Analysis of the European elections monopolises the pages of the main international dailies, on the eve of the summit in Brussels, called to resolve the outstanding problems on the future Constitution: the first summit of the European Council to be held after the birth of the 25-member Europe. The “breakdown of democratic Europe” is diagnosed by Le Monde (15/6), which in its front-page story analyses the elections of 13 June by distinguishing between the “global” results, those relating to France and those of the other countries. As regards the first aspect, the French daily points out that these European elections were distinguished by “an unprecedented defeat for most governments in power“. “European electors either abstain or punish their leaders”, says the same paper in its inner pages, where is it also emphasized “the European elections were transformed into a wave of protest in the 25 countries of the Union. Voter participation was historically weak. Above all, most governments were severely punished, while the eurosceptic parties have grown”. “Centre of conciliation at the European Parliament”, is the headline carried by La Croix (15/6), according to which “in the absence of a clear majority in the Parliament of Strasbourg, the liberal and centrist groups hold a key position. The People’s Party remains the main political group, with the Socialists in second place”. “Continue!”, is the exhortation of Bruno Frappat in his editorial, urging that the “disillusion” created by the “desertion of the ballot box” be overcome. The EU, he says, must lose no time in thinking of “reconstruction”, beginning with the commitment to “adopt a Constitution” and embark on a “huge awareness-raising task, for too long ignored”. According to Elio Maraone ( Avvenire, 16/6 ), “taking counter-measures is not easy, after prolonged inertia and lack of men and ideas that has led the Union no longer to constitute (as it did at its origins) the ‘noble’ response to citizens’ needs”. What’s needed, according to Maraone, is “ an attempted recovery, in a perspective of growth (also ideal), that may give reasons for hope and mobilization to the various societies”. “After the European elections, ‘reforms are being forgotten'”, is the headline in the Herald Tribune (16/6), over an article in which Katrin Bennhold points out that “the day before European leaders are due to meet in Brussels in the hope of reaching an agreement on the Constitution of the 25-member European Union, a good deal of attention is being devoted to the political repercussions of Sunday’s European elections, characterised by record abstention, and on the humiliating defeat of the parties in government”. The European elections are also the main focus of comment in the German press in recent days. Writing in Die Welt (15/6), Eckhard Fuhr draws a comparison between the Sunday of D-Day and the Sunday of the elections, characterised by low voter turnout in almost all countries. “Voter participation in the first elections of the enlarged Europe, the first elections in a Europe that is truly united at the political level, has never been so low […] It seems that nothing but disgust and anger prompted citizens to go out to vote, or made them stay at home“. In the view of Günther Nonnenmacher of the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (15/6), “ … most citizens have the impression that with these elections nothing in effect is decided in terms of Europe and this impression is not entirely mistaken, even if it is not wholly correct […] Citizens really would have a choice if they could decide what should become of the Union. But to inspire the citizens of the 25 member states to vote on this will probably remain a utopia“. On the crushing defeat of the SPD, Astrid Hölscher writing in the Frankfurter Rundschau (14/6) comments: “ As is known even by those who went to vote out of duty rather than inclination, the vote is especially a test of the political mood at the national level. Precisely because its “only” a question of Europe, people, clearly underrating their vote, take the liberty to punish the national government in a more severe way” than normal, to “ the joy of the opposition and the smaller parties “. The weekly Der Spiegel (14/6) covers the recent G-8 and comments as follows: “ Diplomacy in a period of electoral campaign: during the G-8 at Sea Island, the US President, in disgrace, makes use of the representatives of the ‘old Europe’, once vituperated, for his own political advancement. But the carefully staged harmony barely conceals the contrasts that still exist“. ———————————————————————————————————– Sir Europa (English) N.ro assoluto : 1306 N.ro relativo : 46 Data pubblicazione : 19/06/04
