Will we wake up in a new Europe tomorrow

Our fellow Scottish Europeans are voting in a referendum for independence from the UK today. What effects will this referendum have on the rest of Europe? Is separatism the right way or does it just mean more borders and red tape in Europe? Could the alternative to separatism be a federal Europe with federal member states? The questions are many tonight? 

Take democracy seriously, or you don't deserve it

The turnout in the European elections was the lowest in the history of the parliament.

Thousands of grassroot activists around Europe was working very hard to turn the negative turnout in the European elections in to a positive, but it didn't give the result that Europe needed.
Their work wasn't only about convincing Europeans to vote, but also to advocate for a better and more democratic Europe.
The small steps that was taken for a better democracy, with the presidential candidates wasn't enough and media across Europe didn't help to promote the democratic development and definitely not the hard work of the pan-european grassroots movement for democracy.
Without naming any names, the national leaders of Europe have a huge responsibility for the low turnout. We must let them know that!

The consequences of the election results, including the low turnout are the so called success of the far-right populists. How this will effect EU policy in the comming years is uncertain, but it will most likely effect the results in comming national elections and give more air under the wings of leaders such as Victor Orban.

And finally, if we the people don't take democracy more seriously, we don't deserve it.

What lies behind the successes of right- wing populism and extremism in Europe

What lies behind the successes of right- wing populism and extremism in Europe? The financial crisis is most frequently mentioned as a reason and it is also a likely reason that i'm not in position to question. But are there more explanations and are there examples where it can be argued that the economic crisis isn't the foundation of this populistic rampage across Europe?
In the elections to the European Parliament, the member-states that stand out the most are not the ones that are hit the hardest by recession and austerity. France, Denmark and the UK are 3 of those member-states in which extremism and right-wing populism reached its greatest successes. None of these member-states are among the worst affected by the financial crisis. Denmark and the UK are additionally outside the eurozone, if one would argues that the crisis was a currency crisis. In Sweden, which is a member-state with strong finances and also a member-state outside the eurozone, the far-right populists gets its highest result ever in a public election.
Could the election result and the populist winds that are blowing in Europe be a protest against European integration it self, the EU system or systematics if you will or is it a protest against politicians in general or even a protest against the member-states national governments and their handling of the crisis in Europe? Is it the dream of a united Europe in which people stand united in solidarity that now has been partially ruptured and questioned? Could it just be a cry for help?

The trends are the same across Europe and is therefore a European problem that we must face at a European level.
It requires first and foremost that people can rally and mobilize around something that is exclusively European, like the Parliament and by the Parliament, the appointed president of the Commission. ( Provided its not stopped by EUCO. )
European problems and opportunities must be managed at the European level and with a mandate from the citizens. That is not the case in reality. What looked like it was the EU handling the crisis was actually handled by the affected nation states and their lenders. The EU has, at its best, acted as a moderator and facilitator. ( Listed in order to use the EU as a scapegoat. )
I am convinced that the crisis of confidence between the EU and the voters is the first breeding ground for the election results that we got and the crisis of confidence is rooted in the fact that EU has no mandate of its own to deal with any problem, at the same time as the EU are the perfect scapegoat for national governments.
The European council's intergovernmental negotiations behind closed doors is a hotbed for contempt against both EU and against European politicians. In the member-states, the national leaders from the European Council can emerge as the nation's representatives against opposing forces in other national leaders. When opinion at home are showing displeasure they have there scapegoat.
When voters are kept in the dark at the same time as they feel the consequences of the politics, they get confused and angry. this nourishes all extremism and Europe got its judgment in the election.
Paradoxically, the results show how integrated and depended we are by one another in Europe.

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A democratic foundation

Europe's transformation and success in the postwar period must not make us naive, we aren't safe and secure from internal threats to our democracy and stability.
There are still obvious weaknesses and cracks in the foundation of the European construction, which allows negative forces to cause fundamental problems and democratic obstacle in Europe.

Some recent examples are Victor Orban's weakening of press freedom and the rule of law in Hungary. Another example is David Cameron's attack on freedom of movement and on civil equality in the Union.

So how can Europe strengthen the democratic foundations and ensure stability over the long haul?

The best way would be a common European constitution that clearly establishes the framework for democracy, rule of law and civil rights.
There are several non-governmental organisation's in Europe that actively promotes the debate on a European constitution and which has led to several proposals and drafts on a constitution.

