04/09/2013

_ He demands “leaders with enough courage and determination to accomplish it”

_ “We must consolidate the euro and implement deep structural reforms. We also need to rethink the limits of the Welfare State”

_ “We need a new narrative, as well as to make our institutions more representative, efficient and accountable”

_ “Europe has to revise its military forces in order to face the challenges of the future”

_ “It’s necessary to renew and strengthen the Transatlantic Alliance with the United States and broaden it’s horizons to other countries of Latin America and Africa.”

_ During his stay in Washington, Aznar will also participate in a new meeting of the Atlantic Basin Initiative as well as in the XVII Annual CAF Conference

José María Aznar, former Prime Minister of Spain and President of FAES Foundation, delivered the inaugural address at the School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) of the prestigious Johns Hopkins University of the United States. In his speech, named ‘The current challenges of Europe’, Aznar stated that “Europe needs a good and clear plan of action which citizens from different nationalities are able to understand, share and support; as well as leaders with enough willpower, courage and determination to accomplish it.”

Aznar stated to the students that “Europe has to be clear and realistic regarding its strengths and weaknesses, as well as the risks and opportunities that lie ahead.” He believes that Europe will have to face five challenges “urgently, with vision and leadership”: the consolidation of the euro, reviewing the limits of the Welfare State, the search for a new narrative and its institutional reform, the definition of its position in the world, and the renewal and strengthening of the Transatlantic Alliance.

Aznar, distinguished fellow of the School of Advanced International Studies(SAIS), stated that it’s essential to face these challenges, as “Europe maintains a key economic, political, strategic and cultural position in the world, and has a good opportunity to preserve the leadership that it shares with its strongest and most important ally, the United States.” He also recalled that “Europe is the cradle of the values that differentiate modern, open and civilized societies”, and that “the European Union has shared a project for peace, democracy, freedom and prosperity.” For all those reasons, he warned against “a divided Europe that will no longer have neither authority nor influence in the globalized and increasingly competitive world that we live in.” 

THE ECONOMY AND THE WELFARE STATE

The economic challenge was the first trial mentioned by Aznar: “the future of the euro and the European Union as an area of freedom, prosperity and opportunity essentially lies on our commitment to make deep structural reforms that make our economies more flexible, open and competitive”. In this regard, he stated the need for fiscal discipline and a closer economic and financial union, for which he demanded “quicker and more decisive action.”

Aznar also stated to the students of Johns Hopkins University that the second essential challenge Europe has to face is “rethinking and revising the limits of the Welfare State.” “We need to find a more reasonable balance between rights and responsibilities, and between the State and the individual. Europe needs less government intervention and more economic freedom. It needs more civil society and more power of choice. We need to make Europe a more open, competitive and free society. We need this society to be ready to face up to its responsibilities, to take advantage of the opportunities of the globalized world”, he declared. 

A BRAND NEW NARRATIVE

The President of the FAES Foundation also highlighted a third challenge, which belongs to the political field: the search for “a brand new narrative.”  “We need to make our institutions more representative, efficient and accountable”, as “the combination of a long economic crisis and the lack of decisive action by institutions is causing an increase of both populist and nationalist movements across Europe”, he said.

In his opinion, “Europe needs to redefine and explain itself, it needs to be clear about what it represents and where it wants to go regarding the changes that are currently taking place in the world.” Furthermore, he highlighted that “Europe needs more representative and efficient institutions, as well as more responsibility and less bureaucracy. We need European states to remain solid and highly democratic, as well as committed to the European project and with the values of free and open societies.”

EUROPE IN THE WORLD

The fourth challenge that Aznar mentioned is related to public defense. He reflected on the need to have “a more sober vision regarding the promises, dangers and threats that are emerging in Europe.” He explained that “the need for Europe to rethink its military forces in order to face the challenges of the future is strategic”, as “the European armies have reduced their budgets, staff and operational capabilities”, and “the United States won’t always be there for us when we need it.”

Aznar highlighted two important changes that are forcing Europe to reconsider its traditional position, like “the fact that the Unites States seems to be withdrawing from the world, or at least from some regions such as Europe, and the lack of democratic transitions in the Middle East, which are full of violence, military coups and civil wars, as we have seen in Syria.” “As the perception of the risks and challenges that we’re facing evolves, the public space will allow the leaders to have a positive influence on our security establishments”, he assured.

Finally, the President of the FAES Foundation highlighted the fifth European challenge, which is strategic: “to renew and strengthen the Transatlantic Alliance with the United States and broaden its horizons to the countries of Latin America and Africa which have proved to be committed to freedom, democracy, and the values of open society.” Furthermore, Aznar assured that “the negotiations between Europe and the United States regarding the search for a free trade agreement are decisive”, as “they should renew the Atlantic relationship as well as their leadership.” “The Atlantic has been a source of unity, freedom and prosperity for Europe. Currently, in times of crisis and deep changes throughout world, it remains as a great opportunity for us”, he stated.

Aznar concluded his speech stating that these five challenges are the ones that more urgently need to be faced by Europe, and that “they share a common denominator: all of them require both vision and leadership.”

ATLANTIC BASIN INITIATIVE

During his stay in Washington, Aznar will also participate in a new work meeting of the Atlantic Basin Initiative, a project led by the former Prime Minister of Spain. The aim of the project, the nature of which is global, is to boost the future relations between the Atlantic continents. Aznar launched this initiative as part of the Center for Transatlantic Relations of the Johns Hopkins University of the United States, as a distinguished fellow of its School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). Its aim is to study all the political, economic, social, cultural and technological interaction instruments among the countries of the Atlantic basin, being North America, South America, Europe and Africa its four pillars.

Aznar will also take advantage of his trip to Washington to take part in the initiative “Towards a new Transatlantic Alliance” of the XVII CAF Annual Conference, promoted by the Development Bank of Latin America, the OAS and the Inter-American Dialogue.