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Q: What’s a European Democrat and what does the European Democratic Get together stand for?
A: European Democrats are a central political power, and we wish to strengthen the European Union. As our president, François Bayrou, at all times stresses: our humanist traditions drive us to reform Europe, our perception in political pluralism makes us reject the absurd dichotomy between left- and right-wing politics, and we push to transcend the standard divides.
For us, strengthening democracy must be put again on the prime of Europe’s reform agenda. Democracy must be stronger in any respect ranges: native, regional, nationwide, and European. That is exactly why transnational political actions and political events like European Democrats are so essential: we consider in bringing selections, establishments and politicians nearer to residents in any respect ranges of presidency all through the EU.A European Democrat cares about the way forward for others, is at dwelling wherever they’re in Europe, champions European solidarity and pushes for a Europe of options. We have now defined these factors in our Frankfurt Declaration.
European Democrats defend elementary rights and freedoms, and are staunch believers within the energy of training, tradition, cause, lucidity and dialogue. We’re allergic to short-termism: we consider in long-term options, insurance policies that reform Europe and investing in younger folks’s future. We wish a Europe that’s truthful, open, engaged and admired by the world for its tradition and values. And we’re satisfied that our safety can also be primarily based on the safety of our values and tradition: we should always make investments the identical amount of cash for protection and for tradition; for energy and for data.
We wish to drive this agenda ahead and produce collectively those that consider in strengthening European democracy, bringing our Union nearer to its residents and profiting from the key alternative provided by the Convention on the Way forward for Europe.
Q: Why is the EDP totally different from different European political events?
A: Doing politics at a transnational degree is in our DNA. For us, being pro-European means being lively in our native communities, being concerned at regional and nationwide degree, and operating Europe-wide campaigns.
We’re deeply rooted domestically and on the identical time we wish to push for politics past nationwide borders. As we speak, we’ve got a European democracy with a vote each 5 years for the European Parliament, however we nonetheless lack a really European political area — and we wish to construct it. For the EDP, transnational politics isn’t about Brussels telling Europeans what they need to or shouldn’t do. In contrast to many, our pan-European strategy is bottom-up. It’s why we’re staunch supporters of multilingualism: Europe’s languages have to be nurtured, and being a transnational motion requires talking on to residents and utilizing their languages day by day for communications, occasions and coverage work. Throughout our conferences, I swap between 5 languages: Italian, French, Spanish, German and English. This isn’t to indicate off, however to do what we preach. Languages, cultures, regional variations and native initiatives have to be cherished as a result of they’re Europe’s strongest asset. We’re eager to embody this every day.
There are a lot of political events who use the phrase ‘democrats’ of their get together names; Christian democrats, Social democrats, Liberal democrats… However we’re the actual deal. We’re the European Democrats, and that’s why are desirous to reclaim the phrase on this new dynamic we’ve launched. Our purpose is present residents the energy of Democrats in Europe and for Europe.
I’d additionally add that our first overseas go to since COVID-19 was to the U.S. to jump-start a partnership with U.S. Democrats. In November, our MEPs had been in Washington D.C. to fulfill with democratic lawmakers in Congress. Combating towards on-line disinformation, tackling local weather change and new geopolitical challenges equivalent to China, and defending our democracies towards cyberattacks and overseas interference had been simply a few of the points we agreed to work on collectively. We absolutely assist the brand new Summit for Democracy launched by President Biden. Subsequent step: welcoming them within the European Parliament in 2022.
Q: The EDP is in Renew Europe, proper? How does that work?
A: Sure, we’re founders of Renew Europe, and proudly so. We have now 11 MEPs, and we’re all energetic members of the Renew Europe group within the European Parliament. My colleagues Nicola Danti from Italy and Sylvie Brunet from France are each vice presidents of our group, so we’re an integral a part of the Renew household along with the ALDE get together and the Renaissance delegation, and desirous to put it up for sale all through Europe.
We have now determined to relaunch our actions, grow to be extra seen, develop in numbers and get up for what we consider in additional than ever earlier than. On Friday December 10 throughout our 2021 get together Congress, we adopted the Frankfurt Declaration: it’s our get together’s new political spine. It units out our values, how we work and our prime priorities for the remainder of the mandate.
Q: Isn’t ‘transnational politics’ Brussels bubble-talk to keep away from native politics?
A: Completely not, it’s exactly as a result of our motion can also be primarily based on native politicians and regional events that we’re capable of have an effect Europe-wide. Democrats consider within the energy of native options. The EU isn’t nearly MEPs, Council and the Fee, but in addition native politicians and initiatives. We wish the EU to be taught from our bottom-up strategy: being seen domestically and studying from options present in our cities and in our areas. We work way more exterior the Brussels bubble and go native.
That’s why the European options marketing campaign that we’re launching in 2022 is so essential: it’s a chance for European Democrats to indicate a Europe that solves actual issues and presents new options and our residents and territories. It’s going to additionally enable us to ascertain our distinct voice, to realize visibility, to provoke our community throughout Europe, and for our events to work extra intently collectively and contribute to the Convention on the Way forward for Europe.
We wish to put a highlight on progressive concepts, initiatives or EU-funded tasks that deserve it. Europe’s areas and native authorities are stuffed with options we are able to be taught from, and relay at European degree. There isn’t a scarcity of tasks: our areas are stuffed with options and Democrats wish to give them centrer stage. That’s why the EDP was created: multilingual and Europe-wide campaigns on the bottom with daring concepts on tips on how to make our Union stronger.
Q: What number of member events does the EDP have? Isn’t it dangerous to be a small get together?
A: We presently have 19 member events from 14 international locations. It is a strong foundation and we’ve got an bold agenda. However recruiting new members is one in every of our prime priorities and we’re already rising: Matteo Renzi’s Italia Viva get together joined the EDP on Friday December 10, and that’s good news. It will strengthen our democratic motion and reinforce Renew Europe in Italy. We’re not stopping right here although: 2022 will likely be an essential 12 months for our get together’s improvement. We’re presently new allies in a number of EU international locations. So, watch this area. This isn’t the final you’ll hear from European Democrats.
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