Political Dialogue Stories: What are European Politicians’ Political Priorities During This Super Election Year?
Disclaimer: The Open European Dialogue is a cross-party, cross-country dialogue platform for European politicians. This piece does not represent the views of the Open European Dialogue, its partners, or its participants. It is written from the perspective of the author(s) alone. The author(s) share their personal insights on the state of European politics and political dialogue, informed by the conversations between members of parliaments from across Europe and the political spectrum.
The Open European Dialogue (OED) is made for, and by, members of parliaments across Europe. As part of our efforts to identify the needs of policymakers and address them effectively, we receive strategic input from our Parliamentary Steering Committee.
The OED’s annual Parliamentary Steering Committee meeting, which took place on February 23rd, gave us the opportunity to gather insights from a dozen parliamentarians across Europe and the party spectrum, highlighting key political priorities for European policymakers in the upcoming year.
Committee members are selected from our network for their unique political perspectives as well as their commitment to the Open European Dialogue’s mission of promoting open and genuine exchanges across political parties and member states.
Drawing from the lively discussion and valuable input from our members, here is an account of some of the more pressing issues that emerged:
The State and Health of Democracy in a Super Election Year
The challenges of disinformation, interference in elections, and the securitization of political and democratic infrastructures are issues of major concern to policymakers. In this year of a historic scale of elections taking place globally, there may be major implications to European politics, among others on geopolitical dynamics. Politicians across Europe express a desire to engage in dialogue with counterparts across borders and governance levels—especially at the EU and national levels—to navigate the post-electoral landscape.
Labour Policies and the Future of Work
Understanding developments in the labour market, particularly but not exclusively linked to the impact of developments in AI and new technologies, and reflecting on policy and political challenges posed by remote work are key concerns. Addressing these challenges is seen as requiring further dialogue and new thinking, particularly regarding the transformation of work and social contracts, amidst questions about international migration and European mobility.
The Rapid Development of AI Technologies and its Societal Implications
Keeping pace with AI advancements sparks strong interest and some concern due to the technology’s impact on politics and society. Policymakers express their need to invest time in staying updated on its rapid evolution and understanding its potential opportunities and threats.
Parliaments for Climate Change Action
Parliamentary involvement in addressing climate change is vital. The clear gaps in implementing international development goals outlined in the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development are concerning. The need for a more proactive role for parliaments in communicating the practical implications of climate policies to citizens and taking action to address these issues is raised.
Youth Engagement and Youth Policies
Enhancing youth participation in policymaking and the importance of increasing the attention dedicated to targeted policies for youth is an issue gathering growing attention. Parliamentarians could facilitate greater involvement of young people in parliamentary work, additionally highlighting the need for more discussions and working groups with young individuals to gain insight into their perspectives and make policies more accessible.
Globalization and its Impacts on Society
Addressing citizens’ feelings of loss, disorientation, and dissatisfaction is a key political issue of our time. Questions about how policymakers can endeavour to better understand and address societal concerns and sentiments are seen as requiring further investment and exploration. Attention is called to the need to engage in profound reflection on the political questions about where society is headed, beginning with an honest assessment of the successes and failures of globalization.
Fit-for-purpose Policymaking
There is a degree of concern about the resilience of the current policymaking tools and approaches available to politicians. On the one hand, there is a growing need for fast decision-making, which is essential in a rapidly changing and crisis-prone world, yet this agility is to be pursued without essentially weakening the institution of representative democracy. How can we ensure or even strengthen evidence-based policymaking for effective governance?
Conflict and its Implications on Constituents
There is widespread acknowledgement that addressing conflict in today’s political landscape has become a permanent concern. Ongoing international conflicts, emerging forms of aggression, such as targeted disinformation campaigns, and rising tensions among different parts of society highlight the need for parliamentarians to reflect on their role in managing societal and global tensions.
Based on the valuable input of our Parliamentary Steering Committee, we aim to strategically orient the Open European Dialogue network activities around these critical questions, providing peer-to-peer thinking spaces for politicians across borders and party lines.