Category: News

Europe cannot keep on remaining impassive to the Hungarian behaviour!

On September 21st, the Hungarian parliament adopted a new law regarding asylum seekers: the new law allows the police and the army to open fire on migrants in certain situations as long as the shots do not aim to kill. The legislation is the newest provocation from Orban’s government violating once more every single ideal and value that are the foundation of the European project. The EU, sadly, has been passive to the Orban’s government behaviour. We, as political youth organizations, cannot tolerate the violation of numerous statuses from the Treaties and the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. We turn to European leaders and urge them to take exemplary actions in a short term to not give the impression that they are sitting silent while more policies incompatible with our vision of Europe are passed through.

The EU’s lack of reaction to Orban’s policies sends the signal that different standards apply to Member States. How could we justify that the EU is strong in confronting a country that is not respecting financial obligations as it has been the case for Greece, while it remains silent when a Member State transgresses the fundamental values of our union? No matter what voting power or political affiliation it may have, a Member State that calls into question more than sixty years of European construction cannot act with impunity even by calling upon the principle of subsidiarity.

In this situation we demand/urge:

Mister Jean-Claude JUNCKER, President of the European Commission to state the violation of the Europe’s values by Hungary (art. 2 TEU) and to initiate a sanctioning procedure as stipulated in article 7 of the Treaty of the European Union.

European Heads of State or Government to reaffirm the fundamental values of the EU as written in the Treaties and take exemplary actions against State members that transgress them.

Mister Donald TUSK, President of the European Council to breach this subject during the next Summit. The issue is yet to be discussed and has not been mentioned up until now.

Mister Manfred WEBER, Chairman of the EPP group; Mister Gianni PITTELLA, President of the S&D group; Mister Syed KAMALL, Chairman of the ECR group; Mister Guy VERHOFSTADT, President of the ALDE group; Miss Rebecca HARMS and Mister Philippe LAMBERTS, co-Presidents of the Greens/ALE to tackle the subject in the European Parliament, to take note of the violation of the European values by Hungary (art.2 TEU) and to put pressure on the European Commission so it will react accordingly.

We would like to remind our deep commitment to keep the Hungarian people in the EU. We regret the isolation of the country caused by the Orban’s government policies which have lead to the erection of both political and physical fences such as those built at the Romanian, Serbian and Croatian borders. We also regard the EU as partly responsible for aggravating the situation by not creating a deeper integration and requirements of solidarity amongst the Member States.

Appeal signed by Young Democrats for Europe and two of our organisations : Jeunes Démocrates (France) and Euzko Gaztedi Indarra (Basque Country).

You can find the appeal here

YDE
News Press Release

Zum 25. Jahrestag der Deutschen Einheit

[English version below]

Am 3. Oktober 1990 ist nicht nur Deutschland wiedervereint worden. Ganz Europa ist an diesem Tag zusammengewachsen. Nach dem Fall des Eisernen Vorhangs und der Einigung hat sich die Europäische Union in den Osten ausgeweitet, von zwölf auf heute 28 Mitglieder. Ehemals kommunistisch regierte Staaten wurden in die EU integriert, was für die alten und neuen Staaten eine große Herausforderung, aber auch eine große Chance war. Und Deutschland lag von nun an nicht mehr am Rand, sondern in der Mitte Europas. Die Bundesrepublik ist seiner Verantwortung und seiner Möglichkeiten in Europa bewusst. Der damalige Bundeskanzler Helmut Kohl sagte am 3. Oktober 1990: „Die Einigung Deutschlands ist untrennbar verbunden mit der Europas. Mit der gleichen Beharrlichkeit, mit der wir unsere Einheit angestrebt haben, werden wir uns weiterhin entschlossen für die europäische Einigung einsetzen.“

Seit der Gründung der DDR am 7. Oktober 1949 versuchten etwa drei Millionen Menschen aus dem Land zu fliehen und in die Bundesrepublik einzureisen. Heute ist das vereinte Deutschland Ziel vieler Flüchtlinge. In Erinnerung an die Flüchtlingsbewegungen von 1949 bis 1989 ist Europa, eine Gemeinschaft für Frieden und Freiheit, heute in der Verantwortung, Menschen aufzunehmen, für die ihre Heimat kein sicherer Ort mehr ist.

