Is Europe’s glass half empty? Instead of hope and optimism for the future, many Europeans seem to fearful. The world that younger people stand to inherit feels more chaotic, less secure, with a degraded environment and degraded prospects. Roughly half of EU citizens currently say they are pessimistic about the future of Europe (the highest number since the height of the Eurozone crisis in 2012-2013).
So, how can we restore hope and optimism for change? We had a comment sent in by Danny Boy, who says he is sixty-two and he doubts he will live long enough to see the end of Europe’s current crisis. In fact, Danny Boy doesn’t think his twenty-three-year-old grandson will live long enough to see the end of the crisis. Should he be more optimistic about the future?
To get a response, we spoke to Anna Triandafyllidou, Professor at the Global Governance Programme of the Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies (RSCAS), at the European University Institute in Florence, Italy. What would she say to Danny Boy?
I would say there are many things to be optimistic about; we live in a more affluent world, more connected, more mobile than ever before. But, of course, not everything seems better than in the 1970s and ’80s; we no longer have the welfare state in the way we used to, and we haven’t yet found the new kind of welfare state we need. We cannot go back, and that is a real challenge for Europe’s left-wing parties. We cannot go back to a “job for life”, secure pensions, and all of that. Yet we haven’t yet found the right model to replace it…
Personally, I don’t think I will have a pension, but I’m trying to find other ways to secure my future in the old age. But we have better health these days, today we live longer and are more active.
I think what we also need to reinvent is the collective level. I was born in 1968 and, when I was 18, young people believed they could change the world. There was a real ideological struggle going on between left and right in society. I was twenty when the Soviet Union collapsed, and the unfortunate thing is that we stopped believing what the collective can achieve. This crisis gives us the opportunity to think and act collectively. People should think of their own collective, go beyond individual self-interest, and think what can we do for the public interest…
To get another perspective, we also but Danny Boy’s comment to Luca Jahier, President of the Various Interests’ Group of the European Economic and Social Committee, representing various social, occupational, economic, and cultural organisations that make up civil society across Europe.
I think that is a general mood shared by a lot of people in Europe, and I have to confess that I am 54 and I sometimes have the same sentiments as Danny Boy. But this is not a correct representation of reality, because in the past it was also much harder than it is today. Today, we have access to an enormous amount of opportunities that a person in the 1960s simply didn’t have.
The quality of life in the 1960s and 1970s, the industrial relations, working conditions, all of these were not what they are today. It’s true that today we are anxious about the future of the welfare state… but we also have so many opportunities, in terms of technology, social opportunities, etc.
Yes, the international reality of the day feels much more chaotic, not just in Europe but around us. All around Europe are wars and conflict, not peace as it was in the 1990s. But we also have enormous opportunities. The question is: Do we have the capacity to look in the long-term, do we believe that together we can deliver faster and more effective responses than divided? How we will respond to the new challenges facing society? Will everybody choose to go alone, turn inwards, and rebuild walls? That is the terrible temptation of today… No, the solution is to be open to innovation, to work together, and to be curious about the future and what we can achieve together…
What will it take to restore public hope and optimism in the future? Will the next generation be worse off than their parents? Is the glass half empty, or half full? Let us know your thoughts and comment in the form below, and we’ll take them to policymakers and experts for their reactions!
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Given the fact only 28% of voters in the EU voted for pro EU MEP’s I would suggest the EU is all but finished & it’s just waiting for the ‘people’ to bury it.
Don’t forget to start article 50 though with all the loudmouthing. Before you get voted out with no conditions.
The UK is still a fully paid up member of the EU and therefore we have as much right to loudmouth on this forum as anyone else
The UK cannot be voted out because until the UK decides to trigger article 50 the result of the referendum is an internal UK matter and as far as the EU is concerned it may as well not even have happened
The community can and will decide who it wants to live with. The running a mock of the last two decades state directed anti European, chauvinist self lying media, the absolutely shameless lying that drove the referendum as admitted the very next day is what makes it for you a necessity to go.
Who are you to decide what is “anti European” ?
