In the short term, if Europe wants to be 'desirable' again, it needs to tackle social insecurity. European citizens will renew their vows with the EU once the Union finds a coherent and effective answer to their present rightful claims to a protection of their way of life. This is not just a matter of communication or better explanation of its policies. The European construction suddenly stumbled precisely over the social dimension, at a time in which the century-old pillars of our social welfare were crumbling down in the apparent indifference of our political elites.

Today, in our search for a wide consensus over Europe, we should perhaps think that in order to deepen the Union, we should enlarge its mission to the social field as much as we should review its institutions.

This is all the more important that the European Union has a certain degree of legitimacy because it is such an example to others. The European Union is unique in its...

Tags: blogger of the week, economy, left-wing, programme, shield, social europe, Socialist Party