We want a European renaissance

Fidesz MEPs, Kinga Gál and László Trócsányi will participate in the plenary session of the Conference on the Future of Europe as members of the delegation to the European Parliament. The conference presents an outstanding opportunity for the European Union to regain the trust of citizens and Member States that has been lost over the past decade and to realize the idea of a competitive European Union based on strong Member States. Members of the Fidesz delegation to the European Parliament will actively participate in the conference series, representing conservative and Christian democratic values, guided by pragmatic principles.

One of the reasons for the timeliness of the conference is that European integration has been unable to respond effectively to crises in the past decade such as the economic crisis, the migration crisis, Brexit and the coronavirus pandemic, which have left Europe seriously behind. Its population is shrinking, its defence spending is decreasing and its weight in the world economy is continuously declining.

We are convinced that Europe is built on history, not ideology. It is not a federal superstate, nor is it simply an internal market — it is a civilization commonly safeguarded by European nations. In line with pragmatic principles, we therefore believe that, instead of utopian visions and the project of a European federal superstate, European integration should serve the benefit of its citizens while protecting and strengthening nations based on the values of their geographical location, culture and history. There can be no European vision or successful Europe without nurturing the bonds of history and Christianity.

This is why the dialogue on the future of Europe cannot be limited to the European Union, but must include the defence of a common European way of life. In our view, enlargement policy plays a key role in this, and the situation of countries of the Western Balkans is an inevitable question. Their membership and the position they represent are key to guaranteeing peace and stability on the European continent. 

We believe that European unification is not an ideology or an end in itself. That is why institutional reform can only serve the interests of efficiency rather than ideological power struggles. Successful and competitive European integration is fundamentally bottom-up, respecting the principle of subsidiarity and the history, traditions and identity of Member States. European citizens are interested in the benefits their countries’ EU membership may bring and the weight that European integration can provide to them in the world. This should be the raison d’être and the meaning of the European Union. The Fidesz delegation to the European Parliament maintains that this pragmatic approach should determine the debate on the future of Europe and, ultimately, the intellectual renewal of Europe.

Background: The Conference on the Future of Europe kicked off on 9 May 2021. The event aims to assess the state of the European Union and to make it more efficient, democratic and resilient. As part of the series of events, expected to take place until 2022, the EU institutions, Member States, local governments and EU citizens may share their opinions within the framework of dedicated forums or at their own events.