There are many different visions of what the EU should be, don’t be so arrogant to think yours is the only one that counts
@George, you got something right. The referendum was driven by lies. Lies about how the four horsemen of the apocalypse would ride overhead if we voted leave, how we would earn £5,000 less each a year, how Osborne was going to punish. Leave vote by imposing unfair, immoral tax increases if we voted to leave. About how David Cameron was going to secure a more acceptable EU deal so we wouldn’t need to vote to leave. So many lies.
Paul X is absolutely right. As far as the EU is concerned, the UK is a member and it won’t cease to be for 1-2 years, so deal with it.
What the UK achieved was liberation, freedom, independence. Moreover, it gave hope to the rest of the countries of Europe that were dragged into this madness and increasingly want to get out. The exit doors are now open, lets start being responsible adults that are able to recognize that this project has failed, lets recognize the interdependence that exists between all our countries and work from there. Lets ask the people of Europe what they want for their future (instead of imposing..), and lets respect their decisions (for a change). Lets restore our national sovereignty, our independence, control of our own laws, currency, economy, lets be a set of countries that share a continent and work with each other for mutual benefit.
If this represents the “anti European” feeling that George often talks about, then I can only conclude I’m a very proud anti European! (if I may rephrase it, I’m Anti-EU, pro-European!)
A clearly spoken NO to ttip, ceta, forbidding monsanto and genetically “improved” stuff, stop “importing” invaders… There are so many concerns eurocrats are ignoring, but their honestly handling would restore some hope and optimism in the future. This way like until now: no escape.
Justice,job opportunities, real attempt for peace and conflicts ending, and every other aspect that enhance public hope ! What ever good happens today empowers hope for better future !
A good European economy first and foremost. Growth.
This in itself is meaningless. Any and all fiscal deviations need to be shared across all levels of wealth. If gdp goes up 20% and people at the bottom only get a 2% increase to match the 10% inflation there will still be dissatisfaction. Sadly this has been the trend for far too long.
The line of thought that we don’t need in Europe, or in the world….
Infinite growth in a finite planet. Interesting concept… but nevertheless a delusional one in any logical approach..
The actual leaders rather destroy the Union, throw Europe in another financial crisis or start a full scale war than make some adjustments or admit their own mistakes. For our unelected leaders “This Union” is what they have in mind because is serving their enormous political, financial and economic ambitions and ego. For me and probably millions like me, a Union is something way different.
A European language taught at school from day one at 5 hours a week.Common external borders, traditional underminers voted out from the political union. Education restored to high levels.Common taxation and other financial requirements for small businesses. Common army. Public transport fully electric
And this will redress the issue, how exactly?
You’re just copy pasting the same blablabla across this forum….
ASK THE PEOPLE OF EUROPE WHAT THEY WANT. And after…. well, after you won’t have to copy paste it anymore because the great majority of the people of Europe won’t ever want this for themselves or their countries.
Remember the social contract? No, look it up and honour that. The EU has shattered and discarded it along with democracy and common sense.
The elite and rich people can have hope. They’ll continue to get more and more rich.
But for the majority of EU-citizens I have no hope in the moment and also not for refugees.
So first it has to be clarified if “Danny Boy” is rich or not, before someone really can answer his question.
Public hope and optimism in European life of values and welfare has dwindled by contaminating logic, reason; intellectualism, and love by attempting to bind together and syncretize with inimical external factors in the name of multiculturalism, political correctness, and wrong notion of vanquishing hate by love. Resources and generation are not coping with unjustifiably added extra burden on the economies and efficiencies.
Jobs… Prosperity…. Stability… Political cope on… Solutions to people’s problems.. Initiatives…. Vision for the future and clear direction….. Transparency, democratic legitimacy…. Too much to ask? 😊
Simple. Stop neocons and neoliberalism, it will turn Europe in to hell or end it.
Even the most progressive ideas, laws, rules, customs etc one day become the past/ turn pessimistic. Thus we need new ones + a clear vision + a little bit of luck. The rest is just simple daily hard work which can give a lot of satisfaction.
Chiudiamo questo baraccone che di chiama Europa
End of austerity and end of neoliberal economics.
How about disbanding it and sending all those complete wastes in Brussels home…..we’re off to a good start already then. This eu and euro should never have happened.
Own borders, own sovereignity….it really wasn’t that bad in hindsight was it?
Wha about restoring to Greace all the AIRPORTS that the EU has stolen?
A new paradigm of thinking.
