Europe at a Crossroads?

Helfried Carl in conversation with Andreas Schieder

Europe at a Crossroads?

"Never since the end of the Second World War has European democracy been in such danger as it is today. It is part of the critical infrastructure and we must protect it from attacks from outside and inside,“ said Andreas Schieder on the occasion of Europe Day 2023.

In recent years, the EU has achieved fundamental successes: new digital ground rules, the Green Deal, the Corona Recovery Fund, the Wage Transparency Directive and a supply chain law for greater global responsibility. Nevertheless, Europe still faces enormous challenges. One of the biggest is the fight against climate change. The global situation has also changed dramatically. Since the 2019 EU elections, a fragile world order has turned into a dangerous global disorder. There is a war on our doorstep in Ukraine and war in the Middle East. Added to this is the growing social divide and the concentration of wealth, which has further widened the gap between rich and poor. Will the EU be able to be a strong and committed voice for multilateralism, democracy and human rights under these circumstances? Can democracy in Europe be defended against right-wing demagogues? And what role does the European Parliament have to play in this?

Andreas Schieder is head of the SPÖ delegation in the EU Parliament. He is an economist and a passionate foreign policy expert. His work in the European Parliament focuses on foreign, security and defence policy, challenges in the internal market and international trade.
Member of the National Council from 2006, between 2008 and 2013 first State Secretary in the Federal Chancellery, then in the Ministry of Finance. From 2013 to 2018, Schieder was the SPÖ's parliamentary group leader in the National Council.

Helfried Carl, Diplomat, since 2019 partner of the Innovation in Politics Institute in Vienna, which he co-founded, and founder of the European Capital of Democracy initiative. From 2014-2019 he was Austria's ambassador to the Slovak Republic, before that, from 2008-2014, he was head of office and foreign policy advisor to National Council President Barbara Prammer.