A few weeks before Christmas, Steven Clark, head of Web Communications of the European Parliament, came to Maastricht University to give a lecture on the upcoming European elections. As could be expected, the presentation of the communication campaign was professional and visually perfect. However, it was striking to see that Clark showed a high degree of honest enthusiasm for conveying the European course. Speaking positively and even advertising Europe is something students at Maastricht University might be used to, but it is highly delighting to see such commitment by a British representative.
Britain is widely considered as one of the most eurosceptic states in the European Union. It is therefore no longer alarming when David Cameron opts out of deals at European Council meetings, and most of his twenty-seven fellow heads of state will consider this to be commonplace. The same holds for UKIP’s continuous calls for an in- or out referendum of the European Union. Euroscepticism is then more of a usual British feature the Union has dealt with for more than forty years and nothing sounds alarming in Berlin or Paris.
One can only hope that Europe’s heads of state do not turn a blind eye to the real and far greater danger lurking in political systems throughout EU member states. The danger spreading like a virus from country to country is the rise of right-wing political parties. This however must set off alarm bells in Berlin and Paris, both of which have faced the rise of radical parties in their recent national elections. In Germany, the Alternative für Deutschland failed to cross the 5% border staying out of the Bundestag by a whisker. Be sure they will get their votes next May, when Germans go to the ballot boxes to select their European representatives. The situation has been exacerbated by Bavaria’s CSU stirring fears that a wave of Romanians and Bulgarians might come to abuse the EU-internal free movement to take advantage of German social benefits.
Germany’s case is however not as worrying as the French one. Marine Le Pen’s Front National has already demonstrated that her party’s programme favours La Grande Nation over any European interest. Evidently, a core point of the party’s current manifesto is a sharp critique of the European Union and this seems to attract votes. Her party won astonishing 54% in last October’s local elections in southeast France. The power of Front National can be exemplified by looking at the national level as well, where it ranked on the third place in the 2012 presidential elections. If this is not worrying enough, Le Pen’s party recently formed a transnational right-wing alliance with the Dutch Partij voor de Vrijheid led by Geert Wilders.
Similar stories could be reported from other Member States, not at least in the crisis-torn states in southern Europe. Just take a look at recent events in Greece, where the residence of the German ambassador was attacked by right-wing extremists. The frequency of comparable incidents throughout Europe illustrates that this was not merely a unique case of xenophobia.
The reasons for the popularity of populism can of course be traced. Although politicians claim that the eurocrisis seems to be over, Spanish and Greek youths are still on the streets looking for jobs. Right-wing parties such as Front National use this climate to present themselves as Samaritans caring about the citizens’ needs. According to recent polls 24 % / one fourth of French voters tend to believe the parties’ promises about more jobs, better wages and a government bringing back the glory of La Grande Nation.
It all boils down to a danger of “flawed” elections next May. Flawed in that people could be blinded by the great promises of right-wing parties and thereby elect what would probably be the most eurosceptic European Parliament since elections started in 1979. But also flawed in that people lose sight of the core values and achievements Europe stands for. For what kind of Parliament will a public relations director of the European Parliament advertise five years from now? How positive and enthusiastic will he then present the elections to students? It is up to every citizen to make sure that Europe stays on the track. A track that does not lose sight of the values this unique success story has always produced. The main election slogan presented by Steven Clark could be a hint into the right direction: Act, react, impact.
Sebastian Franzkowiak
Young EUptimistics 