Once the EU is no more and the vile dictators such as Juncker are got rid of and every country makes its own rules especially on who it allows into its country
Swexit=Sweden exit EU.
And then finish the economic politics away from Neoliberalistic hegemoni.
in fear of… EU
Yet another remoaner page you are getting clever long winded all round the houses and then it hits you pow all the same old crap
I don’t think there is a future in Europe. I got to far stuck in the depths of austerity, stagnation,poverty,unemployment,xenophobia,racism to be able to come back to the light. The end of Europe will be near, spectacular and catastrophic.
Regulating honest economy and immigration.
The Brits did that on June 23rd.
la signora Anna Triandafyllidou è del 1968 come me. La signora dice ” Non possiamo tornare ad un lavoro sicuro , pensioni sicure ” parla che non possiamo tornare indietro e che è una sfida dei partiti di sinistra . Esistono partiti di sinistra realmente ? Come fa la sinistra ad accettare politiche economiche neoliberiste ? Poi la nostra Costituzione è tutta fondata sul lavoro e sui diritti sociali del lavoro che è lo Stato a garantirlo e a fare in modo che sia cosi. Non può farlo il mercato questo, il mercato va disciplinato dallo Stato . Dov’è lo Stato ? Se non ci sta ma di cosa ci sta parlando ? Mi dispiace contraddirla ma l’idea di Spinelli di cui lei fa parte del suo gruppo oggi , l’idea era nata per combattere tutto questo e invece ci ritroviamo nell’esatto opposto . L’euro , insieme ai Trattati , ha portato una distorsione del perchè era nata l’Unione Europea. Toglierlo non è indietreggiare ma credo sia essenziale per proteggersi dai ricatti dei mercati internazionali che ci portano su un’altra strada CHE NON VOGLIAMO e ci riportano ad una situazione precedente le due guerre e che ne sono state la causa.
Mrs. Anna Triandafyllidou is 1968 like me. The lady says, “We can not go to a safe workplace, secure pensions” talk that we can not go back and that is a challenge of the Left parties. There are left-wing parties really? How does the Left to accept neo-liberal economic policies? Then our Constitution is fully based on labor and social rights of the work that is the State to ensure this and to ensure that it is so. can not do this on the market, the market should be regulated by the state. Where is the state? If there is not, but what we’re talking about? I am sorry to contradict you but the idea of Spinelli of which she is part of his group today, the idea was born to fight this and instead we find ourselves in the exact opposite. The euro, together with the Treaties, has led to a distortion of why the European Union was born. Off it is not back but I think it is essential to protect against blackmail of the international markets that take us on another path THAT WE DO NOT WANT and take us back to a previous situation and the wars that have been the cause.
I say let’s get rid of the oligarchs’ control over the democratic processes because it corrupts everything from economic policy to social policy, even migration policy.
What do you think?
It’s really simple, if you want people to have hope give them something to feel hopeful about. Stop using a policy of distraction to real concerns and fix them! People need the ability to pay their way in life, they need to have a fair legal and political system, they need to know that their children will have these things, they need to know that criminals and immoral practices and hostile threats will be dealt with efficiently. You know, basically they need government to do it’s job.
bring back the third reich!
The victory of Donald J. Trump in the 2016 US presidential elections, the rapprochement with Vladimir Vladimirovič Putin’s Russia;
A new Worldwide economic deal (Bretton Woods II), linking again the printed money to the gold reservoirs (Gold Standard II);
The development of Mediterranean Countries (including the Northern shore ones I. E. Italy, Spain and Greece..);
Jobs, jobs, jobs.
Very hard to get that with the EU around. Don’t believe me? Look to the past 20 years. Lets solve the problem by it’s rotten root.
p.s: please include Portugal in your little list :p
remove the German chancelor would be a good start
What about you starting to put your money where you mouth is.
@George what’s your obsession with people eating money?
Free wee and WiFi
Destroy conspiracy theorists
The end of the EU
Stop the EU fascists from destroying Europe and our countries and liberties.
There is only more liberty in the EU than outside. Or if you want tariffs and a million migrants in your country than deal with it alone.
