Next Generation Europe
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FABIAN POLICY REPORT NEXT GENERATION EUROPE How the case for the EU can be re-made and re-energised. New YouGov polling showing a pro-European majority among Britain’s young people, with responses and analysis from Kira Huju, Peter Kellner, Emma Reynolds MP, Ulrich Storck, Ed Wallis and many others About the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung The Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung is a non-profit German political foundation committed to the advancement of public policy issues in the spirit of the basic values of social democracy through education, research, and international cooperation. The foundation, headquartered in Bonn and Berlin, was founded in 1925 and is named after Friedrich Ebert, Germany’s first democratically elected president. Today, the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung has six adult education centres and 13 regional offices throughout Germany, maintains branch offices in over 90 countries and carries out activities in more than 100 countries. Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung 66 Great Russell Street London WC1B 3BN T: +44 (0) 20 7025 0990 [email protected] www.feslondon.org.uk CONTENTS EDITORIAL 2 Generation why? The EU was founded on a ‘never again’ spirit following the second world Ulrich Storck and Ed Wallis war, yet the arguments the first generation of European leaders made 6 It’s my economy, stupid for closer integration resonate less and less as time goes by. A growing Peter Kellner proportion of the electorate are too young to remember the fall of the Berlin Wall, let alone the despair of post-war Europe. For a new genera- 8 The digital age of European politics tion, the EU is a way of life rather than a political project. Emma Reynolds This is a double-edged sword for pro-Europeans. New polling con- 9 The bigger picture ducted by YouGov for the Fabian Society and Friedrich Ebert Stiftung Kira Huju shows that 18-to-34-year-olds are instinctively and culturally more pro-European than other groups having grown up with the benefits of 10 Our Europe? cross-continental co-operation. Yet there is also a fear that this will not Yiannis Baboulias translate politically and the next generation will not take a stand for 11 With arms outstretched the EU in the increasingly anti-EU climate in Britain. The task for EU Pauline Gessant advocates is therefore to involve them and harden their soft support. This policy report investigates how to do this, featuring a range 12 Politicise, personalise, regionalise of young British and non-British authors responding to different Johanna Uekermann, Judith Klose and aspects of the polling. Kira Huju, for example, points to the different Matthias Ecke attitudes of Finnish and British young people towards the EU; Brhmie 14 Unemployment and immigration: Balaram explores the challenges and opportunities of free movement a recipe for Euroscepticism? of labour; and Yiannis Baboulias considers the consequences of the Brhmie Balaram eurozone crisis. Elsewhere, the Labour party’s shadow Europe minister Emma Reynolds MP and Peter Kellner, president of YouGov, analyse 16 CASE STUDY the results of the poll and show how social democrats can make a The Youth Secure Streets Project positive case for Europe during a time of huge economic and social Lydia Finnegan pressures for the young. The report concludes with two case studies 17 CASE STUDY which demonstrate the practical ways cross-continental co-operation The European Youth Parliament can benefit young people’s lives: The Youth Secure Streets Project and Gillian O’Halloran the European Youth Parliament. [email protected] Grateful acknowledgement is www.fabians.org.uk made to the office of the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung in London for the General Secretary, support of this publication Andrew Harrop Deputy General Secretary, Like all publications of the Fabian Marcus Roberts Society, this report represents not the collective views of the Society, Report Editors, Sofie Jenkinson, but only the views of the individual Ed Wallis FABIAN SOCIETY writers. The responsibility of the Printed by DG3, London E14 9TE 11 Dartmouth Street Society is limited to approving Designed by Soapbox, London SW1H 9BN its publications as worthy of www.soapbox.co.uk 020 7227 4900 (main) consideration within the labour 020 7976 7153 (fax) movement. © European Union 2012 – Parliament 1 / Next Generation Europe Generation why? Our new polling shows there is a pro-European majority amongst Britain’s next generation, yet this tends to manifest itself culturally rather than politically. Ulrich Storck and Ed Wallis explore how to turn Europe into a political cause for Britain’s young people Ulrich Storck is Ed Wallis is the Director of Head of FES London Editorial at the Fabian Society HE EU, WE are constantly told, is in crisis: How can the case for Europe be re-made voters aged under 