| 
The Commission’s new Vice President will be in charge of “Protecting the European Way of Life” - a job which includes managing migration and suggests an approach that puts up yet more walls against people fleeing war, poverty and climate change! We have three days to show our representitives that the European way of life doesn’t need protection from diversity.
In any mosaic, each piece that makes it up is different from the other. But together, these pieces make something stunning.
The same can be said of our home -- Europe is made great by the wealth of cultures, experiences, and backgrounds of those of us who call Europe home. In fact, ‘Unity in Diversity’ is the motto of the European Union. But this vision is under threat.
European Commission President-elect, Ursula von der Leyen, has nominated a Vice President who will be in charge of "Protecting the European Way of Life". What do they mean by a European Way of Life? We are not sure. But we do know that his main responsibility is migration. [1]
The title of this position suggests that “the European Way of life” is somehow at odds with migration and needs protecting from it. This is an insult, at best. At worst, it takes on the rhetoric of the far-right, and institutionalises it. Marine LePen has called it an ‘ideological victory’. [2]
Meanwhile, pressure has been mounting to reject this title and remove migration from this portfolio. [3] We need to send a message: a massive people-powered petition showing that Europeans won’t stand for this could tip the scales.
In just three days MEPs will question the candidate for this position: the time to act is now.
And we have a fun plan to make an even bigger impact. After signing, you’ll be asked to (securely) send us a picture of something that represents how you want us to live in Europe. [5] We will use the images and your signatures on Thursday, when Margaritis Schinas, the candidate for this role, will be questioned in a public hearing lead by Members of the European Parliament. [4]
This is the moment to show him, our representatives and the Commission President, that OUR European way of life is inclusive, diverse, and does not need protecting from migration.
We will deliver all the signatures accompanied by pictures from the WeMove Community showing the diversity of our lives in Europe, because we want to show that our way is tolerant, and that we value equality and respect for human dignity and human rights.
Our partners, like the European Anti-Poverty Network and Hellenic Anti-Poverty Network, have already done a lot of work behind the scenes to increase pressure to have this name changed. But that’s not enough.
This is the moment to show the Vice President, our representatives, and the Commission President that our European way of life is inclusive, diverse, and does not need protecting from migration. Are you in?
Enshrined in WeMove Europe’s founding mission statement stand these words: “We are people from all walks of life, whether we were born in Europe or elsewhere, and we call Europe home.” [6] Let’s do those values justice and stand up for a Europe we are happy to call home.
In solidarity,
Olga (Bologna), Fatima (London), Virginia (Madrid), and the entire WeMove Europe team.
References:
[1] https://www.euronews.com/2019/09/10/what-s-the-european-way-of-life-eu-chief-s-new-commission-portfolio-draws-criticism
[2] https://www.reuters.com/article/us-eu-commission-life/eu-defends-european-way-of-life-idea-after-le-pen-claims-it-for-far-right-idUSKBN1W1262
[3] Criticism to the job title and portfolio subject matter: https://www.politico.eu/article/jean-claude-juncker-criticizes-ursula-von-der-leyen-over-european-way-of-life-commissioner/ https://www.politico.eu/article/outrage-over-protecting-our-european-way-of-life-job-title/ https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/12/world/europe/eu-ursula-von-der-leyen-migration.html Open letter from WeMove Europe partners, ENAR https://www.enar-eu.org/Open-letter-to-Commission-President-Ursula-Von-der-Leyen-1675
[4] http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/hearings2019/commission-hearings-2019/20190912STO60948/schedule-commissioner-candidate-hearings-in-parliament
[5] All pictures will be covered under our privacy policy and will be sent via a Whatsapp number that we will provide once you have signed the petition.
[6] WeMove Europe Mission Statement https://www.wemove.eu/mission
WeMove.EU is a citizens’ movement, campaigning for a better Europe; for a European Union committed to social and economic justice, environmental sustainability and citizen-led democracy. We are people from all walks of life, who call Europe our home whether we were born in Europe or elsewhere. To unsubscribe from WeMove.EU, please click here.
WeMove.EU is funded by donations from our community across Europe. Can you chip in with a few euros a month and help make sure we can move fast to win the campaigns that matter to all of us? Donate
Follow on Twitter | Like on Facebook | Subscribe on Youtube
WeMove Europe SCE mbH | Planufer 91 Berlin | www.wemove.eu| Privacy policy
