Europe has chosen to save the banks, not the people

AS GUE/NGL MEPs arrived in Ireland to urge a ‘NO’ in the Fiscal Compact/Austerity Treaty referendum, Gabi Zimmer MEP, President of the GUE/NGL in the European Parliament, said the future of Europe depends on its ability to change course.

This is funded by the European United Left/Nordic Green Left (GUE/NGL)

AS GUE/NGL MEPs arrived in Ireland to urge a ‘NO’ in the Fiscal Compact/Austerity Treaty referendum, Gabi Zimmer MEP, President of the GUE/NGL in the European Parliament, said the future of Europe depends on its ability to change course.

Europe is doing badly. The disastrous effects of current policies are increasingly visible and unsustainable for the peoples of Europe. With rising unemployment and recession, austerity is being established as a means of governing.

This is not the Europe that was designed long ago by its founding fathers as an area of freedom, peace, democracy, human rights and the welfare state.

Europe is in crisis, a hostage of a narrow vision of its role, focusing on the markets and financial sector at the expense of the people. In response to the savage guerrilla activities of banks, which have speculated on national debts, Europe has chosen to save the banks and not member states.

Another Europe is possible. For this, political and radical changes in current policies are needed. It should put the financial sector back in its place and no longer allow speculators to ruin the economies of countries. We must stop applying austerity plans undertaken by governments on behalf of a devastating fiscal orthodoxy. We must protect and create jobs, reduce inequalities and not accept the unacceptable, in other words the impoverishment of people and youth. The future of Europe depends on its ability to change course and to change policies.