The upcoming European elections on May 26, 2019 and the associated future development of the European Union were the focus of the panel discussion "Europe is our chance", which took place on February 7 in the Ludwigsburg district hall. The panel participants, Consul General Catherine Veber, Frédéric Vallier (Secretary General of the European umbrella organization of the Council of European Municipalities and Regions), Evelyne Gebhardt (Vice-President of the European Parliament) and Prof. Dr. Frank Baasner (Director of the Franco-German Institute), agreed that the European Union offers the only chance to help shape the future in a global and increasingly complex world.
Young people were the focus of this panel discussion, as pupils from the district's own schools presented the questions they had previously prepared in four workshops to the plenary at the Citizens' Dialogue. It became clear that young people are very interested in political issues, but that politics is not attractive enough for the younger generation. Consul General Catherine Veber agreed: "Young people expect more concrete results from the EU, the EU must come closer." Evelyne Gebhardt also emphasized that schools as a place of education play an important role in young people's understanding of democracy and must be strengthened in this respect.
No Europe without municipalities!
The role of districts and municipalities was also highlighted as a key topic. Dr. Alexis von Komorowski, Managing Director of the Landkreistag Baden-Württemberg and co-organizer of the Citizens' Dialogue, was able to report on the positive development that the EU is increasingly involving the local level. However, he also criticized the EU's elected representatives, who should engage more with citizens at local level. Prof. Dr. Frank Baasner assessed the principle of subsidiarity enshrined in EU law as an important achievement for the local level, but: "Every citizen must know at which level what is being decided."
On the occasion of the signing of the Treaty of Aachen on 22 January between Germany and France to renew the Élysee Treaty, District Administrator Dr. Rainer Haas spoke out in favour of a "two-speed Europe", in which France and Germany can lead the way as a "peer group" and generate momentum in the EU. According to EU Commissioner Günther Oettinger, this could also be "six, eight or ten member states" that cooperate more closely on different topics.
The Citizens' Dialogue sponsored by the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) and the European Commission's Regional Directorate made it clear that there is great interest among all generations in participating in the development of the European Union and getting involved. It is about a "Europe of people, not a Europe of states", says Frédéric Vallier from CEMR.
