Thread by @tepsaeu

"European Solidarity: Perspectives from the Southern Member States" is about to start! If you haven't already, join us and @iprinova on #Zoom to discover the Southern views on #COVID19 and #EuropeanSolidarity

➡️ tepsa.eu/european-solid…

/THREAD 🧵

We will be highlighting our debate: it takes place in the framework of TEPSA's new book "Solidarity in Action and the Future of Europe", edited by @MichaelKaeding (@unidue), Johannes Pollak (@WebsterVienna), and @_PaulSchmidt (@oegfe), who is moderating this event

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"Different countries, depending on their history and culture, have different viewpoints on #solidarity [...] you will find in this book 41 contributions from 41 experts from 41 European countries"

- @_PaulSchmidt explains the rationale of exploring "Views from the Capitals"

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Today's debate takes place between Alice Cunha from @iprinova, @Poli_Eleonora from @IAIonline, @_ignaciomolina from @rielcano, and Eugenia Kopsidi from @eplo_news, who will be appearing remotely

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"Italy has been going through a couple of dark years, like the majority of countries in the world. Even before the pandemic, sentiments towards the EU were not positive. It was maybe one of the most anti-EU countries after the UK"

- @Poli_Eleonora from @IAIonline

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"Many political parties were identifying in migration the concept of an 'enemy', to blame for Italians feeling worse. Once COVID came, in Spring 2020, around 75% of Italians believed the EU was 'abandoning Italy again'"

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"This have changed since then: 57% of Italians are now in favour of the EU. It isn't great, but if you compare to Spring 2020, it is a good result. What has changed? The money that will come to Italy as part of #NextGenEU"

- @Poli_Eleonora from @IAIonline

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"#Migration used to be the top Italian priority. Now it is third, after #ClimateChange and #COVID19. It's not that migrants have disappeared, it is that migration is less used as a tool to build anti-EU political support"

- @Poli_Eleonora from @IAIonline

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"The difference between Italy and Spain is interesting: the political narrative of EU membership in both countries has been managed differently over the years, and so we have a different result"

- @_ignaciomolina from @rielcano

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"On the one hand, you are very pro EU, on the other, you are in the geographic and financial periphery. Spanish public opinion is that the country is facing so many challenges [..] the pro-European feeling is guided by a need for #Solidarity"
- @_ignaciomolina from @rielcano
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"No party on the left or the right considers the EU to be responsible for the complex economic situation in Spain - even the anti-establishment elements consider it to be a domestic problem"

- @_ignaciomolina from @rielcano

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"Spain is on the border, facing Africa, but there was no dominant narrative in the right wing anti-immigration parties that the EU was to blame - it was all a domestic question"

- @_ignaciomolina from @rielcano

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But what is the perception from #Portugal: "is European solidarity based ONLY on economic contributions?"

The initial question to @iprinova's Alice Cunha, from our moderator @_PaulSchmidt

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"Economic aid has always been a feature in Portugal's relationship with the European project, going all the way back before the country joined the EU. Over the years, Portugal has been a net recipient"

- Alice Cunha from @iprinova

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"During the Eastern enlargement round, Portugal had the most to lose - but it still supported enlargement because Portugal had a gratitude towards the EU. Plus the Eastern countries were very similar to Portugal as it had been when it joined"

- Alice Cunha from @iprinova

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"Portugal accepted children from refugee camps in Greece and contributed to the #COVID19 response of the @EU_Commission. Portugal has been a net recipient of solidarity, but has also provided it"

- Alice Cunha from @iprinova

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Eugenia Kopsidi from @eplo_news could not join us at this event today to talk about the Greek case

Instead she has sent her contribution to the #TEPSAExplainers series of videos

Check it out! ➡️ tepsa.eu/watch-the-cond…

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We're enjoying a dynamic Q&A session in our event - #migration is a significant theme, especially with regards to Eugenia Kopsidi's intervention from the Greek perspective

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A tricky question comes next: "how do we reconcile the increasing migration trend with the scepticism of EU citizens that are concerned about how migration actually impacts their lives?"

@_PaulSchmidt asks if there is an easy answer to this

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"We are fully available to receive and welcome migrants in Portugal. The political parties have not been capitalising on the #migration issue because it is not so controversial."

- Alice Cunha from @iprinova

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"During #COVID19, those who had applied for Portuguese citizenship were granted it on a temporary basis, because the government recognised that everyone needed access to #SocialSecurity and #healthcare"

- Alice Cunha from @iprinova

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How can we improve European solidarity?

"A better understanding of the term's meaning. It's not just about taking, it's about giving" - @Poli_Eleonora from @IAIonline

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How can we improve European solidarity?

"We need a new balanced narrative. We are recipients of European money, but we have to require more solidarity with the European Union" - @_ignaciomolina from @rielcano

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How can we improve European solidarity?

"We need less debate and more joint action" - Alice Cunha from @iprinova

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After these final thoughts our moderator @_PaulSchmidt thanks our panellists Alice Cunha, @Poli_Eleonora, and @_ignaciomolina, and Eugenia Kopsidi

And on that note thanks to all who joined us, and if you missed it, you'll be able to catch up on the event video very soon!

/ENDS

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