Intergenerational challenges must be tackled if younger generations are to have a stake in society and the democracy that underpins them. In a shrewd move that’s designed to help counter the right-wing exploitation of young people, the EU Commission, under the leadership of Ursula von der Leyen, has appointed a commissioner for intergenerational fairness, youth, culture and sport, with the specific task of addressing this issue. And while von der Leyen’s political guidelines for 2024–2029 underline the need for all commissioners to ensure that young people are listened to and embed citizen participation in their work, this new appointment takes that a step further.
EU commissioner for intergenerational fairness, youth, culture and support
Step forward the Maltese government’s nominee, Glenn Micallef. At 35 he will be the youngest EU commissioner, albeit with a traditionally less senior portfolio, but one who was appointed Prime Minister Robert Abela’s chief of staff four years ago and one who is reputed to have a good understanding of how the EU ticks. He’s also a Liverpool FC supporter.
Intergenerational fairness is one of those issues that spans so many policy areas, from sport and culture to the invisibles – the sibling carers, young people struggling to make their way in times of economic austerity, climate disaster and increasing strictures, the ones expected to take on the challenges of the future from delivering care to managing artificial intelligence (AI).
The ones right-wing parties target in impoverished regions, capitalising on their despair, alienation, deprivation and sense of having been forgotten. The ones for whom social democracy may seem irrelevant and who seek a voice – any voice – via the right-wing megaphones of parties with dubious democratic credentials.
The new commissioner for intergenerational fairness has an unparalleled opportunity to address the most pressing issues of the day. He must do so together with young people.
Social democratic values
While there have been commissioners for youth, culture and sport in the past, this is the first time that one has been tasked with intergenerational fairness.
Fairness is a core EU value. It is central to its raison-d’être and at the heart of the EU Charter of Fundamental Freedoms as well as the European Convention on Human Rights. It is, moreover, a profoundly social democratic issue.
It is also a shrewd move on the part of the Commission president to signal recognition of the question of intergenerational fairness that so many right-wing parties have sought to exploit in order to undermine societal stability. Grandstanding won’t achieve anything. So how the commissioner-designate deals with his cross-examination by members of the European parliament, who have the power to endorse him or require his immediate replacement, will matter and be carefully watched.
New commission, new approach
When a new Commission is appointed, the Commission President sets out the overall political direction and priorities envisaged for her term of office. These are then broken down and more specific tasks allocated to each commissioner. What’s different this time is that a new set of responsibilities has been spelled out and a new commissioner portfolio created.
Von der Leyen set out her overall expectations in her letter nominating Micallef for the post. She stressed her vision for democracy, supporting people “by strengthening our prosperity, our social market economy, green and digital transitions and sustaining our unique quality of life”. These have specific relevance for the new commissioner given the tasks he will have to address which relate to engaging young people in participatory democracy at all levels.
Von der Leyen explained the context by stating: “We will strengthen our democracy, rally around our values and ensure that we are stronger at home”, all at a time when evidence was growing of mounting Russian interference in the run up to Moldova’s referendum on acceding to the EU, hot on the heels of foreign interference and disinformation campaigns during the June European parliament elections, and more evidence of growing social media interference targeting the US presidential elections next month.
Accordingly, von der Leyen expects each commissioner to support candidate countries preparing to join the EU with pre-enlargement policy reviews, and to back the EU’s ambitious reform proposals, including climate objectives for 2030 and climate neutrality by 2050.
Von der Leyen specifically requires each commissioner to establish a “new era of dialogue with citizens and stakeholders”, to be visible “on the ground”, meeting citizens from local areas, to work together to make a difference, and to tackle disinformation “notably by providing clear and accurate information at all times”.
A mission to promote intergenerational fairness
He and his colleagues’ first task is to embed citizen participation in EU work, based on the legacy of the Conference on the Future of Europe to create a culture of participatory democracy. Within the first 100 days of office, they are tasked with organising the first of an annual youth policy dialogue so that young people can be heard and can help shape their work. Recommendations from a European citizens’ panel are to inform EU policy areas and proposals.
While von der Leyen expects commissioners to enforce EU rules, making sure existing rules are fit-for-purpose and cutting red tape, again the focus is on dialogue with stakeholders on the ground. Micallef is to be responsible for an annual progress report on enforcement and implementation for his respective European parliamentary committees and council of minister meetings.
But above all, he is entrusted with supporting young people, building solidarity between generations and therefore ensuring that decisions taken today do no harm to future generations.
A fair and just future for younger generations
This requires a strategy on intergenerational fairness to strengthen communication, coordination, youth policy dialogues, setting up the president’s youth advisory board which will advise on issues that matter to young people, and to act as a sounding board for ideas developed by the commission.
He is to be responsible for implementing the EU strategy on the rights of the child, leading work on an action plan against cyber-bullying, and contributing to the EU wide inquiry on the broader impacts of social media. Linked to this is recognising culture and sport as a social good and developing an AI strategy for cultural and creative industries.
This portfolio recognises the imperative of intergenerational fairness. Now, the commissioner for fairness has to deliver. There is much here to inspire the UK. Dare we hope that the government will seek to engage with this as the negotiations for the review of the trade and cooperation agreement get going? Or will our young people be left whistling in the wind as their European peers get down to business and exploit the new avenues opened to shape policy by the appointment of a commissioner for fairness tasked with listening and responding to their needs?
