Demographic indicators can also be improved by increasing the number of births. It is a good solution, but it is not politically correct according to the European mainstream, and it may bear the stamp of ethno-nationalism. Written by László Szőcs.
Ursula von der Leyen's speech on the state of the European Union yesterday in Strasbourg was full of suggestions and lacking in solutions. Especially in those areas (e.g. the migration issue) in which Europe not only performs poorly, but by continuing the current policy puts everything that many of us consider to be our civilizational heritage in jeopardy.
If the EU commits itself once and for all to immigration policy, as the current German government program does, then the population of the union will be fundamentally transformed over the decades; this is called the great population exchange.
While the president of the European Commission knows the exact number of carbon-neutral steel factories, he does not quantify the fact that even today more than one million people live illegally in the territory of the twenty-seven. Von der Leyen is happy to talk about the fact that there is almost full employment in Europe, but in Germany - the largest economy of the Union - more than 1.1 million immigrants and foreigners are unemployed. It has been exactly eight years since the masses of migrants trampled across half of Europe in front of our noses. They mainly went to Germany, and during these eight years, barely more than half of them managed to be integrated into the labor market. A "fantastic" result - somehow, of course, it is missing from the German Christian Democrat politician's data.
However, Von der Leyen, the first lady of the EU mainstream, says she still believes in educated immigrants, perhaps seeing Afghan brain surgeons in her mind's eye.
However, as the Hungarian example shows, demographic indicators can also be improved by increasing the number of births. It is a good solution, but it is not politically correct according to the European mainstream, and it may bear the stamp of ethno-nationalism.
Migration, the labor market and demography are obvious examples. But the many elements of the year evaluation are like a broken house under the plaster glaze: the material weathers as soon as it is scraped. Of course, you can mention dumping in the Chinese automotive industry (although this is not enough for the greens), but Chinese factories also provide jobs for Europeans, contributing to the economic performance that the president also proudly mentions.
It is possible to "Ukrainize" a mother's sad story based on emotions, but the role of victim alone does not turn Ukraine into a country ripe for EU membership. It's more than a crime, it's a mistake to keep quiet about the fact that our neighbor to the north-east should ensure, rather than ignore, national rights.
In this way, Kiev will only continue to deceive itself, while Western Balkan countries such as Serbia have been waiting for EU membership for many years, and even now they only deserve a vague hint. It is also possible that Moscow turns the gas tap like a weapon, but then it will only do the same thing as Brussels with the money tap to the detriment of our country.
Ukraine was mentioned by Von der Leyen seventeen times, peace and inflation barely, and anti-Russian sanctions only once - maybe he doesn't even believe in them anymore. He completely forgot about the corruption in Brussels.
Among thousands of probably empty words, however, he correctly highlighted one number: in three hundred days we will be able to cast our vote in the European elections. Maybe that's why this year review was forever the last from Von der Leyen.
Europe needs not only new leadership, but also a new approach, which can let go of the migration rubber bone and realize that the union is not an empire with some recalcitrant strongholds, but a community of nation states, which we build to the extent of our will.
Since the last European Parliament elections, the right has gained strength in many countries. The next year's evaluator can already better validate our aspects.
