A more vibrant European spring
Victor Angelo
The
next six to eight weeks, including the Easter period, could be a period of
great tension in the European Union (EU). We are entering spring. This is the
time when life sprouts again. People, like plant shoots, want to go outside and
catch the new sun. They become impatient and find it hard to accept that their
movements are controlled by a policeman on every street corner.
European
leaders, including the Commission, continue to project an image of
inconsistency in the face of the calamity we have been facing for a year now.
The disaffection is general, although, as last week's meeting showed, members
of the European Council try to disguise their disappointment and keep the
discussion within the bounds of good manners. There is no direct criticism, but
several national leaders are looking for alternatives, outside the common
framework. Viktor Orbán, as usual, was the first out of the picture. This week
he made himself publicly vaccinated with Chinese Sinopharm and approved the
purchase of Russian Sputnik V. All this in defiance of what was decided in
Brussels. The path he opened is being followed by the Czech Republic, Croatia, Slovakia,
and Poland, which also want the Russian vaccine or those produced in China.
The
conclusion is simple. The lack of speed of the vaccination campaign is
currently the most important political problem in Europe. Without widespread
immunity, the rest – family life, the
economy, culture, sport, travel, social activities – will remain moribund. In
statements she made this week, Von der Leyen seems to have finally understood
the importance of a fast, effective and well-explained campaign. But it is not
enough. Confusion, bureaucracy, shuffling with pharmaceuticals and geopolitical
biases continue to hold everything up. And there is no one to provide the
leadership that is needed. The current Presidency of the European Council has
been distracted by other things, as if we were in normal times and there was no
absolute priority. Portugal needs to correct its shot.
At
Member State level, in addition to the prevailing disorientation, we can see
that the policies adopted are the traditional ones - confining, closing
everything and creating barriers at the borders. And now the fracture is
accentuated by the bilateral pacts that are in the pipeline between Austria and
Denmark with Israel, a country that will try to exploit to the maximum the
political dividends of these agreements.
These
are case-by-case responses that call the joint effort into question.
In
France, Emmanuel Macron no longer has time for European issues. He is caught up
in a complex political situation, made worse by the proximity of the 2022
presidential elections. The polls, with Marine Le Pen on the rise, do not leave
him in peace. Not to mention that Michel Barnier could enter the fray, thus
emerging as a further obstacle to the re-election of the current
president.
In
Germany, where the economy and public opinion are more resilient to the crisis,
there is no great enthusiasm for European affairs. The central issue is the
succession of Angela Merkel in a few months' time. And then there is the
decision to put the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party under police
surveillance.
In
Italy, Mario Draghi's arrival in power is good for Europe. He is a convinced
and courageous European. But he must focus above all on the delicate economic
and social situation his country finds itself in. And on keeping his fragile
coalition together.
The
rest of the EU carries little weight in defining the future line. So, it is
essential to have strong EU leadership in Brussels. That is one of the lessons
to be learned from the present mess - we need solid leaders in the core
countries of the Union and top politicians in the European institutions. The
practice of sending second-rate personalities to Brussels will not do. In the
current crisis and given the scale of the challenges of the coming years, we
need to think about a thorough overhaul of the present Commission and a
strengthening of its powers. Something difficult, but which must be tackled
without delay and with the necessary sensitivity.
(Automatic translation of the opinion piece I published today in the
Diário de Notícias, the old and prestigious Lisbon newspaper)
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