Category: News

EYE 2016: Together we can make a change!

The European Youth Event (EYE2016) has taken place this weekend at the European Parliament in Strasbourg. This second edition of the event has gathered more than 7000 young people from all over Europe, ready to discuss the current and future challenges that the European Union is facing. The debates have been led by relevant figures of European politics and civil society, who – besides sharing their experiences and knowledge on specific topics – have been ready to listen to young population´s points of view.

“Together we can make a change” was the chosen motto for the event. The program started on Friday with the opening ceremony with Sylvie Guillaume and Mairead McGuinness (Vice-Presidents of the European Parliament), Johanna Nyman (President of the European Youth Forum) and Roland Ries (Mayor of Strasbourg). The given message was clear: Young generations are the next performers of European politics, the ones who will shape the future of the European Union. Young people in Europe should not feel excluded, but become active players and be listened on the European Union´s development. There is a huge potential of ideas and innovative solutions to be taken into account.

The YDE group has been represented by delegates from France, Germany, the Basque Country, Slovenia and Slovakia. Once again, we have strongly defended our values and firm commitment to help shape a democratic and strong European Union.

The opening plenary session, celebrated on Friday in the hemicycle, showed an incredible vibrant atmosphere with thousands of young Europeans fully engaged and committed to be part of European politics for a day.

The whole program was organized around five main themes:

  • War and Peace: Perspectives for a Peaceful Planet
  • Apathy or Participation: Agenda for a Vibrant Democracy
  • Exclusion or Access: Crackdown on Youth Unemployment
  • Stagnation or Innovation: Tomorrow’s World of Work
  • Collapse or Success: New Ways for a Sustainable Europe

Between several others, some of the hottest topics were how to deal with the refugee crisis, the controversial TTIP agreement with the U.S.A., tax evasion, entrepreneurship, climate challenge or the importance of democracy.

Political debates, interactive workshops and educational activities, besides music and artistic performances have completed a stimulating weekend in which the European identity has been reinforced. The conclusions reached will be discussed in multiple committees in the European Parliament next autumn.

If this weekend has shown us something, than that despite the difficulties and uncertainties on the way, it is that there is still hope to keep on building a strong European Union. It´s future and success is in our hands and we need to be very clear on the path we want to follow because together we can make a change!

 Irati Oleaga
@oleaga_irati

Thanks to Marielle de Sarnez and Robert Rochefort for having sponsored our groups

YDE
News

Young people demand the election of the President of the European Commission remains democratic

Statement from political party youth organisations on discussions by Heads of EU Member States to block the “Spitzenkandidaten” process of electing the President of the European Commission.

The 2014 European elections were the first time voters were able to have a say on who should run the European Commission, with the five main European political parties putting forward candidates who became known by the German term “Spitzenkandidaten”. The main European political party youth organisations have strongly defended this democratic system following reports that almost all EU Heads of States or Government are planning to revert to the previous system, under which they decide on the President behind closed doors.

The European Union is facing challenges on multiple levels, and clear European leadership is essential if Europe is to act cohesively to solve its existential issues. It is vital, therefore, for the EU’s future that it strives to be ever-more democratic and transparent. The process of European elections determining the next President of the Commission has been a hugely positive step in empowering citizens to choose the direction of the EU, adding transparency and more democratic legitimacy to the process. Reversing this would be a regressive step in the democratising trend that has been ongoing in the EU for several decades, especially at a time when the citizens already feel that the EU lacks legitimacy.

The Spitzenkandidaten process gave a face to European leaders. It helped to open up EU democracy, which often seems to be very distant from citizens, especially for young people. In 2014, the European Youth Forum, along with the University and City of Maastricht and Euronews, organised the first-ever televised debate between these Spitzenkandidaten. This debate, broadcast live to millions of viewers, focused on youth issues. Over the course of the elections, the Spitzenkandidaten process contributed to bigger media coverage and, in several Member States, it stopped the tendency of continuously decreasing participation rates.  A regressive move back to the old system would risk further alienating voters, particularly young voters, who are often sceptical of engaging in traditional politics. To secure more popular support, the European Union needs to be more democratic, not less.

