Logbook entry #3 - Time for democracy

The year 2024 is a special year for democracy. Countries all over the globe go to the polls to elect new representatives. This also applies to my ideological home of the European Union, where EU citizens are called to vote in 720 members of parliament in these strange times.

Strange times indeed. It seems the rosy world of the 90's, 00's and 10's with globalization, multiculturalism and relative peace and prosperity (at least for the "west") is over. Industrial policy, subsidies and trade wars are back on the menu. This is not the world that the current EU system has optimized for and we run the risk of being strategically deadlocked between the competition of the two big global players and regional adversaries.

This means that the EU more than ever needs cohesion. No single country member can adequately defend itself, regulate big companies or compete in the technology arena. Pulling our resources together is the only way we can secure an independent future. A future were Europeans are strong and do not rely on other powers. Only then can we actually defend the European values of free thought, free expression and equal opportunities.

And of course it is also our duty to make sure that the European citizens experience the fruits of this collaboration. Let's hope that new parliament and president of the commissioner can rise to the challenges ahead.

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