Youth
to leaders: Europe’s biggest crisis is economic
The
POLITICO Caucus polled 68 young leaders on the Continent’s future.
By
Vince Chadwick and
Lawrence Wakefield
8/11/16, 5:30 AM CET
The greatest problem
facing young people in Europe isn’t terrorism, Brexit, migration,
or even climate change — for 81 percent of participants in
POLITICO’s first Youth Caucus, the top concerns are youth
unemployment and lack of economic growth.
Ahead of
International Youth Day this Friday, we asked 68 young leaders,
including MEPs, political advisers and heads of youth organizations
what ails the bloc as part of POLITICO’s occasional pulse-taking of
European influencers. Their anonymous answers highlight the EU’s
ineffectiveness in reaching young people and not just “the lucky
ones that go on Erasmus,” as one put it.
One respondent
summed up the plight of young people in Europe today: “Unstable low
paid jobs, if any. Stuck in trainee/internships forever. Forced to
move to other countries and accept very flexible working conditions.”
The effect, as one
put it, is that home ownership appears out of reach for this
generation.
But if the EU can
crack the economic challenge, fewer people “would be susceptible to
radicalization and young people could see the benefits of the open
borders and a shared European Union.”
Not one participant
identified U.S. presidential hopeful Donald Trump as the greatest
threat young Europeans face.
Brexit? Nix it
Despite fissures
over Brexit, security and migration, 68 percent of the largely
Europhile group believes that not only will the EU exist in 2025, it
will be stronger.
The U.K.’s vote to
leave the Union, however, is divisive. Roughly one-third of Caucus
members said Brexit would strengthen the Continent. As one person put
it: “It offers an opportunity to integrate. A veto was removed.”
Another respondent felt liberated. “We can even stop thinking how
London will react.”
But another third
thought it would weaken the Continent and the remaining respondents
said it would either make little difference or not happen at all.
It’s a “lose-lose”
according to one Youth Caucus member, even if, as another said, “the
EU will get back on its feet way faster than the U.K.”
Britain’s new
Prime Minister Theresa May was also criticized for her tepid support
for the Remain camp during the referendum campaign, evidence to one
participant of “someone very cautious and tactical when the times
demand men and women with courage, determination and beliefs.”
“Brits who protest
in London with a EU flag on their face — a year ago none of us
would have believed that to be a success,” as one put it. “It
shows, however, that Brexit woke up many pro-Europeans who grew
accustomed to the benefits the EU brings us.”
Reaching the younger
generation
To reach younger
citizens, politicians should focus on relevant policies and better
engagement with schools and universities, according to more than 61
percent of respondents.
“Introduce civic
education in every secondary school in the EU to allow young people
to understand the importance of voting, both in their countries and
in EU elections,” said one participant.
“Young Europeans
are afraid of risk and lack entrepreneurial skills,” said another.
“There is very little connection between European education
institutions and the job market, so this is the number one challenge
Europe needs to address to get young people into jobs and create
growth.”
In general,
respondents complained of a disconnect between European leaders and
younger citizens.
“MEPs should spend
more time with students of their own constituency and explain what
makes a united Europe,” said one. “Human contact is far more
important than virtual” contact.
One way to inspire
political participation would be to establish “youth councils” at
every level of administration — local, regional, national and
European, one suggested.
With populists on
the march across the Continent, one Caucus member said it’s time to
fight fire with fire.
“EU leaders have
not found a way of translating the benefits of the EU in a populist
way,” the participant said. “They have not found a way of
inspiring others to go out and fight for the European ideal.”
They are the
champions
François Hollande
was the least popular leader among Caucus members, with one
suggesting the French president is paying the price among those on
the Left for “standing on a platform in 2012 and pursuing very
different policies in the subsequent years.”
Italian Prime
Minister Matteo Renzi and German Chancellor Angela Merkel fared
better, and were praised by one respondent “for the clarity of
their views for their countries and for the Union.”
Asked to name the
best champion for young people in Europe, some ventured non-Europeans
such as Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Pope Francis. Another saw a
model in Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau: “For being an open
leader for an open society that somehow always used to vote for
conservative leaders — we need one in Europa.”
To see the full list
of participants in POLITICO’s Youth Caucus, click here.
Authors:
Vince Chadwick and
Lawrence Wakefield
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