Building the Progressive Future Together

Moving from election to election and handing over more self-regulating powers to ‘the market’ our world has become very short term orientated. An activist kind of approach, with specific themes we want to tackle as major issues, that simply wont work. If we want a progressive future we need to come up with a 2050 mission. An envisionment of how we see Europe in ~30 years. With such a vision we have freedom to come up with longterm strategies to realize a fair socialeconomic environment in a wealthy Europe. Central within that vision must be that we take back some self-regulating powers from the market. Our message is not a centrist economy but we should have more to say in what direction our markets move forward. Giving guideance to the private sector will be the only way to form a coherent identity, a single interest among market players, the fact they operate in a single market is not enough, no, the next step is that they bring our single market to the next level. That our markets become integrated and our markets, and its companies, will become the messengers of the European identity we want to establish.

I am writing to express my deep interest and enthusiasm in becoming one of Europe’s Together Ambassadors. I’m a committed, energetic, creative and dedicated young who aspires to help creating a free, equal and fratern global society based on the values of tolerance, freedom, justice and love. Devoted to democracy and to human rights activism. Together, we are stronger! Ready and willing to join you! Best regards.

On the occasion of the day June 1, I wish all children in the world, health, joy, fulfilment and a brighter future! All children deserve to live a happy childhood, free from wars, famine, poverty and other shortcomings! Unfortunately, for the world in which we live, these precept are cancelled in many places, that is why we must watch over the future and education of our children. They represent and carry on our customs, our desires, what we have accomplished, as humans, as a society. They are the mirror of the present we create for them, in order to build the future…

Peace is one of the desires to be considered by the European Community and the world. Where there is no peace, there is no order, stability and security. I think that at present, more than in recent years, the “talks” that take place politically throughout the world lend to threaten peace and security even in Europe. We must take this into account and be prepared to “respond” to challenges of any kind in such a way that we do not harm the order and security that should guide the whole world. We are helpless in all short of conflicts that destabilize the normal courses of the present world. Conflicts that could be solved otherwise than by resorting to ” unleashing” the fire, or worse… All these degringdas tend to bring about poverty (poverty with all that this sinister phenomenon implies), shortcomings, instability, and last but not least, hatred. these should be past, while they are still “haunting” us. There is nothing perfect in the world, but we can achieve perfection by resorting to cooperation and good invoicing. the European Union must encourage such steps, precisely in order not to threaten the peace and security of the territory and its citizens. Be peace in the world!

We are delighted to welcome Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa in the European Parliament in Strasbourg to speak about the future of Europe. Portugal’s socialist-led government has proved that there is an alternative to blind austerity. Portuguese government is relaunching the economy while fighting inequalities. We should use the Portuguese experience to reshape the EU and put an end austerity. Another Europe is possible!

It is very important for us, as citizens of European Union to move our attention over social areas. More than that, its obviously what happen at a economic, social, work level in our country from all over U.E. land: – social conflict, social violence; – missing education at a poor environments; – missing place works; – increase level of taxes and value in rapport with decrease level of life in many country; – and so on… Many European politics have as a object of interest problems regarding military conflict, politics to refer at environment, accelerate of infrastructure, European fundraising, etc. All of these are very important, but, at the same time it’s more important to do something in this direction which has as a object the decrease of the level of poverty in many places, improvement of the quality of life, higher level of education, health, economy, and more. I think that this aspects will improve our future in the European Union, little by little.

Equality is the key that leads future!

I would like to see the Progressives take on a campaign for a new and appropriate indicator to measure our economic, social and ecological wealth and progress, and to replace the outdated, neoliberalist tool that we used for too long to measure growth, namely the Gross Domestic Product, or GDP. Why: 1) The GDP is not an appropriate measure for growth, as it measures social and ecological destruction in positive terms and does neither consider the depletion of natural resources, nor negative impacts on people, both of which leading to erosion of the basis for wealthy and healthy societies. 2) The 2030 agenda for sustainable development requires indicators and measures for sustainability. 3) We have enough data and enough knowledge to develop an appropriate, composed indicator that measures “sustainable development” and not “unsustainable economic development”. 4) In Italy, a sustainability indicator has been developed and implemented and this shows that we can do it. The EU Statistical departments have enough data available. 5) To build a progressive future and to regain previous socialist and democrate voters across Europe, people are waiting to see concrete and radical realistic solutions – this would be one of them, addressing several factors in one campaign that can be communicated in a straightforward manner.

