Ideas to fix the EU - voting results

Jacopo Barigazzi presented yesterday in Politico 12 ideas to save the EU

1)   Focus on security, economy and youth employment

2)   A eurozone government

3)   More technocracy, less politics

4)   A recession shock-absorber 

5)   Give power back to member countries

6)   Give power to the parliamentarians 

7)   Give more power to leaders

8)   Create a United States of Europe

9)   Get rid of the European Council

10) Direct election of a European president

11) Let Turkey join the EU

12) Let Greece leave the euro

The readers were allowed to vote for 3 preferred ideas, and also, if they wished, supply with other proposals.  Results so far are:

1) Focus on security, economy and youth employment  15.33%   

 

8) Create a United States of Europe  13.84%   

 

5) Give power back to member countries  12.85%   

 

10) Direct election of a European president  9.77%   

 

9) Get rid of the European Council  9.31%    

 

2) A eurozone government  8.35%   

 

12) Let Greece leave the euro  7.74%   

 

6) Give power to the parliamentarians  6.58%   

 

4) A recession shock-absorber  6.4%   

 

3) More technocracy, less politics  5.31%   

 

Other:  1.89%   

 

7) Give more power to leaders  1.7%   

 

11) Let Turkey join the EU  0.93% 

Even if this survey is simple and tentative, and the readers of Politico may be a biased sample, the results are interesting. The "winner" -  Focus on security, economy and youth employment - is exactly what the EU leaders are focusing on these days. A bit strange perhaps, or perhaps not - it represents the traditional EU answer to problems: concrete possibilities for more Europe ! Number 2 is not surpriseing either - the federalistic favourite: Create a United States of Europe. But number 3 , and not far behind number 2, is different: Give power back to the member countries. It seems to reflect the strong and growing opposition to the federalistric EU vision. The other ideas and results can be interpreted in many ways.

The survey is another indication that the EU faces a demanding reform process, not least when it comes to finding the balance between more and less Europe.