The fight for democracy never ends

If you want you're democratic and human rights, you must demand them for everyone.
Ever sense the end of world war II, Europe's democracies and their strive for reconciliation and unity have been a model for democracy and freedom activists all over the world.
But in the turmoil following the financial crisis dark forces are once again doing their best to divide and concur. That doesn't mean that Europe are back where she was in the 30s. No, in 2014 the 500 000 million citizens are among the best educated in the world, We also have a collective memory of the consequences and nightmares that fascism and communism brought to all Europeans. Hopefully this put together, means that when it comes down to it every sensible European will turn it's back on these ideologies and values.
But we aren't in the position to be naive. We must take a collective stand against all strives towards dictatorship and division, starting at the European elections comming week. Europe and Europeans can't afford to waste a single constructive seat in any parliament in Europe.
Democracy, liberty and our freedom can't be taken for granted, it's actually being threatened everyday and fight for democracy can never end!

We are Europe

We can't option ​​out of Europe without deselecting large parts of ourselves. Europe are in many ways just as integrated as most of its member states are, in terms of culture, trade, economy, science and higher education.

Something we rarely think about when we are talking about European integration is that its not comprehensive or complete in any political, cultural or geographicall area.
European integration "in deversity" is best illustrated as a quilt or as number of rings that are more or less integrated in each other.

European integration is much older then our union and much older than our nation states.
The democratic integration, however, is a creation during the postwar period with the aim to pick up where nationalism and the nation state failed, to bring Europe stability and a peaceful development.

The aim of European integration has never been to create a homogeneous Europe where regional and local cultural differences are blurred or weakened, but to strengthen diversity through democratic collaboration. It has influences of cultural federalism, which is in direct contrast to the goal with the nation-state, a culturally homogeneous society witch is organizational characterized by central government, replacing local and regional self-governance.

Nation states set limits and build walls for culture, commerce and people in Europe. Nationalism created more organized unrest and division in Europe than there ever was before. Sadley the nation-state quest lives on in Europe and even within our Union, where we see how nationalism acts against bringing down walls and barriers for culture, commerce and people.

What if the borders and walls are built again? We can only learn from the past, walls do not create stability and peace!

Made in EU

The main consequence of the crisis in Europe is unquestionably unemployment and especially youth unemployment. The consequences of this are not only economic and social but also political.

Although the crisis and the unemployment has very little to do with the Union the Unions economic and political future depends on solving the youth unemployment. It requires both political and private action. Unfortunately, the crisis has so far been fought ineffectively with national interests at heart on the expense of ordinary people.

If Europe should be able to compete in the new world, we the citizens must review our consumption patterns, not only for economic reasons but also for environmental, social and democratic reasons. We must recognize and take responsibility for the fact that cheap Asian goods can have a very high price.

"Made in EU" can be a recipe for combating youth unemployment and something we all can contribute to.

In the footsteps of nationalism

Nationalism has reached its strongest position in Europe since World War II and it looks the same in most European states. We see both moderate nationalism and fundamentalistic nationalism on the rise.
Postwar reconciliation and integration policies are facing its biggest threat in 60 years. I am not referring to the economic crisis, but on how populist and even fundamentalistic movements utilise the crisis, that is the real threat. The established parties in Europe often respond by abandoning its own ideals and just copy these populist ( at best ) policies. Some examples of this is the migration policy and free movement in the EU.
So what follows in the footsteps of nationalism?
Europe can testify about the impact of nationalistic politics, the scars are still evident. The result was and is appalling.

Even moderate nationalists strive to achieve total homogeneity. Not only when it comes to language, faith and sexuality. Here is the dividing line between the moderate and the fundamentalistic nationalists very thin. Nationalism in all forms celebrates and strengthens the likeminded and oppresses the liberal minded. Putin's Russia is a recent example of this.
EP elections in 2014 will set the political agenda in Europe for many years to come and is therefore crucial for Europe.

EP2014 is a crucial election for the future of Europe

The European Parliament is a institution that won't determine the future of Europe, still the European elections in 2014 will be one of the most important elections ever in the history of Europe.

The Elections in 2014 is the only way, at the moment when all European citizens have the chance to make a mark and say what kind of Europe they want to build. It is an opportunity that we citizens cannot miss or take lightly upon.

Europe is facing major structural changes. It is necessary changes but they need to be driven by us citizens if Europe shall stand strong. The election next year is therefore crucial.
Politicians first priority must therefore be to greatly increase the turnout.