The potential for cooperation between the European Union and India remains absolutely massive. Though, co-operation with India comes as a part of the Common Security and Foreign Policy and is not an area of great debate or for that matter an issue in which elections are fought. A progressive future for Europe is in many ways tied with its partnership for India. The Erasmus+ Program and continued people to people engagement form the bedrock of this relationship. Increased trade and improved market access are important deliverables.

The European Union and Africa have an important and unique partnership, which is at a crossroads. The EU remains the main partner of Africa, but it is no longer the only one. So does Africa still need Europe? We continue to believe the deep, comprehensive and holistic relationship is a vital long-term foundation for political dialogue and progress in both continents.

Investing in young people. The demographic boom in Africa will be an opportunity for the continent rather than a challenge, if we support investment in education. The challenges of the future will only be met if we equip the next generations with the necessary tools, on which an “EU-Africa Erasmus program” can be of great impact, encouraging exchanges between European and African young students, researchers, teachers and entrepreneurs.

Sustainable investments. The S&D Group strongly supports the EU External Investment Plan for Africa (and European neighbourhood) with the aim of improving economic and social development and achieving the SDGs on the African continent. But rather than underpin multinationals which are already champions of tax evasion, or the ones which prey on mineral and natural resources, the EIP must provide support to SMEs, microfinance and job creation programs, especially for young people and women.

Coherent Partnerships for development to address the root causes of irregular migration. Irregular migration is a global phenomenon requiring a coordinated international response and the EU must take a human-rights-based lead in shaping it. We support a strong partnership between Europe and Africa and the efforts in the United Nations to tackle the root causes of migration in terms of improving the economic and social situation, strengthening democracy and the rule of law, and providing education and employment opportunities in countries of transit and origin. We remain strongly committed to the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs, also by improving development cooperation, conflict resolution, and stimulate inclusive and sustainable economic growth to ensure that people have a real chance of a better life in their homeland. But we also need to ensure we implement Policy Coherence for Development across our agricultural, trade and investment policies, from the Common Agricultural Policy to binding due diligence requirements for EU companies. The security-development nexus remains important for addressing conflict, but poverty-alleviation must remain the primary goal of development assistance. We will never accept aid conditionality linked to migration policy.

Strengthen democracy and human rights. Human rights remain central to our partnership with Africa. We urge the EEAS and Commission to use all available tools to maintain serious human rights dialogues. We will seek innovative mechanisms to give support and visibility to those risking their lives in Africa for the defence of human rights, democracy, social justice, equality and non-discrimination. We reiterate our belief that independent NGOs, media and cultural space are a pre-requisite of a functioning democracy and rule of law.

Gender equality. Without the emancipation of women there is no viability for sustainable development, nor full democracy, nor good governance. Gender equality must be mainstreamed in all EU policies, initiatives and investments towards Africa.

Today, our economic system disregards the planet and human health, and creates social inequalities. Therefore, our economy must radically change. Socialists and Democrats place this radical change of our economic system at the heart of their political engagement.

A cleaner environment, healthier food or quality jobs cannot become a privilege for those who can afford it. There can be no sustainable economy if it benefits some, while excluding others. Sustainability must become a central driver of new equality and cohesion across our societies and within them.

The future of the European Union itself will depend on its ability to embrace this radical change. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals for 2030 (UNSDG) and the commitments made under the United Nations’ Paris Agreement on climate change provide a policy framework to engage in this process. This is why we call for a thorough and visionary European sustainable development strategy for the years to come, based on innovation, transformative investments, strong social rights and convergence and the eradication of social and ecological dumping.

