EU Futures - Episode 48 - Esther De Lange

EU Futures

In this episode Olya Yordanyan talks to Dutch politician Esther de Lange, Vice-Chair of the European People's Party (EPP) in the European Parliament. De Lange focuses on the big challenges Europe faces, challenges she believes will require cooperation across borders. She stresses the need for Europe to reinvent itself: “We need a different Europe in the 21st century than we did in the 1950s and 60s.” The debate now, she says, is about global issues and Europe's role in the world. Europe, she says, is stronger together. But people need a ”smart Europe.“ And Europe needs to find more ways to engage citizens at the local and supranational levels. The lack of leadership paralyzes citizens, she adds. [Date of interview: March 4, 2017]