International

This week French President Francois Hollande launched his plan for a European government. Yet another politician going all out for a federal Europe. Yet just a few weeks ago the EU’s statistical bureau Eurobarometer published the latest figures on the confidence people have in the European Union. What do we find? In France the percentage who say that they have no confidence in the EU has risen from 41% in 2007 to 59%. Hollande simply ignores this mistrust. This is dangerous and affects every one of us, because at June’s European Council he will undoubtedly attempt to persuade his fellow leaders of the correctness of his ideas. Before you know it we will be a step further on the road to a federal Europe.

Last year many people breathed a sigh of relief when the heads of EU member state governments didn’t leap to embrace European Council President Herman van Rompuy’s plans for a European government. In Brussels, however, appearances can be deceptive. Behind the scenes officials simply ploughed on, enabling Van Rompuy to elaborate his ideas for ‘contracts’ between member states and the European Commission, and for the development of a political union. In June government leaders will meet again as the European Council, and will have to take a decision on this.

If this is simply more kites being flown, as was the case with the proposals from Van Rompuy or the European Commission, then I still feel I need to be on my guard. Such things are often completed as purely theoretical exercises, but there’s always some aspect that persists. I was already worried about June’s European Council, even before Hollande came out with his proposal. Although other government leaders have already distanced themselves from President Hollande’s ideas, the same thing applies: some aspect always persists. That’s why we in the SP are going to have to keep our wits about us in the coming weeks, in The Hague as well as in Brussels.

Government leaders who, without treaty amendments or referenda, reach agreement on far-reaching changes to the rules of the game, will only provoke further distrust among the people. Tensions in Europe are already great enough, and heads of government who, like the French President, ignore the opinion of their electorates, will only add to these tensions, which right now is the last thing we need. Instead I advise them to take their time for once, stop listening to what Eurocrats, in their insatiable hunger for power, tell you, but rather follow what the voters are saying and have no more to do with still more steps towards a federal Europe.