We are Europe!! Debate on Youth on Their Home Countries, ! the European Elections and ! What They Expect from the EU! Wednesday, 7 May 2014! Rue du Commerce 9, B-1000 Brussels
Italy, young people and European Elections. Armanda Cetrulo!
[email protected]
Italy and the crisis: the weakness of the country REAL GDP GROWTH RATE (EUROSTAT) 4,5
UNEMPLOYMENT RATE 15-24 (EUROSTAT)
TOTAL EMPLOYMENT RATE (EUROSTAT) 50
80
3 40
37,5
72,5 1,5
35 70
70
69
69
69
69
0
69
69
25
65 -1,5
63
63
62
61
61
61
21
20
20
21
21
2010
2011
23
23
2012
2013
18
60
-3
25 22
63
29
28
16
16
2007
2008
12,5
57,5
-4,5
50
-6
2006
2007
2008 ITALY
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
2006
2007
2008 ITALY
EU27
2009
2010
2011 EU27
2012
2013
0
2006
ITALY
2009
EU27
The economic decline has immediately affected the labor market, as shown by the comparison of the employment rate with EU17 average.! Behind this, young people, as in the other southern countries, has seen their future vanishing, their jobs perspectives getting worse and precariousness become their everyday feeling.
!
In this desolating outlook, the political instability of the country is persistent 12/11/2011 Berlusconi resignation 21/12/2012 Monti resignation
Elections
22/02/2014 Letta resignation
Monti government Enrico Letta premier 28/04/2013
Matteo Renzi premier
It reflects the economic weakness of the country and its deep stagnation. It is one of the main reason of the wide disillusion and disaffection of people towards politics and, thus, of the increasing influence of movements able to bring out the anger and desperation of people.
What about Europe? The perception of Europe has dramatically changed. Today: ! Before the crisis: symbol of austerity, bureaucracy an efficient institution, stringent and technocratic power (the letter but at the same time, deserving of Draghi and Trichet during the more trust than Italian summer of 2011) institutions.
Evolution of italian opinion on EU (Eurobarometer 2013) ARE ITALIAN ISSUES TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT IN EUROPE?
DO YOU FEEL AN EUROPEAN CITIZEN? 100
2013
71
80 60
63
2012
40
48
2007
0
20
40
% NO
52
53
47
45
20
60
80
0
1 2012 % YES
2 2013
% NO
% DO NOT KNOW
!
Skepticism on Europe is growing..!
What Europe should do? According to Italian people, the most important problems that
DO YOU BELIEVE IN EURO?
Europe should face now are:!
100
! 75
67
63
50
53 36
25
28
24
0
2007
2009
IN FAVOUR OF UEM AND EURO
2013
SKEPTIC
and embraces different dimensions,! which are cultural, social and economic. ! Obviously, the single currency and the monetary union is one of them.
1)Unemployment (49%) 2)Economic situation (44%) 3) Tax and fiscal system (21%)! 4) Inflation (17%)! 5) Immigration (16%)! 6) Public resources (14%)! 7) Criminalities (6%)! 8) Terrorism (4%)! 9) Climatic change (1%)! 10)Energy (1%)!
!
However, more than 64% of Italian think that Europe is not doing enough to create new jobs. 01
And young people? Young people in Italy are facing today: the worsening of labor market conditions (youth unemployment rate is above 40%); increasing cost of studying at university because of huge cuts at public resources; deterioration of family conditions; massive fall in the amount and quality of public services offered.
Thus, it is not surprising to observe: ✤ high number of NEET; ✤ high risk of poverty and social exclusion.
It results that young people are at the same time the ones which mostly feel to be European citizens and trust less in the Europe of today:
% PEOPLE WHO FEEL TO BE CITIZEN OF THE EU, DIVIDED BY CLASS AGE IN ITALY 60
59,00
% PEOPLE WHO TEND TO TRUST TO EUROPEAN UNION, DIVIDED BY CLASS AGE IN ITALY
57 50
52 45
45 38
30
30 27
25
22
21 15
13
0
0
15-24
25-39
40-54
55 +
15-24
25-39
40-54
55 +
But..More Europe is asked! Italians ask more Europe: 40% ask for a Federalist Europe, 61% wants a common foreign policy 60% of Italians are in favor of the appointment of a Minister of Finance of the EU, which is one of the highest rates in the EU.
!! CAUTION !! A DIFFERENT EUROPE IS WANTED Young people ask for more public resources devoted to school, university and research, the end of austerity and a massive plan of employment and for the substitution of job insecurity with job stability.
Only a political party/ coalition aware of all the structural limits of EU and able to offer a constructive proposal with an authentic european perspective instead of national, could foster optimism and trust towards an idea which is becoming increasingly difficult to believe in.
