Brussels, 19/03/2012 (Agence Europe) - A few weeks ahead of the presidential elections in France, the European Socialist and Democrat leaders met in Paris on Friday 16 and Saturday 17 March, to lend their support to the Socialist candidate François Hollande. During the meeting, which was organised by the Jean Jaurès, Italianieuropei, Friedrich Ebert Foundations and the Foundation for European Progressive Studies (FEPS), they launched an appeal for the rebirth of a more social and democratic Europe, laying great emphasis on promoting employment and growth in Europe.
The guest of honour, François Hollande, took position on Saturday in favour of a new Europe, “more solid, more solidarity, more social”, and put the current economic crisis down to the poor leadership of the Conservatives at the head of governments in Europe. “The crisis didn't come out of nowhere. It was not fate. This crisis is a crisis of unbridled liberalism and the systematic removal of public intervention”, he said. “In the face of a stability pact which could just as well be described as an austerity pact, I would like to propose a responsibility, governance and growth pact (…) and I will re-negotiate the budgetary treaty, not just for France, but for the whole of Europe”, Hollande added. He went on to say that a budget pact signed by 28 member states is an “illusion, but also a risk”, because “there will be no return to stability without the budgetary and discipline treaty”.
A lecturer at the École Normale Supérieure, the French economist Daniel Cohen, spoke of the threats of economic recession, budgetary and salary negative inflation which the budget pact is holding over Europe. “Although budgetary policy is an important element of regulation, it is vital to associate growth in employment with it”, he argued. Describing as “absurd” the way in which public expenditure is accounted for with regard to the stability pact, he proposed drawing a distinction between public operating expenditure and public investment expenditure, as the latter is a factor in the recovery of growth.
For the European progressive movement, the election of François Hollande to the French presidency would lay the foundation stone for the construction of a Europe of greater solidarity. “The signal for international solidarity will be sent out from Paris. On our own, we cannot hope to guarantee the security of our people (…). With François Hollande, we will first of all get France back on track, then Germany, and then Europe”, said the leader of the German SPD party, Sigmar Gabriel.
Crises of democracy and confidence. Above and beyond the economic and financial slump, the European Social Democrat leaders voiced concern at other crises currently moving through Europe, including a democratic crisis and a crisis of confidence on the part of the European citizens. According to Vivien Schmidt, the director of the Centre for European studies at the University of Boston, growing euroscepticism among the European citizens, on the political left and right alike, together with the re-emergence of nationalism and populism in Europe, are caused by the “problems of Liberal and Conservative leadership”. She also pointed out that the “rest of the world no longer envies Europe its model of social and economic integration” due to the pre-eminence of the “technocratic and intergovernmental model, particularly between France and Germany”. In line with the progressive leaders, Schmidt called for a “rebalance of the institutions” to allow the European Parliament, which is “all too often marginalised”, to become once again a place of debate between representatives of the European citizens.
This feeling of mistrust towards the European institutions and decision-makers is exacerbated at a time when budgetary rigour and discipline are required. “The Merkozy pairing are trying to undermine the European institutions and dispossess the European citizens”, said the leader of the S&D Group, Austrian Hannes Swoboda. He argued that “in the light of the misunderstandings and a feeling of revolution among young people, the response is as follows: Europe, not withdrawal, a return to national sovereignty”. In reference to recent declarations by Nicolas Sarkozy on the revision of the Schengen treaty (see EUROPE 10572), Hollande said: “we can modify the Community treaties, but we cannot do so unilaterally”.
Due to a lack of future prospects and hope in the younger generation, Sarkozy's challenger said that he was determined to “make young people a major cause in Europe”. According to the Socialist candidate, his fight will not be limited to the French borders alone and his commitment to the construction of a social Europe of solidarity will be entire. He also took position as a “resolute defender of France's interests and an obstinate promoter of Europe's interests”. Another vital objective is to build a platform of progressive governments in Europe. This conference comes in the framework of a broader campaign by the European progressives, entitled “Renaissance for Europe”, which will accompany the next three elections in France, Italy and Germany, and which is planning to hold two further pre-election seminars in Rome and Berlin. (SD/transl.fl)