Europe is a political project

The VI EDP Congress, held in Brussels, has just concluded after two days of discussion. More than 100 delegates, coming from 17 different countries have attended. The Congress took place during a signifying period for Europe and Italy.

With regards to Italy, the previous days had been marked by a controversy between Italian and German governments about the Italian debt; controversy arisen from the words of Angela MERKEL against Italian policies about debt reduction animating the last few weeks of the Italian semester.
Regarding the Italian presidency of EU Council semester, Matteo RENZI said that “we faced a big challenge: to find the soul of the EU and to find the deep sense of European togetherness” and “this challenge inevitably affected our results”. Indeed, the Italian presidency results seem below our expectations – as Matteo RENZI admits – but in consideration of the hard troubles we had to tackle, we still managed to achieve important results such as the review of tax policies and a better coordination among member states. Anyway, these achievements have not been perceived by the population: Europe is still identified as foreign institution.
At present time, the quotation of a former President of the Italian Republic, Carlo Azeglio CIAMPI, is still topical: he defined Europe mainly “a political project”.

For such reasons, we must be aware that EDP role is very important: a crucial role because we – as EDP members – are concrete politicians and we have tried, even during our conference, to bring a human dimension to EU policy and policies. Our way to be politicians is intended not just as “muscle power show”, but mainly as the courage to suggest the right solutions, even if they could be difficult to understand at a first sight. We really believe that such behaviour will bring European people closer to our party.

On November 23rd, local elections in Calabria marked an amazing achievement for us, by electing Flora SCULCO, a young woman who joined the EDP project, as Congress delegate and Calabria MRP. During her electoral campaign, we talked a lot about European Institution and about all the issues we recently discussed in Brussels EDP Congress: economic growth and employment recovery, fiscal convergence, common foreign policy, immigration and fight against human trafficking. We have the proof that such topics are not unrealistic and they stimulate the debate among people and between our party and people.

In conclusion, a short hint about a crucial theme, the sustainable development. Lima’s summit (COP20), the environmental summit preparatory to Paris Conference, has just ended without gaining significant results, nevertheless reaching some progress in the fight against climate change that, we all know, represents a real challenge for the future.
The Young Democrats for Europe (YDE) will surely engage with passion these challenging issues. Together we can realize the project of Europe as a political union.

By Laura Venneri

The EU has to promote and defend regional identities

The recognition of regional identities and cultures and the democratic right for people to decide of their own political future are European Union funding principles.

In Bilbao this year, Young Democrats for Europe have reminded their attachment to these principles while voting a motion on democratic dispute resolutions and the right to resolve political disputes by means of democratic process.

This self-determination, as it was named by the United Nations, has to be protected and guaranteed, in the Union as in every legal state, as a condition of the democracy stability.

The Scots yesterday, the Catalans today : the European Union and the member States have to hear and recognise these people’s request for giving their opinion about their political and economical future. Yesterday, Catalans were asked two questions: whether they wanted Catalonia to be a State and whether this State should become independent from Spain.

The Young Democrats for Europe ask the European Union to insure and maintain a climate of dialogue between the Spanish Government and Catalonia, and help Catalonia to lead its referendum process at its end. The votes has no direct legal consequences but in a way represents the freedom of expression of European people and shows that more discussions are needed to define how regional identities and cultures can be more taken into consideration.

For more details on this issue, you can also read the resolution adopted in Bilbao on the 27th of September 2014 on Democratic Dispute Resolution

We should remove words as race, woman-man and start to think as HUMANS

sME na konferencii

What is the future for equality and equity? , Press release (PR)

 On September 19th and 20th representatives of our youth organisation partners visited Bratislava and Slovakia for the first time, they were from different parts of Europe.

 Civil association, Young Europeans is committed to the Slovak European Democratic Party, a member of European Democratic Party (EDP-PDE, the ALDE Group in the European Parliament) and not only for its history but also for sharing pro-European values. Thanks to  the financial support from EDP, for several years young people can have meeting with another people from more than 7 European member states, exchange mutual experiences and information, organise common projects to support the spread of democracy development and the deepening of European identity in order to eliminate hatred and national discriminations, break down the fear of unknown and help all young Europeans to understand that it is not possible to lose their own identity while respecting the rights, values, traditions and habits of other people. More…

ALDE Summer School

Members of Young Democrats for Europe (YDE) have participated in the last Summer School organized by ALDE Group in collaboration with YDE and LYMEC last June 5th to 7th in Brussels.

A key topic was discussed there with several professionals of both political organizations, politicians and young participants, “One year ahead of the European Elections: the Voice of the Youth”. We are all focussing on the significance of the next European Elections of May 2014 and the vital need of participance of the European Youth to build the next European Parliament and so, the future of the desired Europe.

Citizens must be protagonists of the European Project.

From YDE we are worried because the youth has forgotten what Europe meant, what Europe gave to us. We got used to it. Have we achieved all we wanted? Let’s stop only criticising and let’s be the movement working into building our dreamed Europe.

YDE wants to remark the importance of Europe, it gave us freedom to move, to study, to travel, to work, to think globally from our local diversities. Our approach towards the oncoming elections must be maintaining what we have achieved and draw the path that will lead us to higher wellness standards in a global, diverse and unified Europe.

Build a renewed Europe with us!

Europe, CAPPA: “Erasmus Generation believes in a political Europe”

Brussels – “The youth unemployment has reached a critical point as Van Rompuy and Barroso both declared this morning. Therefore it is urgent to address the EU summit of Monday with determination to this problem trying to reach consensus on a strategy for growth and job opportunities for young Europeans” this is what declared Marco Cappa, President of Young Democrats for Europe.

“Merkel said that she wants a political Europe; we answered: finally she got it! For such a long time she was the one putting obstacles and limitations to the process of European integration. Too busy to look at her electorate rather than to a ‘strong and united Europe “- continued Cappa – “No doubts. Erasmus generation totally supports the project of a more cohesive Europe that will bring more stability to the Euro and, as a result, to the economies of member states and to the future of youngsters”.

 

Marco Cappa

President

Young Democrats for Europe

Young Democrats for Europe (YDE)
Jeunes Democrates Europeens (JDE)
YDE is the youth wing of the European Party.We embrace the key role of democratic principles, underlined in the Lisbon Treaty and shrined in our political belief: democracy, freedom, equality, participation, sustainability and solidarity.

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