The third part of the story is cultural and societal.
Europe has been a leader on many social issues such as divorce, abortion, gender issues, freedom of expression, and intergenerational solidarity. This common foundation appears to be being called into question by elections in some countries. Europe was built on an open society and a desire for gender equality.
The story must provide desirable directions in order to have a form of coherence.
The demographic issue is also at the heart of the cultural dimension before being an economic one. The place of each person within European society is not the same depending on whether the population is young or aging. This question is not unique to Europe. However, fertility rates are too low to maintain the size of the countries’ populations in the long term without external contributions.
This question becomes economic when we consider the ability to maintain income levels and finance retirement. But it’s also a cultural issue. An aging population is more conservative, less innovative, and not just on technical issues. However, the European economy needs renewal. This is the message we find, in particular, in Mario Draghi’s remarks.
The European narrative cannot escape this questioning.
A new dimension must also be included in this cultural aspect: immigration and religious issues. This question is important because the issue is at the heart of electoral issues in many countries. We remember Brexit.
Can Europe find a common vision on these dimensions? On the economy, the role of foreign employment in growth has recently been essential. But we cannot link the migration issue solely to economic issues, even if it is part of the solution to boosting global income.
The European narrative must find a coherent position that is sustainable over time.
A second new dimension, simultaneously cultural and political, is that of defense. Since the Second World War, European defense has been led by NATO, and therefore largely by the United States.
The new challenge is the investments needed to compensate for reduced American involvement and equip the armed forces. It also involves defining a capacity to mobilize in the event of conflict. What would be the degree of acceptance among citizens of a European army and the necessary military training?
The time is ripe for conflict. Northern Europe is better prepared.
The cultural dimension is that of defining the capacity to mobilize, to live in a different approach from the “military”.
The narrative must integrate this cultural upheaval associated with the possibility of conflict.
To be continued