Upcoming European elections: Party pledges revealed

#EP2024: Upcoming Presidential Election - Upcoming European polls: Parties' pledges revealed

Close to June 9th, many citizens are still not excited about the European elections. Large posters are popping up, advertising politicians of all kinds. Some urge people to "simply do it for Europe," while others are more cautious. They ask: "Traffic light?" or "Overtaking lane?" But what do these politicians really want for Europe? Here's a quick breakdown:

SPD: As the party of peace

The SPD is focusing on three key issues: peace, pensions, and the minimum wage. Peace forms the central theme of their posters, featuring SPD candidate Katarina Barley and Chancellor Olaf Scholz. They're not talking about ending ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, but rather urging caution to avoid escalating these situations into full-blown confrontations.

On pensions, they're trying to defuse a budget dispute within the traffic light coalition. Scholz wants to protect the pension system, keeping pension entry ages steady and not eliminating the tax-free pension after 45 years of contributions, as demanded by the FDP. They're also promising to raise the minimum wage - a measure with European guidelines in mind.

The Greens: Preventing a right-wing shift

The Greens see the European election as a way to stop a right-wing shift. Fear of such a shift links their two main issues: preventing it and combating climate change. They consider the Green Deal, a EU plan for climate neutrality by 2050, under threat from conservative forces. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, a CDU member, has come under fire for not being progressive enough. They want more EU influence on labor and social standards, and they celebrate the EU as a defender of peace and prosperity.

FDP: Struggling against von der Leyen

For the FDP, this election is all about stopping von der Leyen. FDP leader Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann is dubbed the "Eurofighter" preparing to face off against the Commission President. They accuse von der Leyen of too much bureaucracy, insufficient free trade, and neglecting combustion engines. "Less von der Leyen, more Europe," is their slogan.

Their concrete demands include reducing bureaucracy, building a European army, supporting climate goals but not adding new requirements, and ensuring financial freedom.

CDU and CSU: Champions of a strong Europe

Between Harald Schmitz from the CDU and Alexander Dobrindt from the CSU, the Union campaigns for safety, security, prosperity, and competitiveness. They challenge EU institutions that want to ban new cars with combustion engines starting in 2035, arguing for their continued use. They also push for massive rearmament of the EU in light of threats from Russia, limiting immigration, and better border protection.

Their program, "With Safety Europe - For a Europe that protects and benefits," distances them from anti-Europeans and traffic light parties.

The AfD: Confronting the EU system

When the party was founded in 2013, it called itself the "Anti-Euro Party." It remains committed to its position in the 2024 European election campaign. They want to reintroduce national currencies, strengthening national sovereignty and competitiveness. They call the EU "an undemocratic construct" and a failure, and they envision a "Union of European Nations."

In terms of day-to-day concerns, the AfD is focusing on migration. They propose handling asylum applications outside Germany, returning to nuclear power, and abandoning economic sanctions against Russia to import Russian natural gas.

The Left has become cautious in its criticism of the European Union (EU), as they state in their election manifesto, "Despite all its flaws and construction failures, there should be no reversion to the political success of European integration, no return to the nation-state." Instead, they have established objectives for their agenda: combating poverty, raising taxes on large corporations, and easing EU debt regulations. They aim to redistribute wealth, increase investments, and stimulate the European economy.

Regarding climate protection, the Left believes the targets under the European Green Deal are inadequate, which aligns with the candidacy of climate and refugee activist Carola Rackete. One of their ideas to combat climate change is to broaden rail transport across borders, creating "United Railways of Europe." This concept is cherished by party leader Janine Wissler, who envisions "Trains of all countries uniting you."

The BSW (Bündnis 90/Die Grünen Wagenknecht) prioritizes economic reason, social justice, peace, freedom of expression, and democracy in their European election campaign. The party formed by former Left politician Sahra Wagenknecht stresses the need for an "independent Europe" and distances itself from the USA. Concerning the ongoing war in Ukraine, they urge for a truce and the initiation of peace talks.

The BSW also opposes economic sanctions against Russia and approves of migration restrictions. They believe asylum processes should take place at the EU's external borders or in third countries. Criticizing the Green Deal's current form, the BSW proposes "climate policy and environmental protection through technological innovation." Ridding the EU of combustion engine-powered vehicles by 2035 is not something Wagenknecht supports. In conclusion, she asserts, "The EU, according to its current constitution, damages the European idea."