Strasbourg, 18/04/2013 (Agence Europe) - The president of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz, is “very worried and very concerned” by the decline in European citizens' confidence in national and European institutions and, on 17 April, he called for a genuine debate on Europe during the European elections in 2014. He arguedd that “we can't get it wrong. To regain this trust we need a quite deep and broad debate in Europe, on Europe and on the different proposals that the different groups in Europe are making for the future of the Union”. He explained that it was necessary to avoid this being a debate “purely between those who want to put a stop to European integration on one side and those who admire and push forward further European integration”. He said that a debate was needed on “what sort of Europe we want, not a debate on either yes or no to Europe” because “Europe is there… and it will continue to influence the life of all the different peoples of Europe”.
He wants a genuinely European campaign that is “supranational” and not national or personal. He pointed out that Article 17.7 of the treaty provides for the election of the president of the European Commission by the European Parliament. He said that “this means that it is compulsory for the European political groups and parties in Europe to present their candidates for taking over from” the current president, José Manuel Barroso. He added that “all our fellow citizens are aware of the vote at local and national levels and the competition between individuals and their respective programmes for an executive post. In France, no one calls for a vote for the National Assembly, a call for an institution”. According to Schulz, only one election is an exception to the rule: European elections, where one says, “if you have a little time… perhaps you can go and vote”.
Schulz is also counting on the surprise effect, with national parties supporting candidates of other nationalities. He thinks that Europeans are going to ask themselves, “What's happening? Why are national parties supporting a candidate from another country? This is not going to increase voter turnout to 80% but the surprise effect will be an enormous”. He also said that this would mean it will be possible to have “the same debate everywhere in Europe on the same subjects”. According to the president of the European Parliament, “this can change Europe”. (CG/transl.fl)