In exactly one year, Europeans will go to the polls to select their new representatives in the European Parliament. Although there is reason for doubt, with a fledgling Italian government on an anti-system ticket and the scheduled withdrawal of the UK, the citizens' confidence in the EU's work is greater today than ten years ago.
This is a message sent out by the President of the European Parliament, Antonio Tajani, on Wednesday 23 May, at an event to mark the launch of operations for the European elections of 23-26 May 2019.
Parliament's President said he was “optimistic”, following a Eurobarometer survey published on the same day. According to this study, for the first time since 2007, 60% of citizens believe that their country’s membership of the EU is a good thing and 67% that their country has benefited from this membership – the highest percentage since 1983.
In particular, Tajani welcomed the fact that confidence in the European project has increased among young people between 15 and 24. According to the survey, 48% of the 27,000 Europeans who took part feel that their voice is heard in the EU.
Nearly half of them believe that the process of ‘Spitzenkandidaten’ is a positive development that will encourage them to vote (see EUROPE 11968). 63% of respondents feel this process leads to greater transparency and 61% that it is significant progress for European democracy. 60% even say that it gives the European Commission greater legitimacy.
On a slight negative note, only one in three knows when the next European elections will be held, although 50% of respondents expressed interest in them.
Tajani disappointed by developments in Italy
One other statistic is bound to disappoint Parliament's President. His country, Italy, is the only one in which less than half of respondents consider that the country has benefited from belonging to the EU.
“I am not happy about what is going on with the Italian government”, said Tajani, who owes his political career to Forza Italia leader Silvio Berlusconi. He considers that the victory of the populist parties Movimento 5 stelle and Lega in the general elections of March is down to the “lack of European solidarity” in managing the migration challenge that has hit the countries of the southern EU hard.
Nor has economic growth been as strong in Italy as elsewhere, “so that is why people are not happy with the EU”, he also explained, speaking in French (our translation).
In May 2019, Tajani anticipates a surge in Eurosceptic parties. “We need to bridge the gulf” between the EU and its citizens, he said, adding that he believes the EU can change without being destroyed, by examining why people are voting for these parties. Despite everything, the Italian believes that the general situation has improved, based solely on the general tendencies identified by the Eurobarometer.
In Parliament, the period up to the elections will see many events, such as the speeches on the future of Europe to be made by several heads of state or government of the EU. Next on the list are Luxembourg’s Xavier Bettel at the end of May, Mark Rutte of the Netherlands in June and Poland’s Mateusz Morawiecki in July.
In September, the Commission President, Jean-Claude Juncker, will make his penultimate speech on the state of the union. By the end of 2018, the principal European parties will have appointed their Spitzenkandidat.
Following Brexit, which is scheduled for 29 March 2019, Parliament will start work on 18 April, after the last plenary session of the legislative period. The European elections campaign will kick off in March and debates between the candidates will take place between April and May.
The next European Parliament will have 705 seats, a figure that takes account of Brexit and a re-balancing in favour of countries that are currently under represented (see EUROPE 11967). The elections will be carried out on the basis of EU electoral law, the reform of which is at stalemate pending a green light from Italy (see EUROPE 12009).
The Eurobarometer survey is accessible at: https://bit.ly/2kgwHtA. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)