No one needs to hurry him up, his pace is fast enough. A simple question is often sufficient to get his engines up to speed. Today, it’s a harmless question that causes his scrambled egg to go cold at the breakfast table. The question is: how is Europe doing? At the moment the European Union is the exact opposite to Eckart Stratenschulte. The EU has embraced many countries, and sometimes it looks as if it were going nowhere. Its biggest problem is that people tend to think in a kind of black box mode when they hear the abbreviation EU. “The EU,” agrees Stratenschulte, a silver-haired man in his mid-fifties who is sitting at breakfast in a Berlin villa, “doesn’t interest people much, because only a few really understand it so far.” In his opinion this is something that has to be talked about. But he thinks it is also something that will change in the not too distant future. And so, he talks.
Stratenschulte recognizes the EU’s problems, but the great idea itself lies very close to his heart. He is not just someone with a soft spot for a united Europe: he is an expert to whom politicians are prepared to listen. On his business card it says “Prof. Dr. Eckart D. Stratenschulte”. He teaches politics and social sciences at Berlin’s Free University and is director of the European Academy in Berlin, EAB for short. Stratenschulte says he thinks the problems can be solved. What he doesn’t say is that he and his academy could well be part of a solution, at least in Germany. The European Academy endeavours to bring the EU to the people. Step one: awakening interest in political and economic conditions and interrelationships. Creating new impressions. As a result the EAB offers over one hundred events each year, most of them held in the 1920s villa in the Grunewald district, where he is now having breakfast. The academy’s headquarters hosts lectures, discussions and above all seminars. Apart from that, the EAB creates contacts, organizes events and excursions.
The future of the EU depends on the people, especially the young ones. Stratenschulte places great hope in them. “Today’s young people are..., excuse me for a moment, I’ll be right back.” He interrupts his breakfast to fetch something from his office. He returns with a pile of books that he has written about European politics. “Europe,” he says, “is mentioned very little in German educational guidelines, especially not as a principle in teaching.” This, despite the fact that Germany’s Standing Conference of Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs called for this precisely 30 years ago. “The topic is unpopular with teachers, which is understandable up to a point.” The material quickly goes out of date, something new is always happening, new regulations, new laws that even experts find complicated. Teachers want to be well-informed when they face a class, so they avoid Europe. A small case is set to change things. It contains a collection of material compiled by the EAB together with the Berlin Senate and the European Commission, and sponsored by the Federal Foreign Office. These are small steps, as Stratenschulte himself admits. But certain changes are now encouraging him. He reckons that national politics is taking the EU more seriously – and the initial visits to the dentist are over.
The dentist? Stratenschulte likes to translate politics into everyday situations. He says that people have long come to accept European politics, like going to the dentist. They don’t know exactly what he’s doing, and they don’t really want to know either. He knows what he’s doing. Political scientists call this principle “permissive consensus”. Stratenschulte now sees signs of people participating more. Environmental policies, terrorism, the economy – young people are able to link up with these future-oriented themes as well.“The old achievements of the EU,” says Stratenschulte, “are a matter of fact for youngsters. They are not moved by the argument that Europe doesn’t suffer war every few years.” Securing peace: that was the 20th century. The 21st century is about securing social peace – sufficient work, humane working conditions, equality of opportunity. Stratenschulte knows that despite all the lofty EU ideals it is impossible to inspire a whole society. Nevertheless, he says the EU is on the way from being an elite project and is now becoming a majority project. When will that be the case? “When the people now leaving school assume leading positions,” he says. The EU will always be more complex than national politics. Stratenschulte has no illusions. But he thinks the politicians can do a bit more to make Europe more popular. “The EU is gladly blamed for negative developments. And then everyone is surprised when people don’t vote in EU elections.” He glances at his watch. He’s said everything, and now he has to leave for an appointment. Europe is waiting.