It is clear that the fundamental democratic principles must be ensured for all Europeans and that foundation must be built together. This is the biggest and most important issue to debate before upcoming elections. Who is afraid of more and better democracy?

Democracy can give confidence back to the people.

The European Union is not a western project, the eastern states have just as a big role in the building of the European house. All the people of Europe share the same struggle for democracy, safety and economic development, then and now!

The freedom that was won by the people in the eastern states during the late eighties and early nineties gave the union a much needed injection of development and enlargement.

The current economic, social, political and democratic crisis could do the same for the union.
The European Union needs a new injection of democracy in all "levels" of government from the north to the south to the heart of Brussels.

Democracy is the way forward for Europe and only more democracy can give confidence back to the people.      

European identity

European identity is just as real and authentic as any local or regional identity in Europe.

" United in Diversity" sums it up pretty well, but I'll try to describe, according to me what is our European identity.

It's hard to find a place on earth where all or even a majority's of the people share a general identity. I think you must search in isolated tribes of indigenous people to even come close.

In most democratic parts of the world, just like in Europe, countless identities coexist with each other, locally, nationally and in larger unity's. They are cultural, political, religious and even academic identity's. Its not always without conflict but still in coexistence and with different levels of integration among themselves.

The European identity is found in and around us. Not least culturally where local and regional identity's are clear and strong on there own but just as clearly intertwined with other local and regional identities. It is equally evident in the political struggles that's been played out in Europe, where we currently, without taking something for granted can say that democracy and freedom have taken the longest straw across the continent. I don't stick my neck out by saying that no fight, no struggle and no victory for democracy has happened separately from others in Europe.

Europe has been the centre of two world wars, the Cold War and that's only in the last 100 years. Europe is also the place where the industrial revolution took off and changed conditions drastically. Religion had its borderless fights for century's. In all this, Europeans has for more than 1000 years intertwined in social, cultural and economic enterprises that shaped and developed Europe.

Many women and men from all over Europe have fought and sacrificed there life and limb for liberty and peace so that Europe would achieve what Europe is today.

It is not possible to hide from our European heritage and identity, just as we cant forget the traditions of the community that we where born in. If we do, we do nothing but lie to ourself and our children.

Öppet brev till ordförande för Europeiska kommissionen, ordföranden för Europeiska rådet och ordföranden för Europaparlamentet. (Swedish translation)

Öppet brev till ordförande för Europeiska kommissionen, ordföranden för Europeiska rådet och ordföranden för Europaparlamentet 

José Manuel Barroso, Herman van Rompuy, Martin Schulz

Vi är djupt oroade över Europas framtid.

Den pågående politiska, sociala och ekonomiska krisen hotar att återigen dela upp kontinenten. Misslyckandet med att effektivt hantera krisen har skapat en stor misstro mot unionens institutioner bland sina egna medborgare. Populism och nationalism är på uppgång i alla medlemmsstater och i kölvattnet av krisen finns starka politiska krafter som öppet förespråkar en upplösning av vår union. Detta är en mycket farlig utveckling! Krisen har också lett till skapandet av ett antal organisationer bestående av engagerade medborgare som förespråkar ett mer demokratiskt, starkare och solidariskt Europa. Dessa organisationer och individer tar olika initiativ och skapar forum för debatt, information och kampanjer för att öka medborgarnas deltagande i uppbyggnaden av det framtida Europa.

Vi är alla mycket stolta över vad EU har åstadkommit under de senaste 60 åren men vi ser också att det mellanstatliga systemet inte längre kan möta utmaningarna i det moderna Europa. Detta system har också en top down-strategi som skapar en stor klyfta mellan ledare och medborgare. Vi söker efter alternativ till detta system. Vi söker delaktighet, demokrati och ansvarsutkrävande. Det demokratiska underskottet kan inte längre tolereras.

Krisen har gjort det mycket klart att om vi ska rädda Europa måste vi bygga om och reformera EU, inte bara ekonomiskt utan även socialt och politiskt. Vi står vid ett vägskäl där vägen vi väljer kommer att påverka många generationer framöver. Detta är utan tvekan den största utmaningen som det enade Europa har mött.

Europa går mot en federation eller en upplösning. Ett uppbrott skulle sannolikt flytta Europa mot en ny era av divisioner och kriser som ingen av oss vill uppleva eller lämna som ett arv till våra barn och barnbarn. Allt fler medborgare ser ett federalt Europa som den mest pragmatiska och långsiktiga lösningen för Europa. Frågan är, skall denna federation baseras på ett fundament av medborgare eller på nationalstaterna?

