Adres­sing Europe’s Mul­ti­ple Cri­ses: An agen­da for eco­no­mic trans­for­ma­ti­on, soli­da­ri­ty and demo­cra­cy

The continuing low growth rate environment in many EU countries, stagnation in others and even recession in some, have led not only to a general slow-down, but also to deepening divisions within the EU, both between member states and between regions. Such divergences are reflected in the basic economic and social indicators of the area, as well as in the democratic process on the political level, as certain countries acquire a hegemonic role in the shaping of EU policy, while particular group interests, notably those of financial capital, become dominant across the EU as a whole. The experiences in countries like Greece or Portugal amply revealed the connecting links between politics and economics in the EU, i.e. the power imbalance between the ruling elites and society at large.