Europe needs a centrist agenda

Yair Zivan is the editor and author of “The Centre Must Hold – Why Centrism Is the Answer to Extremism and Polarisation.” Sandro Gozi is a former member of the Italian parliament, a current MEP and secretary-general of the European Democratic Party.
Europe once again finds itself faced with a choice between the positive vision of centrism or the division, fear and anger of the extremes. And the outcome of the European Parliament election in June has left this debate far from settled.
Despite the new right gaining strength in some places, overall, the balance of power in Europe remains the same. But while it appears there may be no great appetite for populism and extremism in Europe, there are deep and genuine grievances that far too many feel have been insufficiently addressed by the political center.
Extremist and populist parties exploit real fears and frustrations — they don’t invent them. They identify and amplify them, taking advantage of their resonance with a dissatisfied public. Thus, the new right’s strength comes not from the quality of its ideas — in fact, their simplistic solutions are destined to fail. Rather, it stems from the ability to understand and emphasize people’s concerns.
Whether it’s the changes migration might bring to national identity, the redundancies created by technological advances or the rising cost of living, people’s fears are real and understandable. The problem isn’t those who head to the polls driven by these fears and vote for someone they feel understands them. The problem is getting the centrist message across more effectively.
Centrism can win the argument on substance — it has the solutions to the complex challenges Europe is facing today. But its proponents first have to convince large swathes of the public that they sincerely understand these fears.
In his first victory speech, French President Emmanuel Macron said, “I will do everything to make sure you never have reason again to vote for extremes.” That should be the centrist rallying cry. The challenge is to give voters a clear alternative, as well as to connect with their genuine worries about the future. Because like recent events in France have shown, even effective and bold reforms might not be sufficient if unpersuasive.
It’s only when we truly understand the pain people feel that we can work to provide solutions that offer the two key things centrists bring to the political table — hope and pragmatism.
Centrism is inherently hopeful about the future, about our shared ability to change the trajectory of society and tackle the most complicated problems. It should embrace the liberal patriotism that combines both love of country and a commitment to liberal democratic values, along with strong action toward effective multilateralism and transnationalism — the very things that hold our nations together.
If extremists emphasize identity politics, centrism must emphasize the strength of our shared identity, setting out a positive national vision for the countries we love and a strong commitment to global solutions.
And where extremists stress a simplistic approach, centrism must explain how unworkable the solutions being offered by the new right are — and just how worse off people will be.
Centrism in Europe will also have to address the competing tensions between greater integration and local identity, globalization and local industry, and threats to security and civil liberties. These tensions exist, and only by seeking to effectively balance them can politicians really claim to be pragmatic. And that pragmatism must be marshaled into real results, initiatives that make people’s lives better and have a tangible impact on their daily lives.
Finally, alongside the hope and pragmatism that comes naturally to centrism, it must also offer a clear vision on core issues — something that’s already happening with the digital and green transformations. There’s no place here for splitting the difference between right and left or searching for consensus based on the lowest common denominator. Strong centrist politics set a clear path for owning the future.
So, as we reflect on this summer’s election results and draw lessons from it, it’s time European centrists looked forward. The answer to the rise of the illiberal right won’t come from the illiberal left. And while our friends on the mainstream right and left will be tempted to appease the extremes, it’s centrists who must stand firm.
Social democrats or conservatives may very well feel they’ll be better served by building alliances with the political spectrum’s extremes. But they must resist the siren call of populism, and show that moderate and pragmatic politics can deliver.