06 September 2013

Paul N Goldschmidt: The stakes of the European elections overshadow by far national polls

The probable victory of Chancellor Merkel in the forthcoming German elections will not – as many had hoped – be a signal for renewed efforts to agree on vital stalled European socio-economic proposals. The slight improvement on the economic front is likely to encourage the postponement of necessary structural reforms.

Governments will be inclined to focus on domestic priorities which, by default, will become the likely subjects of the forthcoming European election campaign. This will only increase the lack of interest of the elector for European matters, providing an ideal platform for "eurosceptics" who are likely to reinforce significantly their presence as well as influence within the European Parliament.

However, these elections offer a unique opportunity to "consult" the European citizen on the future of the Union by making this question the central theme of the campaign. In opposition to the national-populist sirens, one should not only refer to the undeniable accomplishments achieved since 1952 but, more importantly, demonstrate the need for a more integrated and compassionate Union able to face the challenges of a multi polar world in which only a European dimension can safeguard the prosperity and security of its citizens.

The forthcoming election campaign should therefore oppose diametrically all those who wish to further European integration, while preserving their political specificity, to the individual nationalistic political movements who, by definition, have no particular reason to form a coherent political or even democratic entity at European level.

In order to mobilise the elector, it is necessary to make sure that his vote counts. If, for instance, the pro-European parties designated ahead of time well-known personalities as their candidate for the Presidency of the Commission, the elections would automatically assume a European dimension instead of being a mere juxtaposition of polls with largely domestic  stakes. This should also contribute to weakening the appeal of the national-populist vote and reduce the level of abstentions.

Despite the indisputable rationality of the argument in favour of the Union, the implosion or dissolution of which would not only be the source of serious economic problems as well as social upheavals but also of political dangers, there remains, nevertheless, the possibility that the nationalist vote wins the day. It is a challenge that deserves, however, to be met because everything points to the fact that time is favouring the nationalists and that they are likely to achieve their goals simply by default.

Time has now come to transform the forthcoming elections into a true "referendum" which will allow the citizen to express his views on the future of the Union. A positive result should also give an explicit mandate to revise the Treaties so as to institute a clear hierarchy of legislative norms and executive responsibilities between the different levels of authority (European, national, regional and local) based of the principles of subsidiarity. Thus could be resolved the fundamental question of "democratic legitimacy" of the European project.

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Paul N Goldschmidt, Director, European Commission (ret); Member of the Advisory Board of the Thomas More Institute

Tel: +32 (02) 6475310 / +33 (04) 94732015 / Mob: +32 (0497) 549259

E-mail: paul.goldschmidt@skynet.be / Web: www.paulngoldschmidt.eu

© Paul Goldschmidt