Populism is again gaining support in Europe and this goes beyond the increase in right wing govenrments that has taken place recently. Even so, I doubt whether populist parties will do any better at the coming European Parliament elections than they did at the last one. In 2019, populist electorates showed that they turn up for national elections but are not so interested in European ones.
In a certain way, they are right. The real power to launch or stop political initiatives at a European level lies with the European Council and the Council of Ministers. In both fora, the influence of populists is likely to grow, not just by way of what they say and insist on as a group, as much as in the way by which they will be pressuring the centre-right to adopt positions that are close to theirs.
I already see this happening in areas that for some, are relatively minor. The European People’s Party (EPP) is toeing the same line as populists on positions regarding the environment or social protection, something which did not happen up to two years ago.
The great disadvantage that handicaps the populists on a European level is that they agree amng themselves about what to say no to but not about how to create a policy that can be implemented across all of Europe.
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TRANSPARENCY IN THE MEDIA
The argument that the media should be allowed full freedom in order to carry out their job is strong. I cannot see how it can be sidelined. Reforms in favour of greater transparency and protection of the jobs that journalists do should be agreed and implemented with the utmost possible speed.
However I believe there should be a recognition of the dilemmas that need to be also faced. For instance, regarding transparency. Media freedom is considered as one of the foundations of a greater transparncy in the governance of a country. Which is true. But at the same time, another cardinal principle is that the journalistic efforts which bring about the exposure of rackets and abuses must remain strictly within the bounds of professional secrecy. This is how it should be. Yet as a result, the principle that transparency is paramount gets faded out.
Other contradictions come to mind.
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NOT FOR SALE
I was much offended by a claim I heard (but I will not say who by, or why and about what it was made) that “The problem with politicians is that they look like they’re for sale.. and indeed that’s what they are!”
It is difficult to deny that some are like so, or that they give you reason to think this about them. But I disagree that the same applies to the big majority of politicians.
Some are not succeeding to control the clientelism that abounds all over the place: I agree. That some surf on clientelism to keep on top, with this I also agree – without agreeing that their conduct is acceptable: far from it.
On the other hand MPs and other political actors meet with representatives of lobbies coming from industry and commerce, trade unionism, or lobbies active in environmental, construction, hunting and trapping, health, Gozitan governance and other issues. Doing so is an essential part of the work which is due from a person who becomes active in politics. God forbid that such activities are not carried out. In no way should doing so mean that whoever does them is for sale.