21. September 2017
On Thursday 21 September 2017, between 14.30 and 16.30, the members of FutureLab Europe engaged in a discussion with Alessandro Giordani, Deputy Head of Unit, Citizens' Dialogues, DG Migration and Home Affairs, European Commission, Andrew Bradley, Director, International IDEA – EU office and Pieyre-Alexandre Anglade, Member of the French Parliament, La République En Marche on occasion of the public conference Europe@debate: Promoting European identity through active citizenship: How and what for?. The event took place in the Auditorium of the European Policy Centre (EPC), 14-16 Rue du Trône, 1000 Brussels.
The past few years have not been easy ones for democracy in Europe. Alarmingly low levels of electoral participation have been registered in many EU member states, including at the latest European elections of May 2014, which registered the lowest voter turnout on record, with an all-time low of 42.54%. In many EU member states – such as Greece, France, Spain, Slovakia and Italy – anti systemic, populist parties have emerged strong and powerful. Poland and Hungary’s illiberal turn poses an additional threat to democracy on our continent.