Therefore we will notably:

Promote and defend policies which enable the European Union to successfully decouple economic development from greenhouse gas emissions and to undergo a profound transition towards a more sustainable, zero-carbon economy based on renewable sources of energy and energy efficiency. For the EU to remain within its carbon budget[1], plans for any additional coal-fired generating capacity must be shelved. All currently operating coal plants as well as nuclear power plants must go off grid by a fixed end date.

Plead for doubling the total available financial resources for investment in economic change over the coming years. Investment in human capital in particular should find more space in the EU investment strategy. A modern Cohesion Policy investment financed by the European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF) has to aim at attainment of objectives of a ‘smart, sustainable and inclusive’ growth and have a key role in boosting the economy through investment at a local, regional and national level. A fully fledged European sustainable investment strategy building on the European Fund for Strategic Investment (EFSI), a strong European budget and stronger national public investments via a more flexible “investment clause” for sustainable investments in the Growth and Stability Pact, must collectively achieve this objective.

Continue our fight to protect our citizens from pollution and harmful chemicals while protecting the rich biodiversity of our countries. When dealing with our citizens’ health we will work hard to ensure that stricter rules are enforced to reduce exposure to air pollutants, especially for the most vulnerable groups of our society.

Stimulate the move towards a circular economy which re-uses materials and has positive effects on the path to a zero-carbon economy, both lowering the energy consumption of industry and creating new sustainable, qualified jobs in the industries reusing, recycling or up-valuing discarded products and resources.

Introduce  clean urban transport toward sustainable mobility for all: reducing transport needs by the promotion of proximity and mixed-uses schemes, prioritising non-motorised ‘walkable’, ‘cyclable’ cities, supporting affordable and efficient public transport accessible for all-notably for deprived neighborhood., We need Zero-Emission Vehicle (ZEV) quotas for car manufacturers with the aim of phasing out new CO2-emitting cars by 2035.

Support a stronger protection of labor and social rights in The European Pillar for Social Rights. Concrete measures to eradicate social dumping must be taken before the end of this term. Social security must be guaranteed for all Europeans, where ever they choose to work. The European Treaties should be upgraded with a Social Protocol to ensure that fundamental rights take precedence over economic freedoms.

Resist rising income and wealth inequalities which have no place in a sustainable Europe. A European sustainable development strategy must therefore encompass broad-ranging strategy to reduce inequalities in income and wealth within and among countries, and develop a European-wide initiative for the eradication of poverty by 2030.

Ensure the European Union invests in vocational training to organise a just transition offering new opportunities for workers in high carbon, resource-intensive jobs in the decarbonized, circular economy of the future.

Make all European citizens profit from the energy transition by eradicate energy poverty in Europe. Energy efficiency measures need to be targeted to energy poor and vulnerable households and citizens need to be able to better take control of their energy bills through improved energy consumers’ rights and information.”

Work towards an effective alignment of European Union development co-operation with the fight against climate change in order to build resilience and reduce the vulnerability of local populations, and improve their capacity to prevent and reduce the risks from disasters.

Call for a full and effective implementation of the European anti-discrimination directives in the workplace, including in public sector.

The time has come for higher expectations and ambitions, for common goals pursued together, for stronger political actions to address our common sustainable future. We, European Socialists and Democrats, are ready to take this challenge.

As European citizen I worry about the long-term implications of globalisation and automation on the job market and the wider society. I believe public resources must be invested in the social safety net to smooth the transition and curb the most negative effects for the most vulnerable groups, while at the same time providing for retraining opportunities. How to find these additional resources without increasing the (already high) level of public debt? Tax policy should be updated to the new digital business landscape and reconfigured at the EU-level, specifically to address tax elusion and fiscal optimisation by digital multinationals.

We ask from the European Union in collaboration with EU universities to undertake gender balanced mobility programs for young refugees or/and citizens coming from countries with high possibility of their citizens to be granted asylum and to offer them scholarships in order to be able to come safely and legally to study in our Union. It could be done also through the expansion of Erasmus Program. An Erasmus that will also include refugees ! Scholarships should cover tuition fees, travel expenses and the cost of decent living in the reception countries. One position in each one of the higher education Institutions of the EU means 3300 young refugees per year should be offered a chance for a new life but also the educational background to rebuild their home countries the day after the conflicts. But it means also something more. It means that they will also become our culture ambassadors that they will play a key role in the near future for the establishment of core values of the Union, like peace and democracy, in their home countries and they will be a permanent link of the Union and third countries.

