The Europe we know today was designed in the post-war period for a very different reality than the one we have today. Today's reality is shaped by accumulated challenges; ranging from climate change to automation and economic crises, to digital threats and the rapid spread of (dis)information, which create increasing social unrest, confusion and frustration. Add to this growing inequalities which, in addition to the aforementioned, lead to citizens feeling excluded, disenfranchised and a loss of trust in the state and its representatives. All this is caused by the perception that politicians and those in power do not listen and lack the will to act in favour of solutions that would benefit citizens.

It is time for a new approach with a renewed social contract for Europe, which truly represents the will and needs of all people. As key stakeholders in this agreement, citizens must play a central role in the development and finalisation of this new deal.

Our latest report, '2024 Voices - Citizens Speak Up!', marks the initial phase of a comprehensive strategy extending to 2030 and beyond. The report lays the foundation for our commitment to formulate a renewed social contract that focuses on fairness, ensures broad participation and, above all, actively engages the grassroots.  

The report brings together the views of more than 2,000 people from seven European countries - Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain and Sweden - who shared their opinions on four key issues facing Europe:

• Promoting the ecological transition
• Ensuring that democracy serves all
• Promoting inclusive and sustainable growth
• Improving security and resilience

You can read the full report in English here and the summary in Swedish here. 

The study, conducted by Debating Europe between August and December 2023 captured the diverse perspectives of European citizens on four crucial themes:
→ Supporting the green transition
→ Making democracy work for all
→ Fostering inclusive and sustainable growth
→ Strengthening safety and resilience.

2024 citizens aged 18-65+ were recruited from seven EU member states: Belgium, France, Italy, Germany, Poland, Spain, and Sweden, representing a broad cross-section of society, and reflecting a balanced diversity of gender, age, and background. 

Participants were drawn from Debating Europe's existing community and through partnerships with active civil society organisations. We employed a mixed-method approach combining facilitated 1-hour online focus groups and written online
surveys. All sessions were conducted in the participants' native languages for optimal engagement and understanding.
The qualitative data generated from the study provided the basis for an analysis of key themes, trends, and policy recommendations.

The intergenerational and comparative nature of the data allowed for a nuanced understanding of citizen perspectives across different EU member states and age groups.