@George, how is more tiers of regulation more liberty? How is more courts placing rules on how to live your life more liberty? How is the EU making member states pay in not a tariff? How is the EU’s freedom of movement and inviting refugees in not having migrants in your country?
leaving italy would be an amazing beginning
So that you deal with the migrants on your own then
Reinstating national states and real liberal freedom.
When mother Russia will ask you something remember what you just said.
Total eradication of Islam
Acts
Equal wealth distribution on Earth!
It will take a hell of a lot!!!!!
It will take a hell of a lot!!!!!
Easy answer: the fall and death of E.U.
1. delete EU
2. reformat-get rid of all bossy countries
3. reinstall on FAIR basic
More united EU. Same as more logical thinking and less emotional.
End the project called United States of Europe and distance from USA.We want the old EEG
Splitting the Eurozone into a hard and soft Euro and creating a militarized fortress Europe to stop abuse of migrants who rape,steal and take advantage of our generosity.
If there’s somebody who is guaranteed to kill of hope for the future it is that pratt Guy Verhofstadt….his quote today
” the EU still offered the “cure” for “the cancer of nationalism””
So having pride in your country is comparable to cancer and the EU is the cure?….the man is a prize buffoon and the sooner I stop contributing to his wages the better
@Paul x nationalism means very different things depending on perspective. It is. State of mind that can vary greatly from simply being glad to be from a certain place all the way through to anyone different to me needs to die . . . . . So my guess would be what he means when talking about nationalism is something more along the extreme spectrum.
Actually Duncan the definition of nationalism is quite specific i.e putting your country above all others. Unfortunately some people like to use the word nationalism for what is in reality racism, hate crime, xenophobia or one of many other totally unacceptable attitudes. As you say the state of mind defines someones attitude but being proud of your country doesn’t mean you hate all others any more than being a Muslim makes you a terrorist
Verhofstadt is using the word in the literal sense as in he wants people to be loyal to the EU over and above their own country and that is something a lot of people will never swallow
@Paul x, that’s not the definition of nationalism.
1[mass noun] Patriotic feeling, principles, or efforts.
‘an early consciousness of nationalism and pride’
Synonyms
1.1An extreme form of patriotism marked by a feeling of superiority over other countries.
‘playing with right-wing nationalism’
1.2Advocacy of political independence for a particular country.
‘Scottish nationalism’
Pronunciation:
nationalism/ˈnaʃ(ə)n(ə)lɪz(ə)m/
So as I said before it can mean different things to different people, depending on point of view. The fact it’s in part used to describe racists willing to kill/do harm to others because of their beliefs means the word has a stigma to it. It doesn’t mean anyone and everyone who is a nationalist is racist, but it does mean they are often associated together (stereotyping, which is equivalent to racism in my book).
@ Duncan
I don’t think anything you say contradicts my point. You can find and quote many different definitions of Nationalism in a variety of online dictionaries some will put a more extreme slant on it than others. For example, the dictionary you have quoted includes the words “extreme” and “superiority” but not all do. My definition is a version without any adjectives and I stand by it. People can be proud of their country and “nationalistic” without being an extremist or feeling superior and to me the problem lies with those who abuse the word Nationalism as though it is a criminal offense
I’ve already quoted the SNP as an example, are they all Extremists, do they all think Scotland is superior to England?…no most are just proud to be Scottish and that is not illegal, offensive, racist or a cause for terrorism
@Paul x, my intent was not to contradict your point at all. Merely to help you understand how somebody else, who when talking about nationalism is in fact referring to the less healthy elements of nationalism could indeed believe (and rightly so in this instance) that nationalism is a “cancer”. I do not disagree that there are many other forms nationalism can take, that are far less repugnant than the extremist side of it. But people have a tendency to group everyone into the same categories when talking in an impersonal manner.
I once bought a property where the previous owner had left a stack of newspapers going all the way back from the 90s to the 70s. I leafed through them and saw the headlines of those days. The Red Brigades, the IRA, war in Iran and Iraq, Cold War tensions… Europe has never had it better. I think that we have had so much peace and quiet in recent decades that people have forgotten or simply don’t know what life was like back then. Sure, we are now experiencing a migration crisis which is causing cultural friction. We are experiencing an irrational actor like IS, causing fear in major European cities. But this is not new. There were bombings in the past all over Europe. The young adults of today (myself included) were just too young to remember or not yet born. the EU has grown into a large, creaking, behemoth and it’s machinery desperately needs an upgrade. But to think that by going back to a Europe of individual nation states, we are making the mistaken assumption that most Leavers had – that we CAN go back to how things were. This is misguided, in my opinion. The world has changed. The Cold War is over. There are no longer 2 superpowers. In a multipolar world, with a resurgent Russia, an ever-stronger China, and an India which is quickly taking its place as a technical and manufacturing powerhouse, Europe needs to remain united. The larger European states should get over their delusions of grandeur and accept the fact that we are stronger united than divided. If the EU is the problem, let’s fix it, not break it!