We must expand the program and budget of the Erasmus + program, an Erasmus for workers of all types and for students under the age of 18, to anticipate and overcome cultural, social and linguistic difficulties.

THE EUROPEAN UNION BECOMES A DRIVER FOR SUSTAINABILITY IN EUROPE AND BEYOND Why and how? In a scenario where sustainability sits firmly at the heart of the European project,the EU27 will prioritise the interests of citizens, in the EU and beyond. Europe will have a strong focus on Europe’s core social values – democracy and participation, social justice, solidarity and sustainability, respect for the rule of law and human rights, both within Europe and around the globe. Citizens seek economic, social and environmental wellbeing. Economic wellbeing in the form of prosperity for all, starting with redistribution of wealth. Social wellbeing in the provision of quality, inclusive and affordable public services, the promotion of cultural diversity and a caring society. Environmental wellbeing residing in a healthy natural environment that sustains all life on Earth and protects our soils, waters and air, provides nutritious, healthy food and where climate change is minimized. As a result of this focus, the EU27 will ensure a better health and quality of life for its citizens. This will increase public trust in European institutions. It will move away from the current focus where commercial and corporate interests are all too often prioritized over the public interest. Decisions are made in the public interest and transparent, accountable and inclusive institutions will be the norm. The EU27 will ensure that policies agreed by the Member States are fully implemented and enforced. Scandals like Dieselgate, which caused tens of thousands of premature deaths, will not be repeated. By 2025, this means: Delivering the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, including the principles and Sustainable Development Goals: leaving no one behind, living within Europe’s fair share of our planetary boundaries, and putting respect for human rights at the core of EU and national policy-making. The full implementation of the Paris Agreement by decarbonising our economy, enhancing energy efficiency and accelerating the just and sustainable transition to clean and affordable renewable energy, based on the principles of climate justice, in order to limit global warming to 1.5°C. The notion of ‘Better Regulation’ implies that all EU policies, laws and regulations are focused on ensuring policy coherence for sustainable development and on enforcement of high standards for jobs, health, safety and the environment, delivering tangible benefits to all citizens and the regeneration of environmental capital. Policy coherence as a key objective will result in an end to negative externalities of domestic policies for the Global South and the phasing out of perverse public subsidies, especially for unsustainable food production and fossil fuels. Companies and their subsidiaries outside the EU and throughout their supply chains are under a legal obligation to assess, mitigate and prevent negative environmental and human rights impacts of their business activities globally. International trade is recognised as a means to achieve social, environmental and economic objectives, not an end in itself. A positive agenda for trade and investment agreements will be designed primarily to advance wellbeing and the public interest instead of cost reduction for companies. Europe will raise the bar for all other regions and actively discourage a race to the bottom. Through strengthening representative and participatory democracy and ensuring civic space for people’s participation beyond elections, citizens can better engage with the European project and shape a positive European vision for the future. The EU27 and the Member States will consider education as a public responsibility that offers lifelong learning for all in order to develop active citizenship, critical thinking, social inclusion, cultural diversity and an understanding of sustainable development and human rights. Gender equality and women’s and girls’ rights will be priority in all EU policies and practices, both domestically and externally A just transition to a green and socially fair economy, in which our human and natural resources are cherished, within the planetary boundaries. A European Social Model provides full protection to all workers, all consumers and all generations of people living in the EU. Effective and coordinated taxation measures ensure that all companies pay appropriate taxes and contribute to national public budgets for socio-economic wellbeing. The EU27 will effectively fight tax evasion and close down European tax havens. Pros and cons: Europe reinvents