Madariaga - College of Europe Foundation

Madariaga Report - 22 January 2010

A decade ago, social democratic parties were in power in 12 of the 15 EU Member States. They only govern 7 of the 27 EU countries today. Assumptions that the economic crisis would work in their favour proved flawed in light of the June 2009 European election results, which confirmed social democracy’s unrelenting decline in most EU countries. What are the causes for this retreat? At a time when Europe is at risk of being deserted by its citizens, will social democracy be able to play its fully-fledged role and breathe life back into the concept of democracy? Can it call into play the European dimension to counter the crisis and thereby recover its credibility? To debate these issues, the Madariaga – College of Europe Foundation held a Citizen’s Controversy on 22 January 2010 with Philippe Marlière, Reader in French and European Politics at University College London, and Ernst Stetter, Secretary General of the Foundation for European Progressive Studies (FEPS).

 Report                              Philippe Marlière's speech                            Ernst Stetter's speech