Euroscepticism is gaining strength in most countries not because the underlying concept of the European Union is fundamentally flawed, but because present and past leaders of the union have been unable to deliver the results expected by millions of citizens.

The Dutch referendum on the EU-Ukraine trade deal may only have convinced 32 per cent of voters to even bother to vote, but it sent shivers down the spine of EU leaders.

The European Commission and Council would be wrong to interpret the Dutch referendum vote as having no consequence on their plans to intensify links with the Ukraine because the vote was non-binding. They would also be wrong to argue that the treaty “was simply the first opportunity for a group of eurosceptical journalists at a satirical website called GeenStijly to use a new referendum law that the Netherlands introduced last year”.

What the majority of Dutch people, both those who voted and those who did not, was to send a clear message to their leaders: we want a stronger EU because the present EU is not functioning.

EU citizens are pragmatic enough to know that eurosceptic political parties are unlikely to deliver on their promises of a European Nirvana. But at the moment these non-traditional politicians are the best medium to convey the anger of millions of voters who believe that the traditional political parties do not have a clue how people’s quality of life is deteriorating.

Even in countries with relatively well-performing economies ordinary people just cannot understand what their leaders’ strategy is for dealing with the massive migration influx that is increasingly becoming the EU’s major challenge.

Ordinary people are linking the wave of terrorism that has hit Europe to the inability of the EU to protect its borders. In reality it is more associated with past political strategies that did not focus ell enough on the integration of different minority groups in European society.

There is a big problem for Brussels, for the EU in terms of how we communicate with citizens on European issues

If UK voters vote for Britain to leave the EU in June, the EU will face an existential crisis. While the EU institutions are geared up to further expansion of the union, ordinary citizens in most countries are telling their leaders to change course and first ensure that the problems of sluggish economic growth, choking bureaucracy, high unemployment – especially among youth, and uncontrolled migration are resolved.

British MEP Daniel Hannan, who is supporting Brexit, says: “In every referendum people have voted against Brussels. They have had enough of a remote self-serving bureaucracy. The reality is Europe isn’t working.” Hannan may be a vociferous eurosceptic but there is more than a grain of truth in what he says.

Mario Draghi, the much respected president of the European Central Bank, has once again warned in a much more contained, but very effective, style that Europe is risking a ‘lost generation’ made up mostly of highly educated young people who cannot find suitable work.

He has often remarked that monetary policy on its own, for which he is responsible, would never succeed to reverse this trend if political leaders of the various member states failed to undertake the necessary structural reforms in their economy.

European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker clearly fails to understand the anger and frustration of many Europeans. He believes that the Commission that he leads has a communication problem: “There is a big problem for Brussels, for the EU in terms of how we communicate with citizens on European issues.”

Then he resorts to even more disappointing rhetoric.

On the announcement of the Dutch referendum, Juncker’s spokesperson, Margaritis Schinas, said the president was “sad” and added: “He will continue to do battle for Europe… even if he would be left the only one to do it, he would do so.”

EU leaders need to come up with a bold economic plan that stimulates growth so that people will feel more confident about the future.

In the short term this may mean a reform of labour law to encourage entrepreneurs to hire more people without the risk of being penalised heavily in an economic downturn.

The short-term medicine will not be popular with most workers and with trade unions. But it may be the best medicine to put some life back in most EU economies.

Political leaders must also be more credible. If people do not trust their traditional politicians because they promise good governance and they fail to deliver, then the EU will indeed face an existential crisis.

johncassarwhite@yahoo.com

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