From Thatcher to Meloni, the Europe of the future has only one form
Many here in Italy complain that in the electoral campaign for the next European elections we talk little about European issues and too much about domestic matters. It’s nothing new, For decades, European elections in Italy have been used above all to regulate internal coalitions or as a substitute for national elections. But in this case, given the importance of what is at stake, everyone now agrees that It is precisely in Europe where the destinies of individual countries are increasingly being decided. The European Union, despite all its great defects, now necessarily has to create a role that he had never had before. And the issues can no longer focus on the size of courgettes or milk quotas or other such amenities. Now by force of circumstances the themes are those that must concern common defense, foreign policy, the defense of the borders from the invasion of irregular immigration, industrial policy. The fact is that confusion reigns supreme on these crucial issues and how they should be addressed.
There are those who would even like to see one created sort of super state capable of erasing centuries of traditions, identities and national sovereignty in the name of one federation of states such as the United States or the Swiss Confederation. There is even a party, that of Matteo Renzi and Emma Bonino, which bears in its very symbol the definition of the United States of Europe. An issue that Prime Minister Meloni’s ECR, and others, has always considered as a real one aberration. As Nicola explains very well Procaccinico-president of the Ecr group, and an iron melon “in our opinion the European Union should do less, but do better. He should go back to his original idea: an alliance of nations that deals with few but important things. Exactly the opposite of what happened. It took care of everything except, for example, protecting the European borders from illegal immigration, protecting the internal market from unfair Chinese competition, etc….” De Gaulle, in a press conference on 15 May 1962, said: “There can be no other Europe than that of states; everything else is myth, speeches, superstructures. “States are the only entities that have the right to command and the power to be obeyed.” However, over the years, the subsequent steps towards greater integration (the strengthening of the powers of the parliament, the creation of a European electorate, the ratification of the Treaty of Lisbon on the reform) have meant that the concept of Europe was increasingly shifting towards the option of the federal state. Another basic orientation of his policy was to make Europe a “third force”, between the United States and the Soviet Union. Europe, alone, had to be able to manage international relations, helping to guarantee international stability.
But the discussion on that must be the best form for the European Unionhas always been highly debated, divided equally between those who ask for greater integration to the detriment of national sovereignty and those who instead propose a form of confederation of states, which delegate a few major issues to a supranational entity such as the EU. In this regard, a speech held way back in 1988 by the then Iron Prime Minister of Great Britain, Margaret Thatcher, could be very enlightening., now unanimously considered (with the exception of some usual left-wing naysayers perhaps) as one of the greatest European statesmen of the last fifty years. A very lucid speech which contained three main concepts, which are still very relevant after almost forty years. “There active and voluntary cooperation between independent sovereign states – Thatcher said – it is the best way to build a successful European Community. Trying to suppress nationalities and concentrate power at the center of a European conglomerate would be highly damaging and would undermine the goals we seek to achieve. Europe will be stronger precisely because it has France as France, Spain as Spain, Great Britain as Great Britain, each with its own customs, traditions and identity. It would be madness to try to force them into some sort of typical European personality.” In short in short, the same thesis, vigorously pursued by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and her people with strength and conviction. But it is later that Thatcher’s speech takes on the value of a sort of muse for the prime minister and her followers: “I am the first to say that on many major issues, European countries should try to speak with one voice. I want to see us work more closely on the things we can do better together than alone. Europe is stronger when we do this, whether it is about trade, defense or our relations with the rest of the world. But work more closely together it does not require power to be centralized in Brussels or decisions to be made by a designated bureaucracy.
Indeed, it is ironic that, just when countries, like the Soviet Union, that tried to do everything centrally, are learning that success depends on dispersed power and decisions made far from the center.” The second principle of the former English leader focused on the market as a lodestar, advocating the thesis that community policies must address present problems in a practical way, however difficult that may be. “If we are unable to reform Community policies which are clearly wrong or ineffective and which rightly cause public concern, then we will not be able to gain public support for the future development of the Community.” Finally, the Bruges speech focuses on the importance of defending borders, but without having to abolish borders.
“Of course, we want to make it easier for goods to cross borders. Of course, we need to make it easier for people to travel throughout the Community. But it is a matter of simple common sense that we absolutely cannot abolish border controls if we also want to protect our citizens from crime and stop the movement of drugs, terrorists and illegal immigrants.” In short, this historic speech also demonstrates the truthfulness of what Alcide De Gasperi stated, when he commented that “politicians think about the next elections, statesmen about the next generations”.
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