itself and better communicates the benefits, rights and protections it delivers to citizens. Acceptance of and trust in European institutions will increase as citizens experience the benefits of European cooperation. Policy silos are dismantled, incoherencies and contradictions are resolved. All policies and programmes are contributing to the sustainable development agenda. IMPACT ON POLICIES Capacity to address citizens’ concerns and democratisation The EU27 will introduce new methods to increase the influence of citizens and civil society on key European policy issues and give them a bigger role in EU decision making, to strengthen transparency, participation and accountability. Climate and a healthy environment Common standards are set that bring citizens clean air and water, renewable and community based energy, safe and healthy food. Ambitious measures to phase out fossil fuels and the unsustainable exploitation of natural resources, including from the Global South, are implemented, leading to a fair share (sufficiency) in the use of natural resources. Social and inclusive policies All European citizens and residents enjoy the same level of protection, based on international human rights. Income gaps are narrowed, equality goals are achieved, wellbeing is improved and health disparities decrease within and between countries and across generations. Trade policies Trade policies become more transparent and contribute to the achievement of social and environmental objectives, including global climate agreements, the protection of the health and well-being of citizens, and are consistent with fundamental rights. Foreign policy, migration and international cooperation Europe assumes a leading role in ensuring a human-centered response to global migration, for the benefit and protection of all those involved. It contributes its fair share, both as a donor and as host for refugees, ensuring equal and fair access to services for all. The EU continues to be a key donor to implement its commitments to the protection of human rights in its international cooperation. The EU actively supports binding rules on human rights for its businesses that are operating overseas. Budgets The EU Budget lives up to its potential to catalyse sustainability, economic justice and wellbeing, to maintain and restore our natural resources and biodiversity. It includes participatory spending tools as well as strong accountability mechanisms. In other words, there will be a budget for the people. More progressive tax policies and a tax shift from labour to environmental use. ILLUSTRATIVE SNAPSHOTS Trade, regional development and food policies incentivise local, national and regional governments to develop sustainable and locally distributed energy and food production systems: local production for local needs. International trade prioritises sustainability principles. An EU Enforcement Agency monitors the implementation of EU laws and quickly responds if needed. Amongst other tasks, this body actively monitors emissions from a wide range of products (cars, household appliances, etc.) for conformity with the agreed standards and applies effective sanctions in case of breaches of the regulations. EU budget and indicators: a new definition for economic progress in the EU is published regularly which goes beyond reliance on GDP and guides and measures impact of spending on the sustainable wellbeing of all citizens and their environment. All spending lines are fully sustainability- proofed, resulting in more targeted spending, and greater linking of resources with performance of Member States and regions in achieving the EU’s 2030 Agenda for sustainable development. Energy, climate and social policies: the EU27 introduces a fund to make 50 million houses in Europe energy neutral, thereby lowering living costs for citizens, stopping energy poverty and drastically reducing greenhouse gas emissions. New and effective civil society participation improves democracy, governance transparency and trust of EU citizens in building a positive and sustainable Europe. Europeans consume healthier food produced by reformed European agricultural systems and they enjoy widely restored European nature and increasing green spaces in the cities. Europe’s ecosystems are sufficiently protected and restored to deliver socio, economic and health benefits. Nature based solutions are at the center of Europe’s development. Free movement: the EU guarantees effective free movement to all people living in Europe. EU accessibility legislation will be adopted to ensure the 80 million persons with disabilities in Europe who currently cannot use mainstreamed products and services can participate on an equal basis with others as consumers in the internal market. Brussels, June 2017

