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TMP’s European columnist looks at the intersection of religion and politics in the EU.

How we bridge the gap between religion and politics in a multi-cultural society is something that is being considered across Europe. I recently attended a meeting of the Dutch Labour Party (PvdA) in London where this issue was debated (see: www.londen.pvda.nl).

The Netherlands has an interesting history where the divide between Catholicism and Protestantism was a significant issue. Now, with a growing Muslim population, the balance between religion and the state has come to the fore again. The PvdA has argued strongly in favour of a separation of church and state in the past. However, today it is taking a more pragmatic approach in some areas, for example through supporting the founding of religious schools.

Across Europe the fault line between religion and politics has raised its head. In France the state is constitutionally secular and there was great debate about the wearing of the hijab in schools. In the UK the recent debate around Catholic adoption agencies, and whether they could be forced to treat a gay couple in the same way as a straight couple seeking to adopt provides another example.

In much of western Europe the traditional centre right parties call themselves Christian Democrats. This often leads to the main centre left party seeking to distance themselves from the church. This has lead to interesting results. In Spain the centre left pushed past a law allowing for gay marriage against a strong lobby from the Vatican. In Italy, the same issue has just pulled apart Prodi’s centre left governing coalition and new elections are now on the cards (Italian PM Romano Prodi is pictured, right, with the Pope).

There is clearly no one model as to how the state interacts with the church and religion in Europe, something that led to a heated debated as to whether the now defunct European constitution should include a reference to God. I am glad that it did not, as the interaction between religion and the state clearly varies so much. However there is a role for the EU in sharing knowledge about balancing this interaction. As our societies grow ever more multi-cultural it is vital that the state is seen to be fair to all religious groups, not favouring institutionalised religion over others. Examples from other European countries could help guide our politicians when they seek to address issues.

Anne Fairweather is TMP’s European columnist and a Prospective European Parliamentary Candidate for Labour in London.

TMP’s EU columnist, Anne Fairweather, looks ahead at the Slovenian Presidency. 

Slovenia is taking the lead in the EU for the next 6 months. If it wasn’t for easyjet even more of you would be saying ‘who?’ ‘where?’

Every 6 months sees a new direction for the EU under a new Presidency, a typical EU compromise that allows all nations a chance to lead the EU, if for a short time. Slovenia is the first of the ‘new’ member states who joined the EU in 2004 to take to the helm. Slovenia is a very small nation with around 2 million inhabitants. The Presidency gives such a small country the opportunity to make an impact on the EU agenda. In reality many of Slovenia’s priorities will be driven by the legislative agenda. However one area where the focus between Presidencies often changes is that of external affairs. Presidencies tend to shift the focus to their neighbouring states or ex-colonies. In this respect Slovenia’s Presidency could not have come at a better time.

Slovenia was the first of the ex-Yugoslav republics to become independent in 1991 after only 10 days of fighting. This relatively stress free exit from Yugoslavia has allowed for what was the most economically advanced of the Yugoslav republics to continue to develop within the EU where it is fast catching up with more developed western European nations.

However Slovenia is deeply concerned with the fate of its former sister republics from the ex-Yugoslavia. The Slovene Presidency is in an ideal position to further the relationship between the EU and Croatia and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia who are negotiating membership along with smoothing the path for Bosnia, Serbia and Montenegro to join in the future. It also assumes the Presidency at a vital time in discussions over the fate of Kosovo.

The Slovene Presidency will bring expertise to the EU’s negotiating efforts. Most inhabitants of the ex-Yugoslavia have links to the other republics, whether through relatives, friends or business connections. In addition Slovenia shares a history with these republics and so has a good insight into where they are coming from.

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On the day EU leaders sign the Lisbon Treaty, TMP’s new european columnist, Anne Fairweather, reflects on our relationship as citizens with the European Union. 

As the leaders of Europe gather in Lisbon to sign another European Treaty, the debate as to what it all means is as unenlightening as always. The real challenge to all politicians that recognise that the EU is a necessary and useful institution, is how to communicate this to Europe’s citizens.

It is hardly surprising that most people have little idea about what the purpose of the EU is, let alone what it does. The debate has been stuck in a rut for decades. The European Union tends to be described by anti-Europeans as a plot to take over British sovereignty – a debate that fails to recognise that political power in Britain has become more and more defuse over the centuries. Whilst those that speak out in favour of the EU are characterised as leading Britain into a never-ending ‘ever closer union’. This then generates fear, as it is perceived to have no end other than that of a ‘super-state’, whatever that maybe. This is an equally curious concern as no one even thinks to ask what the purpose and direction of their own country is. In fact, the way in which the UK’s borders and political institutions have evolved over centuries ought to provide a template for understanding how the EU evolves.

A common understanding of the role, purpose and direction of the EU is desperately needed. Interestingly, the need to co-operate across nations is not questioned when one considers the challenges of the modern age, from climate change to terrorism, mass communication to world trade. It is therefore puzzling that the legitimacy of the institutions, which the EU encompasses, is constantly questioned. The EU is the most creative and organised response to the need to co-operate in the modern world. Rather than responding to policy challenges on an ad hoc basis, the EU allows for a more consistent and transparent approach.

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