Leading European liberals tackled the outcome of the 2024 European elections and discussed the way forward for the European Union at a high-level political debate.
Set on the second day of the ALDE Party Congress in Estoril, Portugal, ALDE Party Vice-President Eva Kjer Hansen moderated an inspiring discussion between key figures within the European political space.
Xavier Bettel, Luxembourg’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, kicked off the discussion by interpreting the election results as a lesson for what can be improved in the future.
“We are not happy about the result. But we should not blame the electors, we should listen to them. If we don’t speak and take seriously their fears, the extreme right might get even stronger in future. It’s important to speak about security, migration, jobs, environment, housing, but it’s equally as important to try and find realistic alternatives,” he said.
It’s important to speak about migration, security, jobs – we must listen to people and find alternatives.
— ALDE Party (@ALDEParty) October 5, 2024
🇱🇺 Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister @Xavier_Bettel speaks on the future of European liberalism at #ALDECongress pic.twitter.com/QUvMH85eTD
Renew Europe President Valérie Hayer MEP pinpointed the lack of solid representation in the six biggest EU Member States as the main liberal failure in the 2024 European elections.
“We should not run after the far-right, but we also shouldn’t put to the side the issues that are important to their voters. We have to reinforce our presence in the biggest European countries: we should let our parties’ national leadership identify what is the best way to speak to our voters and to give liberty to our campaigners,” she said.
João Cotrim de Figueiredo MEP said so-called “kitchen table issues” were not central in the liberal campaign.
“Perhaps we took the eye off the ball of the main things that made the EU great, such as the ability to promote personal freedoms and prosperity. But I’m sure the perception of liberal parties and liberalism in Europe is not the one it should be. We liberals have the best ideas, we can be optimistic that our ideas will solve problems, we just have to make people believe that,” he said.
"We need to find a way to be hopeful about the future, to bring some joy to the campaign and restore people’s faith that there is a better future."
— ALDE Party (@ALDEParty) October 5, 2024
🇸🇰 @progresivne_sk leader @MSimecka shares lessons learned from his party’s success in the European elections at #ALDECongress pic.twitter.com/b2R7KIZWRV
Progressive Slovakia leader Michal Šimečka said restoring a sense of positivity in the common liberal messaging is the main priority ahead of the next elections in 2029.
“We need to find a way to bring some joy to the campaign and restore people’s faith that there is a better future. As Emmanuel Macron was starting his campaign in 2017, he was pitching liberals and progressives as representing the future against the populists representing the past. I think we should somehow get back to that dichotomy for the next European election campaign,” he said.
You can watch a recording of the conversation on our YouTube channel or below.
The ALDE Party Congress continues with various high-level political debates, thematic sessions and the Congress meeting on 6 October. Click here for the full programme.
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