It is in the interest of our national leaders to support the continuous opening up of European democracy. Therefore we demand that they follow the recent call from the European Parliament to secure and develop the Spitzenkandidaten process.

After all, is it not better that one of the key leadership positions of the EU is decided on by its 500 million citizens rather than just by 28 heads of state?

YFJ – European Youth Forum

YEPP – Youth of European People’s Party

DEMYC- Democrat Youth Community of Europe

FYEG – Federation of Young European Greens

EFAY – European Free Alliance Youth

LYMEC – European Liberal Youth

JEF – Young European Federalists

IFLRY – International Federation of Liberal Youth

IUSY – International Union of Socialist Youth

YES – Young European Socialists

YDE – Young Democrats for Europe

AEGEE-Europe – European Students’ Forum

YDE
News Press Release

Welcome to Citizens’ Alliance Youth from Cyprus

Just a month before the General elections in Cyprus, the Young Democrats for Europe are glad to welcome its second Cypriot member organisation: Citizens’ Alliance Youth.

They will promote our democratic and pro-European values and ideas during this campaign.

Our organisation is now present in 8 countries thanks to its 10 member organisations.

We are also happy to welcome a new Board member from this organisation: Kyriacos.

kyriakos

YDE
News

Joining the European Youth Forum!

The Young Democrats for Europe are glad to join the European Youth Forum family this weekend! This will be an important step towards our long-term development. Being the 101st member will allow us to take part more actively in the policy-making process involving young people at the European level.

We will also be able to cooperate with other European Non-Governmental Youth organisations and more especially political youth organisations such as JEF, LYMEC.

We will therefore be given the opportunity to develop and promote our positions on Youth empowerment, freedom of movement amongst other issues and work actively on strengthening democratic ideas and values in Europe, promoting and defending European citizens’ rights and freedoms, and fighting against populism in Europe.

 

YDE
News

Germany moves to the right!

State elections in Germany: right-wing-populist-party AfD enters three parliaments

During the past weeks, Germans have often made fun of the Americans. “How can they vote for someone like Donald Trump?” German people would ask. And they cannot be blamed. The Republicans’ presidential candidate wants to forbid the entry in the United States to Muslims; he wants to bolt the Mexican border with a wall and describes himself as “the best president God has ever created”. Regarding his statements and demands, we are stunned and also about the Americans’ electoral behaviour. But with the last state elections in Germany on March 13, the situation in Germany turned out to be as worse as in the United States.

24.2% is the score the right-wing party Alternative für Deutschland (AfD, Alternative for Germany) did receive in Saxony-Anhalt at its first election! This result is frightening and dangerous. In Baden-Wurttemberg (15.1%) and Rhineland-Palatinate (12.6%), the situation is hardly better. After this electoral Super-Sunday, the political map of Germany has changed. A party that wants to allow shooting at refugees, to dissolve the EU, to abolish social benefits and to prohibit Muslims from practising their religion is now represented in eight of the 16 federal state’s parliaments. “The AfD confesses to the traditional family as an example” and rejects state kindergartens. Men should work; women should educate children and stay at home to cook. Every vote for the right-wing populists is a retrograde step.

UKIP in the United Kingdom, the Front National in France – and now the AfD in Germany. The biggest reason why parties like these could get that popular is the refugees’ crisis: hundred thousands of people fleeing from their native countries from war,  to Europe, to Germany. The AfD takes advantage of this, rushes and shrinks back from nothing; and gets votes – alarmingly many votes. The AfD gets voters from the established parties; however, non-voters give primarily their votes to the right-wing-party. Besides, three of four voters indicate to have chosen the AfD not because of their manifesto, but to teach a lesson to the governing parties.

Already once in German history a right-wing-party scored such a great success in such a short time! It should not only be a German effort, but also a European one, that this will not happen again. Established centrist parties must take the citizens seriously, their demands, worries and fears. They must not give them a reason to vote for a right-wing party only to teach a lesson. This is the only way to maintain our democratic and pro-European values. However, the AfD is not one thing for sure: an alternative.

By Bettina Schwarz (@betti_schwarz)

Photo: Túrelio

YDE
News

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