Geneva, Switzerland. 11
February. Such is the wrath of power! Following
Sunday’s vote here in Switzerland to re-impose restrictions on free movement of
peoples and since I posted my blog yesterday I have been inundated by emails
and texts from the more EU at all and any cost lobby and members of the European
establishment. They have routinely
denounced the Swiss accusing the people here of xenophobia, racism and stupidity
or a combination of all three.
Some of the emails have
been downright hysterical. A few
suggested that any block on the road to further European integration will see
the start of a long slide back to general European war. What utter alarmist tosh!
Yesterday I spent part
of the day talking to people and monitoring the Swiss Press. Yes, some of those who voted for the
restrictions are clearly xenophobic and I am sure not a few are plain racist. An examination shows a clear split between
town and country and between the Swiss German, Swiss Italian and Swiss Romande
cantons. Equally, many of the votes
appear to have come from across the political spectrum which suggests many cast
their vote because of very legitimate concerns about identity, accountability
and trust. .
What seems to have been
the most powerful motive for many was a sense Switzerland is sliding towards EU
membership by the back door – all the obligations with few of the benefits.
The simple truth is
that millions of people across Europe see the EU like some form of giant
jellyfish hovering over their lives with dangling tentacles that ensnare them
in ever more onerous European regulation.
They instinctively feel that harmonisation is leading to
de-democratisation.
Given the Eurozone
crisis they believe the EU makes them poorer, less secure, less free and ever
more subject to the whims of a political and bureaucratic elite over whom they
have no control.
In fact, much of that
is untrue but by no means all of it. The
EU does excellent work protecting people across Europe from the excesses of
unscrupulous government and rapacious external states. And, there is no question that failed
national politicians too often blame Brussels for their own incompetence.
However, rather than
dismiss such concerns as the raving reflections of a bunch of Swiss
backwoodsmen and women European leaders must start to engage we the European
peasantry and our concerns. Sadly, there
are too many high apostles of European integration actively out seeking their
European federal fantasy.
One of the many
messages from this complex vote is that the EU should return to basics and
focus simply on ways to support the member-states to make Europeans wealthier,
safer and more efficient - period .
It is the twin issues
of identity and accountability that has driven many perfectly decent Swiss
people to vote the way they did. Those
twin issues are the core of concerns of millions of Europeans across the
Continent.
The European elite
spent yesterday acting true to type uttering muffled but clear threats about
the dire consequences Switzerland now faces because of its democracy. Instead, they should come down off Mount
Brulumpus, get out amongst the peoples of Europe, and start to really listen to
their concerns. Only then can they explain
how and why the EU is good for all Europeans.
Indeed, if there was one unifying factor in the Swiss vote it was the
rejection of elite arrogance and indifference.
Like it or not the
Swiss people voted the way they did. And
even though Switzerland is not an EU member the vote matters. Instead I fear it will be dismissed as irrelevant
and/or inconvenient. There is of course
a way of avoiding such annoyances.
Simply scrap democracy and never ask the people anything. Democracy is after all so messy and causes
power such inconvenience. When you in
the elite do that could you at least answer one question for me; for what did
my grandfather risk his life for in World War Two?
Julian Lindley-French