Für Deutschland ist die Wiedervereinigung ein Meilenstein. Zu verdanken ist er vor allem den Menschen, die der staatlichen Unterdrückung trotzten und ihre Freiheit forderten. Von nun an haben wir eine Flagge, eine Nationalhymne, ein Parlament, eine Hauptstadt, eine Fußballmannschaft und vor allem – ein gemeinsames Volk. Daher feiern die Menschen jedes Jahr den 3. Oktober und erinnern an die Nacht im Jahr 1990, die zwei Länder vereinte.

YDE-Cover-Germany2

On the 25th anniversary of German Reunification

On 3 October 1990 not only Germany was reunited. Europe as a whole reached together a new step. After the fall of the Iron Curtain and the reunification, the European Union has expanded eastwards, from twelve to 28 members. Former communist ruled countries got integrated in the European Union. This was a major challenge but also a great opportunity for the old and the new countries. And Germany was no longer on the edge but in the middle of Europe. The Federal Republic is aware of its responsibilities and its possibilities. The former German Chancellor Helmut Kohl said on 3 October 1990: “The unification of Germany is inextricably linked with that of Europe. With the same tenacity with which we pursued our unity, we will continue to work resolutely for European unification.”

Since the founding of the GDR on 7 October 1949, about three million people tried to flee out of the country and to enter the Federal Republic. Today the united Germany is the destination to many refugees. In memory of the refugee movements 1949-1989, Europe, a community for peace and freedom, is today a responsibility to take people for whom their home is no longer safe.

For Germany, the reunification is a milestone. It is mainly due to the people who braved the state repression and demanded their freedom. From now on we have a flag, a national anthem, a parliament, a capital, a football team and most importantly – a common people. Therefore, people celebrate every year October 3 and remember the night in 1990 that united two countries.

YDE
News

Stop the European Refugee Crisis!

Over the past weeks and months the ongoing migrant crisis has considerably worsened: families jeopardizing their lives in order to escape persecution and war, bloody riots in Macedonia, overcrowded refugee camps in Greece, arson attacks in Germany, people suffocated to death in trucks on European motorways – to name just a few – have shocked public opinion. Political youth organisations in Europe are closely monitoring the latest developments expressing their deep concern. We want to take a stance against these deteriorating humanitarian conditions: the EU must act and needs to assume its historic responsibility in this process.

On September 1, the most intense phase of the Luxembourg Presidency of the Council of the EU is going to begin and we expect concrete results regarding refugee and asylum policies from the Council of Ministers in charge of Justice and Home Affairs as well as from the European Council. Europe’s decision-makers must negotiate a coherent and lasting strategy and find sustainable answers to this humanitarian crisis.

Political youth organisations are making a plea for solidarity and appeal to Europe’s policy-makers to point the way: progressive values in Europe cannot cede to worldviews nurtured by intolerance, racism, fundamentalism and misogyny. Europe should shine as a beacon of hope for humane and progressive values. Refugees, faced with despair and peril, require all our support. We, the youth of Europe, do not intend to silently accept the suffering of people drowning, dying of thirst, suffocating or being killed in their struggle for a better life. We request sustainable solutions to solve the refugee crisis and we will monitor and hold the European leaders accountable for any further tragedies within or at the European borders.

Appeal co-signed by some Pan-European youth organisations : FYEG (Federation of Young European Greens), Jeunes Démocrates Européens, IUSY (International Union of Socialist Youth), LYMEC (European Liberal Youth), YES (Young European Socialists), YFJ (European Youth Forum), JEF (Young European Federalists); and more than 60 national youth organisations, amongst them some of our members: Jeunes Démocrates and UDI Jeunes (France), Alternativa Giovanile (San Marino), Mladi Europania/Young Europeans (Slovakia)

YDE
News Press Release

Back to our June’s event on European Borders in Paris

The Young Democrats for Europe organised a seminar in Paris on “European borders” on the 12th, 13th and 14th of June. This event mobilised members of the UDI Jeunes and Jeunes Démocrates to work on three different issues: European and international cooperation, cultural identity and education, as well as defence and security.

