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OUR VISION

Read about what inspires us and what we want to achieve in our society

 

As Greens/EFA we stand for a society where everyone, regardless of gender or sexual orientation, age, race, or religion, can live a dignified and fulfilling life. As a political force, we put the human rights of all human beings, present and future, at the front and center of all policies we advocate and implement.            

Even though, compared with many areas in the world, the European Union is a desirable place to live, the very possibility for each and every human being to live in dignity is at grave risk. Over the years we have seen the inexorable rise of our ecological impact, and as a consequence, the looming threat of runaway climate crisis, the collapse of biodiversity and the exhaustion of natural resources.

Concurrently, social inequality has been and is on the rise, not just in terms of income but also in terms of access to decent work, to health care, and to education. Likewise, women’s rights and gender equality are being challenged while civil liberties and the foundations of democracy are under threat, not only outside of the EU’s borders but also inside. The potential of the digital transformation is being misused in order to concentrate wealth and power in the hands of a few (surveillance and profiling, targeting for political purposes, privatized law enforcement, labor conditions for platform workers, the rise of digital monopolies and tax avoidance), and is adding to the polarization of society, strengthening authoritarian forces. We have seen the European Union becoming a fortress, increasingly closed to any migrant, regardless of whether they are eligible or not for refugee or another protection status. We have seen global multilateralism recede in favour of the “might is right” approach. We have seen global corporate power exert an ever greater pressure on how our societies are governed.  

But the worst is never a certainty; across Europe, a new generation is standing up against the status quo of mainstream policies. Fridays for Future, Youth for Climate, Extinction Rebellion #Saveyourinternet, the yellow vests and countless local initiatives and movements are challenging politicians to act in the interest of all rather than the few. Similarly, threats to the rule of law are being challenged more and more. Leaders like Orban, Babis and Kaczynski are feeling the heat of their streets, where people are standing up against corruption and the erosion of fundamental rights and liberties.

At the same time, the economic neoliberal dogma can no longer be taken for granted. Big companies are being challenged on why they should not pay their fair level of taxation, tech companies cannot continue their monopolistic expansion as they were used to, and fossil industries feel their warm relations with politicians are being scrutinized more intensely than ever before. In this mood of societal change, we Greens and the European Free Alliance are increasing our strength in the political arena. We have the potential to become the bridge of that societal voice into the political arena. But the majorities are not living up to the change that our societies are demanding. This brings the Greens into a pivotal position between status quo politicians and the loud call for change by more and more citizens. Finding the right balance on that bridge will be one of our main challenges, while feeling the urgency to put our policies into place. For this, prioritization and clear strategies are vital.       

In this context, we commit to use our resources and energy in the coming five years to change the political mainstream and to reverse those trends that are mobilizing so many people on the streets and in society as a whole. In particular these are our guiding political objectives for the coming five years:   

By 2024, we want to see the EU on track to deliver its full contribution to achieve the objectives as agreed at the Paris Climate Summit, which is to limit global warming to well under 2°C and as close as possible to 1.5°C compared to pre-industrial levels. Likewise, we want the EU to reverse the trends of both biodiversity loss and resource consumption, reinforcing and expanding the regenerative economy. This requires full involvement of both public and private sectors, the latter notably through binding sustainability due diligence.

By 2024, we want to reverse the trend towards greater inequality of both income and wealth as well as the numbers of people at risk of poverty or social exclusion. This will require ambitious action in terms of tax justice, protecting the capacity of States to deliver social services such as education and health care from the logic of financial profit, and by enforcing decent work standards.

By 2024, we want to have reversed the authoritarian attack on democratic standards of the rule of law. By 2024 we want the EU to have working mechanisms in place to tackle every breach of the rule of law and of democratic principles. In other terms, the obligations which accession to the EU is conditional upon must be enforced for all Member-States all of the time. In order to reinforce citizen’s trust in the European project we should also work towards more democratic and transparent decision making in the EU institutions

By 2024, we want the European Union to have moved away from “fortress Europe” towards a continent of sanctuary, able to welcome people in dignified and humane conditions, and to treat everyone as full citizens. This will require putting in place solidarity mechanisms to welcome asylum seekers and migrants, safeguarding their rights, and reversing EU action in the world that creates the conditions which force people to leave their homes.

By 2024, we want the EU to be a leader in digital policy and AI based on fundamental rights and freedoms, non-discrimination and inclusiveness. . The European Union, while spurring innovation, must be the leader in the global battle against mass surveillance – be it by States or corporations - and the abuse of powerful new technologies for political purposes or for reducing rights acquired in longstanding battles.

By 2024, we want the EU to have substantially increased its role as an international and accountable actor through the considerable means it has at its disposal (its presence in international and multilateral organisations, its common currency, its common trade policy, its development aid, diplomacy, mediation and conflict prevention, civilian and military security missions). We want that role to be aligned with the environmental, social and democratic objectives the EU sets itself and the universal norms, values and principles it is based upon.

By 2024, we want the EU to have advanced gender equality, to have safeguarded women’s sexual and reproductive health rights, the rights of LGBTQI* persons, to have in place policies that take into account the experiences of all forms of diversity and to have implemented strong anti-discrimination policies.