In the face of the neoliberal policies that have been implemented in the eurozone over the last few years, we will support growth, equality and social justice policies. We should fight for a globalized world where the economy is at the service of politics and citizenship.

Many European citizen complain about the so-called “democratic deficit” within the EU, but what does this actually mean and how can we handle this problem? The European Parliament (EP) is the only supranational institution whose politicians are directly elected every five years. The Parliament is composed of 751 members, who represent the second-largest democratic electorate in the world and the largest trans-national democratic electorate in the world. In the last decades, especial after the Lisbon treaty, the EP gained more power. This means, that the EP in now part of the legislative process (ordinary legislative procedure) together with the Commission and the Council. Furthermore, EU citizen have the right to join the political debate when using the European Citizen’s initiative, which aimed at increasing direct democracy. However, many citizens still don’t feel a number of European institutions actions. They are scared that their worries are not heard in the bubble of Brussels. So, what can be done to target that institutional crisis? First, transparency is needed to increase the EU’s efficiency and credibility. It must be easier to understand the EU’s working process. This also means that a lobby register is finally needed to make EU’s decision making more transparent. Second, Brussels should decentralize some of the decision making since member states are closer to the everyday life of people. The EU should always respect results of democratic elections, even these means that the decision-making processes can take longer. A good example is the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), a free-trade agreement between Canada, the European Union and its Member States. All 28 European Union member states approved the final text of CETA for signature, with Belgium being the final country to give its approval. Even in that case Belgium finally supported that agreement, democratic decisions must always be accepted by the EU. Third, the European Parliament needs to receive the power for legislative initiative, what currently alone the Commission has. Since only the Parliament is directly elected by the EU’s citizen, it is not acceptable that it has not this significant right. Finally, it can be seen that the latest treaties decreased the EU’s democratic deficit with shifting more power to the Parliament or the implementation of the European Citizen’s initiative. However, it needs to be pointed out that it is still a long way to completely end the democratic deficit. Events like “Europe Together” are a good way to involve more citizens in this political debate and it makes the EU more attractive for the youth. I would be very delighted to support this S&D vision in October 2017 and hope that it will be a great event for all participants.

As the world is witnessing the terrible events, neither Left nor Right wings had a better idea. Especially, increased racism against Muslims has put the all European parties in silent. There are two very effective solutions that I believe that can solve or decrease such racism and immigration issues in Europe. 1-) The United Nations should not be limited by 5 world countries ( At least, one of them should be an Islamic Country) 2-) the European Union should also have some member from the Islamic country.

Many European citizen complain about the so-called “democratic deficit” within the EU, but what does this actually mean and how can we handle this problem? The European Parliament (EP) is the only supranational institution whose politicians are directly elected every five years. The Parliament is composed of 751 members, who represent the second-largest democratic electorate in the world and the largest trans-national democratic electorate in the world. In the last decades, especial after the Lisbon treaty, the EP gained more power. This means, that the EP in now part of the legislative process (ordinary legislative procedure) together with the Commission and the Council. Furthermore, EU citizen have the right to join the political debate when using the European Citizen’s initiative, which aimed at increasing direct democracy. However, many citizens still don’t feel a number of European institutions actions. They are scared that their worries are not heard in the bubble of Brussels. So, what can be done to target that institutional crisis? First, transparency is needed to increase the EU’s efficiency and credibility. It must be easier to understand the EU’s working process. This also means that a lobby register is finally needed to make EU’s decision making more transparent. Second, Brussels should decentralize some of the decision making since member states are closer to the everyday life of people. The EU should always respect results of democratic elections, even these means that the decision-making processes can take longer. A good example is the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), a free-trade agreement between Canada, the European Union and its Member States. All 28 European Union member states approved the final text of CETA for signature, with Belgium being the final country to give its approval. Even in that case Belgium finally supported that agreement, democratic decisions must always be accepted by the EU. Third, the European Parliament needs to receive the power for legislative initiative, what currently alone the Commission has. Since only the Parliament is directly elected by the EU’s citizen, it is not acceptable that it has not this significant right. Finally, it can be seen that the latest treaties decreased the EU’s democratic deficit with shifting more power to the Parliament or the implementation of the European Citizen’s initiative. However, it needs to be pointed out that it is still a long way to completely end the democratic deficit. Events like “Europe Together” are a good way to involve more citizens in this political debate and it makes the EU more attractive for the youth. I would be very delighted to support this S&D vision in October 2017 and hope that it will be a great event for all participants.

The EU needs to include aspects of sustainable development, education, migrants re-integration scheme in its policies for Territorial Cohesion. The territorial aspect of stronger economic development, job creation and technological development could improve real life citizen-cooperation and positive outcome of policy making in different regions of Europe and different institutional levels. Importantly, education which is directly linked to job creation, creating chances of sustainable development and stronger economies can be a fundamental pillar of migrant resettlement and integration policies – which are seen as a crucial part of future social and cultural development in the continent. I wouldn’t leave behind why these are all linked to values of democracy which the European citizen strongly values in terms of local identity and development – stronger local policy making by conveying better programs related to territorial strategic development goals -> stronger Union and Europeans.

