At a debate organised by Friends of Europe on Thursday 11 October, Spitzenkandidat candidate for the Christian-Democrat family in the European elections of May 2019 (see EUROPE 12108), Finland’s Alexander Stubb, has suggested reducing to 16 the age at which young people can vote in European elections.
Father of two teenagers, Stubb said he was dumbfounded at young people’s ability to think through the problems of our time, young people who "have the whole world in their hands". He wants young people to be given greater possibilities to speak on public affairs, notably by lowering the legal age at which one can vote in European elections to 16.
Asked what economic policy he is planning to promote, the former Finnish prime minister said that once Banking Union has been fully achieved, "a pooling" of resources and financial risks would be easier at European level. He mooted the idea of an investment plan focused on infrastructure and social projects.
Stubb reiterated his desire to get up onto the barricades to defend fundamental European values like the rule of law in the EU and beyond. On the question of the Fidesz party of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban remaining within the EPP European party, he hoped for a frank debate at the EPP summit in Brussels on Thursday 18 October on the Hungarian party’s compatibility with Christian-Democratic values. He said it was black or white that there is no place in the EPP for an anti-migrant and anti-Europe party.
The EPP’s lead candidate also commented that beyond Brussels bashing, too many political figureheads are trying to lead by taking advantage of fear and hatred on the question of immigration.
Helle Thorning-Schmidt is not a candidate. Participating in the debate, former Danish prime minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt said she had not come to Brussels to announce she was joining the race for appointment as a lead candidate at the top of the Social Democrats’ list, the day after the announcement by European Commission Vice-President Frans Timmermans (see EUROPE 12114).
Thorning-Schmidt, who is currently director general of Save the Children, said that Europeans could be proud of the fundamental values they defend in the world. She said Europe should fill the vacuum created by the withdrawal of the Trump administration from multilateral affairs, making use of a true policy for Africa. She said Europe should defend its way of life, preserving its welfare state and ambitious social and education projects.
Thorning-Schmidt recommended a strict migration policy providing for the defence of the European Union’s external borders and returning migrants not eligible for protection within the EU. (Original version in French by Mathieu Bion)