In an increasingly uncertain world, we Europeans must be bold and build hope

With far-right parties gaining support across the globe, it is crucial we collaborate with our neighbours and restore faith in democracy

Published in The Guardian by Sandro Gozi and Stella Creasy on 10 November 2024

In the 1930s Antonio Gramsci, the Italian Marxist philosopher, warned that as the old order was dying, the new world was struggling to be born. In 2024, politics again strains, opening the doors to the chaos he feared. For too long, many have hoped that the rise of extremes could be ignored and the public would not be swayed. Following the US election, and as parties of the far-right gain support in Europe, all who cherish freedom must commit to fighting for a politics that unlocks talent not hatred. For us, that means the priority is the future relationship between the EU and the UK.

We cannot stand up for democracy and the rule of law if we do not value it – and the outcome of a ballot – even if we wouldn’t have voted the same way. President Trump must be given the respect to govern and the world must engage with him accordingly – but this does not mean we should be silent or complacent. In a cost of living crisis, a leader who threatens across-the-board tariffs risks damaging economic growth for us all. In a conflict crisis, a leader who sides with Vladimir Putin and encourages Benjamin Netanyahu to go beyond what he is already doing threatens peace everywhere. In a climate emergency, a leader who believes it is a hoax and green energy “a scam” endangers the planet for everyone.

When the UK left the EU it didn’t just abandon the biggest trading bloc in the world – it also left the room where decisions are made affecting our mutual security, climate and equality. Everything from Ukraine’s future to the horrors of the Israel-Gaza war via the challenges of migration is poorer for this breakup. The last UK government took Brexit as permission to isolate, building further trade barriers at its borders in the name of “global Britain”. The new Labour government has made it clear that it prioritises collaboration with its neighbours.

“In every country the drumbeat of noise claiming that democracy is overrated grows louder“

Last week’s US election means that defining what that means in practice must now be fast-tracked. Plans for a defence and security cooperation pact reflect how, in an uncertain world, we are stronger together. As the world awaits the inauguration of the new president, we must waste no time building on that approach. This is not a call for lengthy treaty negotiations to overturn Brexit, but for an ambitious programme to repair the damage done to our shared futures; to ensure that whatever Trump does, the way we work in Europe will protect us from economic, security and climate shocks. Whether rejoining the pan-Euro-Mediterranean convention, greater single market access, an SPS deal, mobility schemes to help workers and students of all ages, joint investment in research and renewable energies or dialogue on artificial intelligence, much can be achieved quickly if there is political will. So too willingness to implement what we’ve already agreed and find solutions on unsettled issues such as fisheries or energy, strengthening our mutual trust.

If our minds must be focused on what has happened in the US, our methods must be too. In every country the drumbeat of noise claiming that democracy is overrated grows louder – and finds support at the ballot box. This year, for the first time ever, every incumbent party facing an election in a developed country lost vote share. People do not want more of the same, whether left or right, and they don’t want to be excluded. They are hungry for change and for radical results.

It is just 127 days since Labour came to power and already polls show the public dissatisfied. Other governments in Europe face similar challenges, with citizens growing more impatient or disillusioned. Real reform takes time – our policy challenges are complex and our administration is outdated. Those who offer only hatred have no solutions, but those who deny the need to do things differently won’t succeed either. That is why now is the time not just for bold thinking but bold ways of working too.

As proud parliamentarians, we hear the call to take back control – the future for the EU and the UK cannot be decided behind closed doors. Whatever the outcome, this will only embolden those who sow discontent with the political process. The EU and UK parliamentary partnership assembly fulfils this role, yet at present no UK members have been appointed, meaning it can’t begin its work. This must urgently be addressed so that from the grassroots to our capitals there is accountability and transparency hardwired into our ways of working. We believe that if everyone who believes in the power of freedom and the potential of humanity clings to those values, even when fear and chaos appear to be winning, Europe can again be a place where another world is possible. Now, more than ever, we must work together to usher in a new era of hope.