From voices to choices – In Conversation With Sandro Gozi

Friends of Europe and its citizen-engagement unit Debating Europe were proud to welcome Sandro Gozi MEP, Team Europe candidate of the European Democratic Party’s (EDP), for a debate in the lead up to the European elections.

This discussion was part of a series of engagements organised by Friends of Europe with senior representatives from the European political parties ahead of the European elections. The event was an opportunity for stakeholders from the private, public, and civil society sectors to engage in a forward-looking conversation with Mr Gozi about what the next European Parliament and Commission should focus their mandate on. We believe it should be on delivering a Renewed Social Contract, which rethinks the ways in which citizens, the private sector, civil society and public institutions interact for public good.

Friends of Europe captured the need for a Renewed Social Contract in the form of 10 policy choices for a Renewed Social Contract for Europe, supported by findings from focus groups and surveys with 2,024 citizens in 7 European countries, the outcomes of which are captured in Debating Europe’s 2024 Voices – Citizens Speak Up! report.

The discussion touched upon some of the following guiding themes:

• Democratic engagement: as many Europeans feel disconnected from the political process, what initiatives will you introduce to increase citizens’ participation and trust in democracy?
• Economic recovery and sustainability: with a vulnerable and precarious European economy what concrete measures will you take to stimulate growth while ensuring the transition to a sustainable and inclusive economic model that leaves no one behind?
• Digital transition: how do we plan to bridge the digital divide and ensure that all European citizens and businesses can benefit from digital transformation and the opportunities it brings?
• EU security and defence: what is your vision for the future of the EU’s defence and security policy?

For the second event of this series, Friends of Europe will welcome Spitzenkandidat Nicolas Schmit on 15 May.

This in-person event offered a diverse audience the opportunity to engage directly and get to the heart of a set of specific policy issues with a senior decision-maker. It allowed us to focus on the opportunities and identify the possible challenges in the EU’s own agenda and provides the possibility to go into greater depth of policies affecting Europe in the years to come.

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PHOTO CREDIT: PES Communications/Flickr