Italy, Cyprus and Beyond: The New Political Geography of Europe

The rise of anti-EU populism in both European South and North and the dramatic decrease of trust into the EU among the citizens – how the new instruments of Eurozone governance could stop lacking democratic legitimacy?

Guests

Giampiero Gramaglia, Director of EurActiv Italia, Communication Advisor at the Instituto Affari Internazionali (IAI), Rome

Thomas Klau , Head of the ECFR Paris Office, former columnist for “Financial Times Deutschland”

Johanna Korhonen , publicist at “Helsingin Sanomat”, author of the analysis “Ten Paths to Populism: How Silent Finland Became a Playing Field for Loud Populism”

Aleksander Smolar , President of the Stefan Batory Foundation, Warsaw, ECFR Board Member

Chaired by

Piotr Buras, Head od ECFR Warsaw Office

‘The EU dream is over’ – says Beppe Grillo, the Italian comedian and politician whose electoral success earlier this year was a shock for European elites. Three years after the process of re-shaping the Eurozone started with the bail-out of Greece Grillo becomes a symbol for the ‘new political geography of Europe’. The rise of anti-EU populism in both European South and North and the dramatic decrease of trust into the EU among the citizens are fueled by the new instruments of Eurozone governance lacking democratic legitimacy. The rescue of Cyprus involving private bank deposits could be a model for the future – and thus a watershed in the Eurozone crisis management.

Is the Italian scenario likely to repeat in other countries? Is the Grillo movement just a populist rejection of Europe or rather sign of a legitimate outburst of anger and call for a different crisis management? Will the EU use the time until the German election in autumn 2013 to readjust its strategy and develop instruments to stimulate both growth and structural reforms? Or is the EU maybe already on the right track – despite the social unrest in many member states?

ECFR Warsaw Office kindly invites you for the debate “Italy, Cyprus and Beyond: The New Political Geography of Europe” on 8 May between 11-13 h in the premises of the Stefan Batory Foundation, Sapieżyńska 10a.

Programme
10.45 – 11.00 – Registration & Coffee
11.00 – 11.10 – Welcome by Piotr Buras, Head of the ECFR Warsaw office
11.10 – 12.00 – Debate: (Giampiero Gramaglia, Thomas Klau, Johanna Korhonen, Aleksander Smolar)
12.00 – 13.00- Questions & Answers
13.00 – 13.45 – lunch

The debate will be held in English.