A complete clean out of the leadership and their conspirators. Rid of all politicians who have been ready to stand by and collude in the destruction we are experiencing via globalisation.
A clear out of banks and full regulation of their practices returned.
@ Paul X
Your definition of nationalism is absurd.
http://www.dictionary.com/browse/nationalism
Nationalism is what created the desire to thwart Hitler and his crew. Nationalism has nothing at all to do with race or xenophobia. And the deliberate use of it to persecute people who feel ‘patriotism’ must be dealt with legally. Politicians who dare to use derogatory terms in the way this man you site has, after his having begged for votes, must be immediately turfed out of office and charged with ‘hate crime’ against those of his nation. Then give him a jail sentence for a minimum of three months. Thereafter, not ever again allow him to run for office in any capacity.
Erm, Catherine, did you actually read what I had written?
I gave a definition of Nationalism similar to what is contained in your link (though there are many other links giving vastly different interpretations)…….. and then went on to say that some people (mis)use it to describe what is actually racism etc
Verhofstadt is clearly misusing it in his statement and I’m in disgust that dare to use the word Nationalism and Cancer in the same sentence……..he may as well say that the majority of Scots people who voted SNP are a cancer
Again, it’s not a misuse. It’s equivalent to using a different definition of the same word as you to mean something else entirely. He means nationalism as the extreme example (so Hitler styled ideologies of nationalism. Or are you trying to conveniently forget Nazi party is short for Nationalist Socialist Party?) whereas you are talking about nationalism as if it is about pride in your country. Neither definition is wrong, but this idea that the other definition doesn’t exist is wrong.
Stop replacing us/genociding us would be a good start…
Start by defending the citizens instead of multinationals. Have some ethics, it would be a good start
More politicians like Prof. Paul Magnette who are set on making sure Europe’s decision-making is open and that treaties contain high social and environmental safeguards. Quite simple really.
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Leave the EU, simple.
You (UK ) did already and you are already subsidising NISSAN in order to keep jobs on your stupid little island.
1) Is it the British sense of dignity that led it to Brexit? To me it’s on the same level as street begging..
2) Wasn’t the idea originally sold the one that once left the EU the UK would have been free to sign treaties with the rest of the World? I haven’t seen any meetings happening between Justin Trudeau and Theresa May. The UK is now being treated as the village idiot…
Andrej Němec .
Better to subsidise industries that actually creates jobs than to your pointless EU that destroys them.
1. No idea what that means.
2. Great Britain is a signature of CETA so the trade deal will happen no matter what Brussels says or does, why do you think the activation of Article 50 is not until March, its all in the timing.
http://www.euractiv.com/section/trade-society/news/controversy-over-eu-pressure-on-wallonia-over-ceta/
Andrej Němec
I don’t think you are in any position to call someone else an ‘idiot’ lol
https://www.ft.com/content/1bc2eade-9b89-11e6-8f9b-70e3cabccfae
Andrej Němec
Our leaving the EU after Article 50 is activated will be quick as all the British government will do is keep all Brussels laws and reject them in time and at leisure.
Not being British why do you care anyway ?
http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/markets/article-3747601/Europe-s-ticking-timebomb-economy-banks-crisis-Italy-quit-EU.html
Lets start with new elections for new Commission. Current Commissions is total disaster!
Then lets stop CETA and TTIP and made the deals clear, safe for us and confirmed by referendums.
And finally – lets put end of the migrations! At least 50% of the people entered EU are not refugees – in fact the refugees stays in camps close to their countries and the efforts should be to stop the wars and improve the situation in the camps before they are able to get back in their home towns. All the rest are ILLEGAL ECONOMICAL MIGRANTS and they should be returned immediately! It is a matter of few days to made the checks not months!