New social and economic changes of the first and second decades of this century should encourage people to look for solution, which would allow mitigating the results of the crisis in case of human rights to education. There is no question that improvement of the human rights in the field of education will develop good education system itself, but it is critical that the government of every country must ensure that the access to education will be exercised without discrimination of social status. For sure, European Union has a big need and potential for general development, but equal access to education will open other doors to progress, which can help to make the whole world a better place to live! For instance, educational mobility of youth and intercultural learning. Nowadays, due to some political reasons, researchers cannot work easily in some countries, they face with struggles and bans from governmental organizations just because of passport origin. I believe, that the more people are educated; the more need they have to open the borders for some new knowledge, which is definitely a springboard to traveling and intercultural learning. I see this as a preventing from hate speech, which is some wide spread in our world. Will it make our world better? I am sure it will! We just need to make it happen and start with improving the situation with human rights on education, because if ones do not have free access to education, the awareness about other human rights violations will be lower as well.

Building the progressive future together requires working together, and reducing polarisation and ‘alternative’ facts. At the moment, ignorance abounds in Europe concerning the actual impact of migration, the progression of climate change and the phenomenon of violence against women, to name just three. The lack of unbiased knowledge available on these topics for citizens to examine and interpret means that populists peddling misinformation can conceivably be seen as ‘experts’ and speaking the truth, as it’s difficult to fact-check. With a website and app run by the EU and governments, people could fact-check their governments and learn the truth about the positive links between migration and economic growth, the terrivle underlying problem of violence against women, and the fast and terrifying progression of climate change (as well as many other pressing problems) . Armed with the facts, a more informed populace can press the governments and EU to act on problems and support solutions, reducing ignorance and ensuring that democracies are actually tackling the issues that matter.

In the heart of democracy lies the true controversial element of our political structure which is how can we truly benefit the lives of the very people that struggle with migration aren’t being allowed in certain areas of Europe to reform and flourish their contributions to society. Instead for example in Italy, particularity African refugees or migrants can not contribute to a system that can not prepare or allow them to advance in a career. Yes there are programs for languages, however instead of selling bracelets, there needs to be another way in which immigrants can bring an advantage in the career field. For example, in some countries, such as Senegal, French is spoken. Northern Africans in Tunisia also can bring this asset in the work force. However, the questioning of a sustainable system needs to be revealed, but, this question also reveals Italy’s economic as well as political structure. That in itself, needs to be questioned first to reveal the answer when it comes to the relations of the stranieri or the foreigners. First, the realization that Italy is still an early unified country needs to be evaluated . And there are still tensions between the different regions in Italy. Second, the concept that until 1991, Italy had never been modernly accustomed to difference, therefore this is the opportunity to allow new laws to emerge because of how recent immigration has become. And finally, the end result will be how the Italian Parliament can accept this difference, as well as Italians as a whole. This will be the resulting question that will determine Italy’s democratic notions when it comes to immigration.

There are literally millions of people in the European Union who are in some type of homelessness situation. Yet, the EU has no noteworthy policies to help people in such situation. The European Commission shields itself from responsibility by invoking the principle by which social protection is the main responsibility of Member States. That is not an adequate justification. EU bodies such as the Committee of the Regions, the European Social and Economic Committee and the European Parliament itself, have called for and proposed the adoption of serious measures to fight homelessness in Europe. Nothing serious has been done though. A Europe where such severe forms of social exclusion, as is the case of homelessness, exist, is a paradoxical one. It has been noted by the institutions mentioned above how homelessness restricts individual freedom and how it is contrary to dignity. The EU can do much more to fight the problem and to work in favour of the right to housing for everyone. Homelessness does not result from physical limits. We have enough space and materials to provide for everyone. It results solely from psychical and ethical limits in the ways of thinking of many people, including people in power.