35 said they would vote T economically and politically. This era of and re-energised? Can Britain’s political ‘yes’ to EU membership in a referendum. In crisis has hit the left particularly hard, with relationship with Europe become more contrast, among the over-60s, 66 per cent the economic turmoil – originally heralded constructive? want to leave the EU. as the opportunity for a ‘progressive mo- A new YouGov poll, commissioned by Young people are often written off as ment’ which would tame the ravages of the Fabian Society and Friedrich Ebert apathetic and are rarely a target group for capitalism – morphing into a crisis of debt Stiftung, suggests that one route towards political strategists, due to their higher and fiscal imbalance. Electoral defeats for changing the conversation on Europe is to propensity to sit on their hands rather than centre-left parties across the continent have focus on the fact there is a pro-European actively participate in democratic decision- ensued; even the recent optimism which majority amongst Britain’s next generation. making. A recent Guardian study into the po- greeted the election of Francois Hollande 18–34-year-olds have grown up with the litical attitudes of Britain’s young described in France faded quickly as he struggles with benefits of cross-continental co-operation; “the desolate atomisation of what we might record poll lows, a worsening economy and yet this tends to manifest itself in a cultural dub ‘generation self’”; turnout at the 2010 rising unemployment. cosmopolitanism rather than expressing general election among 18–24-year-olds This presents a profound challenge for itself politically. Our poll offers some clues was 44 per cent, well below the national the pro-European left in the UK, which on how advocates might harden this soft figure of 65 per cent. However, it is clear that David Cameron’s pledge – bold or reckless, support. a strong democratic spirit exists in young depending on where you stand – to hold an There is a stark generational divide on people, often operating outside traditional ‘in-out’ referendum on the EU if he wins the the basic question of whether Britain should party political structures. This has stirred next election has made much more urgent. remain in the EU. Over half (62 per cent) of in opposition to the government’s austerity 2 / Fabian Policy Report If there was a referendum on whether or Below is a list of specific areas. For each one do not Britain should remain a member of the you think co-operating with other countries in the European Union (EU), how would you vote?* European Union has benefited Britain or whether Britain would have been better off acting alone?** Would vote for Britain to remain a member of the European Union Cooperating has benefitted Britain Would vote for Britain to leave the Britain would have been better off working alone European Union Tackling climate change Over- 18–34 60s Over- 18–34 60s 38% 62% 66% 34% 29% 71% 53% 47% * Excludes those who answered ‘don’t know’ and ‘would not vote’ Fighting terrorism and international crime Standards of workers’ rights Over- Over- 18–34 60s 18–34 60s 30% 70% 41% 59% 42% 58% 68% 33% Relations with countries outside International trade and protection the European Union against unfair competition Over- Over- 18–34 60s 18–34 60s 48% 52% 67% 31% 34% 65% 52% 48% ** Excludes those who answered ‘neither’ and ‘don’t know’ 3 / Next Generation Europe Generally speaking, which, if any, of the following do you think MOST benefit you personally from Britain’s membership of the European Union (EU)? Please select up to two. 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 The freedom to Social and employment Making it easier & Being able to Being able to live travel in all 27 EU rights like holiday pay cheaper to do business in work in all 27 EU or study in all 27 countries and limits on working other EU countries countries EU countries hours programme through the likes of UK Uncut, found this convincing, with 26 per cent countries and has made the countries richer been harnessed on specific issues by 38 unconvincing. Here the generations clearly and more prosperous as a consequence’, Degrees, and been mobilised through the diverge, with under-35s in favour by 48 to 15 with 31 per cent unconvinced. But – Occupy movement’s powerful campaign per cent and those over 60 years of age, 38 perhaps surprisingly given the scale of youth against the inequitable and unsustainable to 32 per cent against. The Guardian’s study unemployment and the crisis raising severe nature of global capitalism. of young voters claimed they were shifting questions as to whether the European So if young people are both broadly EU rightwards and that “the left’s defining value economy is capable of delivering long-term sympathetic and capable of being politically of solidarity is in considerably shorter sup- prosperity for young people – under-35s engaged, how can we turn Europe into a ply among the young than the old”.