Europe was supposed to be united. In order to become a strong continent that speaks with one voice. It was supposed to be powerful in order not to have to bend to the pressure of other nations (USA, Russia, India, China,…), be it economically or socially.
It was supposed to be a Europe based on a consensus of values, where human rights, enlightenment and democracy were the corner stones. A united federation of nations single-minded and clearly positioned, with a stable foreign-policy agenda. And with a strong EURO that makes the European economy independent of currency speculations.
Well, this was the European dream, the theory. But what about reality? We could not be farther away from united foreign-policy agenda than we are. If a third country violates the rights of a European citizen, this is either tolerated or ignored. When world-trade agreements are signed, Europe yields to the interests of other nations and international concerns, keeping it secret from her citizens. We witnessed all these things again last week.
But the value consensus, too, is no longer intact. Here, too, the European countries drift apart. Two current examples show evil symptoms: the planned ban on prostitution in France and the tightening of the abortion law in Spain. Both of these planned legislations look imprudent and hypocritical to me.
In France, they want to ban prostitution. They do not take into consideration that there is a reason why this business is called the world’s oldest. Even former feminists like Alice Schwarzer are cited when arguments for the ban are formulated. This time around, in order not to do damage to the women, they want to punish only the customers. And in doing so, they still make women criminals.
This law will not have any effect. Perhaps a few less congresses will be held in France. Perhaps even Germany and Bavaria will benefit, because some concern bases will again move from France to Berlin or Munich. However, the sexual activities of the French men will not change.…
The current development in Spain also means a huge step in the wrong direction. Mind you, I am not very much in favour of abortions. I like children. I know that the time we have in life passes quickly and that especially the simple decisions in life will often look like wrong decisions in retrospect. But I also know how an undesired pregnancy can be an extreme disaster for a woman. And no matter how difficult the topic abortion is, to me the regulation commonly practiced in Germany sounds rather responsible.
Spain, however, now wants to go another way. What will be the consequences? The poor women – and I think the number of those is not small in Spain – will go back to the “angel creator”. And the prosperous ladies will just go on a short vacation with full service in the neighbouring country. Is that what you call a reasonable solution to the problem?
In the context of the Great Coalition Agreement on minimum wages, the CSU party head and Bavarian President Horst Seehofer said: “We have to make laws based on the reality of life”. Well, this is doubtless true. Neither the ban on prostitution, nor the stricter abortion legislation are based on the reality of life. All they do is moralise.
As I see it, reasonable laws should have a chance to actually be realized by the executive. It seems to me that neither of these legislations meet that requirement. The French would have to increase their moral police significantly. But how to do that? The same is true for Spain. Or does the legislation hope for denunciation?
It would be really sad if the French and Spaniards were to claim the title of: Europe’s Moral Model Citizens. And if the lobbyists, such as the church, were to feel encouraged and increase their influence by such rules. For a moral “lapse back to the Middle Ages”.
But I am truly sorry for Europe. If the European countries drift apart where such questionable legislation is introduced on topics that are so important for human life, then how is Europe ever supposed to reach a social consensus and become a relevant value authority for the entire world?
RMD
(Translated by EG)
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