The only way to bring the optimism back is by making the institutions Work and to see them work for the European citizens not the American companies and Saudi Arabia interest!!!
Uhm. No. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-34131911
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You cannot have elections for the unelected European Commission, they are a de-facto politburo as defined in the Lisbon treaty.
Jean-Pierre Rosa Yeah… but no! That was back in the beginning of 2015 the situation changed dramatically since then.
There are pretty much no Syrian citizens arrived. Now the main flow is from Africa, and for example: from 16000 migrants entered trough our border only 2000 are Syrian refugees – sorry mate!
Nobody’s voting for the Kommission Bobi…
Rémi Martin Yes, but the Parliament is same criminal story as the Commission. We voted for this people and nobody hear us!
Just look what Schulz did with Wallonia, the pressure and the threats – and he claim he is social-democrat!
Thanks for such MP’s and such democrats!
We have a saying in Bulgaria – The fish start to smell from its head! I think it is time to cut the smelling head!
This saying is coming from China, we say the same in France!😉
Well… lets import some Chinese to manage the Union then :)
https://youtu.be/595c4nCu1Oo
https://youtu.be/595c4nCu1Oo
i costituzionalisti dicono che l’Unione europea non può sviluppare mai in una unione federale , di bilancio ecc….perchè la Costituzione della Germania lo vieta . I tedeschi la vedono come un’organizzazione fra Stati. Se cosi è, cosa stiamo a fare nella UE ? Non ha senso tutta questa sofferenza , sofferenza per cosa ??? Per diventare tutti tedeschi e fare l’interesse della Germania ? Noi non siamo tedeschi e mai lo saremo , vogliamo rispetto dei popoli europei, di tutti i popoli non solo il nostro . Abbiamo bisogno di chiarezza e verità .
The constitutional experts say that the European Union can never develop into a federal union, budget etc …. because the constitution forbids Germany. The Germans see it as an organization between States. If it is so, what we’re doing in the EU? It makes no sense all this suffering, suffering for what ??? To become all Germans and to the interest of Germany? We are not Germans and never will be, we want to respect the peoples of Europe, of all people, not only ours. We need clarity and truth.
The fact is that there isn’t an union between all the 27! In the name of what, should one people do something who’s bad for him and good for another one?
in nome degli Stati Uniti D’Europa. I sacrifici che stiamo facendo ce li fanno passare per questo sogno ! . Se non è e non è neanche una Unione Federale non hanno senso i sacrifici se non per “ingrassare l’ingorda Germania ” e la finanza che ci sta guadagnando a discapito dei popoli. Capisci ora ?
a noi nessuno ci ha mai detto che la Germania è impossibilitata a fare gli Stati Uniti D’Europa .Oltre a questo sogno mancato la Germania è stata anche scorretta verso gli altri Paesi NON rispettando i Trattati . Oltre l’euro che la favorisce in nome di un sogno altrimenti non lo avremmo accettato , non ha mai rispettato l’exort /import in pareggio . facendo cadere i Paesi nella disperazione . Ha abbassato i diritti dei lavoratori ,NON SI E’ COMPORTATA BENE PER NIENTE andrebbe processata per quel che ha fatto agli altri
articolo 123 ,art. 124, art. 125 del TFUE
The best is the 50!!! ;)
e l’ESM o fondo salva stati non è la soluzione anzi è un organizzazione finanziaria internazionale per svuotare i basilari principi di democrazia e imporre altra austerità da parte del capitale internazionale
The primary concern is already being addressed by this and other medias wich was the serious lack of information regarding europe’s work. You’re obviously working on that subject and now what you need is to give it time for it to do it’s work.
Regarding the populist parties arround europe i’d say you need to make it so they look like what they are. Hate mongers that live on the negative while presenting absolutly no alternative. Ridicule and mockery sound to me as the best solution but i’m in no way an expert on propaganda, i’m sure there are others more qualified and payed to figure out how.
Both of these solutions help out with european morale while assisting cohesion.
So CETA , that basically sais that corporations are above a countries sovereignty almost gets passed and we should be optimistic about EU?
When Europeans learn to appreciate what they have.
Watch and listen Jacques Fresco”s “The Venus Project” and you will get an answer to your question.
