Future of the EU in play

It’s campaign time in Europe, and the European Union (EU) is still immersed in the mess of its dissident partner, and devoid of a post-Brexit roadmap. The latest European legislature saw the euro economy flourish, but it has been tarnished by the refugee crisis and paralyzed by Brexit.

Once the Euro-critical British have jumped ship, those in Brussels speak of an “opportunity” to revive the comatose integration project. That said, the spectre of the ultra-right is no small thing, and seen as the main obstacle to the rebirth of the EU, not to mention a perception in Brussels that chronic defiance from hardline leftwingers is pushing the bloc towards some of the more xenophobic positions on the right.

From within the Eurochamber they see these elections as some of the most crucial in history and are well aware that the media build-up is unprecedented. According to parliamentary sources, a more “political” campaign is expected, and a much more fragmented picture. The fall of the traditional forces -socialists and Christian democrats-is widely expected, and the concept of a “great coalition” which incorporates liberals and even ecologists, with strong support from the Nordic countries, is being mooted.

The strategy director of Friends of Europe, Dharmendra Kanani, said the EU’s “power to drive liberal democracies” is at stake, and its “peace project”. He believes European leaders must “reconnect” with the concerns of citizens and convey “the value of the EU” to them. It is problematic that, in recent years, nationalist and populist movements have “manipulated” citizen concerns to turn them against Brussels.