Linus, Sweden
Interview with Linus, 26, Swedish, student
What comes to your mind when you think about the EU?
Linus: Greater possibilities for me to move and work within Europe. More integration of the nation states in the EU in many senses.
In the moment, what opinion do you think the people have on the EU?
Linus: In Sweden, I’d say divided. In general I think people hold view like this one: They’re happy about the ability to move across borders more easily for themselves, but less so when it comes to (some) foreigners having that same possibility; they’re not too happy about curious laws imposed on them by the EU instead of by the Swedish government.
What fears do your people have from the EU?
Linus: The diminished national sovereignty, immigration of poorer people wanting to live off of our generous welfare state, diminishing democracy
When applicable, were the TV debates on the need for your country to access the EU controversially discussed?
Linus: Very much so, yes, what I can remember.
If you read the media, how is the relationship between your country and bigger countries like Germany and France? And what do you think?
Linus: I’d say the media regards France as always setting its own problem before those of the EU (like on the constitution poll and on agriculture subsidies/tariffs). Germany is regarded as a slow dealer of its own (mainly economic) problems. I hold similar views.
What would be your worst idea about the EU?
Linus: Too much decided by its biggest members perhaps. Lack of diversity in general.
Do you know how the EU works?
Linus: In very broad terms, yes.
If I told you that about 70% of the new laws in your country come from Brussels, would that be ok for you?
Linus: That would depend on what kind of laws the EU were setting and what for, and especially under which circumstances (that there is, for instance, a democratic process when a law is being processed).
Keeping the last questions in mind, what do you think about the role of your national parliament? The MPs are elected by the people and they speak your language, don't you think that they should be the ones who make the major part of the law here? In other words, what do you think about the fact that the majority of the laws that are affecting you life are taken on the European level?
Linus: I largely agree with the principle of subsidarity. The municipal commissioners of my hometown should be able to take as many decisions as possible concerning that place, as long as it would be practical. The same goes with the nation state-level. But there are also many questions that are increasingly difficult to deal with for the parliament/institutions of any country due to globalization; especially for a country as small as Sweden.
Do you think there should be more information about how the European institutional system works (as it has a big impact on our life but we don't know how it even works)?
Linus: The problem seems to be that people aren’t really interested. In Sweden the last elections for the national parliament aroused an enormous interest, but that doesn’t seem to happen with the elections for the European Parliament. “Information” sounds like dull folders and I don’t think that is the solution. The problem seems more to be that the media doesn’t highlight the action in Brussels enough. Most people vote for a party in the national elections and they expect that same party to ‘do the job’ in Brussels as well. And that doesn’t seem completely misguided. But a process like that lacks transparency.
According to you, what should the EU focus on? And why the EU should itself deal with it?
Linus: United foreign policy, so that EU becomes a force in international relations capable of setting and/or affecting the agenda. And most importantly: solve “the democratic deficit”. The individual citizens must feel that their voices matter, even on the European level. If that means more direct voting, more subsidarity or something else, is very difficult to say.
Do you think that it is important to have a Europe as one entity in the world or do you think it's better to have strong States who cooperate together?
Linus: Since too many states don’t seem to be able to cooperate, I’d say a strong Europe.
Would you like the EU to become a federal State?
Linus: No. Maybe, yes, would the “states” have great deal of independency; more than the German Bundeslnder. But then it might not be considered a federal state any more… (?)
What about a European army?
Linus: Yes, to intervene in conflicts and facilitate aid operations. It should be moral like the UN, but not having to deal with the hassles of the Security council.
Should there be a common language in the EU?
Linus: No way, people don’t want it. National identity is very strong in Europe and that consists to a large part of language.
Do you believe that there is a limit to the development of the EU? If yes, how to know where that limit is?
Linus: There are cultural limits. People aren’t prepared to move outside their own country to a very large extent, so why would the want to see all their power rest up in the hands of the European parliament.
Do you think this is worth the adventure? Do you think the whole development is too fast?
Linus: The development is not too fast. I’d say it’s better to go on than stop the whole EU project.
One says that you tend not to care about something as long as it’s not related to money. Do you think that setting up a European tax would raise the people's interest in the EU or it would only be another step towards a United States of Europe-like structure?
Linus: Yes, I think that would create some interest. But I can’t see anything we reasonably should pay taxes for directly to the EU. It’s better that that is handled by our state. Would the EU set up an army then it would be another matter.
According to you, is the EU too bureaucratic?
Linus: Yes.
Would you say that the EU is democratic?
Linus: I guess it is to some extent, but not sufficiently so. It lacks transparency – no one seems to know what happens in the EU and who that is deciding the laws – and that in itself is problem of democracy.
Last, but not least, what is the impact of the EU on your daily life?
Linus: Not too much that I can think of to be honest.
