For the European elections at the end of May, most commentators expect a wave of populism from right and left. It is widely believed that the whole European Union will pour itself into the Brussels and Strasbourg Parliament like a political tsunami.
May be, wait and see. We at the program "Europe's future" at the Bertelsmann Stiftung do not simply want to sit still and stare at the snake like a rabbit. Together with the Twelve Stars Initiative we have asked clever minds all over Europe: Please, write down what idea could make enlighten the gloomy conditions of the EU! Freethinkers ahead for a better Europe, that was the motto.
In parallel, our Europe-wide survey www.eupinions.eu, before the elections, explores the mood of European citizens - you can follow the analysis on the website just mentioned.
Today, you find here an essay by Kasper Lippert-Rasmussen. He reflects on a specific and quite worrying aspect of the future of the EU and warns: "Mandatory retirement age will produce even greater economic costs. A mandatory retirement age in an aging population means that a growing proportion of the EU's citizens will stop being part of the workforce and will instead rely on transfers from those citizens who remain part of it. The European statistics agency Eurostat estimates that the ratio of over-65-year-olds to 15- to 64-year-olds will increase from 31 percent in 2018 to 50 percent in 2050."
Enjoy further reading by downloading Kasper's essay here.