Detta brev speglar den starka övertygelsen som en grupp av EU-medborgare från många medlemsstater har och vi inbjuder, ordförande José Manuel Barroso, ordförande Herman Van Rompuy och ordförande Martin Schulz till att främja en ny fas i reformen av Europeiska unionen, mot en demokratisk federation av medborgare.

För ett Europa vi alla vill leva i!

Brevet i orginal hittar du här.

Cameron calls for limit on European freedom of movement

Eurosceptics, with Cameron at the frontline are attacking the foundation of the European Union, the Citizen’s, as a strategi to slowly dismantel the union.' Freedom of movement is the perfect exempel of this and if Cameron succeeds with his attempt to discriminate against certain European citizen’s, we won’t have a true European citizenship to fight for anymore.

Who could of thought that European leaders in 2013 seriously want to take back freedoms claimed by the people. If we let this happen, it will be the beginning of the fall, not only for the Union but also for many other of our citicens rights.
I say we have taken to much crap from Cameron and it is time that we stand up for each other against this kind of compromising with our rights.

The year of citicens

2013, the year of citicens draws to a end and it would be fitting to make a short evaluation.

YOC was initiated by the Union as a means to get closer to the people or perhaps the citizens closer to the Union.

What's the result? 

The first question should be if the majority of the citizens are familiar with the YOC and its purpose.
The second question, if it brought them closer to the Union.

Something that must be raised as a very good example in this evaluation is the vice presidents citizenship dialog. It is unprecedented in European and national politics that a leader of this magnitude are meeting with citicens for a open dialog in this way.
The dialogue, however, would have made a greater impact with better media coverage and a greater commitment and support from national governments.

On the negative YOC just confirmed  that European institutions is a extension of national governments and therefore lacks the ability to single-handedly push for closer ties to the citizens.

My conclusion is therefore that Europe needs independent democratic institutions acting within a given mandate independent of national governments. This means that national representation to the union must be independent from national governments. (more on this later)

YOC was without a doubt a great attempt by EU institutions to narrow the gap to its citicens but without the right tools to properly succeed.

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.

Open letter

Open letter to the President of the European Commission, the President of the European Council and the President of the European Parliament

Dear Presidents José Manuel Barroso Herman van Rompuy Martin Schulz

We are deeply concerned about the future of Europe.
The ongoing political, social and economic crisis is once again threatening to divide the continent. The failure to effectively handle the crisis has created a great mistrust towards the institutions of the union among its own citizens. Populism and nationalism are on the rise in all members-states and there are in the wake of the crisis strong political voices who openly advocate for the breakup of our union. This is a very dangerous development!

The crisis has also led to the creation of a number of organizations of engaged citizens advocating for a more democratic, stronger and solidary Europe. These organization and individuals are taking different initiatives and are creating forums for debate, information and campaign to strengthen citizens’ participation in building the future Europe of citizens.

We are all very proud of what Europe has accomplished over the last 60 years, but we also see that the intergovernmental system no longer can meet the challenges of modern Europe. This system also has a top down approach which creates a great gap between leaders and citizens. Citizens are looking for alternatives to this tiered system. They seek participation, democracy and accountability. The democratic deficit that chronically afflicts the European Union is no longer tolerated.

The crisis has made it very clear, if we shall save Europe we need to rebuild and reform Europe, not only economically, but also socially and politically. We are standing at a crossroad. The way we are going to choose will affect many generations to come. This is without a doubt the biggest challenge that united Europe have faced.

Europe is moving towards a federation or a breakup. A breakup would most likely move Europe towards a new era of divisions and crises that none of us want to experience or leave as a legacy to our children and grandchildren. An increasing number of citizens see a Federal Europe as the most pragmatic, long term solution for Europe. The question is, shall that federation be based on the foundation of citizens or on nation-states?

This letter reflects the strong conviction of a group of European citizens from many member states and invites you, President José Manuel Barroso, President Herman Van Rompuy and President Martin Schulz to promote a new phase of reform of the European Union towards a democratic federation of citizens.

For a Europe we all want to live in

European Union 2013 06 12
Mathias Darmell, Hans Mund, Leo Kliniker, Matteo Laruffa, Bernard Barthalay, Horatiu Ferchiu, Ralf Grahn. Matteo Adduci, Andrea Canil