The overall average turnout across the EU27 was 43% in last June’s European Parliament elections.

The European Parliament commissioned a post-election survey* and results indicate that the under 40 year old Europeans scored the lowest average participation rates (29% for the 18-24 year old group and 36% for the 25-39 year olds).  The results are just as discouraging in response to the question of how close the respondents feel to any of the political parties: 28% consider they do not feel ‘really close’ to any of the parties and 26% do not feel ‘close at all’ to any of the parties. And, an average of 46% only feels that the European Parliament takes into consideration the concerns of European citizens.

Discouraging numbers expressing disappointed, dissatisfied or disinterested Europeans.

And yet, the EU’s track record is quite spectacular by any standards. In a handful of decades, the wide range of successes in a series of ambitious and unique projects is impressive. To name but a few, this includes:
-    the reunification of most of the Old Continent and the consolidation of a democratic peace and an interdependent security community;
-    the creation of a single market and of a new hard currency, – and a rather unique one as it is a currency without a country;
-    the establishment of impressive consumer and environmental protection standards that have significantly impacted global trade standards and regulation;
-    the intention and aspiration to develop an effective Common Foreign, Security and Defense policy;
-    an agenda of sustainable development and climate change at the global level;
-    an agenda aimed at addressing the root causes of conflicts and crises as well as a wide range of instruments for conflict prevention, post-conflict stabilization; peace-building; grass-root democracy building; equality and non-discrimination.

Regardless, most analyses and perceptions are rather grim in terms of the EU’s ability to process and take on board today’s fast paced changes; rather pessimistic in their projections; and rather critical of its political and foreign policy shortcomings.
The reasons are many but perhaps it is useful to point out five in particular.

First, the disconcerting lack of interest in EU matters by European citizens raises substantial debates on the democratic legitimacy of the EU project thereby further decreasing its attractiveness and impact, and repeatedly putting into question its continued relevance. Second, the protectionist, populist nationalist discourse that is on the rise across Europe appears to feed off the perceived insecurities provoked by globalization, EU integration, illegal migration and the crisis of multiculturalism and through this intensifying a general and widespread but rather intangible and certainly unsubstantiated feeling of malaise. Third, varying degrees of euro-scepticism are framing not only the political extremes at the left and right, but are also permeating mainstream political discourse. This, in addition to a political leadership at both the national and EU levels that leaves little room for inspiration and trust, further feeds into pessimistic perceptions by public opinion and insipid policies and short-sighted politics by most national governments and politicians. Fourth, various forms of ‘fatigue’ are ‘deflating’ the integration process from different directions (reform fatigue within the member states; institutional reform fatigue; enlargement fatigue; treaty reform fatigue; globalization adjustment fatigue, etc). Finally, fifth, an increasing complacency towards arguments that Europe’s political, ideological, economic and military influence and importance in international affairs is gradually waning is settling in.

The new European Parliament will have far greater powers than its previous terms if the Lisbon Treaty is ratified later this year. It can play a significant role in upgrading, improving, relaunching and inspiring the role that the EU can play as a normative power with global impact. For this, it has to be ambitious and creative and it must work to prove to the European citizens and its voters that EU politics are important and the European Parliament is relevant both within the Union and on the global scene.

Why? Because the EU continues to serve as the best means that European countries have at their disposal to deal with the challenges and pressures of an increasingly fast-paced and extensive globalization process. It continues to be the best way through which they can take an active part in reshaping the new international system. It is either that or shrinking back and acquiescing to being on the receiving end of the deep transformations and the substantial redistribution of power that is taking place in today’s global and deeply interconnected world.

This piece draws from a talk on ‘European Politics and Global Ambitions: Challenges in the US-EU Partnership’ given as part of the Southeast Europe Project lecture series at the  Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington DC on July 7, 2009.

* EB 71.3. European Elections 2009. Post electoral survey. First results: European average and major national trends (24/7/2009) http://www.europarl.europa.eu/pdf/eurobarometre/28_07/FR_EN.pdf