Emotions, protests, scarce ideology

They call it the “Erasmus generation”. It’s the young Europe, that of extended borders, of the single currency, of low-cost flights and studies abroad. However, this same generation is willing to say “no” to Europe. From May 22 to 25 elections will be held for the renewal of the European Parliament, with over 400 million voters, 40 million of whom will cast their vote for Europe for the first time. It’s the eighth European election since 1979, and the first in which takes part also Croatia, the second Country in ex-Yugoslavia that will enter the EU family. But it’s a family in which ill-feelings and divorce petitions are being filed from various fronts: the National Front of Marine Le Pen in France; the UKIP of Nigel Farage, leader in the United Kingdom of an anti-immigrant election campaign; as well as the Netherlands, Finland, Lithuania, Czech Republic, Italy, Sweden, Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Greece … Countries that differ in terms of history, language, politics and challenges share rampant anti-Europeanism, a sentiment that has broad support among the youngest segment of the population, which is expected to have a more “continental” soul but which is also the one on which the economic crisis has hit the hardest. Alessio Facciolo interviewed Piergiorgio Corbetta, Sociologist, ex director of the Cattaneo Institute (a foundation on research for the promotion of contemporary Italy), professor at Bologna University, on the young generations’ turnout at the polls. According to analysts, in the upcomong election young people may give their preference to Eurosceptic parties. Recent opinion polls by Ipsos show that in Italy 32.9% of young people between 18 and 24 years, and 33.9% of those aged 25 to 34, will vote for the 5 Star Movement; similar percentages were registered in France by the Front National of Marine Le Pen. How do you explain such a success? “Throughout Europe there is a state of crisis and the need to find a scapegoat. This is what can be called a ‘political use of emotions’: the less a political party identifies with a certain kind of story, ideology or political current, the more it appeals to emotions, identifying or sometimes even inventing a culprit. Take the euro: the single currency was recognized by many as the cause of the crisis without facing the problem of the economic collapse that would result in an exit from the euro, nor to they suggest alternative solution. A proposal of this kind, without being structured, remains just a joke”. Why does this “political use of emotions” have greater grip on the young? “For various, overlapping situations. Primarily for financial hardships: many young people are out of work or are in uncertain economic conditions. Secondly, young people have less allegiance to a party, and are more likely to embrace new ideas. For example, a seventy-year-old voter is unlikely to change his political views. The youth of today are also de-ideological. They have a greater ‘political detachment’. Finally, there is also what is commonly called a ‘protest vote’, which traditionally attracts youth cohorts”. To what extent do national issues influence European votes? “Often European elections are viewed as a test for national parties. However, for the first time topics with a continental scope have entered the political debate, namely, ‘no’ to the euro, Europe seen as a ‘stepmother’, an aversion to Angela Merkel’s Germany and its ‘rigorous’ policies. The European problem has entered the election campaign”. Italy is the Country where the majority of the under-35 population (88%, according to Eurobarometer) considers going to the polls as “a moral obligation”. Can it be considered a sign of the fact that the youth are not fully knowledgeable when casting their vote? “I don’t share this interpretation. ‘Moral obligation’ does not mean passivity, or unaware vote. It means to have the knowledge that civic values are important: if I perceive it as such it means that I can take an informed decision. In Italy there have always been high turnouts at the polls because the previous two political traditions, the Communist and Catholic ones, were engaged at civil level, were demanding in terms of social commitment, and the vote was considered a duty for society. It is a feature of our political culture that has partly remained even today”.