In welcoming Michael Roth, Germany’s Minister of State for Europe, to the School of Public Policy (SPP) at Central European University on October 27, SPP Founding Dean Wolfgang H. Reinicke described him as “a very outspoken supporter of a democratic and socially just European Union.” Reinicke noted that the topic of Roth’s lecture—Strengthening Democracy and Open Societies in Europe—was particularly timely. “This is the right topic, at the right time, in the right place and, most of all, with the right speaker." Roth’s lecture, which SPP organized in cooperation with the Friedrich Ebert Foundation, was part of CEU's Frontiers of Democracy initiative, a series of events that the University is organizing over the next two years to promote open debate about the nature of constitutional democracy.
Reinicke explained that many people feel alienated from established parties today and pointed to developments in Hungary as one example. “Democratically elected leaders such as Prime Minister Orban talk about the end of liberal democracy and go about building an illiberal state on national foundations.” Reinicke spoke also about the impact of the “big shadow” that Russia was casting on Europe’s borders and the inability of many European economies “to support the dream of a good life for a broad middle class.”
In his remarks, Roth too stressed the threat that economic issues posed to the EU model. He noted, “The fight against tremendously high youth unemployment is not only an economic matter but also affects the stability of political systems and societies.” Roth spoke forcefully and passionately about the challenges that needed to be overcome to strengthen democracy within the EU.
Roth described the EU as “first and foremost a union of values” and said that all EU member states needed “universal, objective, and binding standards and a political process to ensure that our fundamental values are consistently upheld.”
While stressing that this applies equally to all member states, he said that “being a close friend of Hungary and having worked on our relations in various capacities over many years, I cannot hide my concern at the developments in Hungary. A constitution has been passed without any broad debate, the media seem to be under a lot of pressure, as does the judiciary, and being active at a non-governmental level does not seem to be always an easy task. Each of these alone already goes against my personal understanding of democracy and open society. But taken in sum, these actions put our common framework of values under strain.” Roth applauded the efforts of Italy, which now holds the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, to further develop a new mechanism to strengthen the rule of law within the EU.
Governments, said Roth, must also deal fairly with minorities, with the opposition, and with those who are most vulnerable. Roth stressed that the “inclusiveness” he was advocating extended beyond parliamentary procedures to embrace an “active and vibrant civil society that is able to articulate different views and interests.”
Roth spoke on several occasions about the need for member states and citizens to defend and promote the European model that promises not just economic success and security but also freedom, democracy, and solidarity. He said it was up to young people especially, who had enjoyed the advantages of growing up in a united Europe where they could travel and work freely, “to help shape the Europe of tomorrow. The task of giving Europe direction is in your hands and needs your minds. Your attitudes, dear students, will be crucial in determining whether we allow backward-looking and resentful debates to predominate or are prepared to confidently take Europe’s future into our own hands.”
You can read the full text of Michael Roth’s remarks here and watch his lecture below.