| Protecting Europe from its paradoxes |
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European citizens are almost homogenously turning to governments that are promising more "security" and more "protection" from today's challenges and threats. European leaders' discourse has downgraded the commitment to growth, cohesion and convergence. Similarly, self-interest policies overrun the pledge to inclusiveness, deregulation, competition and competitiveness. A re-mix of sovereign-style power and ethno-economic identity make the new euro-conservatism entangle both the idea of progress as well the one of liberty and liberism. The new euro-conservatism appears primarily anti-reformists but also adverse to free market competition, labour-market flexibility, deregulation of the service industry, and pension reforms. Some analysts wave the dangers of this situation that may be hampering the potential and thesocial stability of the EU, which since its foundation has kept a balance of progress and conservatism. Moreover it is resulting into a consistent reduction of the opportunities for Europe's youth and disadvantaged groups. It is not a coincidence that the final text of the Treaty of Lisbondoes not refer anymore to competition as one of the prime goals of the EU.Similarly it is not a surprise that the EU Commission has adopted a new harmonized and restrictive policy about immigrants and expulsions. The Euro is ten years on. However, the economic and monetary union does not seem to have promoted economic convergence among the major economies. If anything, the reverse is true. Monetary policy alone cannot make the mature economies of the eurozone converge. It would be unrealistic to expect it to. The only way to achieve that kind of convergence would be to create an enormous centraleurozone budget which could redistribute money between countries to help smooth out the differences between them. There are some die-hard Europhiles who wouldsupport this. But don't hold your breath. On the ground of politics, it is a paradox that the discourse of thenew euro-conservatives on policies for employment, economy, and internationaltrade recalls the late seventies leftist ideologies. While the new euro-conservatives are increasingly opposing the liberalization process and the deregulation, it is even more paradoxical that the center-left forces have instead adopted the discourse of the OECD, long time considered the temple of liberalism. In such a climate, lasting the EU success requires bolder proposals. |
| Last Updated on Wednesday, 18 February 2009 08:09 |