The European elections have concluded –– and a time of reflection has begun: what does this outcome mean for Europe? ECDA co-director Mar Garcia thinks that these election results are both worrying and reassuring. Worrying because the far-right has certainly gained in strength. But reassuring, too: “A majority in the EP still stands for a value-based Europe. The project continues, but let’s not miss any further possible opportunity to regain strength,” she says. Read on for her take on how to move forward from here.
Let’s swallow the hard pill first: the EU is becoming more right-wing. “The parliamentary representation of nationalist-populists now stands at around 23%,” says Garcia, who is more than a little familiar with European politics: she was Secretary-General of the European Greens for eight years, and moreover has managed to support around 50 progressive parties in the last year and a half with their digital campaigning efforts. “The picture in the EU’s two economic powerhouses is sobering,” she continues. “The AfD in Germany came in second, while Marine Le Pen’s Rassemblement National became the biggest in France –– even leading President Macron to dissolve the National Assembly. Governments in seven different EU-states contain or are now sustained by far-right parties: in Italy, Sweden, Finland, Czechia, the Netherlands, Hungary and Croatia.”
What does this mean? Garcia: “This means that beyond the strength gained with these elections in the EP, the far-right will demand and get more members in the European Commission and that they will be stronger in the European Council too. They will try to influence the overall political agenda and framework of the Union. These are all real, serious concerns. But in spite of all this, a Europeanist majority can be reassembled; Europeanists still make up about 65% of the European Parliament. And while there are seven states with governments that contain the far-right or are supported by them, there are twenty other countries who do not. Moreover, Europe’s nationalist-populists may be Eurosceptic, but an exit from the EU is not part of any of their electoral programs nowadays. So my point is: of course, for us progressives, the gains made by these parties are cause for concern, but they don’t yet threaten the work done in Europe, which we should continue in the next 5 years. The EU does not function as a national government; the norm has been to build large coalitions and forge agreements. This has been the case over the years, and this variable geometry is what should allow us to move forward the next five. ”
Where is the EU headed now? Garcia: “Europe has been going through difficult times in recent decades. We have endured serious crises: the financial crisis in 2008, the refugee crisis of 2015, Brexit, the presidency of Donald Trump, the health crisis posed by the coronavirus, the invasion of Ukraine, the energy crisis, etc. In response to these events, important legislative and political steps have been taken in Europe that have constituted a sort of re-foundation of the European Union. The European project, even if far from perfect, has matured, you could say. We have seen incredible economic integration in the form of the NexGenerationEU fund, and very important strides have been made with regard to the green agenda, the digital agenda, and foreign and defense policies. Whether the EU will go forward with this liberal-progressive tone and agenda should not be left in the hands of the far-right: Progressives should hold the Conservatives accountable for that. Despite blurry statements on this during the campaign, thankfully, it seems the Conservatives of the EPP continue to bet on the majority that has brought Europe where it is today. Earlier this week, Van der Leyen, Manfred Weber, and Roberta Metsola have made statements in favor of maintaining agreements with pro-European forces in the EP.”
What should progressives do next? Garcia: “We must be aware of our strengths and keep our eyes on the objectives we can achieve. The far-right will continue to try to influence and impose their economic views, their anti-green agenda, their understanding of freedom of civil rights, and their foreign and migration policies. Progressives should therefore do everything they can not to let the EU stray from its path towards the objectives that were agreed upon in recent years. The Conservatives of the EPP are now essential to ensure the continuity and deepening of the European Union project. Progressives should hold them accountable. I do not want to underestimate the danger represented by the growth of national populism in the EU, but I remain confident that the European Union will be able to overcome this moment, and progressives will manage to turn things around. We owe it to our kids.”
How do we do that? “The key thing right now is not to stop organizing just because the elections are over. Instead, see this as a starting point: use the next five years to build deep, lasting relationships with people. New digital strategies open the door to entirely new ways of engaging voters and creating lasting communities built on shared progressive values. Using a variety of new tools that are available to us, we can strengthen the foundations of our democracies and continue to expand what is possible in Europe –– and what is politically digestible. We can push back and take control of the conversation once more. By digitally reimagining what it means to be a political party and essentially updating a now outdated, 20th-century idea of politics, we can improve civic education, political participation, the availability of information, and democratic deliberation. Surveys show us that there is a huge reserve of progressives in Europe who want to be engaged: I say we spend the next five years finding them, mobilizing them, and connecting them into thriving, living communities.”
Would you like some help with this? At the European Center for Digital Action (ECDA), we specialize in the use of new technologies by political and social organizations. We train people, provide advice and consultancy, and offer the best tools to maximize political impact. Please do not hesitate to get in touch with us.
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