Published Tuesday, February 19, 2008 at 17:29
by
helmar 
(858 views and 2 comments)
I have translated a comment written for the Swedish Social Democratic newspaper Aktuellt i Politiken. It deals with how important it is that we Social Democrats don't give up the idea of a New Social Europe just because it takes time to achieve our goals. We cannot avoid addressing important policy areas, such as labour market and health care, on an EU level if we really want to make a change. I would be happy to discuss it with you.
It takes time for a new Europe to develop
A Catalan, an Estonian, a Welshman and me. No, this is not the start of a joke about national characters; it is a normal dinner in Brussels and no stranger than when I spend time with friends from all over Sweden when I am in Stockholm. It would be absurd if I told my friend from the South of Sweden that I think we should not have national labour market policies, since we have both higher salaries and lower unemployment in Stockholm. I would probably be punched if I said to my friend from Gothenburg that Stockholm hospitals cannot accept patients from other regions since they have different bacteria and viruses in their hospitals. And I would definitely get into an argument with my friend from the North of Sweden if he said that he does not care if we have congestion charges in Stockholm or not, since they have no problem with pollution or congestion in the North. It is obvious that our visions reach over the regional borders, but is it as self-evident that this solidarity includes my friends around the table in Brussels? Among Scandinavian Social Democrats there is sometimes an instinctive resistance to EU-initiatives within the policy areas we care most about. When it is hard to agree, or when too much is at stake, there is a tendency to give up and turn inwards. Of course the EU proposes things we do not like. Parties from the right dominate the Commission, the Parliament and the Council, because that is what the electorates have voted for. However, that does not mean that the EU should stay away from important policy areas, where it really can make a difference, such as labour market issues and health care. The former Swedish Prime Minister Ingvar Carlsson said in 1990 that “the new, the better, does not rise like a Phoenix from the ashes. It develops, step by step. It is a long process. It takes time. A new Europe is developing. So many things we dreamt of, so many of the things we have been standing up for and so many things we want to achieve are suddenly within reach.”The process is still ongoing, and we still aspire to these dreams. The alternative - to give up - does not exist. Therefore we have to unite the social democratic movement from all corners of Europe in the European Parliament elections next year, and not avoid the really important questions.
Helena Markstedt
Published in Swedish in Aktuellt i Politiken 18/2
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Comments
1. We have to use our chances by Granlip
on Wednesday, February 20, 2008 at 17:30
I think you are right; the European project is involving step by step. The social Europe we desire is not emerging suddenly. We have to build it stone by stone. However, we also should not pass up chances when they occur. I have to highlight the point that we had a majority within all European institutions at the end of the last decade and made nothing out of it. Only a united social democratic movement with a clear agenda and the real will to implement its policies can change the European Union. I hope we are now better prepared to use a socialist majority in the right way after the next elections to work together for our social Europe.
2. Oh, those politicians by fairness
on Thursday, February 21, 2008 at 20:30
I wouldn't say that 'EU-bashing' is a particular social democratic 'disease' in my home country - it's more like a cross-party phenomenon. But I agree: it's a pain to witness the constant complaining of many national politicians: on and on they go about the EU and how 'it' forces unhelpful laws upon poor, innocent member states. Really, come on! National ministers are seated in the Council as well as each Member State has elected members in the European Parliament. When decisions are bad it's not a dark, mysterious entity called 'the EU' who should be blamed - but rather our ministers and parliamentarians! I'm not ignorant of the fact that the EU has a democratic deficit, but a major step towards more transparency would be if our politicians were more honest and open about WHO ACTUALLY has responsibility for new EU laws.To be able to post comments you need to be logged in. No account yet? Register here! Lost your password?