Young Democrats for Europe Board members welcomed the participants Friday evening at the UDI office. Antoine Carette, President of Jeunes Démocrates, in his remarks explained the importance of Europe for our future, the necessity of joint work between the MoDem and the UDI, and the Alliance of Democrats and the Liberals in the European Parliament where our MEPs sit. He described the debate that occurred at the EDP Council early June on migration.

Pierre Bornand, Vice-President of the YDE presented the organisation, explaining the structure and the different events, and recalled that the YDE welcome new motivated members to work on communication and other projects. . Sarah Robin, Deputy Secretary General of YDE, described the program of the seminar and how the participants should proceed to share their ideas and end up with contributions for each of the three commissions.

Saturday morning, all participants gathered in EstEnsemble agglomeration (local administration in charge of some public services) offices. The Mayor of Bobigny, Stéphane de Paoli, welcomed the audience in the room of the community council. After explaining that the European multiculturalism was in our veins, he reminded us that himself, born in a family of Italian immigrants, was a child of Europe. Then, participants split into three groups and join their respective committees to begin their work.

Olivier Cadic, French Senator representing French citizens living abroad, started with the first hearing. For him, there is a considerable lack of Europe in the development of companies & SMEs. Despite the existence of a European business model, it is not enough put forward by the Member States. He also addressed the question of the job of the future: the slogan should be “No people, no paper”. He already practiced this method in his company already, allowing it to benefit from flexible hours and make calls for specific skills at the right time.

Audition d’Olivier Cadic lors du séminaire… par JDE-YDE

The second person to be heard was Sophie Auconie, Governor at the World Water Council and French MEP from 2009 to 2014. For her, the existence of a European sense of belonging and a European culture depends mainly on the teaching of history and knowledge of European countries. She suggested that the history of the 28 EU countries should be reinforced at school. Moreover, she noted that the EU does not send the right signals to the youth by naming a Hungarian commissioner for education and citizenship, country where we can see an authoritarian drift during the past months.

Audition de Sophie Auconie lors du séminaire… par JDE-YDE

After a convivial lunch with Sophie Auconie, it was the turn to our last guest, General Perruche, to speak.

General Perruche was the Director-General European Union Military Staff from 2004 to 2007. Since 2012, he is the President of Eurodident -France, an association gathering 14 countries and specialised on European defence issues.

According to General Perruche, Europe’s fundamental problem is that the European nations transfer the skills they lose or have already lost. It should also be remembered that the last French White Book on defence was issued in 2013. It has a chapter on what Europe can do for France, but not on what France can do for Europe. This represents well the current situation of European cooperation and problems of national selfishness.

Audition du Général Jean-Paul Perruche lors du… par JDE-YDE

The three committees continued their work during the late afternoon. In the evening, participants gathered around a dinner offered by the EDP.

On Sunday morning, at the MoDem offices, the rapporteurs of the three committees presented the first written proposals of their commission. They also answered many questions from members of other committees.

The weekend ended with a brunch offered by the PDE. Participants were able to complete their exchanges in a friendly atmosphere and share their contacts in order to finalize the work of the commissions, which will be sent to MEPs during fall to contribute to the current debate within the EDP and ALDE group.

YDE
News

Put Greece back on track for current and future generations

The Council of the Young Democrats for Europe states that it is the responsibility of the Greek government to do the necessary reforms to fulfil the previously agreed obligations with the EU. Furthermore, with this referendum, the Greek Government has taken its citizens hostage. This deadlock is already a disaster by proving that leading actors are unable to find a political settlement when difficulties come up. YDE therefore calls to work out a sincere solution that will put Greece back on track for current and future generations.

#FutureTogether

YDE
News Press Release

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