Europe: my pledge to make it matter (and to make it work)

Last week, I attended a discussion on the State of Europe organized by the think tank Friends of Europe with fellow European Young Leaders. The focus of the discussion was how to make Europe matter to its citizens, in the perspective of the upcoming elections in May 2019.

I would like to share a few thoughts that I have processed and the committments I made.

For the past 15 years, I chose to dedicate my work and my societal engagements in not-for-profit organizations to what I believe are 5 major, inter-related topics: 

• Africa and the Mediterranean - as the region where all the challenges of the 21st century intersect and where our common destiny ought to be built;
• Climate change - as the greatest threat humanity as ever faced, and a topic that can actually bring humanity together beyond our differences;
• Migrations - as a pressing reality that, if not tackled with humanity, dignity and pragmatism, will trigger the decline of our western societies and the next wars;
• Women empowerment - because we will succeed where man domination failed;
• Supporting entrepreneurship and people-to-people initiatives - harnessing the power of creative and bold minds is the only way to tackle all the above.

Today, I realize how much all these topics, which gather my most visceral beliefs and are close to my heart actually bring me back to Europe and the challenge of the 2019 election. I chose to voice out my opinions in this perspective.

Tragically enough, the current political debate does not grasp the urgency of the situation, nor the profound fatigue of the people with yet another election where untrusted and out-of-touch political parties keep stigmatizing people with little concern about their (sometimes legitimate) insecurity and a lack of concrete solutions to tackle the major inequalities that tragically characterize the world we live in. This insulation plays the game of extremist and radical ideas - which are not populist, let’s name them for what they are. The way the debate is being framed by many, prompt to oppose populism and nationalism, is likely to backlash. 

Europe is being perceived as irrelevant to its citizens; after all, what brings us together is merely a tenuous sense of common history (the cradle of democracy; Enlightments; building the 20th century long-lasting peace, etc.) and of shared values (humanism, universalism, freedom, equality, justice - but are they really shared?). The lack of vision, of a joint projection, of a participative and inclusive approach to politics, are all detrimental to building a Europe of citizens. What we have built is a Europe of governments and technocrats, prone to be overthrown by its citizens.

Yet, there is no fatality. I am of a generation that has grown up in a post-ideological world. A generation, maybe for that very reason, that aspires to break away from past immobilism and vested interests to find heroism and a rekindled hope - can we really continue messing up as we have for decades now? There is a sense of urgency to contribute shape the world as we want it rather than being threatened by the flow - to go with it or to resist?

Here is the the Europe I aspire to: 

• A Europe of citizens based on people’s needs and aspirations, joint interests, proven successes and common vision;
• A leader and a game changer in taking bold actions against climate change, including by setting the goal of going 100% renewable ;
• A champion of social justice, equal rights and access to opportunities for all, a leader by example in areas such as the transformation of the economy for the benefit of the people and the planet, gender parity, free universal social services, and integration of refugees;
• A trusted world power that recognizes the change in balance of power and can act as an honest broker, a refuge, a true partner and a beacon for humanism. 

As I shared with fellow European Young Leaders, I am committed to walking the talk, starting with the following: 

1. Working in my various capacities on engaging corporate organizations towards common good;
2. Launching a campaign on migrations, refugees and European identity, based on my work in France with Action Emploi Réfugiés;
3. Supporting bottom up approaches that can help reach the hearts and minds of Europeans.
4. Contributing to a new narrative of the relation between France / Europe and Africa, and supporting an indigenous economic and social development of Africa - because if Africa fails, Europe will fail.