No more CETA, TTIP and always remember that we are ALL PEOPLE.
Situação HONEST pele leading
Shame on you!!!!! RT: German small arms ammo sales grow tenfold, total arms sales hit new record – report. http://google.com/newsstand/s/CBIw_I39kjA
Start thinking about the future and stop referring to the past. We’re almost 20 years into the new century and I think that many politicians have not noticed that yet.
Reformation.
the more power you give to state, the less control you have on your own life. there is no hope when you have nothing to say about your future.
remove all these bureaucracies, endless regulations, controls, etc. regain your freedom.
lack of regulations: anarchy, too much regulations: socialism… why dont we find a compromise!
Iksas Ygrikas you are asking for the impossible. Lets go for it!
That more like anarchy lol
Listen to the people problems and concerns not lecture them from “moral high ground”
Fight unemployment, restore the middle class, fight tax havens.
Why not become a tax heaven by cutting all these unuseful expenses, here is the tax hell
yeah it is so much beter living in a tax hell.
Yes, because a ‘tax hell’ as you guys call it provides basic services which protect both our human and social rights which makes living in it COMFY FOR EVERYONE.
All these debating europe is pro—liberal and anti—nationalism bullshit, these are the ones who dont want anything to change thats why they question and fear everything that changes…they are the guys whose minds fly around in an umbrella in the middle of the day.
A light government not interfering with who is by himself
More Europe, federal. Common fiscal policy, common defense, common diplomacy.
Common sense.
stop austerity! get the people reasonable income! stop killing the planet!
The only ones with some optimism and hope are the EU politicians and burocrats because the european countries are too involved in the general corruption then dare to kik their ass.
How about less nonsense and more common sense?
more European UNION, less national states!
REFORM!
My generation wants to be European.
The removal of some leaders, be it by votes or other means…
A new focal point that responds to these developments with in-depth analysis of their root causes, and insights into alternative inter-local forms of mobilization around the commons. Clearly, grass-root cultures still have a pivotal role to play in building solidarity and keeping the prospect of a common Europe alive!
http://www.eurozine.com/focal-points/fragmentation-and-solidarity-in-europe/
Organistanional restructuring of the European management, coexistence systems. The current system is outdated.
elimination of the Political Class and their replacement by responsible free thinking individuals who look towards the prosperity of the future than fighting the ideological legacy battles of the past.
Happy pills and happiness training to everyone! :D
Dismantling the pointless EU would be a great start.
Protecting your people, economy and sovereignty of its states. Freedom of speech. Transperency. End of political correctness tyranny. Banning foreign law, such as Sharia. Deporting dangerous refugees
EU to represent the interests of Europeans rather then global NGOs and global business.
not being made to vote twice in referendums
WW3…
An small european commission, clear and concise directives.
In the short term We need more demostrative leadership closer to the people (who change their dress code once in a while, who fly to conflict zones, etc… More engaged in national debates, etc…) more populist acts, less political correctness (for example macron speaking against trump or sending the french army to oppose him if he does something stupid, idk, maybe bad example but strong imternational action shows huge dividens in popularity (as shown by putin post krim) in the long term we need to show the people concrete advancements, beter food quality, investment in renewables, development of new technologies, etc… PESCO or announcing west balkan EU access by 2025 got a lot of people excited, i think more than all that even though they migjt not solve them immediatly, what the public wants is to see the people in charge are aware of their problems, are discussing it etc… And there is hope for a solution, hope to have beter food quality, beter medicine, beter standard of living in general,,everytime the EU promotes organic farming, infrastructure and education investment in low income EU members, etc.. Someone somewhere regains a bit of hope
It may sound naïf but replace the politicians by “wise men” chosen by direct vote of the global european population. No lobbying whatsoever, the main driver must be the population interest, only that way you can restore the population confidence and its sense of community.
Fighting corruption !
Sharia Law
Early independence
Close outside boarders and fix migrant crisis first then do tax cuts
Return to the policies and principles of the EEC. We signed up to a trading and cooperation bloc of sovereign nation states not a wannabe federal superstate.
The public cannot see the government and security issue of the union. To restore public hope and optimism does not rely on the public but brilliant political leadership, a collective leadership from top leaders of EU, which should be the EU Commission, I suppose.